Nikon D7000 - Lenses

cgipson1 · Oct 1, 2011

I would probably go with the Sigma 50 1.4 and maybe the Sigma 85 1.4.... both excellent portrait lenses. For $1500, you could also pickup used Nikkor 24-70 2.8... which would do a nice job also...

Kerbouchard · Oct 1, 2011

Personally, with that budget, I would go with a two lens solution. Most definitely the Nikon 35-70 2.8(around $300 used), and either the 70-300 VR or the 80-200 2.8. Can't really make a bad choice on the second option. Both would serve you well. With those two lenses, you could still end up with enough money to pick up an SB600 or a 50mm 1.8, although I would lean towards the flash, myself.

cgipson1 · Oct 1, 2011

Yea... the 70-300 VR is a nice lens.. good IQ! Not familiar with the 35-70... but hey, Nikon doesn't build bad 2.8 lenses! and yes.. flash is a necessary item. Not enough good light... make you own!

Kerbouchard · Oct 1, 2011

cgipson1 said:
Yea... the 70-300 VR is a nice lens.. good IQ! Not familiar with the 35-70... but hey, Nikon doesn't build bad 2.8 lenses! and yes.. flash is a necessary item. Not enough good light... make you own!

The 35-70 2.8 was one of the 'trinity' pro lenses back in the day. It lacks some of the special lens coatings. It also doesn't do especially well shooting into the Sun but it's sharp wide open and it also features a semi-Macro mode. Even with the limitations and advancements Nikon has made over the years, for the price, it can't be beat. Gives a DX user a decent mid-range zoom with a constant 2.8 aperture for around $300 bucks. A steal, IMO.

LizardKing · Oct 2, 2011

Thank you both!

cgipson1 said:
I would probably go with the Sigma 50 1.4 and maybe the Sigma 85 1.4.... both excellent portrait lenses. For $1500, you could also pickup used Nikkor 24-70 2.8... which would do a nice job also...

I think, that since it's my first time, I'd rather stick to Nikkor lenses. It's nothing against Sigma, since I've never tried one, but not this time. Maybe next time I buy lenses I give it a try.
Besides, rapidily comparing the prices in Amazon:

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $499
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $215
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW Prime Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $440

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $955
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR $2.300
Nikon 85mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $460

For the 50mm, I could go with the 3rd one (Nikon f/1.4G). Now, for the 85mm it's a totally different story, where the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G is absolutely off my budget... So I could go with the Nikon 85mm f/1.8D which is half the price the Sigma and only loose 1-f/step. What do you think? Does it sound reasonable?

By the way, are there more differences between the Nikon 50mm 1.4G and 1.8G besides that extra f/step? (I've checked the Nikon site and Amazon, but kinda confused me more in this case)

As for the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S ($1700), I will go check some stores here in Buenos Aires to see if there's any used for sale. Buying it used in the states won't work for me this time, unfortunately.
BUT, I could forget about the 2 prime lenses and just buy this beauty new alone. It seems to be a great lens for portrait... I'd have the zoom to work different focal distances plus a great f/2.8 all the way. Would it be too 'extreme' to only buy this lens?

Kerbouchard said:
Personally, with that budget, I would go with a two lens solution. Most definitely the Nikon 35-70 2.8(around $300 used), and either the 70-300 VR or the 80-200 2.8. Can't really make a bad choice on the second option. Both would serve you well. With those two lenses, you could still end up with enough money to pick up an SB600 or a 50mm 1.8, although I would lean towards the flash, myself.

As I explained above, unfortunately I don't think I can relly on used gear this time. It's hard to get them in Argentina, but I'll give it a try.
When you say 70-300 VR and 80-200 2.8 you refer to these two?

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $510

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $1.115

Not sure if they'd be the best choice for portraits. Right? I mean, I could be wrong (being such a newbie), but with the 70-300 I don't have the best aperture to do portraits (or at least I could do better with other lens) and both leave me nothing under 70-80mm to work... So I'd probably need to add a 50mm and that would not let me enough budget to get a flash.

And speaking of flash... I really don't know anything about that yet, since I've only been reading about lenses and cameras. But do you think the Nikon SB-600 Speedlight would be ok? or should I go for the 700 or 900? If you be so nice of quickly explaining the differences between these 3, that would be really helpful. I will, later, research and try to understand a little bit more about flashes, though. But that takes time, and I don't have much more until I have to make a decision. :mrgreen:

Nikon SB-600 Speedlight $350
Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight $327
Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight $460

So, I see a couple of options here and, of course, this can change if someone else recommends another set of lenses or has a different opinion, which is MOST welcomed.

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW + Nikon 85mm f/1.8D AF + Nikon SB-600 Speedlight (or any other flash for that matter)... $1250
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S... $1700
Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF + Nikon SB-600 Speedlight (or any other flash for that matter)... $1465 (optional 50mm f/1.8G $215)

It seems the first is the way to go, uh? And still have a couple of hundres dollars to upgrade the Flash.... And then, next time I buy something like the Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S or the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF.... What do you think?

Thank you all again for your time and patience! :mrgreen:

Regards,
LizardKing

cgipson1 · Oct 2, 2011

Normally I don't recommend third party lenses... except in special cases. The Sigma 50 1.4 and 85 1.4 actually significantly outperform the Nikons. The only other third party lens that I recommend (having used it personally, is the Tokina 100 2.8 Macro, although the Sigma 150 and 180 macros rock also).

Aperture - 2.8 is nice... 1.4 is nice... but the overall quality of the lens and the IQ are more important (unless there are special needs like low light photography). You can get beautiful bokeh with an F4-F5.6 lens easily (remember the dragonfly pics with the 28-300?). The main disadvantage (or advantage) to the smaller apertures is a very thin DOF. Most lenses are soft when shot wide open anyway, and you may need to stop down 2 or 3 stops.. and with the DOF being so thin (it can be less than 2 inches at some distances), focusing is critical. If you focus on a subjects eyes.. and they move just a tiny bit.. the nose will be in focus, and the eyes wont be. This is a big mistake that many beginners make... don't get hung up on the huge aperture thing.

On the flash... if the 700 is cheaper than the 600.. I would go with that! Several advantages like commander mode, whereas the 600 is only good as a slave.