Help to rationalize equipment

[nuno_campos1]

Hi,

 

Some gifts and buys have put in my hands the following equipment:

Nikon F65 + Nikkor 28-80mm AFD f/3.5-5.6 + Nikkor AFG 70-300mm f/4-5.6

(equipment from wife, not used by her anymore);

Nikon FG + Sigma 28mm f/2.8 + Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E + Nikon 100mm f/2.8

Series E (my own equipment)

Nikon FE-10 + Sigma 35-70mm f/2.8-4 + Promaster 70-210mm f/4-5.6

 

I decided sell the cameras and all the lenses except the Nikkor 70-300mm (it

fits my needs, because I do not use a tele many times) and probably the 100mm

Series E (I really like that lens) and use the money to help me to pay better

equipment.

 

I was thinking on buying:

- F100 body;

- Nikkor 50mm AFD f/1.8;

- Tamron SP AF 17-35mm F2.8-4 Di (the Nikkor 18-35mm is a little more

expensive and slower) or the inexpensive and well regarded Tokina AF 19-35mm

f/3.5-4;

- and a better standard zoom, like the Nikon 24-85 F3.5-4.5 G ED IF AF-S or a

faster one from a third party brand, like the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8, the Tamron

28-75mm F/2.8 XR or one from the Tokina ATX Pro series.

 

Would this be a good combo? Is there any sleeper/better option on the wide and

standard zooms that I should look for?

 

Best regards and thanks in advance,

 

Nuno Campos.

[jwhite3.0]

F100, excellent Nikon body that can be had nowadays for around $200-250. 50mm f/1.8, yup. I don't know much about the WA zooms you mentioned. Sleeper lens 35-70mm f/2.8 ($200-300). Ok, not a sleeper, well known great lens but no longer the talk of the town. I never got to use it on film but was excellent on a digital SLR.

 

 

Check out yours truly...

 

http://www.photo.net/equipment/nikon/

 

Seems like the Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D may be a desirable lens

 

 

 

 

Check out Bjorn's site...

http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html

[Peter_in_PA]

Nuno,

 

Is there a reason you're not considering Digital?

 

Just askin'...

[conrad_hoffman]

What do you shoot? When I looked back over decades of images, I realized that nothing I considered successful was shot with anything longer than 105mm. That narrows my lens selection and lets me say "no thanks" to trophy lenses I might otherwise consider. You might consider designing your kit for what you want to shoot, though it looks like your choices are very similar to mine in terms of focal lengths. Oddly, when I was shooting film, I didn't like, want, or miss zooms. Primes suited all my needs, with a strong leaning to the 20 and 35mm. Remember that the wide zooms may change focal length with distance. Having switched to digital, I prefer a moderate zoom, and am very pleased with the image quality. I never use my primes with my D200 except for macro work. When I pick up a film camera, I still don't want a zoom on it. Go figure. I'd keep the 100mm Series E, as it's quite a good lens and reaches just a bit more than the zooms you mentioned.

[Karim Ghantous]

Just as a counterpoint to Conrad (and not a disagreement), I love long lenses. They suit my shooting style. Which is why I just can't rationalize a rangefinder kit (as much as I'd love one).

 

The F100 has a great reputation and it's great value at those prices. If you aren't using flash (I don't like it myself and I don't use it, YMMV), you may not need the AF-D lens. If that logic works for you, get the 50mm f/1.4 instead. It's only half a stop more but the images wide-open are lovely. If you can get an f/1.2, even better!

 

Maybe a 70-200 or 80-200 f/2.8 is worth looking at? I forget which is supposed to be the better of the two, but the best one is damned good.

[nuno_campos1]

Hi,

 

Thanks for all the answers.

 

Well, I am not putting digital away but I shoot normally people and street and I need to go wide. The 1.5 crop factor does not help. A plus for film.

 

I also like to work in the darkroom but the true is that I have less time nowadays to be there and that digital is less expensive. A plus for digital.

 

I could buy with that budget a D40, D40x and D60 with the kit lens and maybe a Sigma 10-20mm, but those bodies do not work in AF with non AF-S lenses and people tend to say that focus manually with DSLR viewfinders is not easy. A minus for Nikon DSLRs.

 

It seems that Nikon is telling the amateur photographer to tray another brand. I can buy in Europe a Canon 350D with the kit lens for the same price (or the Olympus E410, but the 2.0 crop factor?) that would cost me a D40 and the kit lens. I know that the D40 is more recent and that the Nikon kit lens has better reviews, but I can have AF with the Canon 50mm 1.8 and the Sigma I mentioned.

 

Maybe I am a believer and I am waiting that Nikon produces a consumer grade DSLR that can focus with non AF-S lenses. But I am not very optimist about it.

 

Best regards and thanks again.

[michaelchristensen]

Well, all this can be confusing if you have too much equipment. Recommend the Nikon F100 with 50mm lens, and the 24-80 lens. Keep your kit small enough to be able to move on the street, or whereever you shoot; get an SB28 flash .. and there you go.

 

I've got too many cameras and sometimes my kit is bulky and mixed up to the point where I'm looking for things. You will save yourself some time if you stick with Nikon lenses and flash .. the F100 works flawlessly and does great flash work; is more sophisticated than most people need .. and is simply a great camera.

 

In film cameras, the F100 is about $300 used (I have two of them and believe they are worth twice that) .. and if you want to experience the ultimate in film cameras, Nikon F5 is heavy duty and very fast to focus (I own one, but my daughter always seems to have it) .. it goes $500-700 used.

 

I'd forget the consumer grade DSLRs. Why buy technology that has been "dumbed-down" to be price competitive. Simply determine what you want your camera body to do and buy accordingly, or you will probably be buying again in a year. The Nikon D200 works well with older lenses (all the ones you may want) and goes about $950 used right now.

 

The lenses you mentioned above are all fairly good. But start with two and use only those. You will find you don't need more.

 

For those really interested in photography I would not recommend a consumer DSLR. Determine your price point and save or wait for the camera you really want.