New lenses to lust for - for DSLR's

[jared_kipe]

Oh I thought we were lusting over just wide angles.

Yes the Canon 24-105mm would be a lens I would love to own, but for now my Sigma 24-70mm is good enough.

At the moment the lenses I would like to buy are either the NEW Sigma 70-200mm macro, or the 100-300 f4 which gets great reviews.

Or maybe the 80-400 or 50-500 or the 135-400 or 150-500, so many long zoom options. But one of the long zooms will be my next lens. I've even been considering just breaking down and getting the Sig 70-300mm, but I'm not sure I can live with its not so great quality.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Chip - this is odd, you've got Mike's post but it says it's a law guy post.

Must have been a cut and paste error.

 

[Clix Pix]

Lens Lust to the max - oy, vey!

For a while I've rather lusted over Nikon's 200mm VR f/2....photos I've seen shot with this lens are just fantastic, the bokeh is beautiful, the lens produces sharp and intriguingly beautiful images even wide-open.... I knew this was a heavy lens and never having seen one, was not sure if it were a lens I could physically handle. I'd held the 200-400 VR and knew that lens was just not a possibility for me. So my favorite camera store got it for me from their warehouse and I stopped in at Penn this afternoon to have a look....

Whoa! Instant love. Yes, this is a heavy lens but it is extremely well-balanced, especially when on the D200 body (and I would assume on the D2x as well) so that it is actually manageable and hand-holdable in spite of its weight. It's a short-and-fat lens as opposed to some of Nikon's long and heavy lenses. Kind of like the "Beast" (28-70mm) on steroids....

So I played with the lens, shot with the lens, caressed the lens and then reluctantly left her at the store while I came on back home to do some shuffling around of funds (love that online banking!) and to make the final decision about this. I really had not expected that I'd be able to handle this lens physically, nor that I'd fall so much in love... An hour or two later I went back to Penn and she was waiting for me to claim her and bring her home with me.

Big Bertha is now part of the family!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Big Bertha is now part of the family!

Give my love to Big Bertha (was hoping for a better name ) Glad that you all have have peace in your house all together.

Now if Big Bertha has any problems with the rest of the household, let me know. I will be happy to adopt her.

(Sorry folks, a bit of a personal joke between Clix and myself on this one. It is up to Clix to share this one, despite my "threat" to "reveal" all from today. )

Clix, I hope that the rest of the "family" is happy. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

 

[Clix Pix]

Probably her name will end up being shortened to "Bertha" or more likely, "Bertie..." I agree that "Big Bertha" isn't the most original of names but it seems to suit her. A guy on Nikon Cafe calls his "Big Mama." Whatever....

Oh, yeah, it was fun today seeing the other guy (sorry, don't know his name) and you both enjoying shooting with that lens, too, putting her through her paces....all of us were relishing the experience, playing with this lens.... Wish I had the CF card that was in that D200, since I got such a nice photo of you! Oh, and yeah, to keep things somewhat on-topic here, that was cool when the guy from the Apple store stopped in....he goggled at the large box in which Bertha was now safely snuggled and upon which I had one hand possessively positioned, so we told him what was in there....

Once I arrived home, the D200 was so happy to greet Bertha and welcomed her eagerly....the 80-400, which was still on the camera body from the last shooting expedition I did, sniffled a bit and the 70-200 f/2.8 VR and the 180mm f/2.8 both bristled at the idea of perhaps being supplanted by this new interloper.... But I reassured them that everybody has their unique place. One happy family....

I've contented myself with doing a few shots around the house with Bertha and just looking at her and admiring her, lovingly stroking her.... Harry, my Siamese cat, has been a little confused about that!

The important thing here, though, is whether or not I can produce images worthy of this beautiful lens....it's not so much about being able to buy such a lens, but more about what I can and will do with her.

Yes, indeedy, I will be at the big Tent extravaganza tomorrow! Looking forward to that!

 

[tektonnic]

I'm probably going to buy a 1.8f 50mm Nikon lens, because its really good value for money - but I want something for Macro too, anyone have any suggestions?

How do Macro rings work? What other macro alternatives are there?

Ive currently got 18-55mm Nikon and 55-200mm Sigma lenses, so don't really need any more long lenses.

 

[jared_kipe]

I'm probably going to buy a 1.8f 50mm Nikon lens, because its really good value for money - but I want something for Macro too, anyone have any suggestions?

