Lens or Body upgrade? (Nikon)

benners

benners

Messages
1,130
Name
Ben
Edit My Images
Yes
hi everyone

just interested in people's thoughts on this one really... my camera bag is listed below, and I'm looking to start taking more gig/concert (lowlight) photography. The 35mm f1.8 is obviously great, but I do miss the ability to zoom in/out.

So I was thinking about getting something like the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 (being on a relative budget)... with the AF motor in the lens as I have the D60.

However I was wondering if it might be a better investment to upgrade my camera body first, to the D90, which will offer the AF motor inbuilt and better ISO performance (good for the lowlight shooting).

So by having the D90 with AF motor, it will broaden the range of lenses available to me... and a bit cheaper too?

Any comments/thoughts appreciated, especially if anyone has made similar moves! :thumbs:

(ps. obviously I'd love BOTH the D90 and a new lens, but one has to [financially] come first!)
 
benners said:
hi everyone

just interested in people's thoughts on this one really... my camera bag is listed below, and I'm looking to start taking more gig/concert (lowlight) photography. The 35mm f1.8 is obviously great, but I do miss the ability to zoom in/out.

So I was thinking about getting something like the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 (being on a relative budget)... with the AF motor in the lens as I have the D60.

However I was wondering if it might be a better investment to upgrade my camera body first, to the D90, which will offer the AF motor inbuilt and better ISO performance (good for the lowlight shooting).

So by having the D90 with AF motor, it will broaden the range of lenses available to me... and a bit cheaper too?

Any comments/thoughts appreciated, especially if anyone has made similar moves! :thumbs:

(ps. obviously I'd love BOTH the D90 and a new lens, but one has to [financially] come first!)
Click to expand...

Looks like your kinda stuck with only one purchase available. The D90 high iso performance is excellent but you dont have any fast zooms to help it out, shame you didnt have the 50 1.8 just for the extra reach then i would say the D90. I purchased the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 last month and that with the D90 produces some amazing pictures when shooting in very little light.

Im sure somebody will have a tried and tested solution for you though
 
Mr Mike said:
Looks like your kinda stuck with only one purchase available. The D90 high iso performance is excellent but you dont have any fast zooms to help it out, shame you didnt have the 50 1.8 just for the extra reach then i would say the D90. I purchased the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 last month and that with the D90 produces some amazing pictures when shooting in very little light.

Im sure somebody will have a tried and tested solution for you though
Click to expand...

thanks Mr Mike... it's kinda Catch 22 isn't it!

if I had the D90 then I'd definitiely buy a fast zoom sooner rather than later to make the most of it... and I might be able to pick up some 2nd hand AF lenses, which I currently can't consider as I don't have the AF body motor.

I considered the 17-50 like yours but I think, for what I want to shoot, I'm going to appreciate the 75mm end of the range more than the 17mm end... though of course I'd love both!
 
Your the in a similar situation as me. I would also like to start shooting some gig work or even just some indoor shots and I was thinking about the 35mm f/1.8 which you already have - it's reasonably priced and seems to come with good reviews, what do you think of it?

The best option to be honest would be the lens upgrade. The D90 might give you better ISO performance, but it's not going to give you the zoom that your looking for. With a nice f/2.8 like the Tamron 17-50mm (depending on what range your looking for), you'll get the results you want rather than having having a good body and still not being able to produce your desired images.
 
I think you'll end up getting both eventually, because you'll probably realise you need the iso when you get the zoom, or vice versa. The question is which is going to prove more valuable now while you save for the other?
 
Steven001 said:
Your the in a similar situation as me. I would also like to start shooting some gig work or even just some indoor shots and I was thinking about the 35mm f/1.8 which you already have - it's reasonably priced and seems to come with good reviews, what do you think of it?

The best option to be honest would be the lens upgrade. The D90 might give you better ISO performance, but it's not going to give you the zoom that your looking for. With a nice f/2.8 like the Tamron 17-50mm (depending on what range your looking for), you'll get the results you want rather than having having a good body and still not being able to produce your desired images.
Click to expand...

good advice Steven... I love people being able to look at it objectively, my mind has mulled it over so much I don't really know where I'm at!

I would say the 35mm f1.8 is a great investment (or alternatively the 50mm f1.8, depending what you're after)... if you look on my Flickr photostream (link in my sig) there are some gig examples on there using the 35mm. To be able to have a really fast Nikkor lens for around £170 is really good value I think.
 
karmagarda said:
I think you'll end up getting both eventually, because you'll probably realise you need the iso when you get the zoom, or vice versa. The question is which is going to prove more valuable now while you save for the other?
Click to expand...

hehe exactamundo!
 
