What (first) lens should i get?

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Nikon's D7100 is a DX camera, but this forum is for FX Nikons.

Here is DPR's forum for DX cameras: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/1034..._source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

If your strategy is to buy FF lenses today that you can use when you get an FX body, that's different.

If so, your post may belong here, but you didn't say that.

We don't know whether to recommend FF lenses, or ask you to ask your question in the DX forum.

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

tesla23 said:

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Since you've stated you'll eventually get a FF body, and this lens will be for that I'd have to say ... it depends.

Buy the lens that's most-useful to you today ... keeping in mind it will behave 1.5x longer on a DX body.

Personally I'd get the Nikon 24-70 f2.8 ... but you're not me.

My 2 cents.

tesla23 said:

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

Click to expand...

If you don't mind I am saying this but you are going the wrong way - instead of buying the D7100 why don't you buy a D750 or if it is too much buy a D610 and get a 24-85VR

Financially it is very much on the ball park - prices are based on Amazone.com and rounded off to the nearest 100.

D610: $1500 + 24-85: $600 = $2,100

D750: $2300 + 24-85:$600 = $2,900

D7100: $1000 + 24-70: $1,900 = $2,900

D750+24-120 F4 VR= $3000

So instead of going the DX way you may as well get the FX body and be done with - 24-85 is a decent street photo lens - or if you can stress a little bit more get the D750+24-120 combo this will last you a long time.

I'd also do what mais51 suggests, a temporary FX body with a keeper FX lens.

Since it's temporary, I'd opt for a used D700 or D800 instead of any new FX body, but then a keeper FF lens, a f1.4 prime or a fixed f2.8 zoom, 24-70 being the most useful of the 3 as a first lens.

mais51 said:

tesla23 said:

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

Click to expand...

If you don't mind I am saying this but you are going the wrong way - instead of buying the D7100 why don't you buy a D750 or if it is too much buy a D610 and get a 24-85VR

Financially it is very much on the ball park - prices are based on Amazone.com and rounded off to the nearest 100.

D610: $1500 + 24-85: $600 = $2,100

D750: $2300 + 24-85:$600 = $2,900

D7100: $1000 + 24-70: $1,900 = $2,900

D750+24-120 F4 VR= $3000

So instead of going the DX way you may as well get the FX body and be done with - 24-85 is a decent street photo lens - or if you can stress a little bit more get the D750+24-120 combo this will last you a long time.

Click to expand...

I am out here in Germany and your prices are far away from it. Still though, thanks

mais51 said:

tesla23 said:

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

Click to expand...

If you don't mind I am saying this but you are going the wrong way - instead of buying the D7100 why don't you buy a D750 or if it is too much buy a D610 and get a 24-85VR

Financially it is very much on the ball park - prices are based on Amazone.com and rounded off to the nearest 100.

D610: $1500 + 24-85: $600 = $2,100

D750: $2300 + 24-85:$600 = $2,900

D7100: $1000 + 24-70: $1,900 = $2,900

D750+24-120 F4 VR= $3000

So instead of going the DX way you may as well get the FX body and be done with - 24-85 is a decent street photo lens - or if you can stress a little bit more get the D750+24-120 combo this will last you a long time.

Click to expand...

.....if you do go the D750 route, get the combo with the 24-120mm for photography callejera.

tesla23 said:

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Since my D100 I bought on 2002, Nikkor 24-120 has been my main lens with all my DX bodies (it was followed by D200 and D300S). I started with the AFD version, went to AFS VR variable aperture version when it was released and finally to the AFS and constant f/4 aperture.

Nikkor 24-120 f/4 is a great lens with very good image quality at all apertures and focal length when mounted on DX cropped sensor cameras but it demanded a WA to cover the subjects as I like. I paired it with Nikkor 12-24 f/4 and I was pretty happy.

That same lens is very good also for FX, although you will lose some sharpness in the borders/corners of the FX frame at f/4-6.3 range but completely acceptable for me for most situations because when I use those apertures usually my main subject will be not at the borders.

At f/8 and smaller apertures that lens is very sharp over all frame. One interesting point is that lens can be used as a single lens for walk around as 24 mm at FX is wide enough for most of my needs when travelling. Oh, yes, I have a Nikkor 16-35 f/4 VR to pair with it and I use both of them for my shots but when I need an absolute minimum system, I can cope with only that lens in FX format better than I would cope with DX format.

I strongly recommend Nikkor 24-120 f/4 VR. For DX or FX sensor sized cameras.

All the best,

mais51 said:

tesla23 said:

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

Click to expand...

