sankupa1

<p>Dear Friends,<br> Thanks for the valuable inputs. <br> Appreciate Kerry's opinion that even if there is an overlap of range it is not necessarily a bad thing. Select the lens as per the work and forget everything else.<br> I think I will settle for a 70-200mm f/4 and keep trying my hands at taking photographs. Later on as per evolution of my preference I will decide the next purchase.<br> Tahnking you all.<br> <br />Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p> <p> </p>

<p>Hi Dieter,<br> Thanks for your input. It seems you have undergone the same decision making dilemma as I am undergoing now.<br> It seems I have to have two sets of gears - one lightweight set for travel purpose and another 150-600mm exclusively used when out for birding, nature, motor sports etc.<br> It also seems, for light weight set, there is no escape from buying 70-200 f/4. I would have purchased this lens but for high cost and serious over lapping of the range. Like its big brother f/2.8, if this lens price comes down substantially then it makes sense for me to purchase it. I could also increase its range by using 1.4TC from third party like Kenko Pro plus series.<br> Honestly, 80-400mm appeals me more than this lens for the range and flexibility it provides but problem again is its weight and price. I saw your portfolio and found many beautiful photographs of birds.( dancing Heron is outstanding one). Which lens do you use for birding? And if you have used this 80-400 VR II lens, what is your honest opinion considering my situation?<br> I will be waiting for a reply from your side before taking a final decision.<br> Thanks for your effort to guide me.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p> <p> </p>

<p>Dear Friends,<br> Thanks for such exhaustive advice. I could not have asked for more.<br> Am I coming a full circle? It seems. In fact before purchasing 24-120 I was having UWA only. I wanted a lens that will remain MOSTLY on my camera as I do not like changing lenses too often and the UWA was not that lens. I felt a need for a wide to tele range.<br> At that time it was a tussle between 24-120 Vs. 70-200. I opted for 24-120 BECAUSE it covers wide angle and sufficient tele range for day to day photography(some people call this lens a street sweeper!). This wide angle part, 70-200mm lens was lacking and hence was not selected. Also I read many positive reviews about this lens - two reviews that finally forced me to purchase and get rid of thinking too much were by Mansurov(Photography Life website) and Moose Peterson's you tube review.<br> Having purchased 24-120 I am little skeptical to buy overlapping range of 70-200mm. I know the quality of this lens and there is no need to convince me. What other justifications are there that I need to think? All my lens purchases are for full frame (except UWA )whether in future I shift to FF or not . <br> How about 80-400mm VRII? But I have to pay more than Tamron or Sigma 150-600 and the weight of this lens is almost 1.5kg. In my opinion this lower weight is no advantage over the superb range of Tamron or Sigma.<br> I think I have revealed few more of my though process. Please give me your feedback.<br> Thanking you.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>Hi Friends,<br> Thanks for suggesting me to think clearly and define my requirements. I think I was stuck there ! But as you know it is not an easy task to define my requirements clearly. I will explain that below while answering other questions you have asked me.<br> My wide to tele lens is Nikkor 24-120 f/4 VR, UWA is Tokina 12-28 f/4. Do not have anything REAL tele type( the gap). Perhaps that is why I FELT I need one. I have seen many landscape photos taken by using big lenses by George Shaw, Bryan Peterson, Michael Reichmann etc. Art Wolfe's fav lens is Nikkor 200-400mm F/4. Please visit Luminous Landscape to see landscape photos taken by using Tamron 150-600mm lens.<br> May be I got a little carried away by reading all pros and wannabes reviewing Tamron's and Sigma's latest 150-600mm lens. May be there is a justification for this kind of big lens hidden somewhere in my heart and brain but I am unable to spell it out to me or to you people right now. This is where I need your help/guidance.<br> I understand 600mm is really long on APSC camera. But then I stay only a few kms away from world's largest brackish water lake filled with migratory birds! I may develop an interest in bird photography in future. My requirements/ likings/ choices are in an evolving stage I think. Same with your question what kind of portrait photography I do. It is mostly family, seniors, kids, just experimenting before settling down with a particular type.<br> Nikkor 300 f/4 VR is as heavy as Nikorr 70-300mm lens suggested here!!!! It cost 3 times more but gives me features which will not force me to buy one more 300 mm lens after 6 years. It is a "future proof" lens for my kind of photography.<br> Hope I have answered every question and you people now know a little more about my thought process. Please feel free to give me your suggestions.<br> Thanking you all.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh Kumar Patra</p> <p> </p>

