Just got a Nikon D40 - are these lenses any good?

Question

I just bought a Nikon D40 which I'm very happy with it. I wan't to buy a wide angle and a telephoto lense and see some great deals on lenses on Ebay. I'm a little hesitant to buy them off of Ebay because I'm afraid they will be junk quality.

Here are some examples of what's out there:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wide-Angle-3X-Lens-Kit-For-NIKON-D40-D50-D70-D80-D200_W0QQitemZ250121529350QQihZ015QQcategoryZ116191QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Telephoto-Wide-Angle-Lens-for-Nikon-D40-or-D50-NEW_W0QQitemZ300116074253QQihZ020QQcategoryZ106862QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/WIDE-ANGLE-FISHEYE-LENS-NIKON-Digital-SLR-D40-D50-DSLR_W0QQitemZ200116534262QQihZ010QQcategoryZ106845QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I am by no means an expert in photography and would appreciate your input as to what to look for in a lens and what makes a good lens vs. a crap lens.

thanks in advance!

Answer 1

DON'T DO IT!



It's not the Ebay factor, it's that those "lenses" are not lenses at all and will take a perfectly good optic, probably the kit lens that came with your camera and turn it into crap. Anything that screws onto the end of your existing lens that is not a simple filter should be avoided at all costs.



By the way, your camera should have come with at least an 18-75 lens so why do you NEED more than that? You won't get much wider and as far as telephoto, well, make due with what you have or invest in some of the less expensive 75-300ish lenses out there.



Actually, Nikon makes a 55-200 you can get for around $170 and that's about as cheap as you're gonna get.



Unfortunately, decent lenses cost money but cheap lenses cost you memories, lost photo opportunities and will not let you get the most from your good camera.



Don't go cheap on this. You'll regret it.

Answer 2

You'll really want to do your research before buying off Ebay. Look at the feedback, do a google search on the company and find other feedback on the company. Then call the company to make sure someone is actually there.

Another thing to consider are the lens a Nikon D40 will take. I was going to get a D40, but went with a D80 because I can use generic lenss, whereas a D40 can only use Nikon lenses. So talk with a sales clerk at local photography store to get advice on lenses. You can also see if they sell used lenses, because then you can see the lense beforehand.

Good luck!

Answer 3

You need to hold a lens up to the light and examine the edges of the circle for fungus, dust or particles. You can't do this on the internet. Do not buy anything you can't handle and look at closely to check out. Most good lenses will be OK even after years of use but if stored badly or used abroad in humid, hot conditions, they can be affected with problems. The answer is always look for yourself.

Answer 4

Don't get the teleconversion lenses, your camera equipment is much better than the lens and you won't be happy.

Those lenses are ok with cheap point and shoot cameras but even then aren't that good.

I own Canon equipment but I thought I would point you to www.dpreview.com where you can check out the specs on actual lenses, as well as the forums where you can do a search and find lots of opinions.

Good luck!

Answer 5

you would need an adapter why a D40? that's a really old model. Look at the D3100 instead.