Jump to content

£1,000 to spend....


Recommended Posts

For me the best "Bang for the Buck" for the last 20+ years has been my 80-200 f2.8

it is sharp as sharp on my D800 as it is on all of my F mount bodies. 

 

I don't like the design of the newer 70-200 2.8 and while it may

be a bit sharper and the VR could be useful, I don't see it having a 25 year life span

and surviving all that my 80-200 has been through.

 

If you buy a used 80-200 make sure you can check it out first and it should cost you

less than $600 USD. Also make sure that you install a proper hood and use it always.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you already have? What do you currently use the most? What frustrates you because your current lenses don't quite cover what you need? The answers to those questions should show you what you need/enable us to make suggestions. A previous poster suggested a 24 - 70 f2.8 - the Nikon version (he was talking about the Canon) is around £1245 new. (Sigma version is around £600). I have the fantastic Nikon 28 - 70 f2.8 (the older version), which can be picked up second hand for within your budget (c£800). It's a workhorse. And for environmental portraits, where you need to include background for context, it's a range that will be very useful. Hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks you for the replies!  

 

Clarification:  As it happens, I already have an 80-200mm f2.8 - unfortunately it has developed some scars over the years (including a scratch on the front element), I also have a 50mm f1.4d 

 

What I'm not happy with is the 24-85mm f2.8-4.  I have been trying to find lenses which cover similar focal lengths but are as fast or faster and better IQ

 

The 28mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 lenses come to mind - but with the problem of extra weight/gear to carry around!

 

(www.timothyaikman.com)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks you for the replies!  

 

Clarification:  As it happens, I already have an 80-200mm f2.8 - unfortunately it has developed some scars over the years (including a scratch on the front element), I also have a 50mm f1.4d 

 

What I'm not happy with is the 24-85mm f2.8-4.  I have been trying to find lenses which cover similar focal lengths but are as fast or faster and better IQ

 

The 28mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 lenses come to mind - but with the problem of extra weight/gear to carry around!

 

(www.timothyaikman.com)

 

 

the 80-200mm 2.8 lens a great lens, I brought one second hand 10 years ago and love it to bits. Have you thought about getting a quote from Nikon Pro to repair it? They are not as expensive as you might think and it might be more cost effective (profitable)  than buying a new lens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... 

 

What I'm not happy with is the 24-85mm f2.8-4.  I have been trying to find lenses which cover similar focal lengths but are as fast or faster and better IQ

 

...

 

The Tamron 24-70 f2.8 is a great lens. My copy performs excellently on a D800 - sharp into the corners wide open. The VR works very well also. Not sure of the price in the UK, but it's around the equivalent of GBP600 here in Australia, so you may well have some change left over for something else. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you'd £1,000 to spend on lenses (for a D700), what would you get?

 

Particularly with a view to street photography / environmental portraiture?

 

Just have (£1000 on Nikon lenses - both suitable for stated purpose):   A Zeiss 25mm F2.8 ZF on offer and a mint S/h Nikkor 20mm f2.8 AFD.  The Nikon 20mm is one of the best of the old AFD lenses.  Brings my Nikon primes up to 7.

 

Much would depend on your shooting style.  Most (there are one or two lemons) older Nikon lenses are great stopped down, but not so good wide open.  If you do a lot of hand-held low light work, or like shallow depth of field, the Nikkor 24mm f1.4 would be one of the best lense you could buy, but unfortunately you would need to save up another £500.   I wouldn't recommend a heavy zoom for street photography: the weight and the zooming will slow you down ... and turn you into a tourist.

   
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always hated the NIKKOR 20 f2.8 AFD, I've had two of them.  Nikon overhauled my 80-200  a few years ago

and they claimed that they really did not want to work on it, but in the end they did an excellent job and I paid through

the nose for their work.  I have since switched to Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL and they have been

fast and quick on repairs. They are not cheap, but less than Nikon in NY.