<p>Hi Friends,<br> I am into landscape, portrait and travel photography. I have an APS camera, UWA zoom, wide to mid tele zoom, macro and a 50 mm lens to take care of my needs. To fill the gap of tele range I am unable to decide between Sigma 150-600mm ( or Tamron of same range) Vs Nikon 300mm f/4 VR (latest release).<br> Sigma gives a huge focal range and compositional flexibility. But MUCH heavier compared to 300mm f/4 VR. This Nikkor has no flexibility however unless I use TCs. I prefer lighter lenses for ease of carrying them. So what should I decide? Any other suggestions?<br> Thanking you all in advance for pitching in your ideas.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>@Jose Angel, thanks for sharing a great piece from your experience. Hope Thinktank speed convertible medium size bag fulfills my daily requirements. When I am out with heavy Sigma 150-600, I think I will use Lowepro flipside AW 450. As suggested by you I am planning to have a cupboard, preferably made of steel, for storing my gears at home.<br> Thanks again to every body for sharing their ideas and experience.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>Hi Friends,<br> Thanks for a great response to my request.<br> I stay in a place where humidity in atmosphere is NOT a big issue. Mildew, fungus etc, I just need to remain careful about. Rather dust, even inside home, I am finding is a major problem.<br> Thanks for suggesting few style/names of the bag. In the mean time I was doing research on manufacturers' website. I liked following bags: Lowepro Slingshot 202 AW, Thinktank Speed Freak V2 and Thinktank SlingOMatic 20. I prefer that style where the bag remains close to my waist/hip. Backpacks are ok with me.<br> If any of you are using any of these bags please let me know if the models suggested will be big enough to accommodate my essential gears? How is Lowepro flipside 450 AW? Will it be too large or ok in size.<br> Thanking you all for your time and effort.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>Hi Friends,<br> On the forum for help after a long time.<br> I want to buy two camera bags- one to store all my equipments and one to take required number of items for a specific photo shoot and move in the city or go on a hike. Please help me with inputs if my strategy of storing and taking only those necessary is correct or not and which bags are ideally suitable for accomplishing these jobs. List of my equipments are as below:<br> 1. Nikon D7100<br> 2. Tokina 12-28 F/4<br> 3. Nikkor 24-120mm F/4 VR<br> 4. Tamron 90mm F/2.8 macro<br> 3. YN 5600 III flash<br> 4. Vari ND and CPL filters 77mm each. ( toying to acquire LEE GND set)<br> 5. Sirui CF tripod with ball head<br> This set for taking and moving out to rural/city/general/ landscape photography. So I need a bag that accommodates these comfortably. Of course it should have space for chargers, extra batteries and AA batteries and memory cards.<br> In future I may add a Sigma/ Tamron 120-600 mm. This lens will be taken out only when I am out for birding/nature specifically. Otherwise it will stay at home.( unless I develop a liking for long lens landscape photography!). So how the bag will change from above?<br> Actual users of these equipments ( or similarly specified ones) please suggest names and models of bags. Lowepro and to some extent ThinkTank and Vanguard are easily available. Other brands are hard to find.<br> Thanks in advance to everybody for their time and guidance.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>Hi friends,<br> Thanks for taking time off to guide me. My research is still on relating to Gossen(Hensel, very expensive version by Gossen), Polaris(cheaper version by Gossen?), Kenko(previously Minolata) and Sekonic. Perhaps I will have to save more to get one flash meter that helps me for a longer time.<br> I watched some Youtube and started believing that it is a useful instrument to have for outdoor portrait photography. I also got some idea how to survive without a flash meter !. Let us see how future unfolds.<br> Thanking you all.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>

<p>Dear Friends,<br> I am new to photography and flash photography. I want to use flash in product and portrait photography. My flash will be of YN, Nikon, Godox type those use NiMH batteries and not Elinchrome, Broncholor or Alien Bee types.<br> I want to buy an affordable meter that can help me to balance ambient and flash light indoor and outside. I have found sekonic L 208 affordable for me. But in B&H site one reviewer says it is not for flash photography. Why I could not understand.Sekonic website is strictly silent about its use for flash photography. Same with Gossen DigiSix. They have a separate model Gossen Digi2 flash meter. Both are expensive for me.<br> Is not flash a type of incident light? If yes, can't this light meter Sekonic L-208 measure it and give me f stop reading to use to balance ambient and flash light? Afterall this model from Sekonic is an incident and reflected light reading model. My camera will be always below flash sync speed of 1/250 sec.<br> I have no chance to play around with this product to know more about it. I have to purchase it to know it, a risk I can't afford.If any other affordable/better but lesser know light meters/flash meters exist please let me also know that with weblinks for my research.<br> Thanking you all in advance for helping me.<br> Regards,<br> Santosh K. Patra</p>