Another lens thread...Help!

MrsLittle

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I have a $2000 budget for a lens. I'm having a really hard time choosing what lens to buy and all the reviews on Amazon don't help since everything seems to be rated off biased opinions. I can't just go into a camera store and test them out, I am living overseas in Turkey and there are no Nikon stores around here to product test.

As of now I only own a 50, which I love, but I really feel like it is holding me back. I would like to pick up a zoom lens and can't seem to make up my mind. I shoot mostly children, families and occasional sports for my boys.

I'm torn between the 24-70 and the 70-200 VR I. I can't afford the 70-200 VR II, since I plan to invest in some Alien bees. I figure the first 70-200 has to be pretty awesome since It was being used long before the II came along. I love the picture that comes out of both cameras so It's even harder to choose.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
Knee-jerk response: 70-200 for the sports.
 
Get the 70-200 2.8 it will be worth it in the end, this way you have the option of shooting portraits, but you can also shoot candid. This lens will also help with shooting sports because you will be able to get closer to the action. The 24-70 just would be too far away when shooting sports, and too close for getting those candid shots.
 
I am looking right now and am only finding used ones. Is there any other alternatives to my choices? I was reading Ken Rockwell's review on the 24-70 and he suggested not to get it for a DX, is it really that a silly a zoom range?
 
Ken Rockwell is not the only photographer on the face of the planet. His is only one opinion.
 
The 24 end is what is kinda funky on a DX body, it not really wide it not really a standard length But some people do like 35mm on an FX body..so it depends. If you shot landscapes it would suck.

Sometimes it comes down to how people like to work. You know your working distance to your subjects with your 50mm. How would you feel working twice as far away, or 4 times as far away from them?. Would it be weird for you or OK? (which is what would happen if you got the 70-200)

Then how much of the background do you like in your portraits, Do you like to do portraits with a lot of background showing, somewhat "environments" portraits ( which would favor the 24-70) or do you like to really isolate your subject and have them fill most of the frame with a narrower angle of view (which would favor the 70-200)

It can get very personal. I had a friend who shoots babies, Everyone (except me) told her to buy the 85mm on her crop camera, and she did. She HATED It, she hated being so far away from the babies and lost the interaction. She went back to her 50 and then bought a 35mm and was much happier..but it was personal to how she works. It may be for you too
 
I don't like being too far away, except for sports. But I also don't like a lot of background in my shots and end up cropping them out. I would pick up the 85 1.4, but I don't want to be held down to two primes. I need some sort of zoom and it's so darn hard to choose.
 
Well Maybe the 70-200 is the way to go, You wouldn't be that much farther away at 70mm and you could really isolate if you wanted to sometimes.and sports, it's a no brainer
 
I should probably wait a couple of months and pick up the VRII then. I really don't like getting older products, especially if there is a perfectly good and even better replacement. I hope I don't get tempted in the mean time.
 
I would suggest 24-70 since you shoot mostly children and family. As odd range as it might be for DX body, it actually works out well for your purpose. It's always a hard decision when choosing between two legendary lenses. It comes down to which focus length you will be using most often.
 
I use a Sigma 17-70 and I would not recommend it for most sporting events. It is just too short. Up close it's perfect so that focal range would work very well for portraiture. I also use a 70-300 and it does a very good job of "People Photos" at the 70mm end. You'll have to determine which of the shooting you do has the most emphasis and base your lens choice on that.
 
It's hard to choose, since I love shooting everything in sight. But yes, I do photograph children and families more and I want to eventually get a few photos of my boys playing sports but more for fun.

I love to photograph babies and small children and have invested quite a bit of money in fabric, blankets, baby accessories etc. I guess I would say that is where I will do most work. Does that mean the 24-70 would make more sense for me?
 
I had a D7000 before I got my D700 and I used the 70-200 on it and really liked it. You should keep in mind that on a DX camera, the 70-200 will be more like a 105-300 due to the crop sensor.
 

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