Hello everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a new lense for my Nikon d70s. I mainly use the digital for weddings, events and family/children portraits.

I currently have the basic 18-70 and need something a little more. I would love the buy the fat daddy 70-200 but it's a little out of my budget at the moment.

I can spend apx. $500 at the moment. Any suggestions?
I have two weddings in November in the evening. Also....I just switched to digital this past year so I'm new to digital.

Thanks so much! Dawn

Photo equipment is to solve photographic problems. You said that you need "more" than the 18-70. Is that more reach? faster lens? Are you using flash or avaiable light? Tell us what problems you are trying to solve and we can give you a better answer.

If you are photographing 2 weddings in November, then the income from those 2 jobs should provide you with enough money to get a better lens. $500 is not much money for any type of good lens for the most part.

Faster lens, 1st wedding using available light during ceremony in the church and flash at reception (nightclub), 2nd ceremony is at the Torpedo Factory http://www.torpedofactory.org

I've been looking at this particular lens Nikon Telephoto AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR (Vibration Reduction) Autofocus Lens
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controll...SA&si=rev&rb=10

I can go up to $750-800 not over $900. Any advice or recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks, Dawn
http://www.dawnbernardphotography.com

And this one as well....

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

I would get the AF 80-200mmF/2.8 ED lens. It is usable in more situations than the macro lens. I own this lens and have printed photos 24x36" from files taken with this lens. It is almost in your budget (just slightly more than $900 from B&H) but with the 5 year warranty, it is a long term investment that will get your career moving in the right direction. It is fast focusing even without AFS and just as sharp as the AFS version, all this for less money than the AFS version.

Agreed, I purchase an 80~200mm f2.8 ED nearly a decade ago, it still remains my flagship lens, even above my 105 f2.0. I’ve worn out several camera bodies on this lens and its never complained, not once.

Maybe you could go used or gray market.

Tom
tworner.com
thomasworner.com
BayBeachWeddings.com
pics.tworner.com

I have shot weddings for over 40 years and my favorite lens for the past six or more years shooting film and digital is my Nikon 17-35 2.8. When I was shooting Hasselblad it was the 60mm. Get close and capture the center of the action. People remember you better and you are where you need to be (great for groups too). The current trend is long lens, but I find that being close is a plus. Guest come up to me all the time and say "you were every where", "you really work harder than any photographer I've seen". It built my wedding business and I got great photographs and great orders. I was selling $10,000 weddings fifteen years ago and shooting the whole thing with the 60mm on a Hasselblad. I had other lens, but the 60 worked. I spent my time shooting and not changing lens. Some photo worthy event always happens right when you're changing lens or headed to the bag to get another camera.

One of the reasons I love digital is not changing film. Shoot a couple hundred shots and change cards. With the Hasselblad I had 8 220 film backs loaded all the time and an assistant just to load as I shot.

I do believe it's the photographer and not the lens. I have never thought I was the greatest photographer, but I work hard.

Look for your style of photography and get a lens to support that style.

Bill

I prefer the 70-200vr but also use the 50-150 sigma2.8 and find its an all around great lens 50 lets me get a small group while 150 lets me get tight, love the color
& sharpness, It is probably my most used lens & I have quite a few

Thank you all!

I use a Nikon D200 and a Nikon D70 to shoot my weddings. My lenses are a 17-55mm f/2.8, a 70-200mm VR f/ 2.8, and a 18-70mm f/3.5 - f/4.5.

The 70-200 is is essential during the ceremony for the available light shots.

After the ceremony, the 70-200 goes in the bag and the 18-70mm goes on one camera for my assistant to use and the 17-55mm goes on the other camera for me to use.

The 17-55mm f/2.8 is my main lens for the formals and the reception. I use two umbrellas and two SB800s for the formals as well.

I've shot about 40 weddings in the last year like this, and it works for me. I see other photographers with tons more equipment costing far more, but they don't seem to get any better results than I do.

Russ