"85mm" - 200 help

fhibbs12

Senior Member
The situation.

I guess I would be considered a hobbyist. I have been doing a lot of infant/toddler shots up to about 6-7 year olds for family and friends. I have been using the 85mm 1.8g and love it dearly but I feel like I have been handy capping myself with the prime. Some shots are requiring me to get real close and inside of a 3 year olds "bubble" which is causing them to get uneasy. So the little money I have been collecting for this I was thinking of throwing towards a 70-200.

My question.

I love the color/contrast of the 85 1.8g. If I move to the Nikkor 70-200 f4 would it be very similar shooting between f4-f5.6 at 85 mm with the added range for close ups being a bonus. I rarely shoot wide open unless I am doing infants. So below 4 is not important to me. Also, what about the tamron 70-200 2.8 VC. The weight is no factor to me. The Nikkor 2.8 is out of the question, budget wise. Therefore, if the tamron or the Nikon is not of at least same quality AT 85 mm f4-f5.6 I won't even be spending the money.

Shooting on a d600.

Thank you
 

Dave_W

The Dude
Why do you want a long telephoto lens like a 70-200mm? And by that I mean, what aspect of your photography are you planning on using this lens for?
 

fhibbs12

Senior Member
Confused by your question? I thought I covered that in my first paragraph.....

Pretty much. I shoot a lot of toddlers. I need to get closer. Toddlers don't always like closer. I like the color/contrast of the 85 1.8g. Would either of the other 2 lenses I stated shot at 85mm f4-5.6 be at least as good as the 85 1.8 but then giving me the bonus of being able to stay out of the kids safe zone and still getting a headshot.

That should sum it up.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I think you'll find the 70-200mm will fail to live up to your expectations. A longer lens like this will compress the background with the foreground resulting in the loss of dept. I've a lot of experience shooting kids/babies and have found the 24-70mm f/2.8G to be ideal for this kind of photography. But then again, the 24-70mm is perhaps the most useful of all the Nikkor lenses. As to your question, why not buy something like the 70-300mm and save a couple bucks and then when you want to do some telephoto photography? I realize it's a bit slow for indoor shooting but is excellent for outdoor photography.
 
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cygone

Senior Member
What about the 16-85mm? Could that be considered ideal as well for your kind of photography?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
 

fhibbs12

Senior Member
I think I am being misunderstood somewhere :)
I have the 70-300. At 85 mm it is no where near compared to my copy of the 85mm 1.8g.
What I am looking for is a 70-200 or anything further that 85mm but includes 85mm. That range works perfect for my style.
I would like the iq/colors/contrast and what not to be similar, to that of the prime. Obviously it is not going to be as good but close. I need the ability to be shooting at the 85mm range the pop off a few head and shoulder shots.
and when we are talking 3-5 year olds. that can be pretty intimidating when I get up in their face. So I think I am at a point where I am willing to sacrifice the 85 in order to get a little zoom.
 

fhibbs12

Senior Member
So one question was.
between the 70-200 nikkor f4 and the tamron 70-200 vc or any other lense that will give me 85mm + distance and be "close" to the image quality of my 85mm prime as possible
 

aZuMi

Senior Member
It looks like Nikon 70-200 f4 vr will do the best job for your needs. Great optics for D600, light, f4 (since you stated below f4, you don't care for 2.8) newest VR, and cheaper than 70-200mm 2.8 vr2 and comparable price as tamron.
 

fhibbs12

Senior Member
It looks like Nikon 70-200 f4 vr will do the best job for your needs. Great optics for D600, light, f4 (since you stated below f4, you don't care for 2.8) newest VR, and cheaper than 70-200mm 2.8 vr2 and comparable price as tamron.

Exactly what I was looking for, Thank You.

At 85mm, 4.0-5.6, 90% of the time, which lens would perform better....

I guess I should have worded it like that from the beginning lol

Frank
 

wud

Senior Member
I have the 70-200mm 2.8 and for the little family photographing I have been doing, that is the lens I've used. Only gotten the 50mm out at the end of the shooting, for close up head shots.

Agree about it being a little intimidating with shorter lenses, as you have to be pretty close sometimes. Thats why I prefer the zoom. Well, maybe its just me not being able to make the kids at ease yet.
 

Epoc

Senior Member
I really don't think either the Tamron or the Nikon f4 will produce the quality of your 85/1.8G. Maybe the Nikon VR2 might come close but you stated it was out of your budget. My suggestion would be to rent a few 70-200's and see if they will work for you.
 

fhibbs12

Senior Member
they are the same price now.... Damn Tamron are their price points. They might not have the quality down yet but damn their pricing structure and rebates are top notch.
 
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