 

I would suggest looking into getting your 80-200 repaired, front element and CLA'd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chuck, the OP is in the UK and probably won't be sending his lenses to the US for repair.

 

??? there's nowhere outside the US the OP could use to follow Chuck's advice?

 

dd

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I've always hated the NIKKOR 20 f2.8 AFD, I've had two of them"  CN

 

Interesting Chuck.  What is it you don't like?  Will I be sending it back? 

 

"What I'm not happy with is the 24-85mm f2.8-4" Uganda

 

Do you mean the AFD version?  I've heard that this lens is poor, but that the later and cheaper AFS G plastic version is much better, only discontinued (Rockwell thinks because it was too much of a bargain), while the old one lives on

 

I once bought an old Tokina f2.6-f2.8 28-70 as a cheap lens to stick on a DX camera.  I may just happen to have a very good sample, but the the thing is so damn good that I often find myself using it on a D800.  The build quality is very good, but it is a lot lighter than the Nikon f2.8 28-70, which I would otherwise have bought (because I know - as has been pointed out above - is an exceptionally good lens, but on the s/h market is well under £1k). 

 

http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/276-tokina-af-28-70mm-f28-26-at-x-pro-ii-lab-test-report--review?start=1

http://nikonglass.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/tokina-at-x-pro-28-70mm-f26-28.html

 

I have bought other Tokina lenses, such as the 11-16 for dx cameras, and aside from Zeiss, is the only third party manufacturer I would consider, although QC won't be as good as Nikon Japan, and getting poor copies is a risk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used H Lehmann in Stoke on Trent when I dropped my Canon 24-105L onto a terrazzo floor and popped the front cell out. They were quick and pleasant to deal with, I got them to service my camera while I spent the day out and about nearby. They had a quote ready for the lens, my camera was nicely cleaned and wrapped waiting for me mid afternoon. They would be my first choice if I needed a repair or service again.

 

They are both Nikon and Canon Warranty Repair Centre.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used H Lehmann in Stoke on Trent when I dropped my Canon 24-105L onto a terrazzo floor and popped the front cell out. They were quick and pleasant to deal with, I got them to service my camera while I spent the day out and about nearby. They had a quote ready for the lens, my camera was nicely cleaned and wrapped waiting for me mid afternoon. They would be my first choice if I needed a repair or service again.

 

They are both Nikon and Canon Warranty Repair Centre.

 

I've used Lehmann: parking is difficult.  That is parking is difficult once you have eventually found them, having backed out of a few one-way streets.

 

Another repairer in the area is PJ Camera Repairs.  http://pjcrdirect.co.uk/id5.html

 

Last year I took in an ancient CF Planar that needed one of the elements resetting.  They did a good job.  Their charge for standard services such as sensor cleaning is quite a bit less than Lehmann and they clearly know their way round old equipment.  But Lehmann might be best for current Nikon/Canon cameras.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks you for the replies!  

 

Clarification:  As it happens, I already have an 80-200mm f2.8 - unfortunately it has developed some scars over the years (including a scratch on the front element), I also have a 50mm f1.4d 

 

What I'm not happy with is the 24-85mm f2.8-4.  I have been trying to find lenses which cover similar focal lengths but are as fast or faster and better IQ

 

The 28mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 lenses come to mind - but with the problem of extra weight/gear to carry around!

 

(www.timothyaikman.com)

 

Well the 24-70mm f2.8 would seem to be a natural upgrade to your zoom and you should be able to find an excellent used version for under £1000.

 

If you were not tied to an f2.8 then the 24-120 f/4 VR might be a good option, about a grand new, and £600-650 used, and gives you a little more reach before having to mount your 80-200. If you sourced that well and wanted a fast lens then you could also pick up an 85mm f1.8G and be around your budget.

 

It does really depend on your style of "street photography" as to whether you should be investing in a mid-range quality zoom, or a fast wide prime like the 35mm f1.4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.