Meriwether_Stalker22
Senior Member
PHP:
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Thanks so much...
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You got that right!I understand..........sort of like my old race saying..."there's no replacement for displacement".......and of coarse......speed cost money, how fast do you want to go¿
I would sell the Nikon and use the extra money for some Canon Gear
Just kidding Man! Just having a little fun.
I'll bet F1 and Rip will be around to give you all the Nikon advise here shortly.
Hey Rip, How about telling us what you really think.
That is an awesome reply!!!! Worth every dollar sign in it!!!
You nailed it with the engine anology...
Yikes! $2,000 to buy a lens (or lenses???). That money will go further in the used market than the new market. With some "good" shopping on several camera forums, you can stretch that money pretty far... I've seen a Nikkor 400 mm f/2.8 for $2,400. I've seen a manual focus Nikkor 600 mm f/4 for $1200. But those deals don't last long... And depending on what you want to shoot, those might not be the best lens for you...
Yep, the Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 would be high on my "want" list. The Nikkor 200 f/4 might make the list. The "Bigma" (Sigma 50-500 mm) mentioned earlier would probably be on the list too... It ain't the "best" quality lens in the bag, but it's one that has the reach that you can afford to put in the bag & use... I do know a couple of pros that use one. Realistically, there isn't a whole lot of difference in the weight/size of the Bigma and my 80-200, but there IS a big difference in the images it will allow you to get! A Nikkor 105 mm macro or similar might be on the list. You might be able to find a used 300 mm f/2.8.
I guess I'd look for GOOD used glass on camera forums, at KEH, and at some of the few camera stores that take used gear (or sell on consignment) now. In bigger glass, I'd be looking for something in f/2.8 or f/4.0 that stayed constant (especially if it was a zoom). The 300 mm & 400 mm would get my attention. A 200 mm f/4 might. But I wouldn't discount the Bigma either; I've seen a few of those go for around $800 to $850 lately. Whatever you get, if it is used, I'd try to shoot it before buying or at least have a quick return option.
If you got a Bigma for <$1000, that'd leave another thousand for a macro lens of some sort (the old manual focus ones are sometimes around $100) and a "portrait" lens (something in the 50 to 80 mm range with an f/1.4 or 1.8).
I wouldn't be averse to buying a Sigma lens if the condition, length, and maximum f-stop were good.
Other than my camera body, I don't have any gear that is the "latest and greatest", so you'll see me stretching my equipment dollars like above all the time. I'd love to have image stabilized lenses & the lastest coatings & quickest focusing options out there, but I'm just too dog-gone cheap to pay for it...
You might also look at an SB-800 or SB-900 flash with some sort of flash bracket & flash cord (yes, I know they can work remotely, but that 1% of the time it don't go off, is the "shot of a lifetime!"). That would take a big chunk out of that budget too, though. I saw a lightly used SB-900 the other day for $350. The flash cord will set you back another $25 to $80 or so. The bracket another $25 to $50.
That's one thing too about "big glass" - then you may need to upgrade your tripod & tripod head, and that can run you up another $300 to $1000. YIKES!
Teleconverters - yep. I've got a few. I tend to use the 2.0 and 1.7 the most (though the 1.4 does get dug out every now & then). I'll even stack them on top of each other sometimes if I've got enough light. Yes, the options for getting a good shot go down because they reduce the light coming through the lens, but sometimes you just can't get any closer. On some lenses, they also reduce the focussing speed (if they will still autofocus at all). Do I like using them? No. Do I hesitate to use them if I need them, and I think I can get a reasonable shutter speed? No.
To summarize, I reckon I'd buy the longest & fastest glass I could find for that money. I'd trade a little on the "fast" end for length, so far in fact, that I'd consider a Bigma plus a couple of shorter lenses... I don't know if that rambling gibberish will help at all, but those are some of my thoughts.