Lens acquisition strategy

[lagerg]

I’m not looking for any particular lens to purchase but more of a lens purchasing strategy. I currently have all Nikon. 35 1.8, 18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses. I’ve tried shooting indoor basketball action with a Nikon 28-300 f3.5-5.6 and failed miserably because of the bad lighting.

I’m just starting to get serious as a hobbiest and practicing on my D3000. ( I can tell already I’ll be upgrading that to a D7000 in the near future. But that’ll be a different thread). I’ve learned a lot in the few weeks of shooting and research.

At the moment I see myself shooting outdoors mainly landscapes and I’ll be traveling in June to the British Virgin Islands.
I guess my question is, with this type of photography, how should I go about acquiring lenses? What would be best for my BVI trip and in the future for landscapes? I’ve read prime lenses are sharper and I don’t mind carrying around a couple lenses while on vacation(or do I?). Or do you get a zoom that covers things in the 16-85 or 105mm range then compliment those with longer prime lenses? Or vice versa?
Thoughts?

 

[cgipson1]

You didn't list a budget!

You will get different answers from different people.... and there are always pro's and cons to any choices!

Fast glass is always better than slow glass... because it will let you handle lower lighting conditions.

If I had to pick a first do-it-all lens.. it would be the Nikon 24-70 2.8 zoom. Is wide enough for most landscapes, long enough for portraiture, and fast enough for most light. But it isn't cheap.

I think everyone needs an UWA to a moderately long tele.... which can be done in as little as three lenses, with one or two specialized lenses thrown in if there is need. Basically what I have in my sig... but other people will have other ideas

 

[runnah]

Even fast glass won't help action in a low light situations. In cases like the one described in your post, you need to add light via a flash. I would suggest if anything is to add a speed light to your arsenal before extra lenses.

 

[lagerg]

thanks runnah.... but i'm not sure how much indoor sports i'll be doing in the future. However I did learn alot at that attempt. My daughter is winding down her basketball career so won't see me in a gym much.

 

[runnah]

thanks runnah.... but i'm not sure how much indoor sports i'll be doing in the future. However I did learn alot at that attempt. My daughter is winding down her basketball career so won't see me in a gym much.

Well at least you learned the best way to go about buying gear. Don't buy gear you think you need but rather buy gear that fills a gap in your range.

 

[KmH]

Since you plan on getting a D7000 in your near future you can consider Nikon lenses that do not have an auto focus motor in them, or AF-D lenses.

The AF-D lenses are an older generation of lenses. As such, the fast ones don't cost as much as more recently released fast lenses

So here is the Nikon Budget Trinity of Zoom lenses (1 AF-S, 2 AF-D) • Save $$$'s • Buy refurbished or used •:
For landscape - Nikon AF-S 12-24mm f/4G ED IF DX Zoom Lens

Intermediate, w/1:2 Macro (close-up) capability - Nikon AF 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D IF FX Zoom Lens

Telephoto - Nikon AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED FX Zoom Lens

 

[Mike_E]

WIth what you have I'd just go ahead and pull the trigger on a used D7000 (KEH.com for the body) and a used UWA probably a 12-24mm Tokina f4. Heck, for the money you'll save on going used, or referbished D7000, you could go ahead and get a new Tokina. I'd also get a good mono-pod, or tri-pod if you think that you'll want to carry one. I say mono-pod here because for moving around (traveling) they are easier to use.

Then I'd call it good for a while. You would have your basses covered with plenty good enough glass and if the time comes that you see that you have a lack you'll know what it is.

 

[lagerg]

Thanks all...what great advise... my research continues.... At least now I have a goal.
i'll have to harvest the money tree.

 

[Derrel]

Skip the 24-70 on a crop-frame camera...it's not a very good choice for travel/landscape/generalist assignments on 1.5x. Get a good lens that Nikon designed for APS-C, AKA, DX cameras. Something like the 17-55mm f/2.8 DX. That is the lens to consider for high-quality travel/landscape/general use.

Primes...yeah, they are good, but on a D3000, there's not a lot of advantage over good zooms. At f/5.6 or f/8, most zooms are amply good, and the focal length flexibility a zoom gives is very handy. On 1.5x, the most-useful primes are probably 20,24,28,35,and 50mm. The D3000 is not that demanding on lenses. If a lens is left at home, or left in the hotel, or left in the camera bag because it is too big of a PITA to carry or to swap out, it's USELESS. Worse than useless.

You need to consider that unless you are a very skilled photographer, the wide-angle, short focal length zooms basically lead to loads and loads of very dull,boring, crappy photos, where everything looks far,fart,far away, and is rendered small, and looks like cr**. As a general rule. The short focal lengths take a LOT of work, and skill, to utilize effectively, and on travel images, the 10-24mm zone is dangerous for the majority of novices...they get back home, and everything shot really wide looks...bad. You need at least "some kind" of "reach" in MANY travel situations.

Ignore the people trying to sell you $1699 to $2,499, 48- to 50 ounce lenses because that's what they have. You have a D3000. It needs smaller, lighter lenses to balance better and to carry better, and to not be a gigantic pain in the butt on vacation. Think about an 18-135 or 18-105 as a travel lens too.

 

[subashseo]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what are the "must have" lenses to cover the basic spectrum of shots?

 

[lagerg]

thank Derrel that's kind of the range i was looking for. focal range, not dollar range . with that said would there be any objection going with the [h=1]Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLRs with APS-C Sensors vs. the Nikon? [/h]price difference is rather large or am i missing something.

 

[Light Guru]

I say always rent or borrow a lens before you buy it. Renting lenses is a great way to go for trips. You say you are mainly shooting landscapes and most people who enjoy doing landscape photography your only going to get to a few locations a year if your lucky. So why buy a supper spendy lens that you will only use 2 times a year. Renting lenses is cheep

Rent professional cameras or camera lenses for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Leica and Pentax
LensRentals.com - Rent Lenses and Cameras from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Leica, and more

 

[lagerg]

I was planning on renting before buying. I would like to have a versatile lens like the 17-55 on-hand in case I decide to take drive somewhere nearby to capture scenery. Plus it sounds like a good multi-purpose lense also. Something that I would use a majority of the time.

 

[Patrice]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what are the "must have" lenses to cover the basic spectrum of shots?

Now there is a question that can have many different answers, and still be all correct.

From this:
c1_img_01.jpg

to this:
2137_AF_NIKKOR_50mm_f-1_8D.png

and anything in between.

However here is my answer, a combination that works for me:

Primes: 28 f/2.8 mm and f/1.4, 35 mm f/1.4, 50 mm f/1.8, 85 mm f/1.4, 135 mm f/2 and f/2.8, 300 f/4 mm

Zooms: 17-35 f/2.8, 28-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8

 

[BrianV]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what are the "must have" lenses to cover the basic spectrum of shots?

Never, ever, listen to me if I give an answer to this question...

and if you do, better have a walk-in Camera Closet. Nikon made a 21mm lens and a 20mm lens. Good thing they did not make a 20.5mm lens.