Help Me spend my Income Tax Refund

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Have some tax money coming back - a little of which will go into my "fun money" account. We are talking a few hundred not thousands.

Going to pick up a monopod (started another thread about that - about $100-$150 with head I think).

And I'd like to get a new lens.

Wish I could afford a 70 (80)-200 F/2.8 but those I've seen tend to be at the top end of what I'd have to spend and then some. Least pricey one I've found on Kijijji is about $600 and is the push-pull I have no aversion to push-pull but don't think you can use a tripod mount and I'm thinking with that lens you should. There is a Tamron for about $800 and a bit ( Tamron SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro ) but really really over the top on my budget. And some say the older 80-200 Nikons that can be had for about the same dollar are actually better. (Will be doing more research into that lens). I do have a 70-210mm push-pull Nikon which I did take out for a walk today and I do like it.

I did a photo-shoot a week ago and used my 28-70 AF-D F/3.5-5.6. I really wasn't all that happy with the images. This weekend another children's photo shoot. Decided to go with my 60mm Micro F/2.8 (the most expensive lens in my bag, new last year). Much better - but it was not ideal because I'd have to pick up the tripod and move in when there was a baby on the bunny's lap, and take six steps back when the whole fam-damly was in the picture. It was OK. Images turned out great. I had toyed with the idea of being tethered to my Tablet using DSLR Dashboard - glad I wasn't tethered. SO - that's got me thinking that while the 80-200 F 2.8 would be nice I'd probably get more milage out of a shorter 2.8 zoom. To that end I started looking at zooms that start about 24-35 and go from 70 up to 135 - some even to 200. Primes are great but not versatile enough for a photo-shoot if you are going to get tethered (unless I go wireless which could happen too).

I've been MS-Windows shopping and looking at what is available. Looking today at a Tamron SP 35-105mm f2.8 Aspherical 35mm on offer at for $175.00 (CDN).

While those that start at 24 or even 28 are more desirable I do have a nice Tammy 20-40 F/2.7-3.5 that works for me when I really want to go wider. A super wide lens is also on my wish list - something wider than 20, or maybe just a 20 f/2.8 prime. Although the Tammy 20-40 at 20 seems pretty good. Sigma makes some really nice super wides. Maybe even a fisheye? Only one of those I have is on my WASP (like a Go-Pro).

SO - looking at my lens list below, if you were me, where would you put about $400-$700 CDN ($300-500 US$) in gear?


. . . or save up for the 80-200 2.8?
. . . or maybe a camera equipped drone? Those look like fun. or not.

Of course it could all go to pay bills - but where's the fun in that. :)
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Have some tax money coming back - a little of which will go into my "fun money" account. We are talking a few hundred not thousands.

Going to pick up a monopod (started another thread about that - about $100-$150 with head I think).
--EDITED--
And I'd like to get a new lens.

Of course it could all go to pay bills - but where's the fun in that. :)

If it was me, I would go big and get what “I” really likeand not everybody else’s old toys.
Dream big and not the nickel and dime stuff. Work towards NAS proofing your camera bag.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
..... Work towards NAS proofing your camera bag.

If by NAS you mean that Nikon Acquisition Syndrome I seem to suffer badly from that, not sure how dreaming big and not nickle and dime-ing would cure this desire for more and more gear and gizmo's.

Last May I bought the D610. And my wife bought me a 60mm AF-S new. Didn't get the kit lens. I had the kit lens from my F60 and an old Siggy 100-300. That was it for a little while, then gradually I added the rest of the lenses listed below. Four used vintage lenses and a new AF-D 50mm 1.8.

I do have a long wish list. Good thing I'm a long way away from any well stocked camera store. But I will be in the city in April for a week and have time and a little money to shop. I don't mind the vintage, legacy, old-cheap lenses as long as they work well. As I'm starting to understand my D610 I'm thinking given a choice I'll try to get "D" or better lenses for the matrix metering which I understand is one of the big benefits of buying a better camera. But others have said you'd never tell the difference in the image at the end of the day - so maybe not. Some say try a manual prime - nothing is crisper. Do I want a new VR AF-S lens (just looked at the D6XX kit lens (24-85) $395 used. Maybe? Or maybe not. Another prime? 85mm - 135mm - 180mm - 300mm ??? so many choices so few dollars.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
I'm a big fan of prime lenses and that could be a great choice if you found a focal length you really liked! But some focal lengths have different versions, and I would be carefull to get the best version! :)
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
If by NAS you mean that Nikon Acquisition Syndrome I seem to suffer badly from that, not sure how dreaming big and not nickle and dime-ing would cure this desire for more and more gear and gizmo's.

