[SOLVED] Nikon 5600 Lenses

[SegaPup]

I am looking to get a Nikon 5600 for night sky photography and sports (dog park, martial arts) stills and video.


I am settled on the Rokinon 14mm f2.4 for the night (edit: sky/stars) photography but have not found much for the sports lens and what I did find I was not finding for sale.

Any photographers here with recommendations? I am okay with used/refurbished but want to stay under 1k usd total, including some memory cards, spare battery, and tripod.

I found a kit with the body, 18-55 and 70-300 lenses for $530 (AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lenses) but I really just need the one for night sky and one for action which I would prefer to have quality enough to not need replacing. I am looking for a dslr because my fringe uses do not work well with smartphone cameras.

I picked the Nikon 5600 because it looked able to do what I wanted and in store I liked holding it a ton better than the Canon T7i. They did not have the 7500 to hold but that one does not have a fully articulating screen.

 

[kanewolf]

What distance are we talking about? An f2.8 150mm lens would be a good choice for medium distance and fast F-stop. A 14mm lens is OK for some things. Why did you group it into "night photography"? I would have recommended a 50mm f1.4.

 

[SegaPup]

What distance are we talking about? An f2.8 150mm lens would be a good choice for medium distance and fast F-stop. A 14mm lens is OK for some things. Why did you group it into "night photography"? I would have recommended a 50mm f1.4.

Night sky, in particular. The 10mm-18mm seemed to be the most recommended? With f/2.0-2.8.

For the sports/dog/martial arts I think the distance would be 15-20 ft? Sometimes the dog is further. I thought the f-stop for these was recommended in the higher ranges into f/3-f/6?

 

[USAFRet]

For the sports/dog/martial arts I think the distance would be 15-20 ft? Sometimes the dog is further. I thought the f-stop for these was recommended in the higher ranges into f/3-f/6?

Just the opposite.
The lower the f stop, the more light it lets in. The more light, the faster the shutter speed can be (capturing fast motion).
For low light, f/1.4 is better than f/6.

https://photographylife.com/f-stop

 

[kanewolf]

Night sky, in particular. The 10mm-18mm seemed to be the most recommended? With f/2.0-2.8.

For the sports/dog/martial arts I think the distance would be 15-20 ft? Sometimes the dog is further. I thought the f-stop for these was recommended in the higher ranges into f/3-f/6?

Since you say you found a kit with the 18-55, I would probably recommend using that. Your exposures are going to be longer, but you should be on a tripod anyway so it won't really matter. A 50mm lens acts like a "portrait" lens. The f1.4 would be great for indoors.

 

[SegaPup]

Just the opposite.
The lower the f stop, the more light it lets in. The more light, the faster the shutter speed can be (capturing fast motion).
For low light, f/1.4 is better than f/6.

https://photographylife.com/f-stop

I think I got that from depth of field? I am not interested in having the subject so blurred it is out of context.

 

[SegaPup]

Since you say you found a kit with the 18-55, I would probably recommend using that. Your exposures are going to be longer, but you should be on a tripod anyway so it won't really matter. A 50mm lens acts like a "portrait" lens. The f1.4 would be great for indoors.

The Kit lenses are as follows, I should have posted that in the original post.
AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lenses

Both of those f-stops are way higher than your suggestions. And if the exposure is long on stars, don’t they trail?

 

[USAFRet]

I think I got that from depth of field? I am not interested in having the subject so blurred it is out of context.

Depth of field is how much can be in focus, front to back.

Star trails result from the shutter being open longer.
The shutter is open longer to compensate for a higher f/number to let enough light in.

An f/1.4 would allow a shorter shutter open time vs a f/6 lens.

 

[SegaPup]

Depth of field is how much can be in focus, front to back.

Star trails result from the shutter being open longer.
The shutter is open longer to compensate for a higher f/number to let enough light in.

An f/1.4 would allow a shorter shutter open time vs a f/6 lens.

