# Lens Question.....please



## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

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If you had a $2000 budget to play with.........and you happen to shoot Nikon.  What lens would you buy for a non-full frame body. 

Thanks so much...


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

I was thinking 80-200F2.8........


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## FERAL ONE (Jan 3, 2012)

what ya gonna do with it ?  i like my 70-200 2.8 sigma but if i had 2 grand i would end up with 2 lenses. a sigma bigma and somethin' else !


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## DRB1313 (Jan 3, 2012)

I would sell the Nikon and use the extra money for some Canon Gear

Just kidding Man! Just having a little fun.

I'll bet F1 and Rip will be around to give you all the Nikon advise here shortly.


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## DRB1313 (Jan 3, 2012)

See,  He was right in front of me...


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

Too funny.......

This is what I will do with the Lens for now.......maybe the odd photo shoot of my grand-kids.  I will be on the water fishing a lot this spring.......lots of opportunities there...


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## DRB1313 (Jan 3, 2012)

MS22,
The biggest question you will be faced with having that budget will be (How much reach do you really want)
My 70-200 2.8 will shoot with the best of them, but I am always looking for more reach


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

Very good point........what does a 2.0 multiplier add........goes to 5.6 @ 400.....

I guess this is what makes it so much fun.........cant afford it all......lol


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## FERAL ONE (Jan 3, 2012)

and also is there a commercial interest. my 50 to 500 bigma is real handy for that type of shooting but it does not produce the same type of images that pro's use for makin' money. i have taken a bunch that i am proud of with it though.  more often than not my 70-200 2.8 is mounted and ready just because it is a great lens and not near as heavy as the big momma.   but 50-500 mm is hard to put down when you have that kind of range.  i would love to have a 300 prime one day for birding but that will have to wait !


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## FERAL ONE (Jan 3, 2012)

the 2.0 will add reach but will also degrade the image somewhat and you will loose a couple stops of light.  i have a 1.4 x and like it pretty well but RIP18 is the TC master. maybe he can help out here.  they are handy, but just a tool . it is not as easy as just magnifying the image. sure would be nice though !


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

I understand..........sort of like my old race saying..."there's no replacement for displacement".......and of coarse......speed cost money, how fast do you want to go¿


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## DRB1313 (Jan 3, 2012)

Meriwether_Stalker22 said:


> I understand..........sort of like my old race saying..."there's no replacement for displacement".......and of coarse......speed cost money, how fast do you want to go¿


You got that right!


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## FERAL ONE (Jan 3, 2012)

amen to that !!! this is a bottomless pit . but it sho is fun !!!!


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## Crickett (Jan 3, 2012)

DRB1313 said:


> I would sell the Nikon and use the extra money for some Canon Gear
> 
> Just kidding Man! Just having a little fun.
> 
> I'll bet F1 and Rip will be around to give you all the Nikon advise here shortly.



I was gonna suggest the same thing!


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## cre8foru (Jan 3, 2012)

I have a Sigma F4 100-300 and a 1.4TC which equates to 420mm 5.6. I think the IQ it produces is pretty good on my D300. I agree with an earlier post that the 2.0 TC loses image quality.


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## rip18 (Jan 3, 2012)

You nailed it with the engine anology...

Yikes!  $2,000 to buy a lens (or lenses???).  That money will go further in the used market than the new market.  With some "good" shopping on several camera forums, you can stretch that money pretty far...  I've seen a Nikkor 400 mm f/2.8 for $2,400.  I've seen a manual focus Nikkor 600 mm f/4 for $1200.  But those deals don't last long...  And depending on what you want to shoot, those might not be the best lens for you...

Yep, the Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 would be high on my "want" list.  The Nikkor 200 f/4 might make the list.  The "Bigma" (Sigma 50-500 mm) mentioned earlier would probably be on the list too...  It ain't the "best" quality lens in the bag, but it's one that has the reach that you can afford to put in the bag & use...  I do know a couple of pros that use one.  Realistically, there isn't a whole lot of difference in the weight/size of the Bigma and my 80-200, but there IS a big difference in the images it will allow you to get!  A Nikkor 105 mm macro or similar might be on the list.  You might be able to find a used 300 mm f/2.8.

I guess I'd look for GOOD used glass on camera forums, at KEH, and at some of the few camera stores that take used gear (or sell on consignment) now.  In bigger glass, I'd be looking for something in f/2.8 or f/4.0 that stayed constant (especially if it was a zoom).  The 300 mm & 400 mm would get my attention.  A 200 mm f/4 might.  But I wouldn't discount the Bigma either; I've seen a few of those go for around $800 to $850 lately.  Whatever you get, if it is used, I'd try to shoot it before buying or at least have a quick return option.

