Help with lens selection!

[Saidear]

Hi! I just bought a Samsung Nx100 micro 4/3rds on sale since I wanted something better than my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The Nx100 offers me a better sensor, interchangeable lenses, more control over my photos and is easier to carry about.

The question I'm asking is... it came with a stock 20-50mm/f3.5-5.6 le. I want to get my FZ40's "24x" magnification, so I'm having some confusion (not big on how lenses work yet).

Do I drop $800 for the NX-compatible 18-200mm i-function lens (is this 10x as I'm guessing?) or should I get the k mount adapter and pick up a 55-300m Pentax lens for $300? I liked my superzoom for the ability to take photos of some wildlife (birds, etc) that I don't think I can do with the current lens.

Any help clairifing which is the best for me would be great! Thank you

[inkista]

Ok, two points.

1) A Samsung NX is NOT a micro-four thirds camera. Only Panasonic and Olympus make micro four-thirds camera right now. Micro four-thirds is actually describing the sensor size (4/3") as well as the mount system, and the NX and Sony NEX sensors are much larger than that--they're APS-C sensors and the mount systems are completely incompatible. So, whatever you do, make sure you're looking for lenses that are compatible with the NX mount, NOT micro four-thirds.

2) When you adapt a lens from another mount system, you are going to lose a buttload of function including autofocus and aperture control from the camera body. You're also going to be using a lens that was designed for a different format. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it isn't, but I think you're probably more likely to deal better with the PITA difficulties of using an adapted lens if you're an experienced shooter who's used to all-manual cameras. For now, I'd probably stick with NX mount lenses. The 30/2 is probably your best bet for a second lens, but that's my personal taste, and might not be yours.

If you're coming from a digital P&S, I'd say you probably need to do two things before you start looking for more glass. 1) Shoot a ton with your kit lens. Get used to it. Know what it can do and what it can't do. Hone your technique so you know you're getting the best images you possibly can out of that lens, and that you have full control over the camera/lens combination in any shooting mode to get what you want. 2) learn about lenses. You need to know what features like focal length and maximum aperture mean and why they affect the cost of the lens.

[Aegea]

The "24x" refers to the ratio between the shortest focal length of the zoom and the longest. So the kit lens is a "2.5x". But don't get hung up on the x factor (to coin a phrase) - the whole point of interchangeable lenses is that you can use the best lens for the job, not a "one size fits all" lens that tries to do everything and does nothing well. Generally, the bigger the zoom ratio, the more compromises the designers had to make, and the poorer the optical performance. That's one of the reasons pro zooms are usually about 3x, not 10x or 25x. If you really want to get into wildlife photography, especially birds, you need a long lens, probably 300mm as a start, but not necessarily a big x ratio - and it gets expensive very quickly.

Take inkista's advice, shoot a lot with what you have, and learn what you need/want.

[3bayjunkie]

There is no such thing as a 25x zoom lens That would mean it could go from 20mm - 500mm good luck finding one. The above is correct. get two lenses that cover the range you're looking for. I like to have one that covers the wide angle and then one that is a zoom lens. like a 17-35mm f/2.8 and a 70-200mm f/2.8

[Saidear]

Originally Posted by inkista

Ok, two points.

1) A Samsung NX is NOT a micro-four thirds camera. Only Panasonic and Olympus make micro four-thirds camera right now. Micro four-thirds is actually describing the sensor size (4/3") as well as the mount system, and the NX and Sony NEX sensors are much larger than that--they're APS-C sensors and the mount systems are completely incompatible. So, whatever you do, make sure you're looking for lenses that are compatible with the NX mount, NOT micro four-thirds.

2) When you adapt a lens from another mount system, you are going to lose a buttload of function including autofocus and aperture control from the camera body. You're also going to be using a lens that was designed for a different format. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it isn't, but I think you're probably more likely to deal better with the PITA difficulties of using an adapted lens if you're an experienced shooter who's used to all-manual cameras. For now, I'd probably stick with NX mount lenses. The 30/2 is probably your best bet for a second lens, but that's my personal taste, and might not be yours.

If you're coming from a digital P&S, I'd say you probably need to do two things before you start looking for more glass. 1) Shoot a ton with your kit lens. Get used to it. Know what it can do and what it can't do. Hone your technique so you know you're getting the best images you possibly can out of that lens, and that you have full control over the camera/lens combination in any shooting mode to get what you want. 2) learn about lenses. You need to know what features like focal length and maximum aperture mean and why they affect the cost of the lens.

Thank you the advice, I shall move forward with that in mind

I will save up for the 18/200 lens then in hopes the price comes down as make good use of this new camera. Would you say the quality of the Nxkit lens is decentt?

[inkista]

Most kit lenses are decent, if not a whole lot more. Stopping them down (using a smaller aperture than the maximum) generally helps improve sharpness. But overall, you mostly just have to get used to the additional technique you need over and above a P&S camera with the larger sensor and larger lens. Things like good handholding technique, focusing the camera accurately, watching your shutter speed, aperture, and iso, etc.

A really good basic text on exposure is Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. That can help you get the iso/aperture/shutter speed relation set in your head.

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by inkista

Most kit lenses are decent, if not a whole lot more. Stopping them down (using a smaller aperture than the maximum) generally helps improve sharpness. But overall, you mostly just have to get used to the additional technique you need over and above a P&S camera with the larger sensor and larger lens. Things like good handholding technique, focusing the camera accurately, watching your shutter speed, aperture, and iso, etc.

A really good basic text on exposure is Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. That can help you get the iso/aperture/shutter speed relation set in your head.

That is a great book. I have it on my kindle. However I remember reading in it about how many stops your eyes can see compared to how many stops a camera can see in a singleimage. i cannot find it again, so if anyone knows what chapter its in let me know.

[TheMoons678]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

That is a great book. I have it on my kindle. However I remember reading in it about how many stops your eyes can see compared to how many stops a camera can see in a singleimage. i cannot find it again, so if anyone knows what chapter its in let me know.

Haven't read the book but it's in the section about dynamic range/ HDR.

I googled Bryan Peterson dynamic range, and it found the page where he talks about it.

He says with film they could cover 4 or 5 stops, with digital 5-7, and the eye can do 16 stops.

[Saidear]

Thank you very much everyone, I'll go hunting about for that book as well!