But others have said you'd never tell the difference in the image at the end of the day - so maybe not. Some say try a manual prime - nothing is crisper. Do I want a new VR AF-S lens (just looked at the D6XX kit lens (24-85) $395 used. Maybe? Or maybe not. Another prime? 85mm - 135mm - 180mm - 300mm ??? so many choices so few dollars.

I can relate to your dilemma since I’ve taken that path manymoons ago and much more $$$ spent on these products but got rid of them exceptfor my Nikkor 28mm f3.5 AI lens which I kept for IR photography.
Anyway, I just thought of saving you the hassle since Ispeak from personal experience. However,it is also nice to experience the long and more expensive way by buying andselling until you find the right gear. It also tames the NAS temporarily.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Part of the problem is I'm still all over the map when it comes to what kind of photography I want to do. I can say "not sports" with confidence (rodeo's maybe?). Grand-children. Trying to learn to shoot birds. I've done a few children's photo-booth shoots. Landscapes, travel and camping photos. Experimental macro artsy stuff. Grand-children. I like events (music festivals, fairs, etc). Trains, planes and automobiles, full size and models. Did I mention Grand-children. Sounds like you've narrowed your photo desires down to IR photography. In time I suppose I'll tire of madly dashing off in all directions at once, until then I'm having fun filling my kit-bag with gear.
 

cadomniel

Senior Member
I bought a 180mm/2.8 ED AI-s recently and all I can say is WOW!
If you ok with manual focus that thing is crazy sharp.

I am looking at your signature and seeing you don't have a wide angle zoom why not a Nikon 18-35mm G?
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Sigma and Tamron both made a 28-70mm f/2.8D. Not sure how much they go for used, but perhaps something like those will fit into your budget? They won't AF with your D5100 but would work with your D610. I still have my Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8D--was going to give it to my nephew along with a D90 but not sure if he is interested in a Nikon system (he's using some type of Canon now).
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Sigma and Tamron both made a 28-70mm f/2.8D. Not sure how much they go for used, but perhaps something like those will fit into your budget? They won't AF with your D5100 but would work with your D610. I still have my Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8D--was going to give it to my nephew along with a D90 but not sure if he is interested in a Nikon system (he's using some type of Canon now).


eBay wants $300-$500 for the Siggy 28-70, also see a 24-70, both 2.8 - will google up some reviews on these lenses. I'm not crazy about my old 100-300 sigma but won't judge the whole company on one lens and the problem may be mine not the lens. How did you like your Siggy?

AND what kind of Uncle were you to let your nephew stray so far?
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
You know, @Fortkentdad, quite the dilemma indeed since you more or less already have a decent almost all-around arsenal, iffy extras, and hardly enough $ for something you'd definitely benefit from.

I'd save up for whichever you need more - 28 or 24-70/2.8 or 70-200, perhaps f/4 or 2.8 VR1. Possibly let some things go?
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
eBay wants $300-$500 for the Siggy 28-70, also see a 24-70, both 2.8 - will google up some reviews on these lenses. I'm not crazy about my old 100-300 sigma but won't judge the whole company on one lens and the problem may be mine not the lens. How did you like your Siggy?

I never had any problems with it at all. Now I use a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 which is much sharper than the previous lens, but I never encountered any mechanical issues.

I knew a couple of wedding photographers who used Tamron's 28-70mm f/2.8. They seemed to like that lens, but many of the reviews I read spoke of a loud focus motor.

AND what kind of Uncle were you to let your nephew stray so far?

Lol--the female kind! ;) He doesn't live locally so we only get to see each other once per year or so. When he chose his camera, he didn't ask for any advice. His brother went the Pentax route because their mom used to own a Pentax 35mm.
 

aroy

Senior Member
I suggest that you concentrate on primes. Every indoor shoot, I use only the 35mmDX with my D3300. Once you get used to primes, then one person or a group is easily tackled. Just move up or down. In a real bind I did take a 3 shot horizontal panorama of a group, and it came out beautifully.

