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Author Topic: D800 walk around lens?  (Read 49506 times)

marcmccalmont

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D800 walk around lens?
« on: May 14, 2012, 07:51:18 pm »

Any opinions on the Nikkor 24-120 f4.0 VR as a general purpose walk around lens?
Any other options? I want a stabilized lens sharpness is more important than distortion CA and vignetting (DxO can correct those)
Tamron 24-70 2.8 stabilized? not quite enough reach.
Thanks
Marc

I've had really good luck with my Canon 24-105 IS, I got a really sharp copy, is it possible to get a sharp copy of the 24-120 f4.0 VR?
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 07:53:24 pm by marcmccalmont »
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Marc McCalmont

Stephen Starkman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2012, 07:59:29 pm »

Well, it's subjective, but the 24-120 wasn't acceptable to me on the D3x. It's long gone.

However, I'm searching for the same solution for the D800e so I'll be monitoring this thread!

Stephen
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2012, 08:13:34 pm »

Thom Hogan just wrote an essay about this very topic.

As far as I am concerned, my walk around lenses are 35, 50 and 85mm primes. Mostly because I have come to realize that zoom don't help me produce better casual images - they compete too much with the subject in terms of attention. Primes also offer a bit more creative options in terms of DoF, are lighter and more compact,...

Cheers,
Bernard

Stephen Starkman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 10:01:34 pm »

Just read Thom's article earlier this evening.

I agree with you about the primes and only having a short time thus far to shoot the new body I'm not yet certain where I'll head (I do have the Zeiss 35/2 and the Zeiss 100/2 which are both stunning on the D3x...)

Perhaps the alternate solution when one wants just one lens as a casual walk-about is to take another less demanding body ... but I still am looking for a one lens solution with a zoom that isn't as compromising as Nikon's current offerings.

S
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2012, 10:36:09 pm »

For walking around, I'm going for the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G once the D800E ships, if only I knew when mine will ship! Zooms are fun, but for a camera with the potential the D800 has to offer, I want the best glass I can find. The 85mm focal length is a nice compromise, not too long and not too wide. At 1.4, it should be plenty fast for handheld work, too.
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HarperPhotos

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2012, 01:52:07 am »

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Simon Harper
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shadowblade

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2012, 09:15:21 am »

Why not the 14-24?

Or am I alone in seeing the world mainly in UWA...
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Ellis Vener

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2012, 10:05:41 am »

For walking around, I'm going for the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G once the D800E ships, if only I knew when mine will ship! Zooms are fun, but for a camera with the potential the D800 has to offer, I want the best glass I can find. The 85mm focal length is a nice compromise, not too long and not too wide. At 1.4, it should be plenty fast for handheld work, too.


The 85mm f/1.8G is the one I'd go for in that focal length. You aren't going to miss the extra half-stop , you won't miss the additional heft and size, you won't miss drawing attention to yourself, and you will appreciate the extra money in your wallet. Seriously. I don't care how rich you are or want us to think you are, the 85mm f/1.8G is the better choice for a "walk around" lens. And yes I have used the 85mm f/1.8G on a D800 and D800E. It is an excellent lens.
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Doug Peterson

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2012, 10:15:04 am »

Perhaps the alternate solution when one wants just one lens as a casual walk-about is to take another less demanding body ... but I still am looking for a one lens solution with a zoom that isn't as compromising as Nikon's current offerings.

I think this is largely an advantage/disadvantage myth promoted by determining overall file quality and detail by review at 100% on the screen rather than either a print of a given size or the final screen-presentation. When have you ever presented an image (in final use) as a 100% on screen image?

If you shoot handheld at borderline shutter speeds with a D800 and a D3 and review them at 100% then the D800 is likely to show more camera shake and other "imperfections" (soft corners of mediocre zoom lenses etc). But if you down rez the D800 to the size of the D3 and print them both the same size you'll notice the same or better detail in the D800.

Don't let slightly soft results at 100% at 36mp scare you away! This has been a lesson we have been teaching people in medium format for a long time. When you have, for instance, an 80mp digital back and the results are just shy of perfect at 100% on screen, the detail held in an actual print will still be absolutely phenomenal.

Lower resolution will never capture MORE detail than a higher resolution capture, but when reviewed at 100% the lower resolution capture will often appear crisper.

