Nikon lens lineup advice

Big Mike

I need some advice...I recently got a bonus check from my real job and I am thinking about making sure my lineup works well for what I do. I typically shoot mostly children outdoors. I do some weddings as a second shooter and I have no intention of ever doing it alone. I am not sure if I should go for a second body and fewer lens options or more lens choices with a single body.

Here are my options.....unless someone has a better recommendation.

Nikon D700
Nikon D300
Nikon 50mm f/1.8
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
$500 left for another lens or extra flash


Nikon D700
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8
$0 left for anything

Nikon D700
Nikon D80
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8
$800ish left for another lens, extra flash..etc.

Any advice from anyone would be awesome.

Michael

ziggy53

Have you done any weddings in the past?
Any children photography?
What do you have for light?

Mitchell

Do you already have a body? You will need to make sure you have a backup body. I like choice #2. That's what I have.

Big Mike

ziggy53 wrote:

Have you done any weddings in the past?
Any children photography?
What do you have for light?

Yes, I have done weddings in the past. I typically do them as a second shooter with my wife's cousin.

Yes. Pictures of children outdoors is what I enjoy the most.

I either use available light or a sb-600.

Big Mike

Mitchell wrote:

Do you already have a body? You will need to make sure you have a backup body. I like choice #2. That's what I have.

I have a d700, 70-200, 50mm and sb-600. Just so it is clear, the three options include equipment I already own. All three options would not be sets of equipment I would be purchasing from scratch.

Mitchell

Big Mike wrote:

I have a d700, 70-200, 50mm and sb-600. Just so it is clear, the three options include equipment I already own. All three options would not be sets of equipment I would be purchasing from scratch.

So what you are really asking is should you buy a D300, a Nikkor 24-70mm zoom, or a D80?

The real question you should ask yourself is, "Am I a pro?"

What would you do without a backup body? With what you already have, I would save for a second D700. No point in buying a D300 when you don't really need the reach for what you shoot. You would be much better off with a second D700 if your first one goes down during a wedding.

After that, buy the Nikkor 24-70mm zoom. My favorite lens.

wirehunt

What a nice problem


I'd go with one, and the extra $500 would go a longish way towards a 17-35.

Next year or the year after you could always upgrade the 300 and have a great set of lenses to go with it already, if you need to.

ziggy53

Mike, if you and the principal photographer are OK with you having a single body, then I would suggest the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S would make a splendid standard zoom for your purposes, especially if you have felt at all cramped by your existing lenses.

CookieS

well If you continue to do wedding I think the 24-70 f2.8 would be much needed ( I really want one. ) the 70-200 or 80-200 f2.8 is also a great need to have lens.

Qarik

I shoot nikon. I vote #2 by far.