Ok found a great deal on Nikon D60 10.2 Mega pixel digital SLR camera. i plan on buying it but i also want to order an extra lens or two. I dont know much about pro photography but im learning. i read up on the different mm's and what they are used for. the Nikon comes with an 18-55mm lens but i want a telephoto to go with it. i found a good deal on a 20-210mm lens on amazon but my question is = how do i know what lenses will fit on my camera??? are all lens the same fitting? is there a specific size fitting? i saw something about a aperture range but that does not sound like a physical "thing" more of something to do with light.
is there anything else i should know about cameras before buying/ in general?
ALSO: whats a good multi purpose size/ dimension (mm) lens
 Nikon D3000 Kit with AF S DX 18 55mm Lens 102 Megap  US $410.00
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 Nikon AF S Nikkor 300mm f 4D ED IF Lens US $620.00
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 Nikon AF S 70 300 70 300mm VR Lens US $441.50
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August 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
All camera manufacturers use a proprietary lens mount. A Nikon mount lens will only fit a Nikon camera; a Canon mount lens will only fit a Canon camera; A Sony mount lens will only fit a Sony camera. Any listing for a lens should specify the camera mount the lens fits. If it doesn’t, or says something like "universal fit", DO NOT buy it.
IMO you need to do more research and reading before buying a camera and any accessories. A few classes in photography would be of benefit. Books such as "How Digital Photography Works" by Ron White and "Hands-On Digital Photography" by George Schaub would be good reading.
Beware of what appears to be a "great deal". Always check sellers at http://www.resellerratings.com before trusting them with your money.
Your guess that the aperture has "… something to do with light." is correct. If you google ‘aperture’ or ‘f-stop’ you’ll find articles that fully explain what it is and how exactly it relates to light.
If you buy a camera with an 18-55mm zoom and then buy a 20-210mm zoom you are needlessly duplicating focal lengths. IMO you’d be better off with just the body and the 20-210mm zoom.
I’m curious as to what brand this 20-210mm zoom lens is. Its always best to buy lenses made by Nikon for a Nikon camera, just as it is if you own Canon or Sony or Pentax. However, Tamron and Sigma both offer some nice lenses and shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re on a budget. If the lens you’re considering isn’t a Nikon or Tamron or Sigma it probably isn’t worth your money.
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
You lens is a universal mount if using a Nikon, you’ll need a digital Nikon Mount . Not a screw mount as is used in older film cameras. Also when gauging focal lengths 50mm is what you generally see at so go from there.
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
try pyxiscamera’s ebay store, they have really great deals. they have tons of bonus things like lenses and memory cards
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
As someone has already said a Nikon Mount should work.. there may be some screw thread Nikon mount lens’s out there but I doubt it, they switched to bayonet mounts 10,20,30 years ago.
there are 3 main types of lens
wide angle focal length around 20…40mm in 35mm terms
standard around 50.75mm
telephoto around 150….400
specialist eg fisheye, super telephoto in excess of 400
modern digital SLR cameras enlarge the image compared 35mm cameras. this enlaregement factor may be 1.5 or in some cases double.
unless you want to do landscape photography a wide angle probably isnt that useful
unless you want to do long distance photography (ie photograph smaller objects at a distance) then a telephoto may not be that useful)
one thing to bear in mind is the aperture of the lens (usually quoted a the ‘f’ stop. this indicates the amount of light the lens can handle, the bigger the range the better (usually this is quoted as f5.6~22. the lower the number generally the ‘better’ the lens.although camera manufacturers will argue that this is less important as digital cameras can adjust the sensitivity of the sensor to make lower f stops (these that allow you to take photographs in poorer light) irrelevant.
Also there a whole ruck of other things to bear in mind (the quality f the optics, the distortion in the lens..
so I’d suggest you check the lens on one of the many review sites that exist on th enet.
so having said that depending on what you intend photographing.
A wide angle for landscapes
A standard for normal use
A telephoto for long distance (eg sport, architecture)
a zoom can cover several roles eg 18–55 covers the wide angle and standard range 70..150mm a standard to telephoto zoom. however zoom lenses tend to compromise on the amount of light the let in (f stop) and often have a poorer optical quality.
I think these 2 will cover most eventualities. even with a zoom the choice of what lens to have in the camera is still tricky.. hence why many professionals have 2 (or more) cameras with a specific lens in each.
I’d suggest be a little wary about buying a lens on a budget.. its possible to get a wide range say 20..200mm ut optically isn’t very good in any of those focal ranges. the lens you’ve found may be fine.. but check with the reviews.
I don’t think you will find a por lens out there.. especially a lens branded by one of the major camera manufacturers. there are other quality alternatives (such as Tamron, Sigma and others) which can work out cheaper.
so if its your first lens then I’d suggest something in the range 50..150