I'm with yooper - lens recommendations

cmorganphotography

I need an upgrade. Hit me up with cheap to pricey lenses. I need a wide angle, a telephoto, and a macro lens. Price between 0-800 dollars. I can't justify to myself to spend more. If you know any gooduns that are more money but worth it, let me know.
I photograph people mostly and in a model/theme fashion both indoors and out. I have a Nikon D 80 with an 18-55mm lense kit right now.

Any recommendations for me?

Moogle Pepper

24-70 and the 70-200 f/2.8 VR!

cmorganphotography

Moogle Pepper wrote:

24-70 and the 70-200 f/2.8 VR!

.... And why? I'm a n00b you'll have to pardon my ignorance... but why did you make those choices and what do dem der glass do?

ziggy53

Here are 11 pages of suggestions from Adorama:

http://www.adorama.com/Catalog.tpl?page=il_refine_search

8 pages from B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/8433/SLR_Camera_Lenses_for_Nikon.html


If you are asking for portrait lens recommendations we could help, but your "All sorts and sizes." is a little ambiguous.

Moogle Pepper

cmorganphotography wrote:

.... And why? I'm a n00b you'll have to pardon my ignorance... but why did you make those choices and what do dem der glass do?

Cause those are the pretty good ranges for portraiture. f/2.8 is fast for indoor shooting too!

cmorganphotography

ziggy53 wrote:

Here are 11 pages of suggestions from Adorama:

http://www.adorama.com/Catalog.tpl?page=il_refine_search

8 pages from B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/8433/SLR_Camera_Lenses_for_Nikon.html


If you are asking for portrait lens recommendations we could help, but your "All sorts and sizes." is a little ambiguous.

Thank you. I changed my request's wording. Does that help?

ziggy53

cmorganphotography wrote:

Thank you. I changed my request's wording. Does that help?

Yes, you have defined your needs much better.

Since your primary emphasis is people/models I shall assume that portraiture is a goal?

For $800 you might get:

Nikkor 50mm, f/1.8D AF
Nikkor 85mm, f/1.8D AF

These are great lenses that will do well for head-and-shoulders and head shots (85mm) and for 3/4 length and full-length (50mm). They both work nicely at large apertures and have great bokeh qualities.

If your current "kit" lens is not sharp enough (a likely possibility), I suggest the Tamron 17-50mm, f/2.8 XR Di II. Anything wider than this is probably going to distort human forms and may not be preferable for your intentions.

Since these few lenses will pretty much blow your budget, sell the "kit" lens and purchase a close focus adapter for the 50mm lens to give you close focus capabilities (not true macro I'm afraid.)

cmorganphotography

ziggy53 wrote:

Yes, you have defined your needs much better.
Since your primary emphasis is people/models I shall assume that portraiture is a goal?
For $800 you might get:
Nikkor 50mm, f/1.8D AF
Nikkor 85mm, f/1.8D AF
These are great lenses that will do well for head-and-shoulders and head shots (85mm) and for 3/4 length and full-length (50mm). They both work nicely at large apertures and have great bokeh qualities.
If your current "kit" lens is not sharp enough (a likely possibility), I suggest the Tamron 17-50mm, f/2.8 XR Di II. Anything wider than this is probably going to distort human forms and may not be preferable for your intentions.
Since these few lenses will pretty much blow your budget, sell the "kit" lens and purchase a close focus adapter for the 50mm lens to give you close focus capabilities (not true macro I'm afraid.)

Thank you. I knew 800 bucks was going to get me thisclose to a passable "cheap" price I do more full length than anything.
My lens isn't sharp but it came in a kit with my camera and when all was said and done I got it for about 50 bucks. I'll look at all these suggestions, those are very specific. I recognize the Tamron one. I still have to save before I purchase. Thanks again... very much a good looking purchase cart there.

Eileron

ziggy53 wrote:

Yes, you have defined your needs much better.

Since your primary emphasis is people/models I shall assume that portraiture is a goal?

For $800 you might get:

Nikkor 50mm, f/1.8D AF
Nikkor 85mm, f/1.8D AF

These are great lenses that will do well for head-and-shoulders and head shots (85mm) and for 3/4 length and full-length (50mm). They both work nicely at large apertures and have great bokeh qualities.

If your current "kit" lens is not sharp enough (a likely possibility), I suggest the Tamron 17-50mm, f/2.8 XR Di II. Anything wider than this is probably going to distort human forms and may not be preferable for your intentions.

Since these few lenses will pretty much blow your budget, sell the "kit" lens and purchase a close focus adapter for the 50mm lens to give you close focus capabilities (not true macro I'm afraid.)

I have the 50mm f/1.4 - I definitely recommend it, it's a little pricier and most people won't/shouldn't use the extra stop down due to DOF issues, but on a DX camera the crop factor has made me use the 50 mm as more of a head/shoulders prime.

I'd be hesitant to use a non-DX 85mm on a DX frame because its DX equivalent is, what, closer to 135mm? I might just be standing too close to my subjects with the 50, but I'd feel like I'd have to stand across the room with a DX-cropped FX-50 lens.