Need vacation lens advice

[Heitz]

Ok here's the dilemma. Going to Mexico. Using d800. I've got 20 - 50 mm more than covered. With those and my flash, I can fit 1 more large lens in my bag. I'm not buying any new lenses just yet so the options are:
(1) My 85 1.4D, which is FF, legendary, etc, but leaves me no additional tele ability to take pix of pretty birds and sunbathing women ...j/k?

(2) my 55-300 dx zoom
Lots of reach, really very good for a kit-ish zoom, but dx and min aperture 4.something.

I'm gravitating towards 85 1.4d.

Opinions, friends?

 

[hirejn]

I've traveled with heavy gear for years, huge backpacks full of hardware. I understand the value of travel lenses like the 55-300 and 28-200. Anything you lose in quality or light won't compare to the convenience of being able to travel lighter. If it's a serious photo trip, I definitely take everything, but if it's more of a vacation, I want to stay light. Nobody is paying you to lug heavy gear. Keep it fun. I do recommend a telephoto though not just for reach but to crop landscapes and shoot details. People think a 70-200 is too limited, but it's not. A 28-200, even better. If I had one, I'd take it on most of my trips and leave the rest at home. If I could take one lens, the 24-85; two lenses, I'd add the 70-200 2.8.

 

[Heitz]

bump?

 

[o hey tyler]

85/1.4

No brainier.

 

[molested_cow]

I had the same doubt when thinking of getting my 28-300mm because I have much better lens for 20-70mm range. Well, since I started using the 28-300mm I seldom looked back. Sure the image quality isn't as great, but the sheer convenience and how fast you can respond to your subjects makes it worthwhile. Unless I need super wide angle or macro, it's the 28-300mm by default. No more swapping lens in a hurry( and risking making errors ). What's the point of having great lens when you are too slow to take the shot?

Then again, I have a D700, not D800.

For travel, a long range like the 55-300mm you have is great, except it will look bad on a D800. It's not ideal for FF, let alone a D800.

Touch choice...

 

[goodguy]

Owning the queen of Nikon and using a DX lens on it sounds to me like sacrilege, why would you "Schlep" such a heavy high performance camera and put a DX lens on it ?
Make no sense to me.
I dont like either choice for a trip but since you will not buy another lens then I am forced to choose the 85mm