With the d60 do you not find in low light the software sometimes throws a fit and refuses to shoot? Also as well as higher iso and the inbuilt motor you have higher fps on the d90 which can be very helpfull in gigs :D Id go with the camera for now really but could you not grab second hand copies and get both the d90 and a zoom :D?
 
Frenzied Dwarf said:
With the d60 do you not find in low light the software sometimes throws a fit and refuses to shoot? Also as well as higher iso and the inbuilt motor you have higher fps on the d90 which can be very helpfull in gigs :D Id go with the camera for now really but could you not grab second hand copies and get both the d90 and a zoom :D?
Click to expand...

indeed I have found that problem on the D60! it's generally when I get over-excited and try to take pics too quickly ;)

in an ideal world, i'll get a 2nd hand D90 off ebay (or here, after I served my one month's membership to be able to post on the classifieds boards :) ) and then try out onestop-digital for the lens. that should save some £££.

I think if I bought brand new in the UK, costs would be:
D90: £620
28-75: £320 (total: £940)

from ebay, 2nd hand:
D90: £550
28-75: £250 (total: £800)

from onestop-digital:
D90: £540
28-75: £250 (total: £790)
 
You can actually use the classifieds before a month as far as i know? You may respond to a thread but just not post a new one, please correct me if im wrong :)

Theres a sigma 24-70 2.8 and a nikon alternative for sale in the forsale section and im sure theres a fair few d90s up after everyone got their new toys at xmas
 
Frenzied Dwarf said:
You can actually use the classifieds before a month as far as i know? You may respond to a thread but just not post a new one, please correct me if im wrong :)

Theres a sigma 24-70 2.8 and a nikon alternative for sale in the forsale section and im sure theres a fair few d90s up after everyone got their new toys at xmas
Click to expand...

ah thank you, I may have misread, I will head over there and have a look!
 
benners said:
ah thank you, I may have misread, I will head over there and have a look!
Click to expand...

If you can post there, and there's no Lenses in classified, I'd give Kerso a shout via his thread in the advertisers section (another sub forum off the trade forum). He might have something in the Nikon lens bracket, and if he does he is very reasonably priced too.
 
karmagarda said:
If you can post there, and there's no Lenses in classified, I'd give Kerso a shout via his thread in the advertisers section (another sub forum off the trade forum). He might have something in the Nikon lens bracket, and if he does he is very reasonably priced too.
Click to expand...

He does have excellent prices for Cannon, but his Nikon prices are quite high, but still reasonable. Ask him for a stock list anyway :thumbs:
 
I have the newer and cheaper 28-70 and its a brilliant lens for gigs and clubs, pair that with a 70-200 and a d90 and you have a brilliant setup :D
 
karmagarda said:
Well, if you came here looking for us to force you into spending as much as possible... you're in the right place! Get out a loan too and get an AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF as well...
Click to expand...

haha now you're just teasing me! :bonk:

no, no... I'm going to be good... I've got my credit card debt down considerably in the last 6 months (i'm not THAT bad, honest!)... :)
 
Erm its a similar model mine is the non hsm one as i dont need the lens to have a motor, i got it from pixmania ill see if i can find a link
 
Ahh seems to have gone up in price since i bought it :(, that one will focus on your d90 but not on your d60.

If you want the one to focus on the d60 it needs HSM

Looking into it your probbably best going for a second hand 24-70 as the 28-70 seems to have gone up in price for some reason i cannot understand as i bought mine before the VAT dropped
 
Frenzied Dwarf said:
Ahh seems to have gone up in price since i bought it :(, that one will focus on your d90 but not on your d60.

If you want the one to focus on the d60 it needs HSM

Looking into it your probbably best going for a second hand 24-70 as the 28-70 seems to have gone up in price for some reason i cannot understand as i bought mine before the VAT dropped
Click to expand...

hmm... the 24-70 Sigma is quite a bit more pricey than the 28-70, so I think I'd have to go for the latter. But then the Tamron 28-75 isn't drastically more than the 28-70, so that might still be the one I go for...

Sigma 24-70 - £434 (w/o HSM)
Sigma 28-70 - £235 (with motor... but seems to be out of stock everywhere, discontinued?)
Tamron 28-75 - £315 (with motor)
 
I think the 28-70 was replaced by the new 24-70 theres also the old 24-70 with the appeture ring.

