preston_ma Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 I'm looking for some advice on a lens. I have recently started my wedding photo business and I'm looking to purchase a fast lens with f/2.8 aperture. I love the new nikon 105mm but can't afford the $900 price. Any suggestions on something equivalent that you have experience with would greatly be appreciated. Tamron, Sigma, Tokina??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 Nikon's 85/1.8 AFD comes to mind, and I recommend it often as a 'not very expensive' fast lens. Were I building a 'wedding kit' where cost was a big factor, it would definitely be on my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_lofquist Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 I would agree with Todd. The Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.8 is a very nice lens for extraction of subjects at receptions and galas. It is light and relatively inexpensive. Fast focus in spite of the "screwdriver" AF. Crisp and bright in the viewfinder. One of the best lenses out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preston_ma Posted June 17, 2006 Author Share Posted June 17, 2006 Is it a good lens for a D200 and D70 or should I go with something made more for a digital camera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ky2 Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 <i>"Is it a good lens for a D200 and D70 or should I go with something made more for a digital camera?"</i><br><br> Yes, it's a good lens. The 105/2DC was not made for a digital camera, but will fit one perfectly. So will the 85/1.8. So will the 105/2.5 AI/AIS lens, if you a D200/D2/D1, for a fraction of the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 Yes, the 85/1.8 AFD is a good lens on a digital. I had added the 85/1.4 AFD to my 'kit' (at almost three times the price) recently, but the slightly slower 1.8 served me well for 10 years or more. The 1.8 still immediately comes to mind when folks ask questions like yours. It's a very solid lens (performance-wise) at that price point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff h. Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 You don't mention what other lenses you use. Do you have plenty of fast lenses in other focal lengths and just lack the 105? Many wedding photographers swear by the Nikkor 35 -70/2.8D or 28-70/2.8D ED-IF zoom. Good luck with your new business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photo5 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 I shot with a Nikon 28-105mm ED-IF 3.5-4.5 lens with an F100 and SB-28 at wedding receptions and never had trouble focusing. I tried the 35-70mm 2.8 but didn't like the limited range or the size. If you want a constant aperture, try the Tamron 28-105 2.8 zoom. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preston_ma Posted June 18, 2006 Author Share Posted June 18, 2006 Right now I shoot with a Tamron 28-70mm 2.8 as my main lens and a Tokina 12-24mm 4. I borrow from a friend or rent the new Nikkon 80-200 2.8 when needed and I just need a good portrait lens under about $500. I do appreciate the suggestions so far but still am not sure what is the best for my D200 and D70s cameras. I'm trying to find a lens that is made more specifically for a digital camera. I'm looking at a Tamron AF 90mm 2.8, Tokina AT-X M100 or Sigma 105mm 2.8 EX DG as they seem to be in that price range....does anyone have any experience with those or could someone suggest another. Would the Nikon 85mm 1.8 work well on my specific cameras? I get the idea that the first comments on that lens were both film camera users or is that not true? Thanks for your suggestions so far and pleas keep them coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Yes, I use my lenses with digital. Definitely have 'more miles' on film, but I have used them on a D100, D70, D2H, and D200. In a portrait lens, 'made for digital' is mostly hype. Most of the digital 'challenges' are in the wide end, where the physics of the sensor dictate that the light path needs to be more normal to the surface. It is true that digital sensors have revealed CA at other focal lengths on some lenses, but by and large telephoto lenses that are 'good on film' are still 'good on digital'. The fact that you already have a 28-70/2.8 (I'll assume it's very usable wide open, I don't know the Tamron) might lead you away from the 85mm focal length. In Nikon, the logical choice for a portrait shooter beyond 85mm is the 105/2.0 DC. Logical, but not cost-effective. Do you have a background in manual focus? Nikon has a couple excellent manual focus lenses in the 105/2.5 and 105/1.8 AIS. These would work quite well on your D200 (I use the latter), but not so well on your D70 (no meter, really hard to focus). As you get opinions on those other lenses, make sure the user is using them in the way that you intend, for portraits, making use of the lens wide open. Some if not all of the lenses you're looking at are primarily intended for macro use. They may be fine in the portrait regime, but most users form their opinion of those lenses by the results they deliver focussed to half life-size at f/8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Disagreeing with myself here - I would like to see a 'made for digital' lens from Nikon: a 60mm f/1.4 with good bokeh. It wouldn't really be a DX lens (i.e., it doesn't have to have a reduced light cone), it's just a lens the digital guys cry out for. It would be like having the 85/1.4 field of view, but for digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basarab Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 There is no Nikkor DX portrait speciffic lens with the speed you require. You could use the DX zooms available and use them at around 100mm focal but the speed will not be 2.8 As in using a "film" lens on a Nikon D body I really see no difference for the worst for all practical considerations. I see differences for the best, but that should make a photographer happy :) I also find the 85 AF 1.8 the best lens in your case with respect to cost, quality and purpose. You could of course go for longer and better lenses(if any available) once your investment starts to pay off. I could rant a bit more and suggest you keep the 85 on a body and the 18-200 on the other as an all-around lens; and sell the ones rendered obsolete by this combination. The only problem with this solution is the 18-200 is kinda hard to come by these days. Best of luck top you! Cristi P.S.: What are you lighting tools? These may actually save your more money from thye price of an expensive fast lens compared to a slower one. Especially indoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel_hammers Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Preston, It kind of sounds like you've fallen for a little marketing hype! The 85mm f/1.8 isn't a "digital" lens but it produces beutiful images on a d200. So does my non-digital 28mm f/2.8 AIS lens. In fact, the only digital lens I have is the 18-70mm DX and I think that thing just plain sucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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