What’s Your Preference?

tworiffic · #1 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 12:49 PM

Hi there,

I'm planning on possibly getting the Nikon D700. I've been reading about crop bodies and how this will affect the lens length/view. I'm just a little confused about this and wondering if anyone can explain it to me in easy-to-understand terms and how this would affect the lens size I should look at getting for my needs.

I'm looking for a portrait lens to start out with. I have been reading that the 35 mm or 85 mm may be my best choices to start off with? Just wondering if you would agree. I photograph my 2 young daughters and like to keep a close shooting distance to them when shooting (as they like to climb and get into things quickly lol). With this in mind and the fact that I would like to be able to get good head shots as well as the opportunity to get full-body shots, which lens would you recommend? (I would like to start off with 1 good prime lens).

I hope I'm making sense

. Thank you for any help you can provide!

OsmosisStudios · #2 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 08:29 PM

D700 is NOT a crop camera. It's full-frame (FX in Nikon speak)
D7000 IS a crop camera. It's an APS-C size (DX in Nikon speak).

What it means is that the lens projects an image out the back of it onto the surface that houses the sensor. A crop sensor camera, being smaller, only sees the centre part of this projected image. As such, the resulting recorded image APPEARS to be that of a longer focal length lens (by a factor of x1.5 the focal length on the lens).

So, a 35mm lens on DX looks the same as a 50mm lens on FX (because 35x1.5 = 52.5mm).

If you're looking at a D700 (FX) body, then a 50mm would be good for small children because it'll allow you to be fairly close to them but still not so far if you wanna get a full-body photo. An 85mm lens would be better for headshots or head-and-shoulder photos.

If you're looking at a D7000 (DX) body, then a 35mm lens would be best for general use, with a 50 or 85mm lens for tighter photos.

tworiffic · #3 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 09:47 PM

Thank you Osmosis! You explained it well. It was the D700 I was talking about. I was at Henry's today and was trying the 35 mm versus the 50 mm on this camera. The sales person recommended the 50 mm for this camera as opposed to the 35 mm and mentioned that the 35 mm would not be good for portraits on this full frame camera (would make the nose look large). Would you agree with that? If yes, that pretty much settles it and I'm going with the nifty fifty LOL. Thanks!

RichardTaylor · #4 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 10:00 PM

35mm on a full frame camera is conventionally not the best choice for a full frame portrait lens. However it depends on the shooting conditions (especially working room), and what you want to achieve.

(1) 35mm on a full frame camera. On a theatre. I was sitting very close to my son (the subject)

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture f/2.0
Focal Length 35 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

OsmosisStudios · #5 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 10:49 PM

35mm would be a walkaround prime for me, and most. If you're shooting conventional portraits, then 50mm would be the absolute widest i'd suggest.

That being said: I've shot portraits at 10mm on DX (15mm equiv). So to each their own.

tworiffic · #6 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 04:04 PM

Thanks for all your help with this. I'm still having some issues lol.

I've been wondering if it is better for me to go with a D7000 and invest in a good lens or go with the D700 and get a 50 mm to start. I'm debating to get the much cheaper D7000 and get the 24-70 Nikon lens or put my money into a D700 body. The problem I'm encountering is that the D700 is sold out in a lot of stores right now. Henry's has it but I will pay the same price just for the body as I would for a D7000 and a good lens.

What do you think you would do? Any help would be appreciated. I would like to order this week.

OsmosisStudios · #7 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 05:38 PM

I would personally go D7000 and a good lens (like the 24-70 f/2.8 you mention).

Where in Ontario are you located?

tworiffic · #8 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I would personally go D7000 and a good lens (like the 24-70 f/2.8 you mention).

Where in Ontario are you located?

Thanks for your opinion. It has been a tough decision for me and I've been having issues deciding on what to do. The D700 is a beautiful body but the fact that I'm NOT a professional, it's probably like a Ford driver getting a Bentley LOL. I think getting the D7000 and a few great lenses is probably a more realistic decision for me. It would be a shame to have a D700 but be so broke after the purchase that I can't get any good glass to go with it other than a basic 50 mm.

I'm located in NS

.

kirbinster · #9 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 08:38 PM

The D700 is a great body, the D7000 is very good. The Nikon 24-70 is a phenominal lens. It is better to put a phenominal lens on a very good body than an average (or worse) lens on a great body. Bodies age quickly while glass retains most of it value. Get the lens now and in two years upgrade the body.