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Archive 2015 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?

  
 
BSPhotog
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I was going through my LR catalog meta data and looking at FLs that I used over the last year, as well as which lenses that I used the most. My Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 OS saw quite a lot of action as it was usually on one body of the two that I was shooting. On the long end, I had been using a Nikon 80-200 f/2.8D, usually with a monopod or tripod during ceremonies, hand held outdoors and where strobes where involved. I essentially stopped using it at all, though, when I got my 105 f/2.8 VR in November. I love the freedom of hand holding, even at low shutter speeds and the weather sealing and image quality are a bonus.

I'm considering getting rid of the 80-200 as it is becoming less useful with the way that I want to work (not tied to a tripod or monopod). I've been looking at the now-discontinued Sigma 50-150 (APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM) for it's stabilization and appropriate FL, but it is discontinued and hard to come by. I've also considered an 85 f/1.4D in place of the 80-200.

What is anyone else using on the long end for crop bodies?



Feb 27, 2015 at 01:02 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


Indoors for me, the 85 gets mostly everything done on the long side. I have a 135L for speeches and a 50L for decor and some couples dancing shots but if you made me just use the 85 I'd be fine. Lucky for you, the Nikkor 85 1.8 AF-S is a wonderful lens — sharp, great AF, smart price.

Two of my second shooters go all day with a 2.8 24-70 on a crop. Works well. In an emergency I do a whole wedding with that combo.

But I'd rent the 85 for your next wedding.



Feb 27, 2015 at 01:22 PM
Josh Jones
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


Back when I shot on a crop sensor, I loved using my 135mm f2.0. It was great for ceremonies and portraits. I didn't feel the need for a 70-200 until I went full frame.


Feb 27, 2015 at 01:33 PM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


LeeSimms wrote:
Indoors for me, the 85 gets mostly everything done on the long side. I have a 135L for speeches and a 50L for decor and some couples dancing shots but if you made me just use the 85 I'd be fine. Lucky for you, the Nikkor 85 1.8 AF-S is a wonderful lens — sharp, great AF, smart price.

Two of my second shooters go all day with a 2.8 24-70 on a crop. Works well. In an emergency I do a whole wedding with that combo.

But I'd rent the 85 for your next wedding.


Thanks, I was hoping you'd weigh in on this since I know you shoot a ton of weddings on crop Canons. I was also thinking that I could buy or rent a teleconverter if I ended up needing more reach here and there. I'd sure like f/1.4 or f/1.8 on a long lens! Looking at my meta data, a lot of my 80-200 shots were shot on the short end around 80mm, so it is already an established useful FL for me. An extra stop or two of light would probably seal the deal.
---------------------------------------------

Josh Jones wrote:
Back when I shot on a crop sensor, I loved using my 135mm f2.0. It was great for ceremonies and portraits. I didn't feel the need for a 70-200 until I went full frame.


I wish that Nikon had an updated 135. 200 on a crop is silly long for most things wedding, but has proven useful from time to time. Like I mentioned above, a 1.4 teleconverter might be good to have on hand as well for just those occasions.



Feb 27, 2015 at 01:39 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


Teleconverters also cut light so I avoid. At that point, just move closer to the subject.

Some Nikon shooters get around the noticeable 135 hole with the Sigma 150. It's heavy but great performing on any modern Nikon. As a macro it can open up creative doors for you (you know as you have the 100vr).

I hope the rumors aren't true that Sigma will do an 85 Art before a 135 Art. You'd imagine they have one pre-ordered from every Nikon FX shooter on the planet, but what do I know?

All of Nikon's revised 1.8's are really good. Took a few years to get them, but worth the weight.



Feb 27, 2015 at 02:11 PM
jmraso
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I used the 135L as my longest lens when I lived in the DSRL world, not my most used lens, now I used the samyang 85 on a Fuji with red peaking which is just great, I miss nothing, my second longest lens is the Fuji 56.




Feb 27, 2015 at 02:26 PM
paparazzinick
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I'm on Fuji too and my longest I use at weddings is 135 f2 Rokinin. Love it


Feb 27, 2015 at 08:46 PM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


With Canon crop I use the 135/2.0. For Nikon crop I would be thinking of the Sigma 150 OS. Or the Nikkor 180/2.8 for $400 used and about $700 new.


Feb 27, 2015 at 09:18 PM
hendrikm
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


Hmmm... What about the Nikon 70-200 f4 VR?

A lot less weight, a lot cheaper than the 2.8 and sharp even at f4. You have VR, so handholding should be less of a problem. And you still can zoom...



Mar 05, 2015 at 12:54 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


While I have the 135mm I also rented the 200mm and the 70-200mm.

Question: if you had $2000 (USD) ... what lens would you buy?
I understand we can be limited by budget, but messing around with discontinued lenses or something slow ... why not plan for the lens you want.
You will end up spending more money in the long run.