If you got a Bigma for <$1000, that'd leave another thousand for a macro lens of some sort (the old manual focus ones are sometimes around $100) and a "portrait" lens (something in the 50 to 80 mm range with an f/1.4 or 1.8).

I wouldn't be averse to buying a Sigma lens if the condition, length, and maximum f-stop were good.

Other than my camera body, I don't have any gear that is the "latest and greatest", so you'll see me stretching my equipment dollars like above all the time.  I'd love to have image stabilized lenses & the lastest coatings & quickest focusing options out there, but I'm just too dog-gone cheap to pay for it...

You might also look at an SB-800 or SB-900 flash with some sort of flash bracket & flash cord (yes, I know they can work remotely, but that 1% of the time it don't go off, is the "shot of a lifetime!").  That would take a big chunk out of that budget too, though.  I saw a lightly used SB-900 the other day for $350.  The flash cord will set you back another $25 to $80 or so.  The bracket another $25 to $50.

That's one thing too about "big glass" - then you may need to upgrade your tripod & tripod head, and that can run you up another $300 to $1000.  YIKES!

Teleconverters - yep.  I've got a few.  I tend to use the 2.0 and 1.7 the most (though the 1.4 does get dug out every now & then).  I'll even stack them on top of each other sometimes if I've got enough light.  Yes, the options for getting a good shot go down because they reduce the light coming through the lens, but sometimes you just can't get any closer.  On some lenses, they also reduce the focussing speed (if they will still autofocus at all).  Do I like using them?  No.  Do I hesitate to use them if I need them, and I think I can get a reasonable shutter speed?  No.

To summarize, I reckon I'd buy the longest & fastest glass I could find for that money.  I'd trade a little on the "fast" end for length, so far in fact, that I'd consider a Bigma plus a couple of shorter lenses...  I don't know if that rambling gibberish will help at all, but those are some of my thoughts.


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## DRB1313 (Jan 3, 2012)

Hey Rip,  How about telling us what you really think.

That is an awesome reply!!!! Worth every dollar sign in it!!!


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

Once again you have gone above and beyond............I appreciate you man..........

This post is a keeper............thank guys....and gals


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 3, 2012)

DRB1313 said:


> Hey Rip,  How about telling us what you really think.
> 
> That is an awesome reply!!!! Worth every dollar sign in it!!!



He just liked my ear rings the other day............lol


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## Crickett (Jan 3, 2012)

rip18 said:


> You nailed it with the engine anology...
> 
> Yikes!  $2,000 to buy a lens (or lenses???).  That money will go further in the used market than the new market.  With some "good" shopping on several camera forums, you can stretch that money pretty far...  I've seen a Nikkor 400 mm f/2.8 for $2,400.  I've seen a manual focus Nikkor 600 mm f/4 for $1200.  But those deals don't last long...  And depending on what you want to shoot, those might not be the best lens for you...
> 
> ...



Man I see books in stores that don't have info this good! Rip ever thought about writing a book for us newbies?


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## rip18 (Jan 4, 2012)

Y'all gonna make be blush.  



Meriwether_Stalker22 said:


> He just liked my ear rings the other day............lol


And a nice tiara too!


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 4, 2012)




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## Hoss (Jan 4, 2012)

Meriwether_Stalker22 said:


> Once again you have gone above and beyond............I appreciate you man..........
> 
> This post is a keeper............thank guys....and gals



Yep.  It sure is.  Gonna stick this one in the photo tricks of the trade sticky.

Hoss


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## Bubba_1122 (Jan 5, 2012)

Check Fred Miranda's Buy/Sell for used lenses. 

I shoot Canon, and have bought most of my equipment on either Fred Miranda or on Canon Photography on the Net (occasionally on eBay, but haven't had the consistent good experience on there). 

Miranda site has quite a bit of used Nikon equipment pop up on the Buy Sell section.  

Only buy from people that have been members a long time and that have a substantial track record (I look back on their history to see if they've been a seller or if they've only been a buyer). 

As usual, RIP's absolutely dead on target - your $2000 will go a lot further if you don't have to be the first one to have used it (I'm all about function).


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks so much Bubba_1122......I will check it out!!







Bubba_1122 said:


> Check Fred Miranda's Buy/Sell for used lenses.
> 
> I shoot Canon, and have bought most of my equipment on either Fred Miranda or on Canon Photography on the Net (occasionally on eBay, but haven't had the consistent good experience on there).
> 
> ...


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