36 replies to this topic

[rocknrumble]

What selection of lenses would make the perfect Kit.. I'm always looking at adding lenses to my Kit and I was wondering what others thought would make the perfect setup. Tell which lenses and why you would have that lens.
 

My Kit so far:

 

14mm Samyang f2.8

28mm Nikkor f2.8

50mm Nikkorn f1.8

150mm Sigma f2.8 Macro

50-500mm Sigma f4.5

 

I'm just trying to work out what I need to add to the kit or replace.

 

I was thinking the Sigma 85mm f1.4 or the Nikkor 85mm f1.8G. Or replacing my 27mm with the Sigma 35mm f1.4

 

Thoughts?

[nbanjogal]

Well, if you added an 85mm, I'd say you already have the perfect kit with a ton of range! I have the Nikkor 85mm f1.8G, and it is my go-to portrait lens (and probably the lens I use most often).

 

Here's my dream team:

 

14-24mm Nikkor f2.8, for landscapes and especially nightscapes; it is the best lens in that range. (If I couldn't have that one I'd take the Samyang 14mm and 24mm lenses.)

24-70 mm Tamron f2.8 for a good walkaround lens with a decent range. Tamron gets great marks for this lens for quite a bit less than the Nikkor version

50mm Nikkor f1.4 is just a good all-purpose lens. Light and high quality.

85mm Nikkor f1.8 is wonderful portrait lens. High quality, sharp, and lighter than a zoom. I wouldn't be without it.

70-200mm Nikkor f2.8 I use this lens for weddings and other events--a must have. Unbelievably sharp. (The Tamron version gets high scores for about $1000 less.)

105mm Nikkor f2.8 for macro work (this will probably be the next lens I buy)

And finally, I don't have a big zoom, but I'd love the Sigma 50-500mm. What a range!

 

Fun question!

[rocknrumble]

Yeah I wanted either the Nikon 14-24 or the Sigma 12-24... Since I had a 28mm and the Samyang was more affordable I went that route.

 

Yeah I think the 85mm is the one I'm missing for my Kit. Just trying to decide if I want the 1.8 or whether I save longer and get the 1.4. Decisions, decisions.

 

I was tossing up between the 105mm and the 150mm f2.8 Macro... I decided on the 150mm as I thought it would do better for Macro and was further away from the 85mm if that was going to be my portrait lens.

 

The Sigma 50-500mm is a great lens. I will warn you though it weighs 2.5kg alone. Doesn't bother me but some people may find the weight a struggle.

[Afterimage]

When I think "Kit" I think the bare minimum number of lenses that come close to doing it all for you.

 

In that vane I'd say for DX bodies:

Sigma 10-20 f3.5 or Tokina 11-16 f2.8

Tamron 17-50 f2.8 VC

Nikon (or Tammy) 70-200 f2.8

 

Those 3 lenses will allow you to shoot in almost circumstance, 10mm - 200mm,  at f2.8 (or 3.5... )

 

FX Body:

Nikon 14-24 f2.8

Tamron 24-70 f2.8 VC

Nikon (or Tammy) 70-200 f2.8

 

To round out the basics I'd add the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, and the Tamron 90mm Macro VC.

[rocknrumble]

I'm looking for the best combination of Zooms and Prime lenses.  So great choices so far. Would love to hear others thoughts on this as well. Let us know what lenses you have so far and what you would like to add to it.

 

As part of my kit I also have the following:

 

Kenko 2x teleconverter

SB700 Speedlight

Tripod, Monopod and bean bag

Camera Bag

[alden]

You already have a great selection of lenses. 

 

One I have heard raves about that I would like is the Tokina 90mm macro. 

[K-9]

What selection of lenses would make the perfect Kit.. I'm always looking at adding lenses to my Kit and I was wondering what others thought would make the perfect setup. Tell which lenses and why you would have that lens.
 

My Kit so far:

 

14mm Samyang f2.8

28mm Nikkor f2.8

50mm Nikkorn f1.8

150mm Sigma f2.8 Macro

50-500mm Sigma f4.5

 

I'm just trying to work out what I need to add to the kit or replace.

 

I was thinking the Sigma 85mm f1.4 or the Nikkor 85mm f1.8G. Or replacing my 27mm with the Sigma 35mm f1.4

 

Thoughts?

 

If you get a 35mm and an 85mm, that sort of makes your 50mm obsolete.  There really wouldn't be any shot you couldn't get with one of those two.  

