What Should I buy ?

[cauzimme]

Hey Folks,
I'm looking to buy a new lense in digital,
I already have one sigma 18-250 f3.5-6.3 Dc Os Macro Hsm. The incontournable 50mm f1.8 and a Nikon 18-105 that I never use.

I'm looking to do mostly portrait, boudoir, glamour. Usually on location Hotels Rooms, which are not always super big. I want to avoid distortion, unless you're a child, wide angle don't do the job, not for cute, sassy and sexy.

I have a Nikon D300, I'm not ready to move too full frame yet. Not before next summer for sure.
So I was wondering what should I buy next ?

I was thinking about a 85mm f1.8 (I've seen 85 f1.4 at 900$ on kijiji and I'm also thinking about it)
But since i'm not working on a full frame, I'm a bit affraid that I end up having no space to use it adequately.

Or a 60mm f2.8, which on a Dx camera would be around 90mm if I'm correct ?

Or maybe a 85mm Dx but i'll end up with a 3.5F which is less fun.

Is there an another lense that I should envisage, what about your experience, is there anyone who use those lenses without a FX camera

 

[goodguy]

Since you will be working in smaller spaces on DX camera how about a 24-70mm 2.8 lens ?
The obvious choice is Nikon but its expensive, Tamron has an awesome 24-70mm 2.8 VC which is very good and shouldn't be too expensive used.

I used on a DX camera (D7100) the 85mm 1.8G, 60mm 2.8G, 50mm 1.8G and Nikon 24-70mm 2.8G
All great lenses but at the end of the day the 24-70mm 2.8 is hard to beat in sharpness/usability.
Yes the primes are slightly sharper and faster but considering the focal flexibility you are getting it just cant be beaten.

 

[cauzimme]

Since you will be working in smaller spaces on DX camera how about a 24-70mm 2.8 lens ?
The obvious choice is Nikon but its expensive, Tamron has an awesome 24-70mm 2.8 VC which is very good and shouldn't be too expensive used.

That's a good suggestion, it will be equal or similar to a 35mm-105mm which is suitable for portrait and gave me some marge de manoeuvre

Yeah It's a great suggestion! Thanks

I found one very inexpensive, but the text makes me wonder if it's legit ... ;

 

[sabbath999]

I would avoid anything DX if you are eventually planning to go full frame...

If you don't mind manually focusing, a whole world of very inexpensive options opens up for you...

Thoughts on manual focusing?

 

[cauzimme]

I would avoid anything DX if you are eventually planning to go full frame...

If you don't mind manually focusing, a whole world of very inexpensive options opens up for you...

Thoughts on manual focusing?

I'm used to manual focusing doing mostly argentic. But I was skeptical as I remember my teacher telling me (the same who taught me argentic) that digital camera are meant to be used with the autofocus which is better and more precise than our eyes. Your opinion on that ? True not true ?

 

[Derrel]

I agree: d-slr cameras tend to work better with autofocusing lenses than with manual focusing lenses, especially in the low-light arena with short focal length lenses. Something like a 24mm or 28mm f/2.8 manual focusing lens can be extremely tricky to nail focus with reliably, whereas with an autofocus model, it's a trivial feat.

Your situation might be handled by a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 for indoor, close-in shooting. For more glamorous looks, I would want to be back a bit farther away and using a longer lens, like an 85mm to 135mm length.

On DX camera, an 85mm lens is very narrow in angle of view indoors for boudoir/glamour unless you have some room to back up. 60mm macro lenses are bitingly sharp, and the focusing is not optimized for people type distances. I think you ought to go with one, or two zoom lenses.

I think if I had to pick ONE zoom for a Nikon DX camera, it might be the new Sigma 24-105mm OS lens.

 

[Dave442]

I use the 60mm f/2.8 micro on DX. I find it a bit difficult of a lens for full body shots of people although I do use every so often it as I don't have a 50mm prime. As you are not doing macro shots then it is just too close to the 50mm to buy this. It has a lot of distance on the close end of the focus range being a macro lens and sometimes it will hunt for focus. You probably need to be about 5 meters away so it is not going to work in a lot of hotel rooms, while the 4 meter distance with the 50mm is within reason. I would either add the 85mm for tighter shots in combo with the 50mm or the 24-70mm zoom to cover everything, but more weight.

 

[goodguy]

Since you will be working in smaller spaces on DX camera how about a 24-70mm 2.8 lens ?
The obvious choice is Nikon but its expensive, Tamron has an awesome 24-70mm 2.8 VC which is very good and shouldn't be too expensive used.

That's a good suggestion, it will be equal or similar to a 35mm-105mm which is suitable for portrait and gave me some marge de manoeuvre

Yeah It's a great suggestion! Thanks

I found one very inexpensive, but the text makes me wonder if it's legit ... ;
View attachment 111073

Ah sorry I dont know this lens, I heard about it but have no idea if its good or not.
Ask around, maybe even open a new post to know what people think of it.
Dont buy a lens without knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into, it will be sad to throw money away.