wow, what luck, new lens!

[Pure]

So my cousin who lives some 800 miles away is in need on tuition money for graduate school and he's a serious photographer. Unfortunately for him, and luckily for me, he has a few lenses he wants to sell, and at a much discounted price! Don't worry, I've seen his gear [in person] when we visited a few months ago, and wow, it was in almost new condition.

From what he has told me he wants to sell this stuff...

14-24 f/2.8
and
24-70 f/2.8

He basically told me if I can get the money in a month, he'll sell BOTH for a measly $1700 in near perfect condition. So, which one should I get?

I have a D90, so crop is 1.5x, and that sucks. If only I could afford both! BLAH! So cheap!

This would be mostly for day shooting, but I really love wide lenses for landscapes, but I also need range. The only major disadvantage of the 14-24 is that POS sphere like front element that means no filters, but heh.

So, any help?

 

[JerryPH]

Get the 24-70, and send the info about the 14-24 my way... lol
(joking about the 14-24, serious about the 24-70... ok maybe I was not joking about the 14-24).

I own the 24-70 and it is nothing short of incredible.






Edit: Click on the pics for bigger versions.

 

[Pure]

The only thing is that I have a D90 with a crop, still do you think it would be the better choice?

24-70 = 36-105

 

[JerryPH]

Dude, thats a top of the line lens! The crop factor is a minor issue. For those prices, I would not even think about it.

Do it, you can thank me later...lol

 

[Pure]

Dude.

I've got like $150 right now, and $9/hr @ best buy is going to take a few days of working to get to $800.

BLARG.

Not to mention I was saving for a speedlight.

 

[passerby]

he'll sell BOTH for a measly $1700 in near perfect condition. So, which one should I get?

I've got like $150 right now, and $9/hr @ best buy is going to take a few days of working to get to $800.

Err, did I missread this or Did I missundertand it?
I know it is very tempting for such top class lenses but I think it is way too much at this moment. Beside they are FF lenses as you mentioned.
But if you must that is different story.

 

[Pure]

Err, did I missread this or Did I missundertand it?
I know it is very tempting for such top class lenses but I think it is way too much at this moment. Beside they are FF lenses as you mentioned.
But if you must that is different story.

Honestly, when have you ever seen used pro lenses that are in near perfect condition for like 60% original price? [from a reliable seller] NEVER. I'd rather spend some cash now then have to waste a few hundred later for the same thing.

Despite the fact they are made for FF cameras, have you ever seen a pro quality lens for a DX camera? Again, nope, why, because pros use FF cameras.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything, but come on, this is an amazing steal.

 

[Pure]

Sorry for double.

So I just finished talking to him on the phone and he also has a SB-900 brand new, never opened that he got as a gift from a bunch of his friends for his birthday. He told me that he could sell it around $400 to me, but I was already thinking of buying a SB-800. I've read some about the SB-900, especially it massive size, should I buy an 800, or should I buy this 900 for like $80 more.

Note: He's willing to hold this for me for 2-3 months for the fact he needs to keep it around to make his friends think hes using it, ahahaha. genius.




Note: His payments for grad school are due in feb, and he recently lost one of his 2 jobs [damn economy], and he needs money since he HAS to pay back this loan obviously.

 

[passerby]

I think go to the last minute is the way to go, who knows you may have change your mind by then. I assume here that you will work through christmas.

And please no credit card, no loan of any kind, no begging and of course no stealing. How is that sound?

 

[kundalini]

Despite the fact they are made for FF cameras, have you ever seen a pro quality lens for a DX camera? Again, nope, why, because pros use FF cameras.

You might be getting ahead of yourself. Define Pro. Do all Pros use only FF? I'm not so sure.

Funny how the 24-70mm works extremely well on my meager DX camera.

But let's be realistic. It ain't gonna happen for you bro. As you said, you have $150 in hand. He wants 10x that (and change). Your wages will not produce that amount in the time he will need it. It's a nice dream though. Besides, do you really want to take advantage of family when they're low and at a time when they are trying to better themselves? Why don't you assist him to get fair market value for the gear instead?

