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Your everyday lens
- Thread starter Jonathansm
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talmy
macrumors 601
I'll probably be buying a Nikon D810 this Spring, and I will shoot with nothing but primes. Everyday lens -- a "nifty fifty". I figure that my first 20 years of photography was with primes (roughly 1955 to 1976) and they worked fine I can happily go back in my retirement. They are light weight, sharp, bright, especially for Nikons, there is a large inexpensive market of used manual focus/exposure lenses out there.
Tamron 18-270mm f 3.5-5.6 with Vibration Control available for Canon and Nikon is my everyday lens.
50mm f1.8 is my every night lens.
Those two cover a lot of ground for me.
50mm f1.8 is my every night lens.
Those two cover a lot of ground for me.
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MacRy
macrumors 601
Your everyday lens
Amen to that. I love old manual lenses and there are some crackers out there to choose from for peanuts.
My 45mm Rokkor is a peach of a lens and cost me less that £50. Works beautifully on my Fuji XE1
I also love old rangefinder lenses as they fit so well with the mirrorless form factor. I was out shooting today with my Jupiter 8 50mm on my XE1, which again cost me less that £50 to buy.
Amen to that. I love old manual lenses and there are some crackers out there to choose from for peanuts.
My 45mm Rokkor is a peach of a lens and cost me less that £50. Works beautifully on my Fuji XE1
I also love old rangefinder lenses as they fit so well with the mirrorless form factor. I was out shooting today with my Jupiter 8 50mm on my XE1, which again cost me less that £50 to buy.
I use a Nikon D200. I have a well used 18-70 on it right now and will likely upgrade it to a 18-105 VR.
The other lens I like and use when I can is a nikon 50mm f/1.4 AFd that I bought years ago for use on a Nikon film camera.
For macros I use the Nikon 55mm f/3.5 manual focus. This lens is about 50 years old. I bought it used for use with my Nikon F2. This lens may still be the sharpest 50mm lens in the world although now I don't care as I don't make large prints. Most photos are seen on electronic screens that have less then two megapixels (someday the 4K screens will be common.)
At some point I will replace the SLR body with a newer one that can do good quality video and then I wilt many of my favorite manual focus Nikon lenses back in use. I have the 105mm f/2, 35mm and 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 an manual lens that are ideal for serious video use.
Actually the "lens" i just shot with is a 1980's vintage American Optical microscope. I'm photographing some single cell microbes that live in pond water and in the soil under the water.
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Inexpensive? I think the video people are scooping up all the good Nikon AI primes. These work so well for manual follow focus and the quality is untouchable. Prices are going up to decent three figures on most.
The other lens I like and use when I can is a nikon 50mm f/1.4 AFd that I bought years ago for use on a Nikon film camera.
For macros I use the Nikon 55mm f/3.5 manual focus. This lens is about 50 years old. I bought it used for use with my Nikon F2. This lens may still be the sharpest 50mm lens in the world although now I don't care as I don't make large prints. Most photos are seen on electronic screens that have less then two megapixels (someday the 4K screens will be common.)
At some point I will replace the SLR body with a newer one that can do good quality video and then I wilt many of my favorite manual focus Nikon lenses back in use. I have the 105mm f/2, 35mm and 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 an manual lens that are ideal for serious video use.
Actually the "lens" i just shot with is a 1980's vintage American Optical microscope. I'm photographing some single cell microbes that live in pond water and in the soil under the water.
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Inexpensive? I think the video people are scooping up all the good Nikon AI primes. These work so well for manual follow focus and the quality is untouchable. Prices are going up to decent three figures on most.
talmy
macrumors 601
Could be -- I haven't bought any in some years now (at least not since Nikons because usable for video). And my only obvious gap is I would need an 85. But it's all relative anyway -- top quality Nikon zoom lenses are all in the four figures, it seems.
Meister
Suspended
You are just looking at Nikkor glass.
How about Samyang? They offer cutting edge quality and are dirt cheap used.
They are even dirt cheap brand new and beat most Zeiss lenses at a fraction of the price!
My personal favourite however is the new Nikkor 50mm 1.8g.
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Very, very nice!
kenoh
macrumors 604
I too am enjoying the joys of legacy glass but people are waking up to the quality now and so they are getting more expensive.
The Rokkors are of interest to me too but I can't find any cheap enough :-(
Nice pictures
MacRy
macrumors 601
There are loads of Rokkors to be had on eBay. There's a 45mm on there for £45 including postage for example. Well worth the money, it's definitely one of my favourite lenses.
The Bad Guy
macrumors 65816
acearchie
macrumors 68040
Nice idea!
Great way to really sit back and figure out what is used the most!
p.s. yes there maybe a few selfies in LR!
Attachments
I shoot everything but wildlife, here are my go to lenses:
Landscapes: 16-35 f/4
Portraits: Sigma 70-200 f/2.8
Walk Around: 24-105 f/4
I purchased the 24-105 first as a general use lens and I'd recommend that lens to anybody for a walk around lens, I had it for my T2i and now use it on my 6D and it works equally well for both sensor types.
If you're shooting crop sensor look at the Tokina 11-16 for landscapes, do NOT buy the 17-40 or 16-35 for a crop sensor, the cost is too much and you don't get the ultra wide angle benefits.
Landscapes: 16-35 f/4
Portraits: Sigma 70-200 f/2.8
Walk Around: 24-105 f/4
I purchased the 24-105 first as a general use lens and I'd recommend that lens to anybody for a walk around lens, I had it for my T2i and now use it on my 6D and it works equally well for both sensor types.
If you're shooting crop sensor look at the Tokina 11-16 for landscapes, do NOT buy the 17-40 or 16-35 for a crop sensor, the cost is too much and you don't get the ultra wide angle benefits.
kenoh
macrumors 604
OK got it now, was narrowing my search to much...
I know Numbskull right. I was only seeing the 58mm... Now I see the 45s too... Woohoo... Spending spree..
MacRy
macrumors 601
Your everyday lens
Go for it mate. The 45's are great little lenses. The 50mm 1.4 is too.
Go for it mate. The 45's are great little lenses. The 50mm 1.4 is too.