How do Macro rings work? What other macro alternatives are there?

Ive currently got 18-55mm Nikon and 55-200mm Sigma lenses, so don't really need any more long lenses.

You mean a reversing ring? Its simple, if you have a relatively wide angle lens, and its designed to take a wide angle and condense it, then if you turn the lens around you are taking a little angle and making it bigger. Hence making small things large. I have a page up here for it here http://sailbyair.com/photography/macro.html

 

[Clix Pix]

I'm probably going to buy a 1.8f 50mm Nikon lens, because its really good value for money - but I want something for Macro too, anyone have any suggestions?

How do Macro rings work? What other macro alternatives are there?

Ive currently got 18-55mm Nikon and 55-200mm Sigma lenses, so don't really need any more long lenses.

Yes, that 50mm f/1.8 will be a nice addition to your gear, as you'll be able to get some good shots in low light. It is amazingly reasonably priced, which is a boon. As for getting into macro, the 60mm Nikkor Micro is a very nice and reasonably-priced macro lens. There is also the new 105mm VR maco, which is a bit more expensive but you might be able to pick up a nice gently-used copy of the non-VR version since many people are snapping up the new lens. The longer macro length is good for shooting outdoor macos of flowers and bugs so that you're not getting right in the bug's face. Both lenses are very nice for macro work, and of course can be used for other purposes, too.

Tamron also has a very nice 90mm macro lens; I've heard good things about it. Another possibility for macro is to buy extension tubes -- Kenko puts out a good set -- or to buy close-up "filters" which come in varying diopters so that they can be used singly or collectively. Canon's 500 D and the Nikon 5T and 6T are used for this purpose. I think the Nikon ones are becoming scarce these days, though.

Oh -- and yes, as Jared mentions, there is the technique of reversing lenses and joining them together.... I've never tried this so can't really speak to it, but I've seen some pretty neat results!

 

[jared_kipe]

Oh -- and yes, as Jared mentions, there is the technique of reversing lenses and joining them together.... I've never tried this so can't really speak to it, but I've seen some pretty neat results!

No, thats not what I'm talking about. That technique is considered the worst macro you can do, it usually leads to a circle with geometrical distortion, and strong vignetting (read black circle around image).

I assumed when he said reversing ring, he meant to mount a reversed lens directly to the camera body. My reversing ring is just a step further which allows electronic communication between the reversed lens and the body.

This allows for CRAZY macro performance way beyond the kind of lenses you can buy. With a 18mm lens you're talking 5:1 or 6:1, and I can only imagine what you could do with say a 10mm lens like the one I just got. I wonder if I can take pictures of bacteria yet.

EDIT: Not quite I just tried it, I can fill the frame with the word Trust on the heads side of a Quarter.

 

[cookie1105]

I am in the middle of wheelings & dealings at the moment. I am trying to sell my ef 75-300mm f4-5.6 III USM. What a bad buy that was!! I hardly ever use it.
Instead I am going to get my object of lust: ef 50mm f1.4 USM. I can't wait!

 

[jared_kipe]

Just finished up my review of my Sigma 10-20mm lens.
http://www.sailbyair.com/photography/10-20ex.html

 

[law guy]

new object of desire

The 24-70 f2.8L. http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=149&modelid=8503 I had been more keen on the 24-105 f4L IS, but the 2.8 is very alluring.

 

[revfife]

Nikon Macro

I have to agree with Clix, the Nikon 60mm 2.8 is a great macro lens. I have used it for awhile with some detailed work for excellent results. It really changes my ability to process photos and what kind of manipulation I can do with them. Not to mention it is a very reasonably priced lens from Nikon. Right at about $400 for speedy Nikon glass.

 

[Clix Pix]

Examples of macros shot with the 60mm Micro

I further cropped this one for more impact:
D200 60mm 1/2500 sec f/10 ISO 100

D200 50mm 1/180 sec f/20 ISO 800

 

[princealfie]

I want the Leica 21-35mm with Olympus E adapter slapped onto a E-1.

 

[virividox]

i love the 60 mm 2.8 nikon
i have to disagree on your assesment of the nikon 12-24 - i think its the best wide angle available for the nikon fmount at the moment, better than all the other brands, but i think the canon's wide angle is better than the nikons, to bad cant mount the canon on my nikon