Just a thought or two.

 

[Pure]

You might be getting ahead of yourself. Define Pro. Do all Pros use only FF? I'm not so sure.

Funny how the 24-70mm works extremely well on my meager DX camera.

But let's be realistic. It ain't gonna happen for you bro. As you said, you have $150 in hand. He wants 10x that (and change). Your wages will not produce that amount in the time he will need it. It's a nice dream though. Besides, do you really want to take advantage of family when they're low and at a time when they are trying to better themselves? Why don't you assist him to get fair market value for the gear instead?

Just a thought or two.

I define pro as somebody who does the job for a living, such as a photographer for getty.

I'm not saying that pros don't use DX cameras, but many use FX.

I already said that I wanted ONE of these, not both, he said basically $850 each. I DID NOT lowball him, he lowballed me. He made an offer to me, I basically said, How much for each? And he said $850ish right now. [his exact words were uh...something like $850 since you're my favorite cousin and because they are used.

Don't forget there is christmas, and my grandmas/family are very generous, ahaha. So lets say I have $150 now, and I'll recieve some $200 [to be conservative. Working during the holiday season is insane, espeically during the holidays, and I normally get 18-25 hour weeks, so it really wouldn't be too difficult to save $800. And then 1 week of saving for gifts, so like $200 on that stuff, and boom, $800. I'm not saying working is easy money, working long hours and dealing with bitchass customers is not my favorite thing however money is money, and I'm happy to even have a job. Not to mention m friends and I have already agreed to skip gifts and just have a huge party at somebody's house.

 

[kundalini]

Okay, another constructive point of view. Let's say you buy the 24-70mm. (I'm a little pissed right now because B&H have dropped $75 off what I paid).... anyway, so $850 for the lens. Turn around and sell it. You'll pocket $400-500 if you're smart. Take that profit and buy yourself the SB-800 or a nice tripod, proper filters or something like that. You have a pretty good range on your two lenses already.

 

[jstuedle]

When speaking of glass, the term "Pro" defines high quality. And it make no difference, DX, FX, MX or what ever. As long as the image circle from the glass will cover the sensor it's what ever works! I shot DX for over 6 years and never bought a DX lens. All full frame glass. This thread is a little amusing, the debate should be directed to the OP's question/statement and not the definetion of Pro glass as related to the sensor size.

So Pure, don't worry about the crop factor, these are great Pro quality lenses and worth the price. The SB-900 is available at B&H for 399.00 right now, so I would hold off on that.

 

[JerryPH]

Dude.

I've got like $150 right now, and $9/hr @ best buy is going to take a few days of working to get to $800.

BLARG.

Not to mention I was saving for a speedlight.

You have to decide what you want, of course, however, just consider that:

1. I know quite a few D200 and D300 users that use this lens and are ecstatic with it.

2. Being capable of FF is *no* detriment. Indeed it is an advantage so if/when you go FF in the future, you already have the best glass on the market available.

3. If you let it slip by, the time you want to get these 2 lenses, it will be over $3200 to get them BNIB!

4. If you get both, sell one, that one lens could come out for you to something like $700-$900 instead of $~1600.

5. Top of the line Nikkor glass never loses a lot of value. I paid $1600Cdn for my Nikkor 70-200 and can get that *easily* today (a year later), becuase they went up since I bought it.

6. You can sell it and make money off it easily enough.

In the end, no one knows how passionate you are about photography, no one knows what direction you want to take your photography, no one can make the decision *but* you. No matter how good a deal, no matter how nice the results are, if it is not in your price range or not the direction you want to go... don't spend the money on it.

Edit: Now a SB-900 is tossed in. Interesting. Well, I had a chance to read the posts since this one and there is a lot of sincere advice on this thread. Do what you think is possible (I like the advice on no CC no loans ) and don't go overboard.

 

[prodigy2k7]

There are some lenses that are pro labled, but that doesnt mean there aren't pro quality lenses that aren't officialy "pro"..
Canon has a few EF-S lenses that are of excellent quality, they are crop body lenses... Canon doesnt give them a "L" but they are very nice! (some, not all lol..)