Going to the dark side - list enclosed-- help requested

Hi all,

After selling off my Canon gear a few years ago... I've decided to start shooting again, I've missed it... it's been far too long!

When I left I sold off the following
5Ds
Zeiss 135
Zeiss 50 macro
Zeiss 100mm macro
Sigma 150mm macro
Sig 50mm F/1.4
Canon 70-200L II 2.8
Canon 40mm pancake

I had a pretty decent kit covering 40mm-200mm.

Fast forward and Canon is still a little stuck with the 5Ds series (great camera---no issue with it) the MKIV which I'm not all that interested in... and now the EOS R....which again...no real interest. I think, for me, as much as I would like to give mirrorless a try, the 1st gen cameras from Nikon and Canon has me a little bit leery of making that leap. I spent some time at the camera shop with the A7r3 and the overall size would drive me nuts. I could see blisters after a long day of shooting. As much as I like their technology...form/fit wasn't for me.

This leaves me with Nikon and the D850... it fits so nicely ...ergonomics a big plus. Not to mention the features it offers beyond what I was shooting with on the 5Ds.

This time around I am trying to build the kit and get the most "bang for my buck" with the budget I have.

With the list below... if you've shot with the lens...would you mind sharing your thoughts about it? The good...the bad...the ugly. The reviews are pretty solid from what I've read and watched on YouTube. That being said, I'd much rather hear from people who are using these lenses on a daily basis in real-world conditions. Not just shooting charts and brick walls

Do you feel there are suitable subs...close to the price range of the current lenses or more affordable options?

I'm on the fence about the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 Nikon has the 70-200 F4 which I thought would be a nice travel lens for its size and weight. You lose the stop...but....not sure that would make a huge difference for me and my shooting style. Tamron also has the 70-210 F/4 which looks really small and light. Mixed reviews... if you own it.. thoughts?

The Nikon 20mm is another one I'm having a hard time with. I want an UWA/WA... the Sigma 14-24 looks great but then you (I) have to consider filters and a filter kit like Nisi or something along those lines. With the current line up... I can buy a 100mm Nisi kit and use it on all the lenses with an adapter ring.

To get an idea of what I've shot in the past... have a look at my site http://www.frankhatche​r.com or on 500px which has a decent mix... https://500px.com/fran​khatcher

Any input... if you own or have shot with any of the gear below would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Hatch

Sigma has a new 70-200 2.8 that is supposed to ship in about 3 weeks. Haven't seen any specs on it yet.

That's all I got.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18751924
Sigma has a new 70-200 2.8 that is supposed to ship in about 3 weeks. Haven't seen any specs on it yet.

That's all I got.

Many thanks...I wasn't sure on the release date. I might have to hold off in this range until the Sigma comes out. hmmm


Thanks,
Hatch

NP.

Ships Dec 14, preorders tomorrow.

https://www.canonrumor​s.com …-coming-december-14-2018/

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18751941
NP.

Ships Dec 14, preorders tomorrow.

https://www.canonrumor​s.com …-coming-december-14-2018/

Outstanding! Thank you for sharing out the link. I wonder where they will come in on price... under $1500?

Thanks again.,
Hatch

Hey Hatch. I used to shoot Canon and Nikon at the same time (I used to get free Nikon gear) but I eventually settled on Canon. I did give the D850 a spin and it is a very, very good camera. I'm sure you'll like it. I think your proposed kit looks pretty solid. Not much to say. These decisions are never easy. I wish you the best of luck with it.

You might also ask here in D850/D810/D800 part of the forum:
https://www.nikonians.​org/forum

I bet you'll get some input.

nqjudo wrote in post #18751990
Hey Hatch. I used to shoot Canon and Nikon at the same time (I used to get free Nikon gear) but I eventually settled on Canon. I did give the D850 a spin and it is a very, very good camera. I'm sure you'll like it. I think your proposed kit looks pretty solid. Not much to say. These decisions are never easy. I wish you the best of luck with it.

Many thanks I agree... this is difficult...I just need to keep in mind there are return policies if I'm not happy with one of the lens choices.

