some advice pls

robbinsbox wrote:

same old story, I'm shopping for a camera and want a little feedback from users of the 16, 20, 30, 45 and 85mm:) first thought is I would do 16, 45mm for walkabout and 85mm for long portrait.

I use the same lenses (minus 85mm plus the 60mm). The 16 & 45mm's are my favorites. The 16 works very well for me on landscapes/architecture when using infinity focus at f/4 or narrower. I also like it for indoor video. The 45mm gets used for absolutely anything/everything non-macro; (I really feel like I have an excellent copy of the 45mm). I used the 20mm a lot until I got the 16mm.

I mostly shoot portrait (hence the short and long) but like to have a wide. Not bothered about fast aperture for the wider but do v much for the 45 and 85mm. Center sharpness important for the 45 and 85 but not edges,

My 45mm has great center sharpness from wide open on and very good sharpness from f/4 to f/8 across the entire frame.

Be nice if the wide was sharp across the frame though.

As mentioned my 16 is sharp across the frame with the right approach and the right situations. I would not use it for close-in group photos.

I focus and recompose rather than set an af point.

I used to utilize the focus and recompose a lot, but the touch screen on the NX300 has become automatic with setting the necessary focus point properly with the 16mm and other lenses as well. Still use f&r on the NX20, especially when using the viewfinder.

Needless to say I want to spend as little as possible, no problem with older bodies as long as the af is accurate. Sometimes I shoot manual focus but not often, nice to have the option though.

I have found AF to be very accurate on all my NX cameras/lenses. Faster with the 45mm than the 30mm. Manual focus has become much easier with the upgrades of the newer NX cameras.

Good luck.