Standard Zoom For FX

[dan_brown4]

This question is somewhat cost driven, because the D700 and D3 are so expensive, and require an upgraded lens for those of use who invested in

DX standard zooms. Not being a professional, I'm going to need to g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y build an FX kit.

 

The Nikkor choices look to be:

 

24-70/2.8 - The ultimate choice, but soo much $$ in addition to the camera.

 

28-70/2.8 - Penultimate choice, also expensive.

 

24-85/2.8-4.0 - Looking very good to me right now.

 

28-70/3.4-4.5 - Affordable (disposable maybe), with OK optics.

 

24-120/5.6VR - Seems to be Nikon's recommended lens for non-professional use, questionable optics.

 

How about the old 35-XXX AF Nikkors?

 

Third party options?

 

Any thoughts most welcome.

[ShunCheung]

Dan, to me, it does not make any sense at all to spend $3000 on a D700 and then skim on the optics in front of it. There are still some very good older fixed-focal-length lenses and they are less expensive. But if you are not ready to buy some good lenses (which don't have to be expensive), IMO you should delay getting the D700.

[ivan_verschoote1]

Dan, may'be wait a little bit.

From a reliable source I heard Nikon is working on a new standard zoom - probably f4 all the way (may'be a 24-105/4 AFS VR ?).

The lens should be available by the end of 2008.

Until then I'll hold on to my 50/1.8 and my old (but still very good) 28-105/3.5-4.5 for my newly ordered D700.

[elliot1]

You can use your current DX lenses on the D700. Of course, you sacrifice a bit of resolution but it is not a

significant difference unless you are printing posters. If you get the D3, you can shoot in FX mode with DX

lenses and, depending on the lenses you have, you may be able to get buy with the addition of 1 wide FX lens.

 

The first really affordable lens you might want to consider for the FX format would be a 50mm f1.8. At $125, it

is a bargain. If you have good DX glass now, there is no hurry. I agree with Shun that it does not make sense

to commit to an FX camera unless you plan to upgrade your glass in the near future.

 

Perhaps knowing what lenses you have now as far as your camera and lenses as well as what type of shots you

typically take would be beneficial in providing more assistance.

[ellis_vener_photography]

The 35-70mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor is fine basic walk around zoom. I kknow one very big time New York professional who swears by that lens on his D3 bodies. He has basically every lens F-mount Nikon has ever made going back to the 1960s. .

[g-man1]

24-85 af-s ; discontinued recently but may be available new old stock; good optics but no weather sealing and amateur duty construction.

[Richard Williams]

How about the 28-105, mentioned in a recent thread as performing well on FX:

 

http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00QATe

 

Now discontinued and no AFS or VR, but decent construction, sharp, useful macro mode, and very little distortion at the wide end (much better in this respect than, e.g., the 18-70 DX equivalent).

[dan_brown4]

Good ones, forgot about the excellent 35-70 and the very good 28-105, which I used to own in my N90s days.

 

BTW, I do have primes, just looking for a casual carry standard zoom until I can swing the 24-70.

 

I'd especially be in anybody's experience on a D3.

[walterh]

Dan the 35-70mm zoom has been discussed quite a few times - you must have missed it while not yet in the market. Have a look here for example:

 

http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00QBTS

[bmm]

While not a zoom answer to a zoom question, how about considering say a 35/2 and 50/1.8 while you wait? $400-ish new for a pair of fast, high image quality lenses that I am sure you will not want to rid yourself of even when you do find your chosen zoom.

 

I know primes are a compromise in terms of some aspects of utility but as others have said above, why would you fork out for a top-end FX sensor and then not want to put good glass in front of it?

[Rene11664880918]

Why rush to buy a D700 if you don't have the FX lenses and $$ will be a problem right away? Sell whatever you are

planning to sale and get a good FX zoom and use it on your DX camera and wait until the D700 goes down on price a bit. In

6 months it will be down around 500 USD. That will give you time to get all the $$ and you will pay less. Rene'

[lex_jenkins]

Ditto the 35-70/2.8D AF. Top notch optics. Try before you buy, if possible. Not everyone likes the push-pull zoom, but it works for me. For the past couple of years I've used this one extensively on the D2H and film Nikons and it's excellent. If you want a Nikkor brand midrange autofocus zoom, this is probably the best buy with the fewest compromises.

 

Never tried the 24-85/2.8-4, but is worth considering. Other folks have reported good things.

 

The 24-120 VR is a very good lens but involves certain compromises (none of which involved sharpness on my sample) you may not want to make in exchange for the VR. And that's the primary reason to consider this lens - the VR. If you don't need VR for daylight photography, don't get the lens. But if you have shaky hands like mine are occasionally, VR can be helpful even at 1/500th sec or faster shutter speeds (difficult to appreciate for folks who don't have that problem).

 

For the same money you can get a faster lens with fewer compromises. The barrel distortion is gone by 35mm, but the 35-70/2.8D is already good at 35mm. Not much pincushion distortion with the 24-120 VR so the long end is useful. But an f/5.6 maximum aperture at 120mm makes this pretty much an outdoor daylight lens.

[nolan_ross]

I guess you do not actually have a lens? I would recommend the 28-105 f3.5-4.5D lens with macro. It is a nice basic lens. Works well at all focal ranges and f/stops. I have one and can find no fault in the lens relative to the price. It has a 1:2 macro on it and you can buy one at KEH.com used for $200.00 or less. Then just shoot away and add other glass later as you can afford to do so.

[ilkka_nissila]

I would recommend getting a 28mm f/2 (or f/2.8) Ai-S (manual focus!), the 50/1.8 AF-D, the 85/1.8 AF-D or the 105 VR Micro, and the 180mm AF-D as a four-lens kit for FX. The image quality is excellent with all of them, and all but the 105 VR can be had second hand without a big financial investment. You can basically cover the range 28-180mm with four lenses for less than what the 24-70 costs.

 

Even though I have the 24-70 and think it is great, for the sake of weight, speed, and unobtrusiveness, I often use my prime lenses instead. When use flash, the weight of the D3+24-70+SB-800 can be overwhelming over a long shoot. The D700 without the accessory grip is lighter, of course.

 

If you really need to have a zoom, then one of the older f/2.8 designs probably work well, but it's good to check before committing to a purchase, to be sure that you'll be happy with the quality and handling. Check the autofocus accuracy. To be honest if I had to choose between primes only, and f/2.8 zooms only, for FX I would choose the primes, but it depends on your shooting style and your expectations. Most people prefer to shoot events with zooms so that they can react quickly but I am more comfortable shooting with the primes especially if the light is low and if I am working very close to the subjects. If there is enough light to shoot at f/4 without using an excessively high ISO, then the f/2.8 zooms are a great choice.