Comments on: Lens Lust http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/ thomas stromberg on technology, nature, and motorcycles Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:45:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2-RC4 By: Sallad says… » Blog Archive » The Wide Angle Lens http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/comment-page-1/#comment-3157 Sallad says… » Blog Archive » The Wide Angle Lens Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:39:10 +0000 http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/#comment-3157 [...] to get a wide angle lens - Sigma 10-20mm. We’ve been discussing what lens we’d like to add to our collection, and decided that this one would be great for traveling. We’re usually focused close up on [...] [...] to get a wide angle lens – Sigma 10-20mm. We’ve been discussing what lens we’d like to add to our collection, and decided that this one would be great for traveling. We’re usually focused close up on [...]

]]> By: Doug Drew http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/comment-page-1/#comment-3147 Doug Drew Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:12:32 +0000 http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/#comment-3147 Nice Chart ... I too just upgraded my D70 to the D300. Awesome camera, just getting started with it as it was a xmas present from my wife. I have the follwing (All nikkor / all except the kit lens also from Ebay): 18-70 (D70 kit lens) 35-70 2.8 (not on your chart) 70-210 5.6 (2 of them - I've lent them to friends after I got the 80-200) 80-200 2.8 2 ring (great lens) 60 2.8 Macro I too have been looking at some more lens with the 18-200 at the top of the list, but after just spending $1800 on the D300 it will have to wait a little while. I also have the SB800 which I use a lot. I use the 35-70 for shots when I need the speed or shallow DOF. I wish it was a tad wider ... If only I had the D3 :-) Best Wishes, Doug Nice Chart … I too just upgraded my D70 to the D300. Awesome camera, just getting started with it as it was a xmas present from my wife. I have the follwing (All nikkor / all except the kit lens also from Ebay):
18-70 (D70 kit lens)
35-70 2.8 (not on your chart)
70-210 5.6 (2 of them – I’ve lent them to friends after I got the 80-200)
80-200 2.8 2 ring (great lens)
60 2.8 Macro

I too have been looking at some more lens with the 18-200 at the top of the list, but after just spending $1800 on the D300 it will have to wait a little while. I also have the SB800 which I use a lot. I use the 35-70 for shots when I need the speed or shallow DOF. I wish it was a tad wider … If only I had the D3 :-)

Best Wishes, Doug

]]> By: thomas http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/comment-page-1/#comment-3125 thomas Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:14:40 +0000 http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/#comment-3125 Hey Todd, Long time no see! I didn't realize you did photography before RTCI! It's awesome to get feedback from someone who did this professionaly. Here's what I translated your recommended lens lengths to for DX (1.6X multiplier, rounded down): 12 - 15mm 17 - 44mm 50 - 125mm Which maps pretty well to the Nikon lineup: Nikkor 14mm F/2.8 ($1800 @ BH) Nikkor 17-55mm F/2.8 ($1200 @ BH) Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8 ($1600 @ BH) I agree about fixed length vs zoom. My 18-200mm replaces just about every lens in its' range, but my primes are still sharper and faster than any zoom I own. Getting a fast zoom would be nice, but the prices are fairly terrifying for someone who doesn't make any money on his hobby. I hate changing lenses though in the middle of shooting. The more I think about it honestly, the less I want an 85mm F/1.4. Sure, the bokeh is great, but on a DX size sensor, 85mm is a bit too long for my liking. I'll stick with my cheaper 50mm F/1.8 instead. Thanks for your input! Hey Todd, Long time no see! I didn’t realize you did photography before RTCI! It’s awesome to get feedback from someone who did this professionaly. Here’s what I translated your recommended lens lengths to for DX (1.6X multiplier, rounded down):

12 – 15mm
17 – 44mm
50 – 125mm

Which maps pretty well to the Nikon lineup:

Nikkor 14mm F/2.8 ($1800 @ BH)
Nikkor 17-55mm F/2.8 ($1200 @ BH)
Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8 ($1600 @ BH)

I agree about fixed length vs zoom. My 18-200mm replaces just about every lens in its’ range, but my primes are still sharper and faster than any zoom I own. Getting a fast zoom would be nice, but the prices are fairly terrifying for someone who doesn’t make any money on his hobby. I hate changing lenses though in the middle of shooting. The more I think about it honestly, the less I want an 85mm F/1.4. Sure, the bokeh is great, but on a DX size sensor, 85mm is a bit too long for my liking. I’ll stick with my cheaper 50mm F/1.8 instead.

Thanks for your input!

]]> By: Todd http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/comment-page-1/#comment-3124 Todd Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:33:24 +0000 http://sprocket.io/blog/2007/12/lens-lust/#comment-3124 Thomas, This is the only blog article of yours I've felt informed enough to comment on. Only because I made a living at this stuff a long time ago before working with you at RTCI. When I was a working, card carrying AP photo-journalist there were only 3 lenses we always needed in the bag (not including macros). The three can get expensive but you won't need to "fill in the holes" with a lot of fixed length glass: 20 or 24mm 2.8 (or faster - big$$) 28 to 70mm 2.8 80 to 200mm 2.8 I can't recall if these are the exact aperture sizes offered by Nikon, I know they're off for digital lengths (my knowledge is old-school ISO film). But for two years I was able to travel and make money with just these pieces. On occasion a 300mm 2.8 was required for sports but as starving artists we shared the $5K lenses around the newsroom. Trying to get everything in fixed length is expensive and cumbersome and not really necessary anymore since Nikon Zeiss and Canon have got rid of 99% of distortion in the high end zooms a while ago. Thomas,

This is the only blog article of yours I’ve felt informed enough to comment on. Only because I made a living at this stuff a long time ago before working with you at RTCI. When I was a working, card carrying AP photo-journalist there were only 3 lenses we always needed in the bag (not including macros). The three can get expensive but you won’t need to “fill in the holes” with a lot of fixed length glass:

20 or 24mm 2.8 (or faster – big$$)
28 to 70mm 2.8
80 to 200mm 2.8

I can’t recall if these are the exact aperture sizes offered by Nikon, I know they’re off for digital lengths (my knowledge is old-school ISO film). But for two years I was able to travel and make money with just these pieces. On occasion a 300mm 2.8 was required for sports but as starving artists we shared the $5K lenses around the newsroom.

Trying to get everything in fixed length is expensive and cumbersome and not really necessary anymore since Nikon Zeiss and Canon have got rid of 99% of distortion in the high end zooms a while ago.

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