Zoom lens for Dad...

My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.

On Sun, 1 May 2005 23:13:48 -0400, Xman wrote:

My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

He should tell you what the "normal picture distance" is. With a
simple algebraic formula that uses the focal length of his current
lens (assuming it's fixed, and not a zoom) you can calculate the
focal length that the zoom lens he gets needs to include. This is:

DFL == (30 feet) * (CLFL) / (NPD)

Where DFL == desired focal length, NPD == normal picture distance,
and CLFL == current lens focal length. So assuming that his current
lens has a focal length of 35mm and his normal picture distance is 8
feet, you get DFL == 30 * 35 / 8, or a zoom lens that needs to be at
least 131.5 mm long.

So for these values, a 35mm-135mm zoom would work, barely. But if
his current lens is longer than 35mm and/or his normal picture
distance is less than 8 feet, the formula would give you a number
larger than 131.5, so he'd want a longer lens, and a 28mm-200mm or
80mm-200mm zoom might be more appropriate.

On Sun, 1 May 2005 23:13:48 -0400, Xman wrote:

My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

He should tell you what the "normal picture distance" is. With a
simple algebraic formula that uses the focal length of his current
lens (assuming it's fixed, and not a zoom) you can calculate the
focal length that the zoom lens he gets needs to include. This is:

DFL == (30 feet) * (CLFL) / (NPD)

Where DFL == desired focal length, NPD == normal picture distance,
and CLFL == current lens focal length. So assuming that his current
lens has a focal length of 35mm and his normal picture distance is 8
feet, you get DFL == 30 * 35 / 8, or a zoom lens that needs to be at
least 131.5 mm long.

So for these values, a 35mm-135mm zoom would work, barely. But if
his current lens is longer than 35mm and/or his normal picture
distance is less than 8 feet, the formula would give you a number
larger than 131.5, so he'd want a longer lens, and a 28mm-200mm or
80mm-200mm zoom might be more appropriate.

Good price to Bill Gates is thousands, to me hundreds.

The Sigma 70-300 is not bad for a few hundred. The 70-200 is a much faster
lens at a higher price.

Xman wrote:
My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good
priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the
subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the
technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.


I'm assuming your Dad has a lens on the camera now and I'll further
assume he has the kit lens that usually comes with it. If that's true
and he's not happy with the magnification from the kit lens, he needs
something that starts where it leaves off. I would highly recommend
the very inexpensive 70-300 G series AF lens. You can get it for a
little over a hundred dollars and mine does a great job. It's not the
top rated lens of it's range, but it certainly has to be the best value
when you compare price and performance. At such time as he does become
familiar with the 'technical stuff' and wants to upgrade, he'll not
have broken the bank in the meantime. Here's what some others have to
say:

http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=3188

If he *doesn't* have the kit lens, you may want to post again and let
us know what he *does* have to get a better answer.

Yes, he has the D70 kit. The standard lens that comes with the kit. I'll
point him into the right direction, buy since I'm very technical with
computer's I really want to to start to understand what I'm reading and
seeing when I look up these lenses. What's really weird is I found out that
"Zoom Lens" is the same thing as a "tele-photo Lens". Is this really
true...and if it is, why all the jargon? Marketing/selling points?

"Kitt" wrote in message
oups.com...

Xman wrote:
My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good
priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the
subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the
technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.


I'm assuming your Dad has a lens on the camera now and I'll further
assume he has the kit lens that usually comes with it. If that's true
and he's not happy with the magnification from the kit lens, he needs
something that starts where it leaves off. I would highly recommend
the very inexpensive 70-300 G series AF lens. You can get it for a
little over a hundred dollars and mine does a great job. It's not the
top rated lens of it's range, but it certainly has to be the best value
when you compare price and performance. At such time as he does become
familiar with the 'technical stuff' and wants to upgrade, he'll not
have broken the bank in the meantime. Here's what some others have to
say:

http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=3188

If he *doesn't* have the kit lens, you may want to post again and let
us know what he *does* have to get a better answer.

A tele-photo lens is a fix length lens that is longer than 50mm, such as
85MM or 300mm. A zoom lens operates over a range of focal lengths such as
18-35mm for a wide angle zoom or 70-200mm for a tele-photo zoom. It sounds
like you are looking for something like a 70-200mm zoom. They range in price
from under $500 for a consumer quality one to over $1500 for a pro quality
f2.8 with image stabilization (or vibration reduction). The better quality
lens you buy the happier you will be with the results. There is a huge
difference with sharpness and color brightness with the pro quality lenses.
The pro quality lenses are also physically larger and a lot heavier.

Marten


"Xman" wrote in message
...
Yes, he has the D70 kit. The standard lens that comes with the kit. I'll
point him into the right direction, buy since I'm very technical with
computer's I really want to to start to understand what I'm reading and
seeing when I look up these lenses. What's really weird is I found out
that "Zoom Lens" is the same thing as a "tele-photo Lens". Is this really
true...and if it is, why all the jargon? Marketing/selling points?

