Lens recommedations

Macmagoo

Senior Member
​Hi, I picked up a D700 today in excellent condition £900. It was boxed with 3 batteries, a spare Giottos screen protector and a Magic Lantern Nikon D700 guide book. 19000 actuations. Well pleased. I now need to get myself a couple of lenses, any recommendations appreciated.
 

Ironwood

Senior Member
Congratulations on the D700, sounds like a great camera.

You will need to give a bit more info for your lenses, what do you want to shoot, and what budget do you have in mind.

That said, the Nikon 24-85 or 24-120 f4, would make a good walkaround lens.
 

Macmagoo

Senior Member
I was thinking along the lines of the Nikon 24-85 and the Nikon 70-200 F4 which would give me a good start then in the future I would want a macro lens. My budget for lenses at the moment is around £1100. I don't have specific things that I photograph so I thought those two lenses are a good starting point.

Andy
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
It all depends on what you want to do. I use the 24-120 f4 VR II for a walk-around lens and I'm more than happy with it. For a tele-zoom, a great bargain is the 70-300; not as great as the 70-200, but it has longer reach and is about less than a third of the 70-200 price.

Or you could get a 28, 50 and 85 1.8 primes. This combination would get you the best quality and could make you work (walk) for your shots.

The D700 is a wonderful camera that excels in high iso performance, so even if the lenses you first buy for it are a little slower, you can always raise the iso a bit.

 

Macmagoo

Senior Member
Hi all, I have purchased the Nikon 24-85 3.5-4.5 VR. I can get my hands on an older Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D for very little money and from the information I have managed to find for this lens is that it is one of Nikons best zooms, obviously it does not have VR but this would allow me to get my macro lens as well. What do you think of the Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D?
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
Hi all, I have purchased the Nikon 24-85 3.5-4.5 VR. I can get my hands on an older Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D for very little money and from the information I have managed to find for this lens is that it is one of Nikons best zooms, obviously it does not have VR but this would allow me to get my macro lens as well. What do you think of the Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D?

Check out the 70-210mm f/4 AF reviews as well....
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Hi all, I have purchased the Nikon 24-85 3.5-4.5 VR. I can get my hands on an older Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D for very little money and from the information I have managed to find for this lens is that it is one of Nikons best zooms, obviously it does not have VR but this would allow me to get my macro lens as well. What do you think of the Nikon AF 70-210 F4-5.6 D?

I would skip it and stick with your original plan (70-200mm f4 VRIII).
 

ryanp

Senior Member
good camera choice, picked one up myself a few months back and haven't put it down!

I've had quite a few lenses in my short time and have decided as best as I can to stick to primes; the sheer quality is unmatched (unless you want to spend a LOT of money and even then a lot of the time the primes edge it in sharpness terms).

So far I've got the 50mm 1.8D and the 85 1.8G.

I'm selling my 35-70 2.8, 28-70 2.8 and 18-35 and will get a wide prime.

Yes I know it can be a pain in the proverbial to swap lenses in the field but realistically, I shoot mainly indoors with the family and at events (weddings/christening and such) so the risk of dust and debris getting in is minimal. I'll keep my 50 on 90% of the time and get the 85 out for portraiture and the wide one for walkabouts in the mountains on holidays.

Also, the speed of the primes will nearly always be quicker than even the most expensive pro lenses. Even the "basic" versions of the prime lenses (the 1.8's) are in camera terms, streets ahead in terms of speed. Again,because I shoot a lot of indoor work, this is very important to me.

But we're all different and your needs may not match mine, hence your purchase.

Whatever else is said, good luck with the lens; I hope it serves you well!
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
Congrats on that new camera and welcome to nikonites. Since you didn't mention what your photographic interest are I would recommend a simple 50mm f1.8 and get to learning that camera. The 50 is actually a very well suited lens for a Full framer camera and will always be of use.
 
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Macmagoo

Senior Member
Thanks for all the advice. I managed to pick up a Nikon 105mm f2.8 Micro VR for £440. It is in immaculate condition but came without the lens pouch and box but for that price you can't have everything. One more to get a 50mm f1.8G and perhaps an SB700.
 
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