So f/2.4 for night sky photography is on the high end and I should aim for 1.4.

Then for the action lens I do want something that can go as small/high as f/6? Much higher and the shutter speed would have to be too slow for action subjects?

 

[kanewolf]

The Kit lenses are as follows, I should have posted that in the original post.
AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lenses

Both of those f-stops are way higher than your suggestions. And if the exposure is long on stars, don’t they trail?

It is brighter than you think. I can't do much star photography because of light polution. But a 2 to 4 second exposure won't significantly change stars. Especially with a wide angle lens.

 

[USAFRet]

So f/2.4 for night sky photography is on the high end and I should aim for 1.4.

Then for the action lens I do want something that can go as small/high as f/6? Much higher and the shutter speed would have to be too slow for action subjects?

In almost all cases, a lower f stop is better.
The shutter speed is adjustable as needed.
But, a lower f stop is almost always more expensive...

Consider gently used lenses.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=10209&fct=fct_brand_name|nikon&N=4036297804

I have a couple for my Fuji. Indistinguishable from 'brand new'.

 

[SegaPup]

It is brighter than you think. I can't do much star photography because of light polution. But a 2 to 4 second exposure won't significantly change stars. Especially with a wide angle lens.

Light pollution here is not too bad. So you are saying the 18-55 kit lens would be enough to photograph stars?

In almost all cases, a lower f stop is better.
The shutter speed is adjustable as needed.
But, a lower f stop is almost always more expensive...

Consider gently used lenses.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=10209&fct=fct_brand_name|nikon&N=4036297804

I have a couple for my Fuji. Indistinguishable from 'brand new'.

Yeah, I read that a person should get the most basic body that has the needed features, and spend on the lenses because they matter more and can transfer. I am mostly looking at used and refurbished, definitely. Just not sure which lenses to get. I’ve got two use cases, both on opposite extremes, but I want lenses that will last and not need replacing the moment I figure out what I’m doing - I am getting a dslr because I get so fustrated at what my smartphone camera cannot do (yes , there are pros who use a smartphone for events/portraits but those are not what I have trouble with. Landscapes on the smartphone I do use and those are fine.)

For the action lens, then, the 70-300mm range is good, but the kit’s f/4.5-6.3 is way too high so I ought find something in that range with f/2-6 and image stabilisation?
Or maybe this to start:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/802028283-USE/nikon_2201_af_s_nikkor_85mm_f_1_8g.html
?

 

[kanewolf]

Light pollution here is not too bad. So you are saying the 18-55 kit lens would be enough to photograph stars?


Yeah, I read that a person should get the most basic body that has the needed features, and spend on the lenses because they matter more and can transfer. I am mostly looking at used and refurbished, definitely. Just not sure which lenses to get. I’ve got two use cases, both on opposite extremes, but I want lenses that will last and not need replacing the moment I figure out what I’m doing - I am getting a dslr because I get so fustrated at what my smartphone camera cannot do (yes , there are pros who use a smartphone for events/portraits but those are not what I have trouble with. Landscapes on the smartphone I do use and those are fine.)

For the action lens, then, the 70-300mm range is good, but the kit’s f/4.5-6.3 is way too high so I ought find something in that range with f/2-6 and image stabilisation?
Or maybe this to start:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/802028283-USE/nikon_2201_af_s_nikkor_85mm_f_1_8g.html
?

Test out what you have before spending money, IMO. Find out what you can and can't do. Especially if you aren't an experienced SLR user. YOUR technique is as important as the hardware. With a long lens, you may have to practice "watching" the action with your one eye while watching the zoomed in action with your viewfinder eye. Baseball is a great example of this. You have to watch the pitcher with one eye while focusing on the batter with the camera. The only way you can react with the shutter is by watching the pitcher. Dog park might be similar. You have to watch the thrower of the tennis ball to be able to hit the shutter button in time to get the dog's reaction.