Lens Question?

mpriest13

I am doing an engagement session for a couple that are friend's of the family. We are doing the session on the campus of the University of Washington. I really want these to come out nice...I think I am leaning toward renting a lens...which one do you recommend for a university setting.

My currents gear....

NIkon D300
50mm f1.4
Kit 18-135mm

I am leaning toward renting the 70-200f2.8 but am wondering if this going to be too tight on a crop sensor...

would I be better off renting a wider angle lens to capture the campus setting?

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Moogle Pepper

you could do a wide angle lens with your 50. Or two rentals a wide angle lens and a 85mm prime. But, how do you shoot? Do you like close ups, wides, etc?

Dooginfif20

take a gander at the 24-70 since you have a crop sensor. totally awesome lens and is incredibly sharp! the 70-200 works well on the D300 as well so dont be afraid of that lens either! rent them both and try um out!

tenoverthenose

Lens selections are a deeply personal decision. After yesterdays wedding, I strong feel that I would be fine shooting an entire wedding with my 16-35mm and a 135mm, but thats how I shoot. How do you shoot?

Moogle Pepper

16-35 + 135 is a killer combination!

Qarik

You can get plenty of shots with the 50mm. If I were shooting at UDub..something wider. If you are renting... 14-24mm.

Moogle Pepper

Qarik wrote: »

You can get plenty of shots with the 50mm. If I were shooting at UDub..something wider. If you are renting... 14-24mm.

I want to try the 14-24 f2.8. .... come on, Canon!!

Surfdog

If it were me, I would use your kit zoom to get some wide shots of the campus setting, but would rent the 70-200 2.8 to do the bulk of my shooting. (I own this lens and use it alot for portraits.) I would probably want most of my shots to be close-ups of the couple with just enough of the recognizable buildings & landmarks blurred out in the background so that people familiar with the setting will know where the shots were taken.

That's just me, though.

Dooginfif20

1383242 wrote:

take a gander at the 24-70 since you have a crop sensor. totally awesome lens and is incredibly sharp! the 70-200 works well on the D300 as well so dont be afraid of that lens either! rent them both and try um out!

is there a reason why you reposted my post?

MOD EDIT: A spammer hit REPLY, which automatically quotes, and then inserted their spam links. I took down the spammer's post, which appeared 1 post above (but is gone now), and banned them.

david_h

I'd be inclined to follow Qarik's advice.

With the crop factor on your D300, the 50/1.4 is going to be long enough to get some nice portraits and it would be an advantage to have something wider as well.

While your kit zoom would do (at a stretch), the 14-24/2.8 would be great for this job if you rented one.

For my last couple of e-sessions, I've used just 2 lenses, 85/1.4 & 24/1.4 (I use D3 cameras). If you go with the 50, 14-24 combo, you'd be in a similar range.

Jeremy Winterberg

I just got done shooting a wedding with a gripped D700 and the 24-70 2.8 (rented the lens)... handheld all day. man was that a workout.

It wont be much lighter with your D300 (used to own one of them before the 700). I found myself switching back to my 50mm f/1.4G for most of the wedding, only used the 24-70 for the group shots and the kiss.

For an engagement session - I could shoot the entire thing with my 50mm f/1.4G. And, I actually recommend trying that. It forces you to be creative and work with what you have. Plus I love the DOF the 1.4 gives in portraits. I used to be a fast zoom only guy - now I can't stand them, and only like fast primes!

I would go wide angle. try renting the 14-24 2.8, I wouldn't get the 24-70 unless you like tightly cropped images.

Dooginfif20

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

I just got done shooting a wedding with a gripped D700 and the 24-70 2.8 (rented the lens)... handheld all day. man was that a workout.

It wont be much lighter with your D300 (used to own one of them before the 700). I found myself switching back to my 50mm f/1.4G for most of the wedding, only used the 24-70 for the group shots and the kiss.

For an engagement session - I could shoot the entire thing with my 50mm f/1.4G. And, I actually recommend trying that. It forces you to be creative and work with what you have. Plus I love the DOF the 1.4 gives in portraits. I used to be a fast zoom only guy - now I can't stand them, and only like fast primes!

I would go wide angle. try renting the 14-24 2.8, I wouldn't get the 24-70 unless you like tightly cropped images.

if you think the 24-70 is heavy then you should stay away from the 70-200. I honestly think the D200/300/700 matched with the 24-70 is just fine for an all de excursion. If you add a vertical grip it helps to balance it a little better.

Jeremy Winterberg

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

if you think the 24-70 is heavy then you should stay away from the 70-200. I honestly think the D200/300/700 matched with the 24-70 is just fine for an all de excursion. If you add a vertical grip it helps to balance it a little better.

I didn't think it was heavy, just over the course of 8 hours and running around everywhere it is. oh yeah, and add an SB-600 on top of my camera.. If I were to use a 70-200 2.8 I would use a monopod on the tripod shoe. thats what I did with my 80-200 2.8 when I shot canon.

mpriest13

Thanks for all the great feedback! I am leaning toward the 70-200f2.8 AND a wide angle. Anyone have any luck with the Tokina 11-16? I have read great things about it.

Moogle Pepper

I am like a broken record...rent the 14-24 f2.8... razor sharp, awesome lens. If only it was for Canon.

zoomer

You are on the right track, 70-200 is great for portraits....and you will want something wider to show the grounds in some of the photos.
Sounds like a fun location.

Foques

I thought 24-70 was a lens of preference for the FX cameras?

I think I confused meself..

sabesh

For this shoot, I'd recommend renting the 105DC & 12-24. Lots of creative possibilities with these two lenses combined with your 50/1.4. Cheers.

Dooginfif20

Foques wrote: »

I thought 24-70 was a lens of preference for the FX cameras?

I think I confused meself..

It is an FX lens, but that doesn't mean it wont work on a DX body. For my D200 it gives me a tad bit more reach. The reason I bought it is because it is razor sharp and some day I will upgrade to a FX body and I dont want to waste time and money buying lenses that I have to sell to buy new ones that will work on the FX body.

CTMKimberly

Where do you all rent from? Is there a place online? I would like to try the 16+35 for a wedding elopement I have coming up

CTMKimberly

CTMKimberly wrote: »

Where do you all rent from? Is there a place online? I would like to try the 16+35 for a wedding elopement I have coming up

Never mind...I found it!

Foques

www.borrowlenses.com

Jeremy Winterberg

I use borrowlenses.com too..