Cameras & Camcorders

[JadeRoman]

• So, about 6 months ago I bought a Nikon D5300 camera kit. It came with a AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II lens. I am looking to buy a new lens (not too happy with quality). I only use my camera for fun portaits/ family pictures. Zoom is not important to me, mainly want better focus and color quality. Not sure what it is called but if there is any way I could get the feature that blurs background a little more dramatically and focuses more on the person's face, thats what I really want. Not looking to spend over 500$. Thanks!! (Not looking for a some crazy pro lens, just a higher quality one)

[xl]

Three products I recommend you research....

• 85mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 lens for portraits
• 50mm f/1.4 or f1/.8 lens for more of than the head
• perhaps also look at Lensbabies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTqyzPAVv8

[Rrrrrrr]

For your price range, most any prime lenses (lenses with fixed focal length, ie 35mm, 50mm, 85mm) with a F-stop (aperture) of 1.4 are gonna be way out of your range. Nikon does have a great little $200 lens. 35mm F1.8. But if you need something with more 'reach', dont be afraid of lenses from Tamron, Sigma or Tokina. They have F2.8 lenses close to the size of you current 18-55.

But what you are looking to do is mainly created by the larger F-stop (numbers are backwards. Lower number = larger aperture, higher number is smaller aperture). A larger aperture focuses in a smaller 'plane' (---->||<----) and creates the out of focus 'bokkah' you see in portraits. Smaller aperture has a large plane of focus (->|-----|<-) and everythign in the photo will probably be in focus.

Theres a nikon forum which has alot of info that will help you alot. www.nikoncafe.com.