Remember, speed rules in wedding lenses. VR or IS does not slow down your subject.
So purchasing a lens that is slow but has VR/IS is not a good decision in the wedding world.

And yes.... I started on a 20D, then a 50D, 7D, 1DsII and now on 5DmkIII.
4 years on a cropper camera.


-Mark



Mar 05, 2015 at 01:51 PM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


hendrikm wrote:
Hmmm... What about the Nikon 70-200 f4 VR?

A lot less weight, a lot cheaper than the 2.8 and sharp even at f4. You have VR, so handholding should be less of a problem. And you still can zoom...



I'm not really considering f/4 lenses on the long end, to be honest. Coming from f/2.8, I don't want to lose a stop of light, for motion freezing, background separation, and for AF performance.
---------------------------------------------

Ziffl3 wrote:
While I have the 135mm I also rented the 200mm and the 70-200mm.

Question: if you had $2000 (USD) ... what lens would you buy?
I understand we can be limited by budget, but messing around with discontinued lenses or something slow ... why not plan for the lens you want.
You will end up spending more money in the long run.

Remember, speed rules in wedding lenses. VR or IS does not slow down your subject.
So purchasing a lens that is slow but has VR/IS is not a good decision in the wedding world.

And yes.... I started on a 20D, then a 50D,
...Show more

I tend to agree with this line of thinking, at least for things like glass that are a more long term piece of gear. Money aside, I am actually still not certain. I guess that's why I started this thread . I know we all work differently, but just wanted to hear what others in similar situation were using. I used the crap out of my 80-200 for about 14 weddings, but that is because it was the only lens I had with me over 50mm. I picked up the 105 f/2.8 VR in November and have essentially not used the 80-200 since. I'm mostly happy with it, though it can be a bit too long sometimes. I suspect that an 85 and a 135 would be a more balanced setup, so perhaps a 135 f/2 and 85 f/1.4d or 85 f/1.8g. Really, though, that Sigma 50-150 would be perfect. It is reviewed to be sharp as hell and well built, right on par with their latest 70-200 f/2.8 OS. actually, it is the same form factor as well. I imagine premium crop sensor telephoto lenses don't sell well, so that is probably why they are no longer available. Worst case, I keep running what I have for the time being and keep the 80-200 around for backup, but I think swapping it for an 85mm f/1.4d would get more use and still be a usable long end if anything happens to the 105.



Mar 05, 2015 at 04:19 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


The 70-200 ƒ4 is fine outdoors — shoot it wide open all day, Team C or N. Worthless after sundown though — I move to primes (50, 85, 135)

My flickr feed has a lot of memorable shots from the 70-200 ƒ4 — I can't figure out how to embed them here though.



Mar 05, 2015 at 04:53 PM
skg photos
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I have used that 50-150 2.8 Sigma on Fuji S5 pros, and now on nikon crop bodies for about six years now- it is my favorite lens ever for weddings, hands down, for crop sensors. I also own the 85 1.8 Nikon, but rarely use because the 50-150 is so awesome.

It may be hard to come by, if you can find it on ebay as someone sells off their crop lenses for upgrades to full frame, it will not dissapoint.

Edited on Mar 09, 2015 at 11:11 PM · View previous versions



Mar 05, 2015 at 09:19 PM
glort
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I don't have a favorite, I use whatever lens is best for the job at hand.


Mar 05, 2015 at 10:48 PM
skg photos
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


I see you are leaning towards that Sigma that I love so much : )

There are a few (50-150 2.8 ) on ebay now- here's a link to a 'buy it now' one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sigma-50-150mm-F-2-8-APO-DC-HSM-Lens-For-Nikon-Ex-Made-In-JAPAN-497-/221707136384



Mar 09, 2015 at 11:10 PM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


glort wrote:

I use whatever lens is best for the job at hand.


Helpful.



Mar 10, 2015 at 02:41 AM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


skg photos wrote:
I see you are leaning towards that Sigma that I love so much : )

There are a few (50-150 2.8 ) on ebay now- here's a link to a 'buy it now' one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sigma-50-150mm-F-2-8-APO-DC-HSM-Lens-For-Nikon-Ex-Made-In-JAPAN-497-/221707136384


It seems like the older 50-150 f/2.8 Sigmas are pretty easy to come by and reasonably priced. From what I've read, the newer Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is vastly superior optically and has OS which I'd prefer if making a change. These are harder to come by and more costly.



Mar 10, 2015 at 11:02 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Crop Sensor Shooters - Long lens FL of choice?


BSPhotog wrote:

the newer Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is vastly superior optically and has OS which I'd prefer


What about the Tamron 70-200/2.8 with image stabilization?



Mar 10, 2015 at 07:59 PM





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