$2000.00 to spend on glass. What would you buy? (2 or 3 choices please) Nikon D600

[pab]

Hello all,

quick bit of info to help you help me. I sold all my DX gear about 3 weeks ago and bought a Nikon D600.

Being new to the full frame my current lenses for FX are :

1) Nikkor 50mm 1.4G
2) Nikkor 24-85mm (kit lens)

I love ultra ultra wide lenses, fish eye, macro.
I photograph pets, cars, landscapes, architecture, sunrise/sunset.
I do NOT do weddings, but would consider doing engagement shoots, baby pictures and general events.


My thoughts were the following. Spend big money on ONE great lens, or spend DECENT money on two or three lenses.

Nikkor 14-24 is $1999.99 (entire budget)
Nikkor 24-70 is $1899.99 (entire budget)


Or I could get:

Sigma 12-24mm $900
Tokina 100mm $500
Lighting kit (muslin backdrop, rods, softbox, posts) $$ ?
Save up a few more bucks and be on my way to get a nice fish eye?



Telephoto would be great, but I do not do birds, or sports from a distance. I am generally close to my subject matter, or I want to be far from it on purpose.

If I am missing a good idea, feel free to help guide me in a direction I might be missing. And thank you for looking!!!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Nikkor 24-70 is $1899.99 (entire budget) <---you won't regret it.

 

[pab]

So if I have a 24-70mm should I consider parting with my 24-85mm and putting it towards something with different range (like an ultra wide or fisheye)

I guess my question is, is the 24-70mm a direct substitution that just dominates the 24-85 and would make that lens useless to me?

 

[gardy]

There's the option of a sigma 24-70 I've heard great things about them so far, sorry don't have prices, on my phone which makes it hard to look up quickly

 

[2WheelPhoto]

There's the option of a sigma 24-70 I've heard great things about them so far, sorry don't have prices, on my phone which makes it hard to look up quickly

you may want to google comparison tests before suggesting a second best product

 

[DorkSterr]

Nikkor 24-70 is $1899.99 (entire budget) <---you won't regret it.

Agreed.I don't remember using my 14-24 anymore.... :meh:

 

[MLeeK]

I haven't heard the greatest things on the Sigma 24-70 older version, but I believe there is a newer one and I remain totally clueless on that one. It runs about $899 or so. Might be able to find one used as low as maybe 700? Check Adorama, B&H, KEH and Ebay.
Sigma makes a 70-200 f/2.8 Macro lens that runs about $899 I think. It covers telephoto and macro.
I'd probably go for something like the 85 prime.
Derrel will have excellent nikon lens input. Look for his post on the necessary lenses for nikon shooters.

 

[gardy]

There's the option of a sigma 24-70 I've heard great things about them so far, sorry don't have prices, on my phone which makes it hard to look up quickly

you may want to google comparison tests before suggesting a second best product

I have seen a few and yes from what I have heard they are hard to beat for the price, I wasn't saying it was good as the Nikon but its an option

 

[JaronRH]

I'd recommend selling the kit lens and getting the Nikon 24-70 and possibly a SB-700 to go with it (depending on how much you get for the kit lens!). The 24-70 is an extremely good lens for what you're looking to do and the SB-700 would provide the extra light you need (and can work off-camera with the D600).

 

[pab]

I'd recommend selling the kit lens and getting the Nikon 24-70 and possibly a SB-700 to go with it (depending on how much you get for the kit lens!). The 24-70 is an extremely good lens for what you're looking to do and the SB-700 would provide the extra light you need (and can work off-camera with the D600).

Thanks for the advice, and thank you everyone else as well. I am doing a little more research but thinking the 24-70 is the way I want to go. I am also going to toss the 24-85 up for sale too, thinking $350-400 is a fair cost for it?

 

[ghache]

yup, get rid of the kit lens, and get that 24-70!

personally,since you already have the 50 1.4 G, i would buy a nikon 24 2.8 af-d and 85 1.8 G then take the money from the the sale of your kit lens + left over money and buy a sigma 70-200 OS.
I would also consider the tamron 24-70 VC, i heard pretty good things about that lens.

 

[markj]

Nikkor 24-70mm, you buy it now or later, but you will buy it at some point!

 

[spacefuzz]

I own the nikon 14-24 & 24-70 and Tamron 70-200 for my D800 and they are all excellent lenses each with their own purpose.

The 24-70 is on my camera the most, but when I need to go wide the 14-24 is to die for. Depending on what you normally shoot let that be the criteria for your choice. Either one you wont lose.

 

[greybeard]

I get this Amazon.com: Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 Pro FX Lens for Nikon: TOKINA: Camera & Photo and save the rest.

 

[BlairWright]

You may want to consider looking at the Nikon 24-120 f/4 VR, it's FX and frankly a pretty darn good lens. The other lens that it a great alternative is the exceptional Nikon 17-35 2.8 ED-IF.

Of course the 14-24 and 24-70 2.8's are the Nikon standards these days there are other good options. Since your budget is somewhat limited you may want to look at the other options.

Lastly, I always tell people to stay away from off brand lenses. They have horrible resale value and their quality normally (not always but normally) is lower than Nikon's lens quality.