- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I have been asked to shoot a wedding next month and I am looking at upgrading to a better lens for my Nikon D5300. I currently have a 18-140 which is fine for outdoors and a fairly versatile lens but the aperture goes from 3.5 to like 5.6 when you zoom in making it less then ideal for indoor shooting like needed in a wedding. I talked with James about what he thought would be best overall sense for shooting a wedding and he suggested that all things considered I should consider getting a 24-70 f2.8 lens.
The nice thing about that lens is not only will I be able to use it for the wedding but I also will be able to use it in a lot of other settings like landscape and event shooting. The biggest challenge to getting this lens is the around $1500 price tag for it. I am a hobby photographer and don’t make any money shooting my photos so would have a hard time shelling out that kind of money for a lens. I am hoping that perhaps I could find a used or older model lens for a cheaper price. James encouraged me to post something on the forum here as he know that some of you are expert bargain hunters and great at finding good deals. (: Does anyone know of where I could get a decent 24-70 f2.8 Nikon lens for a good price? My Nikon is a DX so the lens would need to be compatible with that. I am supposed to shoot the wedding in a little over a month so hoping to find something soon. Thank you all in advance for your help with this!
Definitely keep an eye on https://www.the-digital-picture.com/News/Default.aspx?Cat=Nikon-Deals for good deals on Nikon gear. Also keep an eye on eBay auctions and even Buy It Now prices. Sometimes gear is listed with a “Make Offer” button. Figure out what it’s worth to you, and see if they’ll take you up on an offer! I’ve been shocked at how low of an offer some people will take! 🙂
Just beware of sellers with a reputation. Check out their recent feedback, and don’t go for anything that is “too good to be true” without double or triple checking all the details of the listing and the seller’s reputation. A good rule of thumb is to avoid sellers with a feedback score below 99%.Another option to consider is a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens from a third-party such as Tamron or Sigma. Those are not quite as expensive, but they often don’t hold their value quite so well either.
Definitely check out used sources such as Robert’s Camera and KEH as well as Adorama and B&H Photo. Many of those retailers also sell on eBay: e.g. here’s one from Robert’s Camera on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Nikkor-AF-S-24-70mm-f2-8-G-ED-IF-ASPH-Lens-AFS-860/203006694554
Keep in mind that 24mm x 1.5 crop factor (for a DX camera) equals 36mm. You’ll probably want something wider for indoor shots if you want to get the whole congregation in one shot! Ken Rockwell recommends that if you have a DX camera you get the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 instead.
I buy a lot of gear on ebay, and I am guessing I could get a Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 (used) for around $600-$700 using my “Best Offer” or else bidding in an auction.
It just takes a little research and negotiating.Hi Gabriel!
I went through this same process with the 24-70 f2.8 just a month ago (except I bought it for a family photo shoot not a wedding). The 24-70 f2.8 is my favorite portrait lens that I own and is almost constantly on my camera. As a small side note, it is heavy, Really heavy! For me this is not a huge deal, as I like heavy lens and cameras. Just a thought for you to consider.
Anyway, back to your original question. : ) I bought my 24-70 f2.8 from MPB.com (for $704), who had it priced lower than anything I could find on ebay. It was listed as in good condition, but after examining it I would have listed it as in mint condition! However, after doing a quick search today on MPB’s website, it looks like they are sold out. They do have a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 ($869) and the newer VR version of the nikon 24-70 f2.8 ($1,200). If you are willing to wait a week or two and see if MPB gets anther 24-70, I think they would be a great option. If you really need to step on it however, I would try to find something on ebay.
Good luck and hope this helped!
Ethan
P.S. Here is a photos of what the 24-70 looks like on my old D5000.
P.P.S. And congrats on getting to shoot a wedding!Attachments:
Thank you all for your advice and help! @Ezra and @Ernest thank you for the advice to use the “best offer” feature. I was able to find the lens I was looking for for a decent price on Robert’s Camera online eBay store. I used the best offer feature and got almost $80 off the list price. Praise the Lord.
Thank you also @Ethan for your advice and for the picture that allowed me to get a better idea of what the lens would look like on my camera.
So good to hear @rejoiceevermore!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.