D800 walk around lens?

[Jim Pascoe]

Marc,
To my eyes the Nikkor 24-120 shot, comparing the same areas in both crops side by side in Photoshop, appears to give an impression of finer texture, little hairs sticking out all over the place. The Leica crop seems over all smoother. On the other hand, at 200% enlargement, the Nikkor shot gives the impression of having had more sharpening. Have you applied different levels of sharpening to these images?

Am I the only one that finds this series of posts quite amusing?   Is this the antithesis of 'Real world photography'.  My wife thinks I spend too much time looking at LL anyway - and if she reads these posts she will think I'm not using my time profitably!

Jim

[OldRoy]

These days my walk-around lens is usually a minute prime attached to an MFT Olympus OMD. After years of lugging DSLRs around (and even more often leaving them at home) it's a huge relief. Of course MFT doesn't get much, er, exposure on LL. But the OMD really is very good.
Roy

[arlon]

I walk around A LOT. My favorite walk around setup depends on how far I'm walking. For short hikes it's a D700 with a 28-300mm VR. More than that and it's going to be something a lot lighter like a D90 with an 18-55 kit lens, a marathon and I'll just take a "pocket cam". Just got word that my D800E will be delivered this week. I am thinking that the D800E and the 28-300mm may become my new short range hiking lens.

I love the 28-300mm on FX for random shooting but it is just too heavy to lug all day. My mind may change about the D800E as a walk around camera after I use it a few times. My biggest concern is file size. I tend to shoot a lot while walking (several hundred frames this weekend on a short 2 mile walk) and I think file size may drive me back to the D700. I think the D800E is going to evolve into a camera for very specific planned shots and not a camera that is essentially going to be taking "snap shot" all day long.. Hopefully I'll have a more informed opinion soon! (-:}

[Ellis Vener]

Am I the only one that finds this series of posts quite amusing?   Is this the antithesis of 'Real world photography'.  My wife thinks I spend too much time looking at LL anyway - and if she reads these posts she will think I'm not using my time profitably!

Jim

Jim ,

I was unaware that your wife and mine had been talking to each other about L-L;D

[KevinA]

General purpose, one lens solution, for me it was my Canon 24-105 f4 IS
Marc

I was kind of relating it to an experience I had lately.I had sometime to kill so I headed for the coast armed with a couple off Rolleiflex. The little seaside town I choose happened to have what looked like a few camera club members armed with DSLR's and no doubt a "walk around lens" attached. I thought I was having more fun than they were, if I wanted to shoot the fishermen launching the boat from the beach I had to get close, chat and do the walking around. The "Walk around lens" guys all stood rooted to the same spot zooming in and out 75 yds away. Not to say I got anything better I have no idea. At no time did I see any of them leave the prom and go down onto the beach, I stayed until the light got interesting, they went home no doubt the "walk around lens" needed a rest from all the walking around. :-)

Kevin.

[nandadevieast]

Great insight.

[Rob C]

Am I the only one that finds this series of posts quite amusing?   Is this the antithesis of 'Real world photography'.  My wife thinks I spend too much time looking at LL anyway - and if she reads these posts she will think I'm not using my time profitably!

Jim

Not owning a D800, I can't remember having read any of this this thread up until this morning; however, now that the first few posts have been digested and Jim's, above, found, I must say that he's absolutely right, and that it probably represents (the thread) all that's madness about this level of photography. How in the name of all that's holy, unholy, funny or even just dumb, can anyone presume that anyone else will have a sensible answer to the OP? It's the 'gear' extension of photo-critique.

Rob C

[NancyP]

Gee, I hope my lens doesn't walk! I know I should have bought into the anti-theft RFID and registry....

[Steve House]

D700 rather than 800 user here but my fave walk-around lens on that camera is the Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 manual focus prime.  Compact, lightweight, unobtrusive, and very sharp.

[arlon]

I walk around A LOT. My favorite walk around setup depends on how far I'm walking. For short hikes it's a D700 with a 28-300mm VR. More than that and it's going to be something a lot lighter like a D90 with an 18-55 kit lens, a marathon and I'll just take a "pocket cam". Just got word that my D800E will be delivered this week. I am thinking that the D800E and the 28-300mm may become my new short range hiking lens.

I love the 28-300mm on FX for random shooting but it is just too heavy to lug all day. My mind may change about the D800E as a walk around camera after I use it a few times. My biggest concern is file size. I tend to shoot a lot while walking (several hundred frames this weekend on a short 2 mile walk) and I think file size may drive me back to the D700. I think the D800E is going to evolve into a camera for very specific planned shots and not a camera that is essentially going to be taking "snap shot" all day long.. Hopefully I'll have a more informed opinion soon! (-:}

I've now had the D800E for enough time to almost wear it out and the lens of choice for walking around is still the 28-300m AF-S. It's a very good lens and plenty sharp for big prints. Covers a lot of range and still compact enough to fit in my fanny pack for short walks or my camel back on longer hikes. I wish it was faster but then it would weight too much. I tried the 80-200mm F2.8 as a walk about but just find the 28-300mm to so much more versitile. I'd never use one of my fixed primes for a hiking lens (other than the macro I often carry with the 28-300mm).  The 28-300 also focuses pretty close and works well on any close up short of serious macro. I'm a macro addict so I often carry a 100mm Tokina in my pack as well. Those two lenses cover just about anything I can come across. Only wish my 1.4tc would work with the 28-300..