"Kitt" wrote in message
oups.com...

Xman wrote:
My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good
priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the
subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the
technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.


I'm assuming your Dad has a lens on the camera now and I'll further
assume he has the kit lens that usually comes with it. If that's true
and he's not happy with the magnification from the kit lens, he needs
something that starts where it leaves off. I would highly recommend
the very inexpensive 70-300 G series AF lens. You can get it for a
little over a hundred dollars and mine does a great job. It's not the
top rated lens of it's range, but it certainly has to be the best value
when you compare price and performance. At such time as he does become
familiar with the 'technical stuff' and wants to upgrade, he'll not
have broken the bank in the meantime. Here's what some others have to
say:

http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=3188

If he *doesn't* have the kit lens, you may want to post again and let
us know what he *does* have to get a better answer.

A tele-photo lens is a fix length lens that is longer than 50mm, such as
85MM or 300mm. A zoom lens operates over a range of focal lengths such as
18-35mm for a wide angle zoom or 70-200mm for a tele-photo zoom. It sounds
like you are looking for something like a 70-200mm zoom. They range in price
from under $500 for a consumer quality one to over $1500 for a pro quality
f2.8 with image stabilization (or vibration reduction). The better quality
lens you buy the happier you will be with the results. There is a huge
difference with sharpness and color brightness with the pro quality lenses.
The pro quality lenses are also physically larger and a lot heavier.

Marten


"Xman" wrote in message
...
Yes, he has the D70 kit. The standard lens that comes with the kit. I'll
point him into the right direction, buy since I'm very technical with
computer's I really want to to start to understand what I'm reading and
seeing when I look up these lenses. What's really weird is I found out
that "Zoom Lens" is the same thing as a "tele-photo Lens". Is this really
true...and if it is, why all the jargon? Marketing/selling points?

"Kitt" wrote in message
oups.com...

Xman wrote:
My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good
priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the
subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the
technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.


I'm assuming your Dad has a lens on the camera now and I'll further
assume he has the kit lens that usually comes with it. If that's true
and he's not happy with the magnification from the kit lens, he needs
something that starts where it leaves off. I would highly recommend
the very inexpensive 70-300 G series AF lens. You can get it for a
little over a hundred dollars and mine does a great job. It's not the
top rated lens of it's range, but it certainly has to be the best value
when you compare price and performance. At such time as he does become
familiar with the 'technical stuff' and wants to upgrade, he'll not
have broken the bank in the meantime. Here's what some others have to
say:

http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=3188

If he *doesn't* have the kit lens, you may want to post again and let
us know what he *does* have to get a better answer.

On Tue, 03 May 2005 17:00:29 +0000, Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:


Telephoto is technically any lens with a focal length longer than 50mm
on a 35mm format camera. With a DSLR, you typically multiply by a
factor, in the case of the D70, it is 2/3, so telephoto really would
begin around 35mm. In practice, I think of telephoto on the DSLR as
starting above 50mm there as well.
You are talking about a long focus lens - a telephoto lens is a long focus
lens with short back focus.


--
neil
delete delete to reply

Maybe this will help:

http://photography.about.com/od/basics/a/bplens.htm




Xman wrote:
Yes, he has the D70 kit. The standard lens that comes with the kit.
I'll
point him into the right direction, buy since I'm very technical with

computer's I really want to to start to understand what I'm reading
and
seeing when I look up these lenses. What's really weird is I found
out that
"Zoom Lens" is the same thing as a "tele-photo Lens". Is this really
true...and if it is, why all the jargon? Marketing/selling points?

"Kitt" wrote in message
oups.com...

Xman wrote:
My father has the Nikon D70 camera. He's looking for a fairly good
priced
Zoom (tele-photo) lens. If he's about 30 feet away...he wants the
subject to
be almost or near normal picture distance. Is there a particular
specification he should be looking for? I am not familair with the
technical
stuff and neither is he. I'm just trying to help.

Thanks.


I'm assuming your Dad has a lens on the camera now and I'll further
assume he has the kit lens that usually comes with it. If that's
true
and he's not happy with the magnification from the kit lens, he
needs
something that starts where it leaves off. I would highly
recommend
the very inexpensive 70-300 G series AF lens. You can get it for a
little over a hundred dollars and mine does a great job. It's not
the
top rated lens of it's range, but it certainly has to be the best
value
when you compare price and performance. At such time as he does
become
familiar with the 'technical stuff' and wants to upgrade, he'll not
have broken the bank in the meantime. Here's what some others have
to
say:

http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=3188

If he *doesn't* have the kit lens, you may want to post again and
let
us know what he *does* have to get a better answer.