Best Wedding telephoto on a budget...

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Tidybrown

New member
This is my first post, so firstly hello to all...

I am currently looking for a 2.8 200mm lens on a budget that will work on the D600 without issue...
basically I am photographing two friends weddings in a short space of time and want a telephoto with quick glass without having to sell the kids to raise the money!!!

i have a budget of £450 so the VR's are out of the question. I've looked at the nikon 80-200mm both 1 & 2 touch as well as the sigma 70-200mm hsm mark II... But I think I need some advice as the the best optically. So any input would be greatly appreciated!

thanks.
 
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flo_29

New member
I would suggest an Nikon 80-200mm AF-D two ring version. It's an excellent lens, fast focusing. There are a few caveats, no weather sealing, slight slower AF compared to the newer AF-S lenses, no VR, and many 80-200mm are known to be a little soft at 200mm. Other than it's a great lens, represents terrific value for the money.
 
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Blacktop

Senior Member
Hello @Tidybrown, and welcome to the forum. As i have never shot a wedding I can not give sound advice on the subject, but someone with some knowledge on these matters will appear shortly and will help you out.
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
For the amount of Euros in the budget, I think it is a great idea to rent the glass you want, the best glass you can use, and you don't feel like you could have done better for such an important event. If this were the norm, shooting weddings, I wouldn't expect such a light budget.
 
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skene

Senior Member
I would have to agree. Renting the lens would be better than trying to locate one within ones budget within a fixed amount of time. Besides all else what could be more beneficial when you can get a high quality glass without the price of owning one.
 
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rocketman122

Senior Member
REnting is a good option but if you plan on doing more weddings/portraits then youll need something that you can work with over time, make money then upgrade later. you might find youll need the lens for a certain date and its not in stock. the 80-200 AFD is the way to go.
its very fast. I dont think any less than the top lenses. ive tried them all. all 80-200 2.8 and both 70-200 2.8 they are all very fast. a tiny bit rough with the hard torque turns it does. but very good. optically, I wouldnt shoot 2.8 but stop it down to the 3.5 from 150-200mm range.

if you never used a 70/80-200 make sure to get the shutter up to compensate for your non experienced shaky hands. I would highly recommend a lens hood as people will bump in to you on the dance floor by accident. they can be bought for quite cheap. EXCELLENT aftermarket options today. make sure to check the lens mount for brassing and that will tell you a lot about its condition. also look at the emblem with the model number and focus distance window condition.

Lens Hood HB 7 Petal Crown Flower Bayonet Mount for Nikon AF 80 200mm F 2 8D Ed | eBay

cheers! and welcome!
 
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SteveH

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum!
I'm looking for a 200mm F2.8 too, and I can tell you that for a little more, you can get the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 for ~689 new. I have been looking out for a refurb, but they don't come much cheaper I'm afraid - As others have said, if this is just two weddings then I'd be inclined to rent. You can can rent the Sigma for 3 days for £33, or the Nikon version for around £45 for 3 days.
 
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Tidybrown

New member
Thanks all for your comments... I think I am looking to buy no rent as I see that as dead money! These two weddings are for friends and not a money making venture, so I need to buy a lens that I think I will find most useful oving forward. I wish I could afford an all singing all dancing VR, but we all have to work withnin our means... Thanks again - The Nikon it is... :eek:
 
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FastGlass

Senior Member
Blacktop said:
Seriously? This is your answer to a new poster coming here looking for advice? You may as well just tell the OP to Google it.:rolleyes:
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Lol. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black don't ya think. At least I gave some advice. I get a kick out of the one's who will spend time writing someone just to tell them they can't help them. My reply wasn't meant to downgrade his original question. It's simply the most obvious thing to do. Whenever someone can't decide on which lens to get. Renting one surely will give them the answers on whether to get that one or not. And in this case, renting the best one out there will certainly get their job done at the most minimal cost. Yes I could have stated all that. But did I really need to?
 
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singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
I owned the 80-200 2.8 AF-D 2 ring for a number of years and liked it a lot. As previously mentioned, not as fast to focus as the AF-S or 70-200, but less expensive. Built like a tank and super sharp. Every wedding photog should have a 2.8 tele zoom (in addition to a 24-70 and a macro).
 
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RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Howdy Tidybrown and welcome to Nikonites!

The crux of the question really comes down to need vs want, and specifically whether it is JUST for the two upcoming weddings, or a longer term need that the upcoming weddings simply help justify. The wedding photography class that I just finished attending put a lot of credibility on renting lenses while getting started. Understanding that rental rates may well be drastically different in the US vs the UK, but here stateside I can more easily justify renting a $2000USD lens for $120 if I have limited need for that glass. If photography is a hobby and you are trying to find a way to justify buying a 70-200/f2.8, then business economics really don't necessarily enter into the equation. In my case, I'm doing this as a hobby so for a lot of my purchases they aren't business driven, but if I did have the occasional business gig that required specialty equipment that I wouldn't use regularly after that shoot then renting is an option.

Otherwise, if you are sold (no pun intended) on purchasing and needing to keep costs down, then I'd suggest either used Nikon glass or third party (Tamron/Sigma) manufacturers, or a combination of both (a used Tamron/Sigma). I've heard good things about the Tamron 70-200/2.8 and it's one I'm considering as an alternative to the Nikon variant, but my only hesitation so far is that all the rest of my lenses are Nikon so far.
 
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Blacktop

Senior Member
carguy said:
It was actually great advice.
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I read the Ops post all the way to the end , where he says that he's looking at 3 lenses. Would have helped to let him know which lens to rent, or even to rent all of them. Maybe I'm wrong, but to me it came across kind of snobbish just to say "go rent it"
 
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sonicbuffalo_RIP

Senior Member
Blacktop said:
I read the Ops post all the way to the end , where he says that he's looking at 3 lenses. Would have helped to let him know which lens to rent, or even to rent all of them. Maybe I'm wrong, but to me it came across kind of snobbish just to say "go rent it"
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If you're ready to shoot 2 weddings then you are ready to rent, if need be.....
 
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