~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

FM Forum Rules
Nikon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews

FM Forums \| Nikon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell
1 2 3 4 end

jhinkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #1 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Looking for both a ~100mm and ~200mm lightweight & compact prime options for use on my D800 for landscapes. Since I tend to lug my D800 on steep terrain weight and size are a premium while AF and large aperture are not.

So far I've tried:

105/2.5 AIS - Pretty good, but looking for better, especially in high contrast situations (sun in the frame)
105/2 DC - Heavy, and not really any better than the 105/2.5
100/2.8 Series E - Small, light, but does not have the resolution or contrast

200/4 AIS - Runs out of sharpness at 36MP and does not handle flare well
180/2.8 AF - Also runs out of sharpness at 36MP and is large/heavy

What I found that could be of interest:

90/3.5 CV - Small, light, excellent build, but don't know about sharpness or contrast or ghosting/flare
135/3.5 AIS - Reportedly very very good, but have not tried one out
135/2.8 Series E - Light, but have no idea how good it is on a high MP digital camera

~200mm - I have no other options besides my 70-200/4 AFS which is great, but it's a bit big sometimes to hang from the camera while hiking, etc.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Dec 31, 2012 at 09:59 PM

Todd Warnke
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

As long as cheap isn't a part of the equation look at the Zeiss 100/2. Sharp, light, wonderful.

Peace,

Todd

Dec 31, 2012 at 10:38 PM

baabbott
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

+1 what Todd said. Sounds like Zeiss 100mm f2 is what you need. Check the Buy/Sell board.

Dec 31, 2012 at 10:46 PM

jhinkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Yes, I've been ogling the 100/2 MP - been considering renting one first to see if I like it, though to rent one will be $100+ that I could just use toward the purchase of one.
They seem to be going for ~$1,500 or so in 9+ of 10 condition. If I bought one and didn't like it I'm sure I could re-sell for a small loss and consider it a rental fee

.

Thanks for the suggestions - just what I was looking for.

Dec 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM

penghai
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #5 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Looking from another direction, do you really need 36M for a steep terrain? You can easily save lots of weight and $$$ by selecting a lighter camera.

Eric

Jan 01, 2013 at 02:43 AM

jhinkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

penghai wrote:
Looking from another direction, do you really need 36M for a steep terrain? You can easily save lots of weight and $$$ by selecting a lighter camera.

Eric

Very good thought Eric - you are correct in that I don't need 36MP (16-24 would be just right, but 36MP does comes in handy many times), but I do need the other features of the D800 that something like the D600 does not have. If they would only put that D600 (or D4) sensor in the D800 body I'd be in heaven . . .

I seriously looked at the Sony NEX series, but the lenses for those just aren't there yet. The Fuji X Series is really really interesting, but it too was not quite there yet on the lens front (but Fuji looks like they are headed in the right direction for sure) and a bit expensive (and I felt a bit fragile for taking out in the wilds).

So for times when I really can't stand the weight or bulk I bought a Panasonic GH-2 and 12-35/2.8 (both very much on sale) and plan to round that system out with a few wider lenses (7.5mm FE & 7-14/4) and a few longer primes (like the 75/1.8 Oly). You will then likely ask why not the OM-D for the better DR - well it has a horrid menu system, Frankenstein-ish button layout, no built-in flash, no 16:9 native sensor, and needs a grip to be workable which then makes it a very very expensive camera (even before I get to adding lenses). Hopefully the EM-6 will address most of these issues.

Anyways, yes the camera can save some weight, but many times it's the lenses that really add up in bulk and weight overall.

Thanks!

John

Jan 01, 2013 at 03:39 AM

DontShoot
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #7 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

triple post

Edited on Jan 01, 2013 at 04:35 AM · View previous versions

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:32 AM

DontShoot
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

double post

Edited on Jan 01, 2013 at 04:36 AM · View previous versions

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:34 AM

DontShoot
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

How about the old non-OS Sigma 150? I shot it for a few months and I thought it was an impressive multipurpose tele lens. Good for distant landscapes and also doubles as a nice portrait lens.

Edited on Jan 04, 2013 at 06:33 AM · View previous versions

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:35 AM

davidnholtjr
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

jhinkey wrote:
Looking for both a ~100mm and ~200mm lightweight & compact prime options for use on my D800 for landscapes. Since I tend to lug my D800 on steep terrain weight and size are a premium while AF and large aperture are not.

So far I've tried:

105/2.5 AIS - Pretty good, but looking for better, especially in high contrast situations (sun in the frame)
105/2 DC - Heavy, and not really any better than the 105/2.5
100/2.8 Series E - Small, light, but does not have the resolution or contrast

200/4 AIS - Runs out of sharpness at 36MP and does not handle flare well
180/2.8 AF - Also runs out of sharpness at 36MP and is large/heavy

What I found that could be of interest:

90/3.5 CV - Small, light, excellent build, but don't know about sharpness or contrast or ghosting/flare
135/3.5 AIS - Reportedly very very good, but have not tried one out
135/2.8 Series E - Light, but have no idea how good it is on a high MP digital camera

~200mm - I have no other options besides my 70-200/4 AFS which is great, but it's a bit big sometimes to hang from the camera while hiking, etc.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

the 90/3.5 CV is very sharp and is one hell of a lens. Not sure if it can hang with the 36mp's, but it was wonderful on my D700.

