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35mm or 85mm?
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Jan 11, 2018 22:37:03   #
timkramer Loc: PA
 
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.

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Jan 11, 2018 22:44:37   #
Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.
 
My walk around lens is a 28 135, my favorite for a walk around lens, probably next would be my 70 200L lens although it is larger and heavier. I do have some other lens that I use accordingly to what I am looking to shoot such as my 100 macro wide angle lens for wide field of view.

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Jan 11, 2018 22:48:43   #
Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.
 
My walk around lens is a 28 135, my favorite for a walk around lens, probably next would be my 70 200L lens although it is larger and heavier. I do have some other lens that I use accordingly to what I am looking to shoot such as my 100 macro wide angle lens for wide field of view. I have two bodies, one is a full frame and the other a crop and for birding my 100 600.

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Jan 11, 2018 22:52:18   #
Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida
 
I have an 85mm, and some zooms; but my walk around lens is the 35mm.

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Jan 11, 2018 22:52:50   #
SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY
 
...24-70mm...2.8...part of the trinity of lenses...on the crop sensor that’s 36-105mm right in the range you are looking for...

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Jan 11, 2018 22:53:31   #
JR45 Loc: Montgomery County, TX
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


I like either my 28-200 or 18-300 on either a D7200 or D500, depending on witch I think I will need.

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Jan 11, 2018 22:56:02   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
The 35mm is a good choice. Having a 35mm on your camera gives you a similar field of view to what was considered a 'normal' lens on 35mm film cameras. One thing most photography classes required was spending time with that one lens and learning to get the shot by moving.

---

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Jan 11, 2018 23:11:53   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


Use the 35 and crop .....using well applied pixel enlargement if need be - preferably with the 7100 ...

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Jan 11, 2018 23:25:04   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


I have the DX version 35mm f1.8. I love it. Paid less than $200 for it brand new. I also have the 50mm f1.8. The Nikon 85mm f1.8G is your best bet. One of the more popular portrait lenses.

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Jan 11, 2018 23:33:05   #
GPS Phil Loc: Dayton Ohio
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


I have had the D7100 since it came out and have more than a few DX lenses. Having said that, my old 16-85mm was always my favorite walk around lens for that camera, recently I purchased the new 16-80mm 2.8 and it has become my favorite, light and compact, great contrast and razor sharp, it is a joy. It has turned out to be an ideal street lens for me. I usually have my full frame close by with a 20mm 1.8 mounted on it. That covers low light and night work.

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Jan 12, 2018 00:22:24   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


Unless you want to switch to a zoom that covers those focal lengths, a simple solution would be to get a lens case to put on your belt to carry the second lens, so that you have both with you. After all, they serve different purposes and for some of the things you like to shoot the 35mm would probably be preferred, while for other things the 85mm would likely be the better choice.

Get a set of macro extension tubes (such as the Kenko, which are good quality) and use those to be able to shoot closer with either lens, though the 85mm short telephoto would likely be the better of the two for this purpose. Experiment with the 12mm and 20mm extension tubes from the set (there's also a 36mm), to see how much increase in magnification you tend to use... then carry that extension tube in the lens case too. Then you'll be prepared for close-ups, too.

This was shot with an 85mm lens with a 20mm extension tube:


You'll be able to use the extension tubes with any lenses you have now or in the future. They have no optics, so don't have much effect on image quality. I've used them with everything from 20mm to 500mm lenses... but they are most often useful with short telephotos, such as your 85mm.

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Jan 12, 2018 07:49:41   #
streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma
 
GPS Phil wrote:
I have had the D7100 since it came out and have more than a few DX lenses. Having said that, my old 16-85mm was always my favorite walk around lens for that camera, recently I purchased the new 16-80mm 2.8 and it has become my favorite, light and compact, great contrast and razor sharp, it is a joy. It has turned out to be an ideal street lens for me. I usually have my full frame close by with a 20mm 1.8 mounted on it. That covers low light and night work.



I agree 100%, I also have the 16-80 and its absolutley spectacular!!

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Jan 12, 2018 07:56:44   #
timkramer Loc: PA
 
Thanks for all of the responses....very helpful! Lots of options that I can start taking a look at. Why must there be so many lenses out there!! :) So is the 16-80 better than the 16-85?

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Jan 12, 2018 08:26:59   #
streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma
 
timkramer wrote:
Thanks for all of the responses....very helpful! Lots of options that I can start taking a look at. Why must there be so many lenses out there!! :) So is the 16-80 better than the 16-85?



"This Nikon 16-80mm VR has the best Vibration Reduction (VR) I've tested. It's also extremely sharp, a stop faster than most zooms (f/2.8~4), and focuses extremely closely.

Its high speed and outstanding VR (image stabilization) makes it easy to get perfect shots in any light. I get perfectly sharp shots most of the time at 1/4 of a second hand-held!

If 80mm is long enough for you (it is for me), this new 16-80mm is Nikon's best do-everything lens for Nikon's DX cameras.

Move the focus ring at any time for instant manual focus override.

You can buy different zooms, but you can't buy better."....Ken Rockwell

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Jan 12, 2018 09:05:24   #
RKL349 Loc: Connecticut
 
timkramer wrote:
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I have always struggled is which is the better lens to use as the "main" one when traveling or your general walk around lens. It never fails that when I have my 35, I am thinking it would have been great to also have the 85, and vice-versa. I primarily like taking pictures of landscapes, buildings, people walking by, etc. I also like taking close ups, but neither seem very good at close distances. Great lenses but just wondering what people use as their primary set up. I use either my D300 or D7100 with either/both lenses.
I have a 35mm 1.8G and an 85mm 1.8G and where I ha... (show quote)


On my D750, it’s the latest version 24-120mm f/4. On the D7200, it’s the 16-80mm f/2.8-4. These work best for me. On my Oly EMD E5, it’s the 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens. If I was only going to use a fixed length lens, it would be the 35 mm on my D7200, the 50 mm on the D750, and the 25mm on my Oly.

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