HI Folks! Need your advice, please

[sarhento]

Okay, first off, I am only an enthusiast. I have a boring job (accountancy) and I need a hobby to break the monotony. That's why about 3 years ago, I started fulfilling my childhood dream of delving into photography.

I love to travel and take pictures of anything and everything -landscapes, architecture, people, flowers, events, etc.

what I need to know from you folks is: what do I need to dispose of in order to yield to LLD and acquire a 12-24 and a 70-200VR. My current lens collection is shown below. Or do I even need these lenses? I feel I need as much coverage as possible.

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice.

Thank you in advance.

sarhento

 

[Ken-L]

Regardless of the lenses you already have, it would seem that the 70-200VR is a wonderful lens and would be a great addition since it's size would not be an issue for you.

 

[Chris101]

Look at your duplicates.:
20 f/2.8, no dupe, keep it
24-120vr, a unique walk around lens, keep it
28-70 f/2.8, a good match for your new 70-200, keep it
80-200 f/2.8, duplicates your new 70-200, sell it
105 f/2.8, 105 f/2.5 depends on what you do. Portraits, keep the 2.5, macro then decide between:
105 f/2.8 and 60 f/2.8, depends on your macro style
70-300, pick up a 1.4X telecon and sell this one.
85 f/1.8 keep as it's your fast lens
28-105, covered by other lenses, sell it

 

[gilbert]

It seems if you get the 12-24mm and 70-200mm, you could eliminate the 20mm and 80-200mm right off the bat. You have a number of mid-range zooms that you might want to consider paring back on: 24-120mm, 28-70mm, and 28-105mm. Do you really need the 28-105mm given that you have the 24-120mm? Personally I would keep the 28-70mm, it is an awesome versatile portrait focal length lens. Also, do you need two 105mm lenses? How much do you use your 70-300mm? I guess it boils down to how much do you use each lens and what you envision your lens 'kits' to be. You can cover focal lengths from 12-200mm with the 12-24mm, 28-70mm, and 70-200mm but the other lenses serve other niche purposes (macro, travel, portraiture, low-light).

 

[sarhento]

Wow, thanks for sensible responses!!

My 20mm lens is the only fixed wide angle lens I have. I feel I should replace this with a 12-24. But it's such a good sharp lens

My 28-105 used to be my "walk around lens" until I got the 24-120VR. It's macro feature comes handy sometimes but having 105 micro and 60 micro, I think I can live without it, although this lens 28-105 is a very good value lens. The 24-120VR is now my travel lens only because it's light.

Perhaps owning two micro lenses is too much, so I can part with the 60, but again that's also a very sharp lens

The other 105 is a very good portrait lens. It is manual and I have grown attached to it.

The 80-200 is a such a good lens too. But if I buy the 70-200VR then it becomes redundant.

I think I can sell the 70-300 and buy the 1.4x telecon. I have taken some great pics with this one too.

Well, guys your advice is very much appreciated. I will have to make up my mind soon.

 

[Chris101]

Good luck to you Sarhento.

Selling lenses is never fun. Personally I would rather get a root canal without anesthesia than sell a lens, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. The only modification I'd do, is consider keeping the 60 instead of the 105 micro. First off, it's slightly sharper. and second, it's more versatile. Unless you do a lot of bug 'n' lizard stuff. it's the better macro, and if you do, you'll want the 200.

Again, good luck (oh, and PS, hurry up and post 7 more times so you can sell 'em here!)

 

[AFS]

IF I were you, I'd sell:
80-200
70-300
28-105
Keep
105 2.5, some things are never meant to be parted with.
one of the micro-nikkors
28-70

Toss-ups
85 1.8 I say probably keep it, but if you don't use it enough or have a certain style that would justify it, think about selling
105 2.8 or 60 2.8- pick your style, and sell the one that doesn't apply.
24-120 VR- Is yours a sharp sample or not? Evaluate usage, walk-around prospects, and generally how you like it. It is a lens that sells for $500 new, and I see one for about 350 on ebay. See how its usability and its value compare. Then select.
20 2.8- This is the real toss-up here. It is near the end of the range covered by your upcoming 12-24, but it is also a very small, compact, and sharp lens. It has one advantage over the 12-24, which is f/2.8. The 12-24 is f/4 constant. If the extra stop helps you, keep it, if not sell it.

I love lenses, and I love the idea of near-seamless coverage from 10.5mm to 400mm, and optional converters to make it near-seamless to 600mm , with the occasional prime tele in those remote locations You are not alone, and it isn't a bad idea to have every possibility covered.
The best thing any photographer can do is to have the best glass they can, for the camera that is right for them, and learn how to make them tools of their photographic eye. Use them to hone the eye, and use the eye to manipulate them. That's why most of my sell/keep recommendations stem mainly from quality. There's no need for total repetition, or even triple total repetition of a certain group, unless there is a clear purpose.
I would say that it is a good idea to get the 12-24 and ESPECIALLY the 70-200 VR.
I have had my VR for about a month, and already I have taken more photos that would have been totally botched if not for the VR and 2.8 aperture, and fast focusing, than I could ever imagine. I upgraded from a like-new 80-200 AFS which I had for only a few months, too. I never made a better decision in photography. The VR has a great feel to it, and great features. the 12-24 will open up new ultra-wide avenues for you as well.
Hope that you are able to do everything well and that you are happy with your end decision.

 

[sarhento]

I appreciate your advice AFS as much as everyone else's. Yes, I am inclined to dispose of the ones you listed. To tell you the truth, I am agonizing over the 80-200. i like the lens a lot but I know the range will be covered by the 70-200 VR.

The 85 f1.8 I'll definitely keep for now until I've got enough funds to upgrade to the f1.4.

So, to summarize: I will consider selling the following:

20mm
28-105mm
80-200mm
70-300mm
vacillating between 60micro and 105 micro

buy the following:
70-200VR
12-24

That should cover and satisfy LLD for now until I can afford the canon 500D and either the 1.4 or 1.7 telecon.

What do you folks think? Am I on the right track?

sarhento