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Archive 2016 · Lens purchase decisions

  
 
cadman342001
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Lens purchase decisions


I am a jobbing photog here, sort of semi-retired / freelance but have a wedding coming up next month and I would appreciate your advice. I also shoot triathlon / Ironman, family portraits, and have an opportunity for custom motorcycle studio work for a magazine.

So, I have a D800, D7000 (loaner off my daughter), 50/1.8G, 35-70/2.8 AF-D and 80-200/2.8 AF-D (2 ring) (and various old MF primes - refer profile)

So I would love a 24-70 (or even a 28-70/2.8) that I could use for weddings, bike shoots etc. but funds won't allow atm so ordered a 35-70/2.8 AF-D. Opinions ?

So for upcoming wedding (for a friend but I do charge) - D800 and D7K - what would you use on each, and possible combos with what I have currently?

I have shot weddings before with 28-70 & 70-200 on 2 FF bodies but am thinking a prime on the crop body ?

I have about 500 bucks so I can afford to add say a Sigma Art 18-35/1.8 or 20/1.4 or 24/1.4 - my thinking here is to use it on the crop body for the wedding but not sure what I would use it for after (I have manual focus lenses for non-paying personal work like landscapes/travel/astro).\

Help, I'm confused ! I think perhaps the crop body (which is a loaner anyways) is confusing the issue so perhaps I should buy say a D700 ?

What do y'all think


Andy



Jun 21, 2016 at 10:34 PM
morrismike
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Lens purchase decisions


don't point the 35-70 into the sun - you should have bought a 17-55 probably a better lens


Jun 22, 2016 at 06:00 AM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Lens purchase decisions


I own or have owned all of those lenses excluding the 35-70. You may need something wider. Some weddings you'd be fine shooting no wider than 35, but it can be limiting if you need more.

I'd probably keep the 80-200 on your D7000 most of the time and 35-70 on the D800. Pixel density is almost identical between the D7000 & D800, so anything that you take on the D800 and crop will be the same as the D7000 file anyway (just a thought).

I agree with the above comment about a DX wide lens. There are a few good zooms that go wider. The Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 OS is my only DX exclusive lens and I basically use it locked at 17mm a lot of the time. I even use it on the D800 sometimes. You could pick one of these up used for $200-300 and keep it glued to the D7000. The AF on the D7000 isn't quite as good (in general) as the D800 (in my experience), so it'll have an easier time on a wide lens where the DOF is probably going to be greater most of the time. Then you could use the 80-200 or 50 (reception in the dark especially) on the D800. These will be great for portraits and, like I mentioned above, you don't get any more reach with the D7000's DX sensor since the pixel density is effectively the same, so just as well shoot the long lens on the D800 and slap an inexpensive DX zoom for the short end on the D7000.

I'm rambling, but you get the point.



Jun 22, 2016 at 10:15 AM
cadman342001
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Lens purchase decisions


morrismike wrote:
don't point the 35-70 into the sun - you should have bought a 17-55 probably a better lens


Well, agreed it is but the 35-70 was 200 bucks.



Jun 22, 2016 at 10:05 PM
cadman342001
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Lens purchase decisions


BSPhotog wrote:
I own or have owned all of those lenses excluding the 35-70. You may need something wider. Some weddings you'd be fine shooting no wider than 35, but it can be limiting if you need more.

I'd probably keep the 80-200 on your D7000 most of the time and 35-70 on the D800. Pixel density is almost identical between the D7000 & D800, so anything that you take on the D800 and crop will be the same as the D7000 file anyway (just a thought).

I agree with the above comment about a DX wide lens. There are a few
...Show more

Thanks for taking the time Ben, some good points and hopefully you have given me some clarity - my mind was rambling trying to work out the (endless) possible combinations !

Andy




Jun 22, 2016 at 10:10 PM
ahaug
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Lens purchase decisions


If you are only shooting one wedding .... renting a lens makes more sense. If you like zooms, rent a 24 -70 and call it a day. I like primes. You are lacking on the wide side so maybe rent a nikon 20g? I have owned the 35 -70d and I wish I had not sold that lens. It was really a favorite. If you must buy and for not too much money ... I use a nikon 12-24dx on full frame and it works in full frame mode without vingetting from 17mm to 24 mm. It is my current wide solution. works great on the dance floor. I believe that is cheap and would work on both your bodies. BTW, I would just shoot with the d800. I think that it might be easier in post processing to be dealing with only one sensor for colors.


Jun 24, 2016 at 09:26 AM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Lens purchase decisions


Focal lengths are lens purchases are far too personal. The whole world loves 85's ... I jump from a 50 to a 100 macro to a 135. I prefer zooms on the wide side. No two photographers are exactly the same.


Jun 24, 2016 at 09:35 AM
cadman342001
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Lens purchase decisions


ahaug wrote:
If you are only shooting one wedding .... renting a lens makes more sense. If you like zooms, rent a 24 -70 and call it a day. I like primes. You are lacking on the wide side so maybe rent a nikon 20g? I have owned the 35 -70d and I wish I had not sold that lens. It was really a favorite. If you must buy and for not too much money ... I use a nikon 12-24dx on full frame and it works in full frame mode without vingetting from 17mm to 24 mm. It is my current
...Show more

Renting in Australia is not really feasible or economical - most of the few companies here insist on a minimum 6 month rental period ! and I live 1200 miles north of the state capital of Brisbane !

Thanks for the endorsement on the 35-70D, good to have confirmation that it's a good 'un.

Picked up a 17-55/2.8 for the D7000, so probs go with that and the 80-200 on the D800, maybe pick up an 85/1.8G for bridal portraits?



Jun 28, 2016 at 08:45 AM
cadman342001
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Lens purchase decisions


LeeSimms wrote:
Focal lengths are lens purchases are far too personal. The whole world loves 85's ... I jump from a 50 to a 100 macro to a 135. I prefer zooms on the wide side. No two photographers are exactly the same.


Fair enough re: personal choices. I might pick up an 85/1.8G for future work but for now I've picked up a 17-55 afs for the D7000 and will use 80-200 on the D800.

Andy



Jun 28, 2016 at 08:48 AM
jlawrence
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Lens purchase decisions


with that kind of budget, I'd go with the 35-70 on the D800 and an 85mm 1.8D on the D7000 (but be careful, I was never happy with my first run D7000 and its performance with AF-D lenses.)


Jun 28, 2016 at 04:36 PM
Svitlana_G
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Lens purchase decisions


Thanks all, your advices are very helpful (I have the same problem) =)


Jun 30, 2016 at 04:05 AM





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