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Thread: Lens for Nikon D700

  1. #1
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    Lens for Nikon D700

    Hi. I have saved for ages and managed to get a second hand Nikon D700 camera body which will hopefully do me for years to come.. Can you suggest a good lens I can buy for around £300. Lenses I have now: Zero. Budget is really tight. If I have to wait to get up to £500+ prices the D700 is going to rust with non use LOL.
    I am looking for one which will do landscape...waterfalls...mountains..rocks. Are there any good alternative brands to Nikon which I could consider ?. What is it like getting lenses on places like ebay?
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Clactonian's Avatar
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    Mike Bareham

    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    With no lens and a low budget I would by a Nikon 50mm 'standard' lens. There was a time when all cameras came with a 50mm as the do-it-all lens. It has the advantage that you are going to have to think about your compositions and maybe move your feet a bit. A new 50mm 1.8G lens will cost you approx £150 (UK) and leave some money for other accessories.

  3. #3

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    Allan Short

    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Welcome to CIC, now one of the first things is could you go back into settings and add the name you would like us to call you, I go by Polar01 however everyone call me by my first name of Allan. Second where are you it helps so a member can tell you where to go to maybe purchase items. As you use pounds I would think you are in the United Kingdom so I would not tell you to go to a store in Ottawa Ontario Canada.
    Now for your problem, you have a FX of full frame camera, do not purchase DX lens which are for a c-crop sensor camera such as the D7000 or D7100. You want FX lens, I would suggest you look at the 50mm f/1.8D it is a great lens to learn with and is also the least expensive of all lens for the Nikon, I think that it is far better than the newer ones, one reason is it stops down to f/22 instead of stopping at f/16 as all the newer ones do, for me that is important as I shoot as of the items you want to do. Once you have learned your camera and lens then look for a different lens that will work into what you want maybe the 18-35mm f3.5-5.6G which is way off of your price range at this time, so you will need to save as you have started in photography it really helps that learning to save bit.
    As for e-bay a good place to pick up a used lens, if you know what you are looking for, watch out for shipping, VAT, and customs if it has to be shipped in from outside the country, better to purchase inside country.
    So have some fun and again welcome to CIC.

    Cheers:

    Allan

  4. #4
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    Trevor Reeves

    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    This is the same camera body I use and I am very pleased with

    Now; the lens question. This camera will support, and the picture quality will be best, with the highest quality lenses made by Nikon. Since you can't afford them at this time then you have to decide if you are going to ever buy this type of lens or use the best you can afford.

    I f you are planning to go with the optimal lenses my logic would be to buy a cheap zoom (or maybe two) that will cover the range from 16 mm to 200mm. The camera will support FX and DX lenses; so buy the cheapest lenses you can find. The logic here is to start using the camera and learning photography and how to use the camera. Cheap lenses will still enable you to take pictures. The sharpness and light gathering ability will be much less than high end lenses. So what. As you get proficient save your money for the best lenses.

    If you are not going to eventually get high end lenses then look for good used lenses. I have bought three off eBay and as long as you use reputable sellers then no problem.

  5. #5
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Thank you for the replies. Two 50mm primes have been mentioned but ones a D and ones a G. I can afford one of those to get going with but is there a great difference between them? I do like the idea of the cheap zoms from 16mm to 200 which tbob suggested. I think I have read every review under the sun. I am aware its a FX camera and not to use DX lenses although it will work. I have taken on board that its practice I want rather than to hold out for the best expensive lens I can buy. I think I am going to get a 50mm prime and save for another lens At least I can be doing something.

  6. #6
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    My friend said I should save and get the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR Lens which is over £600mnew but ebay has them for £550. Means I have to save past Christmas and all the wonderful photos I could get in the snow LOL I think I just want lots of money and not have to think about the expense! Need a rich wife!
    Last edited by Loxor; 1st October 2013 at 10:15 PM.

  7. #7
    dubaiphil's Avatar
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Well the 50mm f1.8G is a logical choice. You can pick up a few different options 2nd hand too, and don't be afraid of manual focus especially on the wider end of things. The focus confirm light in the viewfinder is pretty accurate for anything 50mm or wider (85mm + and you might be needing a split prism after market focus screen to help out.

    I don't know what the prices are like in the UK at the moment, but 35mm and 20mm f2 and f2.8 Nikkors could be other options.

  8. #8
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Thank you all for your advice
    I have just ordered from Amazon UK a 50mm f1.8G for £149 as recommended
    I am excited plus thank god the search is over! Well not quite I do need a few others but thank you very much for getting me started. I never thought of getting a 50mm to get started when I joined the forum earlier today, as I holding out for an alternative to nikon wide zoom....but 50mm sounds like a good place to start.

  9. #9
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Just a quick update. I received my 50mm lens last night. I am impressed with it. Have only been around my house with it but am well impressed with it. A really good choice and at least I have something to get started with without breaking the bank. Thanks to all for their advice.

  10. #10
    krispix's Avatar
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Hi Ed,

    You made a good choice with your 'Nifty-Fifty' It's a wonderfully sharp lens and sooooooo cheap.

    If you can't afford Nikon, Sigma and Tamron are good choices. Both make great lenses.

    eBay is definitely worth considering. Make sure you read the description carefully: Fully functioning, no scratches on the glass, no fungus etc. If you get stiffed eBay's Resolution Centre should be able to sort it out.

  11. #11
    f8andbethere's Avatar
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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Good choice on the 50mm. I also have a D700 along with seven Nikon lenses, one is a 50mm f1.4D. I'll put that on and go downtown and shoot "found objects". The fixed focal length makes you get creative with your shots plus the f1.4 allows for a very shallow depth of field. I have a few lenses that I bought used at a local camera store that have served me well over the years. A used 28-105 is my walk around lens, it was used when I got it, and now it is really really used.
    Good luck with your new camera and lens, theres nothing else like photography.

  12. #12

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    Re: Lens for Nikon D700

    Quote Originally Posted by Loxor View Post
    . .the search is over! Well not quite I do need a few others but thank you very much for getting me started. I never thought of getting a 50mm to get started when I joined the forum earlier today, as I holding out for an alternative to nikon wide zoom....but 50mm sounds like a good place to start.
    One thing in your favor with the D700 is it's large pixels. Among other things, this means that you can shoot with larger f-numbers before diffraction blur becomes apparent. For the same reason, the sensor is more tolerant of aberrations when shooting with the aperture wide open.

    So, you should not need to buy the finest zoom on the planet and could even consider third-party lenses e.g. Sigma, Tamron, instead of Nikon.

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