chip_chipowski

<p>Kim - your sample shot is fantastic. I don't know what Kent meant by "not THAT bad." Maybe he is joking.</p> <p>For your intended purpose (portraits and wedding) I think it makes sense to try FX if you have the budget. It won't necessarily be a huge difference in a lot of situations (FX versus DX) but I think FX will tend to help you in (a) low light situations with high ISO, and (b) controlling DOF when you want shallow focus and nice background blur. If your sample shot is a good indication of your style, I think FX is a reasonable upgrade. </p>

<p>With a fisheye at f/2.8, I think DOF is an issue. Something in the center of a fisheye shot is probably not in the same plane of focus as the corners. Just my guess.</p>

<p>Is the old 70-300VR going to continue? These new versions look down market, in terms of build and f/6.3 at the long end.</p> <p>EDIT: Oops - just realized these 70-300 lenses are DX. That explains it!</p>

<p>Yeah, kind of funny mock up with all four lenses having the same specs.</p>

<blockquote> <p>Lens is over the top. A lens for the filthy rich or an untreated Nikon gear acquisition addiction. <br />I'm fine with my Nikon 85 1.8 G at 1/5 the cost.</p> </blockquote> <p>I am reminded of a quote from a user on a different forum: "And when you cannot reach for the fruit at the top of the tree, you can always claim it is bitter."</p>

<p>Mt. Adams, seen from I-82 (north of Yakima, WA).</p><div></div>

D300 is an easy choice, should be somewhat familiar going from your D100. It is tough and good. Should also be available around that price point on used market.

<p>I think using M-Up on the drive mode is probably ideal if you are looking for the most stable tripod shooting. I have used this on D200 and D300, and basically the first shutter trip raises the mirror, and the second shutter trip opens the shutter. If you just press the shutter once, the mirror raises and I think the shutter automatically opens after 30 seconds. A kind of de factor 30 second timer. Or you can get a remote to release the shutter, once mirror is raised.</p>

<p>I really like the 28mm f/3.5. I have a Type-K version, which has been Ai'd. It is plenty sharp, but I really like the character of this lens. Nice transition from focal plane. Pretty subjective I guess. The lens has some vignetting, which I tend to like. Construction is rock solid and operation is a joy. You can find the f/3.5 version at very low cost on the used market.</p>

<p>The D90 does not support metering with the old MF Nikkors, which you may know already. If that is no problem, you could try the Nikkor 75-150 f/3.5. It might be a little long on DX, but it is very cheap (should be able to get a nice copy for $100-$150) and creates nice separation. The 85mm 1.8G is quite a bit pricier but works well on DX. There is also the 105mm f/2.5, but I think the 75-150 will give you more flexibility.</p>

<blockquote> <p>Wait until about $2,300 worth of stuff gets ripped out of your hands, and you get shoved down along a subway train. Those people are out there.</p> </blockquote> Kent, I always thought the SD stood for South Dakota but it sounds like you do your street shooting in South Damascus.

<p>Andrew, careful not to assume heavier = more quality. I recall Shun's anecdote about the use of lead weights in phone handsets to imply high quality. I do agree the Sigma lens diagram shows more glass compared with the Nikkor though. I don't care so much about weight with my lenses (my reptile brain likes the feeling of a heavy lens) but I do care about bulk. The Nikkor 50mm 1.4G is nice and compact (the D version is even smaller) and I often use it without the hood when I am trying to keep my kit as small as possible. The lens barrel provides a decent amount of front element protection sans hood.</p>

<p>I have been happy with the 1.4G. I cannot compare it to the 1.8G but I have no problem with sharpenss at wide apertures. These two lenses have been compared extensively. I think the big question is whether you want f/1.4 or happy enough with f/1.8. I mainly use the 50mm f/1.4G for people photos and like to use it wide open. Focus speed is not especially fast but accuracy is good.</p>

<p>Tim - great tones in your canoe shot</p>

<p>Justin, I recommend finding some photos to illustrate your dissatisfaction. Don't get me wrong, this forum loves to speculate. But you will probably get better advice if we can see examples you like from your old cameras and ones you don't like from the D810. </p>