Need lens recommendations

[heatherandfred]

Hi, I need help. I have a Nikon d3100 camera. Looking for a lens that can capture a group of people plus get a lot of background imagery. What would anyone recommend? Thank you.

[pierces]

Hi, I need help. I have a Nikon d3100 camera. Looking for a lens that can capture a group of people plus get a lot of background imagery. What would anyone recommend? Thank you.

 

What lens/lenses do you already own?

 

The reason I ask is that the D3100 usually comes with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens in the kit. That range is more than wide enough to capture a group and if a small enough aperture (f/8 - f/11) is used, the background would be included as well.

 

Dave

[heatherandfred]

I've got the lens that came with the camera. The 18-55mm.

[pierces]

I've got the lens that came with the camera. The 18-55mm.

 

As I mentioned above, the 18-55 is plenty wide enough for group shots. Is there a specific situation that you can describe where the lens failed to do what you wanted?

 

This was shot at 24mm with my 16-50 lens and easily encompassed a fairly large group as well as the background details.

 

 

Any specifics of what you want to shoot will help in getting you a good answer form the nice folks here on the forum.

 

Dave

[TLCOhio]

Hi, I need help. I have a Nikon d3100 camera. Looking for a lens that can capture a group of people plus get a lot of background imagery. What would anyone recommend? Thank you.

 

Great initial question and wonderful added background from the smart and savvy pierces/Dave. Excellent picture sample provided by Dave. I have a Nikon D3100 and it has worked very well for me with its 18-55mm lens. But, for our more recent trips, I have used a Nikon D7100 with its more flexible 18-140mm lens. Also have a 55-300mm Nikkor lens. It is great to have those added ranges when shooting objects farther away.

 

Much depends on how big and wide of a "group" you are seeking to do. And, under what types of lighting conditions, how deep of a background you seek to include, show.

 

Any other, added questions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

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[CT Sean]

I've got the lens that came with the camera. The 18-55mm.

 

Is the 18-55 lacking, from your perspective, in what you are looking for? It's the right focal length - wider focal lengths risk distorting people outside of the center of the image and longer lengths will "narrow" your background as well as provide more background separation and blur (bokeh).

[havoc315]

Hi, I need help. I have a Nikon d3100 camera. Looking for a lens that can capture a group of people plus get a lot of background imagery. What would anyone recommend? Thank you.

 

Either:

 

Get a wider lens. If 18mm isn't wide enough for you (though it should be wide enough for just about any group shot at a reasonable distance), than get a wider lens.

 

Or

 

Use the lens you have, and back up.

 

As stated by someone else, standing close with ultra wide angle lenses typically is not great for people pictures, as it creates distortion. You're generally better off backing up.

 

I should environment portraits like this:

 

Mother and son by Adam Brown, on Flickr

 

With a rather long lens --- 85mm --- But I stand way way way back. It creates the perspective that I'm looking for. I could get the same "stuff" into the frame by using a wide angle lens and standing closer, but it would change the perspective of the photo and wouldn't look as good.

[peety3]

I have used a Nikon D7100 with its more flexible 18-140mm lens.

Interchangeable lenses are...interchangeable. You could use an 18-140 on a D3100 just the same.

[heatherandfred]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions