I shoot with a Nikon D5100 that I got for Mothers' Day 2011 to replace my much loved Nikon D60 that I got for Mothers' Day 2009 from my people. So yeah, I'm a Nikon girl. I loved my D60 and I love my D5100 even more. It's got crazy awesome ISO capabilities so that I can pretty much shoot without flash in near darkness. I love love LOVE it. Have I mentioned that I love it?
Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 This is my current favorite everyday lens. It has less "zoom" than my old 18-135, but its maximum aperture is 2.8 at any length. This is key in the Pacific Northwest where it is only sunny like 12 days a year.
I found it on Craigslist.
I found it on Craigslist.
Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX
I got this lens for mothers' day 2012. I decided I wanted a longer zoom, particularly for outdoor, sports, and kids playing-type shots. I don't think this lens will be great indoors, or in low light, but so far I've loved it for baseball shots.Nikon SB-400 Speedlight
I got this for mothers' day 2010, and after hesitating for months I have really grown to love it, especially for indoor shots during the dark and dreary fall and winter.Opteka RC-2 Wireless Remote
ok you NEED this. It's under $10 bucks and it is awesome. pairs well with the Dolica AX620B100 62-Inch Proline Tripod and Ball Head
...which is $40 and gets the job done, plus it comes in a nice little carrying case, just in case you need to carry it somewhere. Then one day I got crafty and made my own camera strap cover which I love.
The bag itself! I am slightly obsessive (I know, you're surprised) about finding just the right thing and then also getting THE BEST DEAL EVER on it. And in this case, I definitely succeeded. I searched and searched for a camera bag that didn't scream "camera bag" or "lunch box" or "ummm, THAT looks inappropriate?" Also, I didn't want to spend close to $200. So, I improvised. I found a great (cute!) satchel bag at Macy's that seemed like an appropriate size. (Plus, it was on clearance. Plus, I had coupons.) I purchased two dollars worth of 1/2 inch foam padding at Jo-Ann's and found some scrap cardboard in the garage. I opened the bottom seam in the liner of the bag so that I could glue the foam on the bottom and sides of the bag. I first glued the cardboard to the bottom to add strength, so the bag wouldn't sag from the weight of the camera. I re-sewed the seam on the liner and voila! The perfect bag for the perfect price.
My new bag. Which I love even more. Check it:
Lenses I used to own:
Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX This is my favorite "everyday" lens. It's wide enough at 18mm and has a hefty amount of zoom at 135mm so that I can get in close enough for most needs without getting in anybody's face. I found a FABULOUS deal on one of these (you don't even want to KNOW what kind of deal), so I bought a new one and gave Grace hers back (I'd been borrowing it and she'd been ready for a bigger lens and was letting me know it). Note that this lens does not have VR (vibration reduction) but honestly I have never had a problem with it.-SOLD March 2013
Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX
I love this lens. I don't like to shoot with flash and this lens allows
me to get by with less light. It's really great for portraits because
it's got that large aperture, which translates to super shallow depth of
field. It's pretty sweet.-TRADED to Grace for her 50mm f/1.8 March 2012-ish.Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S This is the "nifty fifty" you hear everyone talking about. The ability to shoot as wide as f/1.8 is great for low light. And can be used as your only lens. It's also pretty inexpensive at around $200 bucks.-SOLD March 2013.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD LD I actually WON this lens on some twitter contest that I forgot I even entered. It is a great, compact zoom lens, but I already had other lenses that covered this entire range so I didn't end up keeping it. -SOLD
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX This is the "kit" lens that came with my D60. Its a great starter lens, but if you get the chance to skip the kit and buy a camera body only I'd say get a prime (maybe the 35mm 1.8 or the "nifty fifty") instead.-SOLD May 2011 with my D60.