FSC_4670_stitch.jpg

The beauty of F1.8 lens is the bokeh and of course lower light requirement. You can easily use ISO 400 or 800 without flash, or if you have to use one, a lower powered one.

FSC_4935.jpg
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
I suggest that you concentrate on primes. Every indoor shoot, I use only the 35mmDX with my D3300. .....

Yes, been giving primes more thought.
I have a few in my kit bag, did my most recent photo-shoot at the Children's Centre using my 60mm F/2.8
I do have the 35mm DX prime, a 50mm F/1.8 and a 105mm F/2.8 - maybe a longer prime (150 to 200, maybe even a 300mm F/4) Or I've heard that the prime prime for portraits is the 85. On the wide end, maybe a 14, 18, 20 or up to a 24.
Going to give primes some serious consideration.

They do suffer from the two foot zoom approach.

As for stitching - love to make wide panorama vistas of scenery - find it tricky shooting people that way, need to use the old "stand still" approach from a by gone era and snap quickly.
 

aroy

Senior Member
Well the "Stand Still" still works, and the results are worth it. In India, at formal shoot, you always have to wait as there will be a couple of photographers taking two or more shots to be sure!
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
I suggest that you concentrate on primes. Every indoor shoot, I use only the 35mmDX with my D3300. Once you get used to primes, then one person or a group is easily tackled. Just move up or down. In a real bind I did take a 3 shot horizontal panorama of a group, and it came out beautifully.

Once you get a decent zoom though, the whole game changes. I've shot in places where you literally have a narrow walkway to work with and being limited to just 1 prime at a time can be a nightmare. I've also shot another spacious event, but often ended up in situations where using say a 24 was way too wide for portraits and 45 too narrow for overview shots, and these shots came up left and right so changing glass even every so often was again a nightmare.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Once you get a decent zoom though, the whole game changes. I've shot in places where you literally have a narrow walkway to work with and being limited to just 1 prime at a time can be a nightmare. I've also shot another spacious event, but often ended up in situations where using say a 24 was way too wide for portraits and 45 too narrow for overview shots, and these shots came up left and right so changing glass even every so often was again a nightmare.

Yes - primes vs zooms - optimal IQ for less with prime - vs zooming with Zoom. Fast primes are more affordable than similar speed / IQ zooms - generally. The weakest lens in my collection I believe is the old 28-80 AFD (Kit lens from the F60). It produces very usable images, just not on par with my 60mm 2.8 prime for example. I could also up the quality on my long lens - the $144 200-400mm Tammy is a fun lens to try my hand at wildlife without spending $1,000++ on a xxx mm - 600mm lens.

The two zoom candidates 24-80ish 2.8 or a 70-200 2.8 are both pushing my current funds limits. Maybe an older third party used version. Or not.

But a fast prime - that I can swing as they can be in that $500 price range.

. . .

Maybe I should just get a really good monopod and save for a fast zoom - ....

need to improve my ability to delay gratification. Not my strong suit.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
eBay wants $300-$500 for the Siggy 28-70, also see a 24-70, both 2.8 - will google up some reviews on these lenses. I'm not crazy about my old 100-300 sigma but won't judge the whole company on one lens and the problem may be mine not the lens. How did you like your Siggy?

AND what kind of Uncle were you to let your nephew stray so far?

I'm not so sure we are talking about the same lens. Here is a current ebay search--lenses are in the $200-$300 price range with some even falling below $200. :) The one I'm talking about has a constant aperture of f/2.8, too.

sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 for nikon | eBay
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Perhaps a tripod with detachable one to use as a mono. Tripod in itself can prove QUITE useful for things other than the cam itself without going into specific-zone like say light stands.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Perhaps a tripod with detachable one to use as a mono. Tripod in itself can prove QUITE useful for things other than the cam itself without going into specific-zone like say light stands.

I have one good Benro "transfunctional" tripod that has the detachable mono-leg. This is my regular go to tripod. I have two other tripods (cheap ones from years gone by - good for flash) and one dedicated light stand. And three of those mini tripods - one of better quality. Really looking at the Manfrotto 679/680 series. Given it will have a 5 pound camera on it does it make sense to double the price for Carbon Fiber to save a few ounces? Other than weight I'm not sure their is much difference? And the 'less expensive" Manfrotto (or maybe a Benro) are still very sturdy.
 
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