Your best keeping an eye on the classifieds here really as some do come up from time to time, a nikon 28-70 was up the other week (out of your price range but still not a bad price at all)
 
Frenzied Dwarf said:
I think the 28-70 was replaced by the new 24-70 theres also the old 24-70 with the appeture ring.

Your best keeping an eye on the classifieds here really as some do come up from time to time, a nikon 28-70 was up the other week (out of your price range but still not a bad price at all)
Click to expand...

i certainly shall keep an eye out :)
thanks for all the suggestions... really appreciate your input FD
 
I do love to throw spanners in said works so here another one for you XD

If you want a bit more choice you could go for the 17-50 tamron as well which was mentioned earlier in this thread, friend uses one and its a brilliant lens but i prefer the 70mm to the 50mm.

Glad to help :D
 
benners said:
thanks Mr Mike...

I considered the 17-50 like yours but I think, for what I want to shoot, I'm going to appreciate the 75mm end of the range more than the 17mm end... though of course I'd love both!
Click to expand...

already mentioned above ;)
don't worry, i think i've got lost in this thread too! thanks for bearing with it! :thumbs:
 
If you can stretch to it get I'd say get the D90, the higher ISO is invaluable and its soooo much better than the D60. I think there's one for sale in the classifieds at the moment at a very reasonable price (along with a D80). Its very difficult to make these decisions isn't it? You want it all at once if you're like me.

Andy
 
Andysnap said:
If you can stretch to it get I'd say get the D90, the higher ISO is invaluable and its soooo much better than the D60. I think there's one for sale in the classifieds at the moment at a very reasonable price (along with a D80). Its very difficult to make these decisions isn't it? You want it all at once if you're like me.

Andy
Click to expand...

Andy, you sound like you've known me all my life!

at this very moment, that's the way I'm swaying... to get the D90 first and then have a few more lens options open to me. Keeping my eye out on some 2nd D90s on ebay, and will have a proper search in the TP classifieds tonight. Would prefer to buy off here, as it seems more trustworthy and friendly!
 
benners said:
Andy, you sound like you've known me all my life!

at this very moment, that's the way I'm swaying... to get the D90 first and then have a few more lens options open to me. Keeping my eye out on some 2nd D90s on ebay, and will have a proper search in the TP classifieds tonight. Would prefer to buy off here, as it seems more trustworthy and friendly!
Click to expand...

I'm very intuitive and wise :D You're right about trustworthy and friendly as you can see from my iTrader stats I've done quite a bit of buying and selling on here and I've never been dissapointed. Everything has been like new, top folks they are. :thumbs:

Andy

By the way love your website. Very slick and some good photos as well.
 
thanks for checking out my website Andy, glad you like it :-)

Thanks for your thoughts Stinger, am definitely keen on getting the D90. But I definitely know I want a fast midrange zoom, rather than another prime as I'd like the flexibility of range when I'm shooting :-)
 
Yes the D90 is a good camera but the results ate indistinguishable from the D60 at web sizes. It gives you one stop more usable ISO which is useful. However, if you go for a f/2.8 zoom, this is over 1 stop slower than the 35mm you are currently using, and you will need to use a faster shutter speed, so this combo will effectively be slower than your current setup.

My answer to this conundrum is to use two bodies. D40+35mm f/1.8, D90+85mm f/1.8. I shoot both using Auto ISO (usually ends up @ max ISO), f/1.8, D40 1/50sec, D90 1/100sec. Plus it's cool to have 2 bodies on you :)
 
martsharm said:
Yes the D90 is a good camera but the results ate indistinguishable from the D60 at web sizes. It gives you one stop more usable ISO which is useful. However, if you go for a f/2.8 zoom, this is over 1 stop slower than the 35mm you are currently using, and you will need to use a faster shutter speed, so this combo will effectively be slower than your current setup.

My answer to this conundrum is to use two bodies. D40+35mm f/1.8, D90+85mm f/1.8. I shoot both using Auto ISO (usually ends up @ max ISO), f/1.8, D40 1/50sec, D90 1/100sec. Plus it's cool to have 2 bodies on you :)
Click to expand...

hehe it may be cool, but a bit unnecessary for me ;)
I'm only an amateur, with an amateur's budget :)

thing is, 'pro' gig photographers will shoot at f2.8... the difference will be that they have top-notch bodies which have the maximum ISO performance I guess.

i would think a D90 + f2.8 will provide good enough results... it's not like concerts have no lighting at all... plus there's the ability to enhance exposure/light in PP if I shoot in RAW (which I tend to do)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top