Small basic kit?

[mark_stephan2]

<p>For my D700 it's a 50 f/1.4 G but will soon add the 24-85VR (next week). My DX camera bodies see the 17-50VC or 35 f/1.8G. I own other lenses but this is my preference and covers almost everything. If I need longer which isn't very often I add a Nikon 70-300 VR or Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 HSMII.</p>

[ShunCheung]

Ok, so do you have a question?

[norfolk_nsfw_maybee]

<p>As I have read elsewhere, when selecting a lens, you <em><strong>NEVER</strong></em> overlap range.<br>

I see overlap in virtually all of your selections. <br>

After you have carried the overlapped range lens a few times, it will be setting at home collecting dust.<br>

My D7000 has a 50mm, that is my kit, the rest collect dust at home, coming out yearly to be played with when another photographer visits.<br>

Zoom? I walk, I need the exercise!</p>

[dan_brown4]

<p>I think you have a very good plan. The 24-85 most of the time, the 50/1.4 for very low light, and the 70-300 when you need some reach. It's a very big "plus" that the two zooms have vibration reduction.</p>

<p>Cheers.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

I'm curious how a 70-200 f/2.8 could ever be described as "small" or "basic", but I also don't understand if there was a

question. I take different lenses depending on what I'm doing - on this business trip, I took a 14-24 (most used), a 50 f/1.8, a

90mm macro and a 80-200, but I've often picked differently.

 

John: I need exercise too, but that's not what zooms are for. Perspective is not field of view.

[nishnishant]

<p>What's the big deal with overlapping? Technically, if you have a 24-70 zoom lens and then you also own a 50 mm prime, that's already an overlap. Overlapping zoom ranges give you flexibility when you don't have multiple camera bodies. </p>

[ilkka_nissila]

<p>I think the question is "What do you use for small basic kit?"</p>

<p>I seem to have moved from "small" and "basic" to "as fast and well corrected as I can afford and carry" ;-) And sometimes I can't carry it. If I go walking around in nature I might pick 28 / 50 / 100 mm primes. If I am out photographing people I may take a 35mm and 85mm. But a lot of the time I carry a lot more.</p>

<p>In the past I've often used the 24-70 + 105/2.8 Micro as a simple to-go lens setup, adding the 180/2.8 when needed.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

Ah, in that case, as an "I don't know what I'll need" kit, on my D700 I usually carried my 28-200 and usually either my

Samyang 85mm f/1.4 or my 50mm f/1.8 for low light and background separation - or a 90mm f/2.8 macro if I think that'll be

more useful (overlapping focal range doesn't mean overlapping functionality). On my D800, my 28-200 doesn't cut it

optically, so I usually carry more (80-200 just about, 150mm macro, 14-24, 50 and maybe 85 primes). My 200mm prime

gets quite a lot of use, but neither it nor my 500mm are "small". If I want to be really portable, my 135 f/2.8 AI-s is pretty tiny

compared with my other 100mm+ lenses, but I've not tested it much on the D800 yet. It and the 85mm make a nice

pocketable portrait combo, and my 8mm fish-eye is a portable substitute for my 14-24. It really depends what I'm doing.

[john_burzynski]

I 'overlap' in that I have a 17-85 and

55-250 and two primes a 50 and 28.

The 17-85 is a great walk around lens,

most used, the primes are when I need

sharpness or low light and of course

the tele is for long shots. So I overlap

between 55-85? They all have their

uses.

[eric_arnold]

<blockquote>

<p>As I have read elsewhere, when selecting a lens, you <em><strong>NEVER</strong></em> overlap range.<br /> I see overlap in virtually all of your selections.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>never? more like never say never. there's a difference between reading and photographing, you know. one requires action, and the other requires, er... a book with someone else's words in it. first of all, some overlap might negate the necessity to change lenses in some situations. secondly, a zoom and a fast prime in the same range isn't overlap because the zoom can't shoot at a wider aperture than 2.8. also, a lens in the arsenal isn't the same as one in the bag. i probably wouldnt bring both a 70-200 and a 70-300 to most events, but i own both. i also have full DX and FX kits (UWA, standard zoom, telephoto) which i'll augment with various primes depending on the situation.</p>

<p>my basic DX kit for events is 17-50 OS+50-150/2.8, but i might add a 12-24/4 if i think i'm going to use it, along with 30/1.4. basic FX kit is 24-70 and/or 50/1.4, which i might augment with 15/2.8 fisheye, 15-30, 85/1.4, and/or 70-200, depending on the situation. i primarily shoot PJ and events, but if i'm shooting landscape, i might just go with the 15-30 and 70-300, maybe also the 50. if i want to shave weight, i'll swap out the 28-75/2.8 for the 24-70. or i might use the 12-24 and 24-70 or 28-75 on a DX body. So, there's no one right answer for this.</p>