Should I go for Nikon 100 year set for three fx lens

Sudipto

Senior Member
I am using both d500 and d750 body. I am quite satisfied with d500 and 18 55 old kit lens and 35mm 1.8 dx and my 80 400 slow lens when I go for bird or wildlife tour.
I carry d750 for other types of photography say portrait, architecture, street and landscape and use 24 120 kit lens. I too have 50mm 1.8 lens which absolutely I don't like as it takes long time to focus in low light, the purpose for which I bought it, even sometimes don't focus in hurry. Therefore, it is futile to carry. But I feel the need for fast lens for night photography when I carry d750.

I am confused should I buy sigma 50mm 1.4 art or sale of all my fx lenses and replace them with 100 year offer for three fx lenses after accumulating some money?
I don't carry two bodies as it is difficult for me and I am an enthusiast photographer.

Please help in decision making.
 

lokatz

Senior Member
Hi Sudipto, Welcome to the forum!

The question to start with is this: do you feel a need to replace all of your lenses? The Anniversary set is a collection of three great lenses but also a major investment, so you better be very sure you have a need for it. These lenses are also much heavier than what you own now, so since you say carrying two bodies is difficult for you, are you sure you want to carry these heavy zoom lenses? Moreover, your maximum focal length would be 200mm, only half of the 400mm you have now - are you sure you'll be ok with that? Lastly, if you have lenses with which you are happy now, why change anyway?

If you don't like your current 50mm 1.8, that may be a good point to start. Prime lenses are almost always superior to zooms, so while Nikon's 24-70 f/2.8 is very good, you will probably be happier with the Sigma Art lens you are considering. Hyderabad has a number of photo stores, so I would suggest looking for one that carries this lens and checking it out. If you like the feel of it, go for it - its optical performance is very good!
 
Last edited:

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.
We look forward to seeing more posts and samples of your work.

Frankly, if you are going with the 100th Anniversary lens set, just save a little more and add the 100th Anniversary D5 camera to go with those lenses.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum,my thoughts are if i bought a anniversary set i think it should be for display only,then it may be an investment.
 

Sudipto

Senior Member
My 24-120 focuses fast on my D750. You might want to check on how you are focusing and the focus modes.

I have no problem with 24 120, the problem is with 50mm lens. I take a lot of low light photography. To keep the ISO low I try to use 50mm 1.8 with handheld. This takes a lot of time to focus or continuously focus hunting. So I am searching for a better option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jay_dean

Senior Member
I have no problem with 24 120, the problem is with 50mm lens. I take a lot of low light photography. To keep the ISO low I try to use 50mm 1.8 with handheld. This takes a lot of time to focus or continuously focus hunting. So I am searching for a better option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm a bit confused here. If your 24-120 isn't a problem, why are you wanting to spend all that money on the Nikon Trinity, nice though they are?
If your problem is with low light photography, wouldn't it be better to go with a tripod to give you that extra light using slow shutter speeds?
 

Sudipto

Senior Member
I'm a bit confused here. If your 24-120 isn't a problem, why are you wanting to spend all that money on the Nikon Trinity, nice though they are?
If your problem is with low light photography, wouldn't it be better to go with a tripod to give you that extra light using slow shutter speeds?

Tripod is difficult to use in travel and street photography.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have no problem with 24 120, the problem is with 50mm lens. I take a lot of low light photography. To keep the ISO low I try to use 50mm 1.8 with handheld. This takes a lot of time to focus or continuously focus hunting. So I am searching for a better option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You still need to give us the details of how you shoot. If the 50mm 1.8 is not doing what you want new lenses are not going to help you. Technique and settings are what you probably need to work on. We need examples and details.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I have no problem with 24 120, the problem is with 50mm lens. I take a lot of low light photography. To keep the ISO low I try to use 50mm 1.8 with handheld. This takes a lot of time to focus or continuously focus hunting. So I am searching for a better option.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lenses with the faster f/1.8 such as your 50mm all let in the same amount of light (no matter whether it's an 85mm f/1.8, the 35mm f/1.8 or other f/1.8 lenses). F/1.8 lenses will work better for low light photography than the trinity which are all f/2.8. If you determine your 50mm f/1.8 isn't faulty, then you'd want to look at lenses that are f/1.4 or even f/1.2 which are faster than your current lens. If your subject is in REALLY low light, you may need to focus manually. The D750 is great for low light work, but check on a different f/1.8 lens (or a faster lens) to see if it will help. Do you have the focus assist light turned on on the D750?
 

Danno

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum @Sudipto. It would be a lot easier to offer an opinion on this if you would share some examples of where you are having the issues and the settings you are using. Otherwise, we will just be guessing, and the 100-anniversary set will be great to have if you can afford it, but it may not fix your issue.
 

Sudipto

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum @Sudipto. It would be a lot easier to offer an opinion on this if you would share some examples of where you are having the issues and the settings you are using. Otherwise, we will just be guessing, and the 100-anniversary set will be great to have if you can afford it, but it may not fix your issue.
Thanks to all who have given nice advice.
I use Aperture priority and manual settings based on the requirements . When I use the other three lenses like 24 120 or 80 400 or 105mm macro, it doesn't do focus hunting. I can quickly take pictures. But if I use 50mm, many times it misses focus if light is low or do continuous focus hunting. I am using this d750 for last two and half years but since inception I had the problem. Initially I thought it was my technique laps but under all settings it happens. I am not clear is it because I use all other VR lenses. I mostly take handheld photography, may be because of that reason it happens.
The objective of considering three lens set is that most photographers say invest in lens, the best camera cannot bring the best result unless the lens is the best, but ordinary camera can take outstanding photo if lens is the best. As I bought these two lens as part of kit lens and none of the lens review website considers 24 120 and 50mm combo for d750 is good enough I thought I should relook at this combo.
Moreover, I did not receive any competition award photo taken with this combo. But I received many awards with d500 with 18 55 or 35mm 1.8 dx. So I floated this debate if I am missing something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

lokatz

Senior Member
Hi Sudipto, There were several generations of Nikon's 50mm f/1.8 over the years, so it might be helpful if you told us which one you have. On the other hand, I have to agree that it almost sounds like something is wrong with the lens. With its large aperture, it should focus just fine on a D750.

So, back to my earlier statement, I suggest to take you D750 to a camera store and check out the Sigma you are eyeing, maybe also other 50mm primes. If they all focus just fine, which I believe they will, then that really suggests it is your current Nikon lens that presents the problem.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
But if I use 50mm, many times it misses focus if light is low or do continuous focus hunting.

If your 50mm works fine during the daytime when lots of light is present, then it isn't the lens. There needs to be some light available in low light situations for a lens to focus. When light is low, you need to focus on something that has a lot of contrast (such as an edge that separates something lighter from something darker). If there isn't any contrast where you are focusing, then most likely that's the problem. I've had that problem myself when using my 70-200mm f/2.8 during daytime Worship services. There's plenty of light to the naked eye, but I wind up having to focus on something else to lock focus.
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
If you plan to place the lenses under and behind glass, and have tons of disposable cash, go ahead and buy the 100th year/anniversary gear. Don't expect it to be a good investment, though, because there are too many of them. If you plan to use the lenses, save your money and get the "regular, non-100th" lenses.

WM
 
Top