Nikon Portrait Lens

Dooginfif20Dooginfif20 Registered Users Posts: 845 Major grins
edited February 23, 2009 in Cameras
So I recently purchased a D90 upgrading from my D60 and now I am interested in lenses. I am looking for a portrait lens and I was looking at the Sigma 70-200 2.8, Tamron 70-200 2.8, and the Nikkor 70-200 2.8. Due to price the Nikkor was out of the running. To make things tougher I went to my local camera store and the guy there told me I should look at the Nikkor 85 1.4. That tends to look a little pricey as well. Does anyone have any advice on this subject?
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2009
    Dooginfif20 wrote:
    So I recently purchased a D90 upgrading from my D60 and now I am interested in lenses. I am looking for a portrait lens and I was looking at the Sigma 70-200 2.8, Tamron 70-200 2.8, and the Nikkor 70-200 2.8. Due to price the Nikkor was out of the running. To make things tougher I went to my local camera store and the guy there told me I should look at the Nikkor 85 1.4. That tends to look a little pricey as well. Does anyone have any advice on this subject?


    The 85 1.4 is an excellent peice of glass but if $ is an issue the 85 1.8 which can be had for under $400 is considered to be an excellent lens. The Nikon 50mm 1.4D is also an excellent lens and is under $400. The newer Nikon 50mm 1.4G goes for around $500. For a real bargain the Nikon 50mm 1.8 is very good and goes for around $130.

    You can check out reviews of the above mentioned lenses here
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2009
    Harryb wrote:
    The newer Nikon 500mm 1.4G goes for around $500.

    he means the newer Nikon 50mm 1.4G :) which IS an amazing lens (as I FINALLY got mine last thursday!) but they are short supply so it's not an instant-pick-up lens unless you hit a store that just got their stock inthumb.gif


    On the less-insane-expensive but still VERY GOOD quality, I'll echo the 50mm 1.8 as well as the 85mm 1.8. I also like the 60mm 2.8 macro, but it does lovely portrait work as well. and if you wanted a macro lens, it's a good starting point too. double-win! :D
    //Leah
  • R. ScottR. Scott Registered Users Posts: 98 Big grins
    edited February 22, 2009
    Harry beat me to the punch. I love the 70-200VR for portraits (and lots of other things), but the 50mm f1.8 can be a super portrait lens and is the best Nikkor lens bargain to be had.
    Scott

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  • Dooginfif20Dooginfif20 Registered Users Posts: 845 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2009
    Thank you for all the comments! I was wanting to keep it under $800 so all those lenses are in my range for sure! I think I will do more research on all of the 50 1.4 and 1.8 as well as the 85 1.8!
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  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2009
    Add another vote for the 50mm 1.4, it is a great lens.
    Steve

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  • jeffmeyersjeffmeyers Registered Users Posts: 1,535 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2009
    Dooginfif20 wrote:
    So I recently purchased a D90 upgrading from my D60 and now I am interested in lenses. I am looking for a portrait lens and I was looking at the Sigma 70-200 2.8, Tamron 70-200 2.8, and the Nikkor 70-200 2.8. Due to price the Nikkor was out of the running. To make things tougher I went to my local camera store and the guy there told me I should look at the Nikkor 85 1.4. That tends to look a little pricey as well. Does anyone have any advice on this subject?

    Well, don't rule out the 105mm VR. I LOVE it for portraits. And you can get one for just about 800 bucks.
    More Photography . . . Less Photoshop [. . . except when I do it]
    Jeff Meyers
  • Dooginfif20Dooginfif20 Registered Users Posts: 845 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2009
    Depending on how things go over the next couple months maybe I can afford two of the group. I dont know time will tell but until then more research!!
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