Thanks,
Hatch

Mathmans wrote in post #18752151
You might also ask here in D850/D810/D800 part of the forum:
https://www.nikonians.​org/forum

I bet you'll get some input.

Thank you I will have a look .

Hatch

I'm a long time Nikon user and have most of the gear you are discussing including the D850. I'm also a long time moderator on Nikonians and you will get good feedback there.

You're right - the ergonomics and image quality of the Nikon cameras in general, and the D850 in particular - are great. You'd be hard pressed to find a D850 user that is not thrilled with it. That's my take after more than a year. Image quality is great, AF is fast and accurate, and resolution is such that I can sell multiple photos out of a single frame.

I've got the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII. It's an excellent lens, although the current model is a bit pricey. The Tamron gets lots of positive reports. I've also heard good things from the Sigma rep about the new 70-200 f/2.8, so given the performance of their other lenses, I would wait a bit. The Nikon 70-200 f/4 is excellent - remarkably sharp. You just give up the subject isolation of f/2.8-f/4 - and I use f/3.5 a lot.

The Nikon 200-500 is excellent - very nice and sharp. It's light enough to handhold and the constant f/5.6 makes manual exposure easier. It's remarkably good even at the long end for a consumer tele-zoom. The downside is like most in this range, the barrel extends as you zoom and the build is not suitable for rain or extended use in bad weather. I've used the lens from a boat handheld as well as for polo. The new 500 f/5.6 is a very nice alternative - especially paired with the 70-200 f/2.8 and a 1.4 teleconverter. There is also a very nice 300mm f/4 PF that could fit in the mix depending on what you like to photograph.

I've also got the 20mm f/1.8. I bought this lens specifically for travel and for night photography. It's relatively small and light - and does the job nicely. I also have the 16-35 f/4 VR which gets a lot of use - light, good optics, front filters, and VR. I recently picked up the 14-24 f/2.8 which is an outstanding lens, but heavy and requires the more expensive filter kit from Nisi or Lee.

I have not used the Tamron 45mm and can't speak to it. The Nikon and Sigma alternatives in this range are quite good. Many people are gravitating toward the Sigma 50mm Art lens or the Nikon 58mm f/1.4. I've got the Sigma 35mm ART as well as a couple of 50mm Nikon lenses - f/1.4 and f/1.8. The Sigma 35mm is fantastic but a bit heavy. The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 is not the sharpest lens, but it is small, fast, and effective.

You have not indicated how you'll be using the gear. I use a lot of combinations - such as the 16-35, 50, and 70-200 for travel. My standard kit is the 16-35, 24-70, and 70-200, but I might replace the wide end with the 14-24 and a Sigma 35. For wildlife, I have some other gear that I might use based on the subject and lighting conditions.

You can't go wrong with this gear. There are some great sales going on right now on the D850 and Nikon lenses. Gary Farber at Hunts has some special discounts on the D850 camera body that is not published (plus a free grip), and if you are ready to move now you might give him a call and let him know I referred you.

I took a look at your gallery. Nice work.

Also take a look at the 85mm f/1.8 for portraits - it's a solid alternative to the 85 f/1.4 at a fraction of the price and weight.

The 105 f/2.8 macro is the bread and butter macro for most people. It has VR so it doubles as a portrait lens.

The 70-200 f/2.8 has three versions. Stay away from the original VR model as it vignettes on full frame. I have two copies of the VRII. The latest model is more expensive but optically excellent and depends on your budget. I have not seen a compelling reason to update and a clean used copy of the 70-200 f/2.8 VRII would be around $1200-1400.

ericbowles wrote in post #18752800
I took a look at your gallery. Nice work.

Also take a look at the 85mm f/1.8 for portraits - it's a solid alternative to the 85 f/1.4 at a fraction of the price and weight.

The 105 f/2.8 macro is the bread and butter macro for most people. It has VR so it doubles as a portrait lens.

The 70-200 f/2.8 has three versions. Stay away from the original VR model as it vignettes on full frame. I have two copies of the VRII. The latest model is more expensive but optically excellent and depends on your budget. I have not seen a compelling reason to update and a clean used copy of the 70-200 f/2.8 VRII would be around $1200-1400.

