D800 ordered now for glass

SkipT · Oct 11, 2013

I have ordered my D800 today now to find new glass. I have AF-S nikkor 50mm 1:1.4G , AF-S nikkor 18-200 1:3.5-5.6 G ED VR and AF 70-300 1:4-5.6 which will work with the camera but not in full senser mod. So I am going to look for something in the 16-35MM range and something in longer range. Any good tips? This is my first pro camera.

Thanks

Skip

CouncilmanDoug · Oct 11, 2013

completely dependent on how much you're willing to spend...

Derrel · Oct 11, 2013

16-35mm f/4 VR is a SWEET zoom lens. One of the very best zooms on the market, and a very useful range. Not "cheap", but a good zoom. I believe the 70-300 will work in full-frame mode...

There are probably around 60 current production full-frame capable lenses in Nikon F-mount to choose from...plus third-party lenses.

Majeed Badizadegan · Oct 11, 2013

Derrel said:
16-35mm f/4 VR is a SWEET zoom lens. One of the very best zooms on the market, and a very useful range. Not "cheap", but a good zoom. I believe the 70-300 will work in full-frame mode...

There are probably around 60 current production full-frame capable lenses in Nikon F-mount to choose from...plus third-party lenses.

Yes, but keep in mind OP that the D800 is probably the single most demanding sensor in the FF market right now. That means the quality of glass is critical to fully resolve the sensor.

Derrel shoots Nikon FF and has a number of FF lenses. I'm sure he has some great recommendations on primes/zooms aside from the ones his given already that will meet the demands of the D800 sensor.

goodguy · Oct 11, 2013

I would throw the 18-200mm VR away in a heart beat (in that I mean sell it on kijiji or ebay), owning Nikon's best with such a "so, so" lens is almost a sin especially that its a DX lens, its not a very sharp lens and the D800 is such a sweet camera, it deserves a better lens.

Congrats on your new amazing camera!

amolitor · Oct 11, 2013

The D3200 actually has a significantly smaller pixel pitch than the D800, albeit in an APS-C size.

Mach0 · Oct 11, 2013

I would sell them all..I've read the 50 1.8g is sharper than the 1.4 but you can be the judge. The 70-300 afs is much better than the AF. It will work with the camera in fx mode.
Just a guess but I'm pretty sure you can sell all of it for maybe 800-1000 bucks? Check your area.

Grab a 28 1.8g, 50 1.8g and maybe the 85 as well for around $1,200 bucks. Small and light

SkipT · Oct 11, 2013

Any lens I sell I will sell with my D7000. Want I want to buy is a good wide small range telephoto something 16 to 35mm and a good 85mm prime.

SkipT · Oct 11, 2013

goodguy said:
I would throw the 18-200mm VR away in a heart beat (in that I mean sell it on kijiji or ebay), owning Nikon's best with such a "so, so" lens is almost a sin especially that its a DX lens, its not a very sharp lens and the D800 is such a sweet camera, it deserves a better lens.

Congrats on your new amazing camera!

Yup its going up for sale with my D7000 and thank you

JTPhotography · Oct 11, 2013

Yep, all about budget.

The 16-35 is the best option for wide angle, aside from the 14-24, which is sharper, has less distortion, but doesn't take filters and is very expensive.

As Derrel said, your 70-300 should be fine on FF, but there are much better options in terms of sharpness and performance if you have the funds.

amolitor · Oct 11, 2013

The D800 will deliver substantial benefits with any lenses. Your pictures will be sharper, because sharpness is holistic, and a finer pixel pitch sensor will make your pictures sharper pretty much no matter what. Maybe not a LOT sharper, but sharper. The D800's sensor also gives you better performance in a couple of other dimensions, if memory serves. You'll get all those benefits as well, with any lens at all.

If you've got a bunch of money burning a hole in your pocket, sure, buy a bunch of lenses too. Just don't buy into the "well now you have this thing, and there's SIMPLY NO POINT if you don't also have a raft of other wildly expensive gear." That's marketing.

Majeed Badizadegan · Oct 11, 2013

amolitor said:
The D800 will deliver substantial benefits with any lenses. Your pictures will be sharper, because sharpness is holistic, and a finer pixel pitch sensor will make your pictures sharper pretty much no matter what. Maybe not a LOT sharper, but sharper. The D800's sensor also gives you better performance in a couple of other dimensions, if memory serves. You'll get all those benefits as well, with any lens at all. If you've got a bunch of money burning a hole in your pocket, sure, buy a bunch of lenses too. Just don't buy into the "well now you have this thing, and there's SIMPLY NO POINT if you don't also have a raft of other wildly expensive gear." That's marketing.

Well the 36mp sensor is going to expose optical flaws in lesser glass just because of its sheer resolution. To get the most out of his new camera, he needs to keep this in mind.

You can get nice primes that will resolve the sensor that are inexpensive compared to the pro grade zooms.

amolitor · Oct 11, 2013

Rotanimod said:
Well the 36mp sensor is going to expose optical flaws in lesser glass just because of its sheer resolution. To get the most out of his new camera, he needs to keep this in mind.

That is certainly Nikon's story, and read literally, it is certainly true. In order to get the most out of it, you want the best glass. This is true for every camera, though. As noted above, the lowly D3200 actually has a substantially finer pixel pitch than the D800, so in theory should be even more demanding, albeit only in the center.

Majeed Badizadegan · Oct 11, 2013

amolitor said:
This is true for every camera, though.

I hate to put too fine a point on it, but the D800 isn't every camera.

Many shooters I've talked to who have moved to the D800 tell me it's taken an adjustment, both from technique and glass used, to start to get close to what the sensor is capable of.