Lens advice - Wedding & Landscape Photography

[CR88]

[FONT=&quot]Hello all, I am in need of some lens advice. I recently bought a D200, which I love, and I am planning to get back into wedding photography as well as some landscape. I currently have a Nikon 80mm 1.4, and 18-200 VR and I am looking for a nice zoom wide and a zoom telephoto. I don’t have a lot of $$$, about $1,100-$1,200 for both. I considered getting the Nikon, but I have read many reviews on the Tokina, Sigma and Tamron stating that they have all perform very well. Plus, for the price of the Nikon 80-200 F/2.8, I could get 2 lenses that I need right now. I have considered selling the 18-200, but it has been such a good travel/vacation lens that I decided to hold on to it. Here are my options. For a zoom wide I am considering a Tokina 12-24 F/4, Sigma 10-20 F/4-5.6, or Tamron SP10-24 F/3.5-4.5. For a zoom telephoto I am looking at the Tokina 80-200 F/2.8, Sigma 70-200 2.8, or Tokina 80-200 2.8. I have read lots of reviews on all of them, but I would be interested in seeing what anyone in this forum would have to say. Since I am hindered by my D200’s low light/high iso capability, I am hoping that better glass would help me out in that area. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks![/FONT]

 

[benhasajeep]

For the Wide zoom I suggest the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8. It's a light gathering monster wide lens. I just recieved one about 6 weeks ago. I had to leave for a work trip but my wife has been using it. And so far I am very impressed with it. If your wanting a wide lens for group wedding shots, that extra stop of light will be very usefull over the others. The price is about $100 higher than the others though. And the Sigma 10-20 has a very strong following from its owners.
As for the telephoto zoom, I have the Nikon 80-200AF-D. So no experience with the third party lenses in that range. I do have a Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 for my canon camera and it works well. And I would gather that their bigger zoom would be as good. I have only used a Tamron 300mm f/2.8 mf so I have no experience with their AF lenses. What I read is their AF is deemed a little slow. But that is subjective to each user. People complain of the Nikon 80-200AF being slow, especially the older versions. I have the newer version and its just fine for me. So, AF speed is really subjective to the user.

 

[Lunchbox]

i have some nikon glass and tokina and for the money Tokina builds some great DX stuff

i love my tokina 11-16 2.8 and 50-135 2.8 more than any other lenses

 

[cphanh]

Get the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 wide angle. You will not be disappointed. I have this lens and I use it mostly on my landscape and group photos. Good-Luck on your purchase.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

tokina 11-16, or sigma 10-20, and the sigma 70-200.

 

[JerryPH]

For the Wide zoom I suggest the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8. It's a light gathering monster wide lens. I just recieved one about 6 weeks ago. I had to leave for a work trip but my wife has been using it. And so far I am very impressed with it.

Tried it last week. No disrespect to anyone, but my opinion is that I did not like it at all. The pics came out a touch fuzzy and I do not know how to voice it, but the shots came out looking a bit cold and lifeless. And that range of 11-16... well you may as well leave it on 11 becuase at 16 there is so little difference that if it was not there, you would never miss it. It is a 2.8 lens, though and it has that going for it.

I would not trade my Sigma 10-20 if someone offered me a Tokina 11-16 and $100. The shots come out sharp, crisp, warm and it has an actually somewhat usable range of zoom. Sigma has come out with another version that is F/3.5 across the board, but I have the slower one.

For wedding photography, I have kind of stabilized on the following lenses:

- 15mm F/2.8 fisheye
- 24-70 F/2.8
- 70-200 F/2.8
- 85mm F/1.4
- 105mm F/2.8 macro (ring shots and what not)

Each one gets used several times in that one day/night.

I really want to pick up a fast AF 35mm (if that exists) and 50mm (faster than the F/1.8 that I currently have... the Sigma 50mm F/1.4 is the one I am eyeing).

My biggest and best purchase for wedding photography... the Photogenic DR2500 studio strobeon a 13-foot stand with a Vagabond II battery pack with the diffuser, 2 grids and 2 softboxes... for me, absolutely a must have!

 

[CR88]

Thank you all for the input. Tamron doesn't seem to be getting any love so it looks like they are out of the picture. I have heard good things about the Sigma brand in general, but I have also read that their quality control is suspect. At this point, I am unsure of which wide to go with, but I am leaning towards the Sigma 70-200 unless I can come up with another $400-$500 to get the Nikon. Thanks again.