If you don't mind I am saying this but you are going the wrong way - instead of buying the D7100 why don't you buy a D750 or if it is too much buy a D610 and get a 24-85VR

Financially it is very much on the ball park - prices are based on Amazone.com and rounded off to the nearest 100.

D610: $1500 + 24-85: $600 = $2,100

D750: $2300 + 24-85:$600 = $2,900

D7100: $1000 + 24-70: $1,900 = $2,900

D750+24-120 F4 VR= $3000

So instead of going the DX way you may as well get the FX body and be done with - 24-85 is a decent street photo lens - or if you can stress a little bit more get the D750+24-120 combo this will last you a long time.

Click to expand...

I agree with Mais, if you can, get a d610 or d750. I did as you are thinking and bought a d7100 and it's a fantastic camera with excellent IQ, AF and low light performance. But I wanted a FF. <shrug>

Anyway, to answer your question, common sense will say get the zoom as it's far more versatile but I'd recommend the 35art. It's a truly great lens. Sharp, no distortion, excellent broken, etc. vignette g is about high wide open but easily correctable in post. It is by far my favorite lens and I love walking around with just it and my d810. I loved it on my d7100 too, but it was a little narrow. On FF I could easily live with just my 70-300 for chasing my girls around at the park and pool and my 35 art for everything else.

my 28-70 is an excellent lens. I love my 35.

tesla23 said:

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the Nikon 16-85mm (24-120mm equivalent). It is sharp, compact, and has VR for low light conditions.

tesla23 said:

mais51 said:

tesla23 said:

I forgot to mention this earlier, FF is defenitely the goal so i would want to invest "right".

Click to expand...

If you don't mind I am saying this but you are going the wrong way - instead of buying the D7100 why don't you buy a D750 or if it is too much buy a D610 and get a 24-85VR

Financially it is very much on the ball park - prices are based on Amazone.com and rounded off to the nearest 100.

D610: $1500 + 24-85: $600 = $2,100

D750: $2300 + 24-85:$600 = $2,900

D7100: $1000 + 24-70: $1,900 = $2,900

D750+24-120 F4 VR= $3000

So instead of going the DX way you may as well get the FX body and be done with - 24-85 is a decent street photo lens - or if you can stress a little bit more get the D750+24-120 combo this will last you a long time.

Click to expand...

I am out here in Germany and your prices are far away from it. Still though, thanks

Click to expand...

If you are in Germany then check your prices with Media Markt or Photo Hobby

Media Markt prices: ( all prices are in Euro)

D610 +24-85 = 1800

D750+24-85 = 2340

D7100: 859; Nikon 24-70: 1479 = 2338

D7100: 859; Nikon 24-85 :499 = 1358

So with a few more Euro you could get a D610 +24-85 which could last you a long time

Of course you can get much better prices than that talking to the salesman in the shop or wait a bit when Media Markt has one of its many sales which normally saves you the 19% Tax.

camerosity said:

tesla23 said:

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the Nikon 16-85mm (24-120mm equivalent). It is sharp, compact, and has VR for low light conditions.

Click to expand...

It is an excellent lens - I have one with my D300s but I since replaced it with a 24-120 F4 with my D800. Since OP said he wanted to go the FX way then just bite the bullet and do it now, no point going DX - just a waste of money in the long terms

tesla23 said:

I will get a D7100 next week and am still not sure what lens i should get. Right now its a tie between the Nikon 24-70 ore the Sigma 35mm 1.4 - by the way, i shoot street mostly.

Either way, please let me know. Thanks.

Click to expand...

obvious answer, the 24-70, its no contest.

OP, buy the lens you need NOW, not the lens you think will you need in the future. Get the 16-85mm and use it until you decide you need FX.

Just a suggestion . . . if you can possibly swing a refurbished Nikon D610 and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4, I think you'd be far happier in the long run. With the availability of much lower-cost, full-frame bodies now, I don't see much point in building a DX system from scratch anymore.

LIGHTBASICS.COM

LIGHTBASICS said:

Just a suggestion . . . if you can possibly swing a refurbished Nikon D610 and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4, I think you'd be far happier in the long run. With the availability of much lower-cost, full-frame bodies now, I don't see much point in building a DX system from scratch anymore.

LIGHTBASICS.COM

Click to expand...

Ummm...OP said he's getting a D7100 and will perhaps move to FX in the future. he's already said he can't afford the D610 in his country.

18-35 FX might be something to consider.

I think my Sigma 35mm 1.4 A is an awesome walk around lens.

The Sigma 35/1.4 is very special. Get it first.
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