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:21 PM

davidnholtjr
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

DontShoot wrote:
How about the old non-OS Sigma 150? I shot it for a few months and I thought it was an impressive multipurpose tele lens. Good for distant landscapes and also doubles as a nice portrait lens. I heard it also shoots macro on the side but I never tried that feature.

Sample landscape shot with the Sigma 150

+1 to the Siggy 150 (non-OS version). It's a great lens and super sharp. Very compact and light.

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:27 PM

Andre Labonte
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

At the 180 end of things, consider the Tamron 180 micro.

Jan 01, 2013 at 05:31 PM

uscmatt99
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

I use the ZF100 and CV90, previously on a D700 and I now own a D600. The ZF100 continues to amaze me. You may be able to get the unchipped ZF for less than the ZF.2.

I haven't tried out the CV90 on the D600 yet, but it performed well on both the D700 and a crop 12mp camera for me. It comes with a tiny snooted hood that protects the front element well. I think the CV90 is a better lens than the CV40, for what it's worth.

Jan 01, 2013 at 07:05 PM

penghai
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #14 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

jhinkey wrote:
Very good thought Eric - you are correct in that I don't need 36MP (16-24 would be just right, but 36MP does comes in handy many times), but I do need the other features of the D800 that something like the D600 does not have. If they would only put that D600 (or D4) sensor in the D800 body I'd be in heaven . . .

Hi John,

If you don't really need the whole 36M, then you may consider cropping the images. As you don't really need all 36M to be sharp, then may be you can consider lenses with center area that is good enough? I think this may be my strategy when the time come for me to pick a D800/D800E.

Eric

Jan 02, 2013 at 12:07 AM

jhinkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Well, I just found a source for a new 90/3.5 CV in Nikon mount for $617 including 3-day shipping.
What do you guys think - should I go for it?

If I don't find it to my liking I can likely sell it for $550 or so and lose just a bit (perhaps calling it a rental fee).

Jan 02, 2013 at 06:39 PM

Danner
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

jhinkey:

I'd be tempted to try the 90/3.5 CV. You don't have much to lose. When I was shooting Leica-M, I had the 28/3.5 CV and it was surprisingly good.

Also, gratuitous picture:

Jan 02, 2013 at 06:47 PM

uscmatt99
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #17 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Here is a photo I dug up from the CV90 on a D700, processed in Aperture 3 with default sharpening. It's tripod mounted, but there was a ton of atmospheric haze that day. I had a polarizer in place. ISO 200, 1/400, f/5.6.

Full:

DSC_4370 by matthewcummings99, on Flickr

Crop:

DSC_4370 - Version 2 by matthewcummings99, on Flickr

Here's one with the lens mounted on a Ricoh GXR M-mount module (no AA filter). This was handheld from a beach chair, also had a polarizer in place. Processed in Aperture 3, and I'm not happy with how it turned out, but I don't have anything more recent from this lens online. Edge artifact on the people is from the raw conversion and aliasing, not CA. It would look much better processed in RPP or LR4. Anyway, ISO 200, 1/640, probably at f/5.6.

Full:

R1011498 by matthewcummings99, on Flickr

Crop:

R1011498 - Version 2 by matthewcummings99, on Flickr

Jan 02, 2013 at 07:57 PM

LizzieShepherd
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

John
I think I remember seeing a few posts on here a while back re the 90/3.5 and seem to remember people thought it was on a par with the 105/2.5 if I recall correctly - on a D800 I think it was...
I have the 105/2.5 but have not yet had a chance to shoot into the sun with it. However, ime it is better at long distance than the Sigma 150 that some people have suggested, not to mention a lot lighter. The Sigma is pretty bulky too. The Zeiss 100 is also a reasonable amount lighter than the Sigma I believe and is a lens I am very keen to try! Hoping to soon... but perhaps you'll beat me to it! ;-)
I have my brother's 135/2.8 here - only tried it very briefly on the D800E but was not that impressed - mind you, the glass is a bit scratched which won't have helped.
Lizzie

Edited on Jan 02, 2013 at 11:12 PM · View previous versions

Jan 02, 2013 at 10:39 PM

Andre Labonte
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

Why not go with your 70-200 f/4? The size and weight of a 90mm + a 180mm lens will ultimately be greater than the one zoom. Speed is not an issue as you are considering the 90CV but you gain the advatage of not having to switch lenses and you get all the focal lengths from 70-200.

It sounds like what you need is a better camera bag solution to make carrying what you have more comfortable.

Jan 02, 2013 at 10:52 PM

jhinkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #20 · ~100mm & ~200mm Lightweight Prime Options

LizzieShepherd wrote:
John
I think I remember seeing a few posts on here a while back re the 90/3.5 and seem to remember people thought it was on a par with the 105/2.5 if I recall correctly - on a D800 I think it was...
I have the 105/2.5 but have not yet had a chance to shoot into the sun with it. However, ime it is better at long distance than the Sigma 150 that some people have suggested, not to mention a lot lighter. The Sigma is pretty bulky too. The Zeiss 100 is also a reasonable amount lighter than the Sigma I believe and is a lens I am very keen to try! Hoping to soon... but perhaps you'll beat me to it! ;-)
I have my brother's 135/2.8 here - only tried it very briefly on the D800E but was not that impressed - mind you, the glass is a bit scratched which won't have helped.
Lizzie

Which 135/2.8 does he have - the AIS or the series E? They have different optical designs.

John

Jan 02, 2013 at 11:22 PM

1 2 3 4 end
FM Forums \| Nikon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 3 4 end