Nikon D600 For Dummies

Looking at Lenses

One of the biggest differences between a point-and-shoot camera and an SLR (single-lens reflex) camera is the lens. With an SLR, you can change lenses to suit different photographic needs, going from an extreme close-up lens to a super-long telephoto, for example. In addition, an SLR lens has a focusing ring that gives you the option of focusing manually instead of relying on the camera's autofocus mechanism.

I don't have room in this book to go into detail about the science of lenses, nor do I think that an in-depth knowledge of the subject is terribly important to your photographic success. But the next few sections offer advice that may help when you're shopping for lenses, figuring out whether the lenses you inherited from Uncle Ted or found on eBay will work with your D600, and taking the steps involved in actually mounting and using a lens.

Choosing a lens

To decide which lens is the best partner for your D600, start by considering these factors:

• Compatibility with the D600: You can mount a wide range of lenses on your camera, but some lenses aren't fully compatible with all camera features. For example, with some lenses, you can't take advantage of autofocusing and must focus manually.

  Your camera manual lists all the lens types that can be mounted on the D600 and explains what features are supported with each type. For maximum compatibility, look for these types: Type D or G AF Nikkor, AF-S Nikkor, or AF-I Nikkor. (The latter is an older, expensive professional ...