 

I have a 28mm and an 85mm and found myself never grabbing the 50, so I sold it.

[rocknrumble]

Interdasting... Thanks

[alden]

Tokina 100mm f/2.8

 

Tamron 90mm f/2.8

[rocknrumble]

I think my next lens will probably be an 85mm f1.4 lens, most likely the Sigma lens. This will be my portrait lens. But I think I'm going to have to wait until Christmas for this one.

[Merco_61]

If you get a 35mm and an 85mm, that sort of makes your 50mm obsolete.  There really wouldn't be any shot you couldn't get with one of those two.  

 

I have a 28mm and an 85mm and found myself never grabbing the 50, so I sold it.

For me, the primes ladder is 24, 35, 50, 85, 135, 180. I like steps of about half again per step. The 50 is far too useful to be without...

If I have to pack light it goes 24, 35, 50, 105, 180, rather than skipping the 50 and sometimes the 200/4 AI substitutes for the 180 for ultimate lightness. With any of these sets I can do the same as with a 24-70 and a 70-200 at about 2/3 the weight.

In a pj situation I use zooms instead, a Nikkor 17-35/2.8, a Tamron 28-75/2.8 and a 80-200/2.8 AF-S are a nice set, if a bit dated. I am saving up for a 70-200 VRII, but the old beast still does it's job well.

[rocknrumble]

Also looking at the Samyang 85mm 1.4 at almost a 1/3 of the price of the Sigma 1/5 the price of the Nikon 1.4 it seems to be a good deal. Though it is a manual focus lens. Anyone used this one?
 

http://www.dwidigita...F14-Lenses.aspx

[K-9]

If I have to pack light it goes 24, 35, 50, 105, 180, rather than skipping the 50 and sometimes the 200/4 AI substitutes for the 180 for ultimate lightness.

 

There really wouldn't many shots you can't get with the 35 that you can only get with the 24 or 50.  Just move in closer or take a few steps back!  

[Merco_61]

There really wouldn't many shots you can't get with the 35 that you can only get with the 24 or 50.  Just move in closer or take a few steps back!  

The trouble *for me* is that the perspective changes with those few steps. It is not about getting more or less in the frame, but more about how elements in the frame interact visually. I *know* that steps of double the focal length should work, I just cant previsualize in those larger steps.

[rocknrumble]

Some great insight. Hopefully a few others will chime in with their ideas and suggestions.

[Clearly Limited]

Your kit looks good to me, I would add a manual focus fisheye The zenitar 16mm 2.8 is a great deal for the money. Also a 70-200 f2.8 would give you a better low light zoom over the 50-500. I carry a 24-70 and a 70-200 is my go to combo. I love shooting primes don't get me wrong. If you want the best prime out there I shoot a lot of my action inside sports with a 200mm f2  it's by far the sharpest thing out there.

[Brazeal]

I recently switched to Nikon, and my current kit is the Tamron 24-70 VC and Tamron 70-200 VC.  If I could only carry two lenses, these would be the two.  Although I would love to add the Nikon 14-24 one day, I can't justify the cost when I can take a few shots with the 24-70 and stitch them together in post.  This is not ideal, but I don't shoot alot of landscapes to justify the large expense.  I used to shoot alot of primes, and I will likely buy a Nikon 85 1.8G soon. 

[rocknrumble]

A fast Zoom for indoor spoor sports is definitely something I will look at down the track. For now the 85mm will round out my kit. I'll be happy with that for a while.

[rocknrumble]

Now all I need to do is win that D610 so I can have 2 bodies to make my shooting life easier.

[TBonz]

Two bodies won't help...you'll just end up wanting a third...and then a fourth...and then...

 

I currently have only 3 lenses...Nikon 24-70 2.8, Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII, Nikon 200-400 4.0 VRII...I also have a 1.4 TC...

 

That can pretty much get me anything I need to shoot.  I'd like to add the Nikon 14-24 2.8 and the 105 2.8 Micro Nikkor to round out on the wide end and give me macro...other than that, I might add the 1.7 TC and fill in with additional primes when I can - probably the 200 2.0 would be first on that list...

 

I've owned Nikons since I switched from Pentax (MXs) in the early 1990s to an F4S and have never owned a Nikon 50mm.  I have never felt like I needed one either.  I had the Pentax 50 1.4 and found as others have stated - it rarely came out of the bag with the assortment of other lenses that I had back then.  I think it was in college I took out the newspaper's Nikon FM and shot the 50 1.2 of that era...wonderful lens...