Eric,

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your thoughts about the gear. I'm still on the fence about the 70-200 F/4...as you mentioned, Sigma is going to release their new version shortly. From my understanding, it was supposed to be available for pre-order yesterday but none of the sites I've checked show it's for sale just yet. Nikon rumors have the price around $1700. I wouldn't be opposed to the Tamron versions of the lens, I just need to get my hands on either the 70-200 or the 70-210 version and test it. I might hold off on buying a 70-200 until the Sigma hits the market or I rent a Tamron. The Nikon version appears to be a great lens from the reviews and videos I've gone through.

What am I going to photograph? Pretty much everything but people LOL I might get back to photographing people at some point however, I'd like to shoot wildlife, landscapes, and macro. I have the Canon version...Sigma 150mm macro I need to sell... this is going to fun a new macro lens. The Nikon version you mentioned looks great. I've shot with the Canon 100mm macro and I like the range/working distance. I do have my eye on the Irix 150mm macro which should be out soon and it's around $600 for the lens. I don't mind manual focus lenses and truth be told, 95% of my macro shots have been manual focus. The Irix has 11 blades vs the Sigma 9...so...I'm anticipating the backgrounds will be pretty amazing.

I think I'm going to pass on the Tamron 45mm as the Voigtlander 58mm is now in the cart

I had a look at Hunt's and the D850 is out of stock I've reached out to our local shop here in Phoenix to see if they can compete with B&H. I'd like to support a brick-n-mortar store if possible...it's the tax which is killer.

Thank you for the nice words about my work, I enjoyed your site as well. I have the Rocky Mountain National park on my list to see next year... great shots btw.

I've rambled on... lol

Thanks again for all the input about the glass and the camera. I'll get this dialed in shortly... I just can't wait to get out and start shooting again.

Oh... and I'll drop in on Nikonians and have a look around.

Have a great weekend.

Hatch

Made the leap... and placed the order. Some items were on sale...others not so much. I wanted to wait until Black Friday but... if something does drop I'll contact customer service and see if they will offset the price. If not... still a pretty decent deal.

I'm missing two lenses for right now. I couldn't decide on a 70-200 and if I wanted a zoom in this range. I've shot so much with primes over the years, I'm not 100% sure about picking up a midrange zoom. I'll give it some more thought... plus... still waiting on the Sigma 70-200 F/2.8 to come out. Odds are if I do go with the 70-200 it will be a F/4 version as I want something light to travel with... but...the Sig 105 F/1.4 looks amazing (but doesn't look travel-friendly lol)... will cross this road later.

I passed on the Tamron 45mm as the Voightlander is intriguing. I've shot with manual focus lenses in the past.. so the lack of AF wasn't an issue. It should be fun to shoot.

The Nikon 20mm appears to be a solid lens from what I've found on the Internet. I picked up the Nisi 100mm filter holder set with a 10stop ND and a 3 stop grad ND as well.

I'm also missing a macro lens... something I love to shoot and I shoot often. Sigma has the 105mm F/2.8 for almost 1/2 off at the moment... I almost made the purchase but the Irix 150mm macro coming out next month caught my attention. So...I'm going to wait and place the order when it's available.

Fingers crossed I made some decent choices from the lens selections to compliment what I enjoy shooting. I'm really looking forward to what the D850 offers. This should be an adventure.

Thank you all for the input... I'll share some thoughts once the gear arrives.

Hatch

I was curious why you first asked about the Tamron. It's a really good lens, but I was still wondering. I bought the Tamron 35mm and it is well worth the value. I already had a good 50mm so the Tamron 45mm was too close.

Doesn't Nikon have a 105mm that is supposed to be superb for portraits.

After two new body model changes recently, I'm starting to buy "native" after seeing incompatibility finally show its face for the first time.

Great choices on all counts.

You'll love the camera and the other gear. Every system has it's nuances in terms of setup and use. The D850 is a great camera body to build around - especially when you are using high quality glass. 99% of the people I know with a D850 still indicate you can't pry the camera out of their hands.