So taking a "less demanding" camera has some advantages:
- smaller raw file size (am I right that Nikon still does not have the option for a lower-resolution raw which Canon and Phase One have had for years??)
- easier evaluation of sharpness on the camera LCD

But otherwise I can't think of any advantages. On the images where you have the glass, aperture, and shutter speed to take full advantage of 36mp (i.e. a good prime at f/8 at a fast shutter speed and a steady body) you will have it. On the images where your technique or lens don't allow you to make full use of 36mp you'll still get raw files with as much absolute subject detail as you would with a lesser camera.

KevinA

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2012, 11:22:55 am »

It's a great phrase "walk around lens" . I'm not sure exactly what it means I suspect it means a lens I can use standing in one place so I don't have to "walk around" :-)

Kevin.
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2012, 11:47:08 am »

you won't miss drawing attention to yourself... Seriously. I don't care how rich you are or want us to think you are...

I'm interested in comparisons, and I do want to learn, but the additional remarks went overboard. Seriously.
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JohnBrew

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2012, 01:52:42 pm »

Greg, my walk around lens is the Zeiss 50 Makro - on ANY Nikon.

marcmccalmont

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2012, 02:29:39 pm »

It's a great phrase "walk around lens" . I'm not sure exactly what it means I suspect it means a lens I can use standing in one place so I don't have to "walk around" :-)

Kevin.

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

marcmccalmont

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2012, 04:50:59 pm »

It's looking like the 24-120 f4 VR is the only option for a mid zoom AF Stabilized lens, and the 85 1.8 as a nice AF portrait lens
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

Ellis Vener

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2012, 05:41:46 pm »

My apologies for offending you. I was still internally reacting to someone else's braggadochio earlier in the day, not to you - whom I don't know. I will redact my comments if you like.

My basic point still stands however, and unless you will constantly choose to owrk at F/1.2 or f/1.4 the 85mm f/1.8 combined with the D800's relatively high ISO (ISO 1600 and thereabouts) performance has more than sufficient light gathering capabilities and fine detail rendering capability to make it a very viable alternative to the faster model Nikkor (or Canon or Zeiss for that matter, Once you are down to f/5.6 to f/8 the playing field is essentially level.

Off the topic but the best thing you can do for yourself once you get a D300/s, D700, D7000, D3/X/S or D800 variant is to fine tune the body's AF system to your lenses. 
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #15 on: May 15, 2012, 05:42:02 pm »

Greg, my walk around lens is the Zeiss 50 Makro - on ANY Nikon.

Thanks, John

I have been using the Nikkor 105 for my D700 walk around (edit for clarification: AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED). It is a tad on the long side, but I do like having autofocus. Macro comes in handy, too. My problem with the Zeiss options is I'm not much good with manual focus without a tripod. I've tried walking around with both the Zeiss 100 and the 35. The Zeiss lenses are well made and they do have a nicely balanced feel to them.

I got the idea of the Nikkor 85/1.4 based Reichmann's mention. But from what I am reading, Vener makes valid points for the 85/1.8. I also like Marc's choice, the 24-120 f4 VR. If I did not have a NEX-7/18-200 combo, I'd be tempted. I had not realized how much I missed having a midrange-plus zoom until I got the NEX combination, which BTW, takes me back to those days of shooting everything and anything that catches my eye! For the past few years, I had gotten into something of a rut always lugging a tripod along with a variety of manual focus lenses, most of which I have since sold on eBay.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 06:30:58 pm by jgbowerman »
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2012, 05:45:05 pm »

My apologies for offending you. I was still internally reacting to someone else's braggadochio earlier in the day, not to you - whom I don't know. I will redact my comments if you like.

Thanks, Ellis

No problem, I appreciate the apology, a redaction is not necessary.

Greg
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2012, 05:55:51 pm »

I found this a worthwhile youtube video comparing the Nikon 85/1.4 to the 1.8:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqFQkZXH6uU
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Ellis Vener

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2012, 08:46:24 pm »

This might actually be a useful review of the 85mm f/1.8G: http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1480/cat/6

And this of the 85mm f/1.4G : http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1357/cat/12

(full disclosure: I have recently been commissioned by that site's parent site to do some writing for them.)
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jgbowerman

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Re: D800 walk around lens?
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2012, 09:48:24 pm »

This might actually be a useful review of the 85mm f/1.8G: http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1480/cat/6

And this of the 85mm f/1.4G : http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1357/cat/12

(full disclosure: I have recently been commissioned by that site's parent site to do some writing for them.)

Those findings do provide some compelling reasons to seriously consider which lens to buy. Ellis, do you have any images that demonstrate some bokeh comparisons between the two lenses?
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