Does this lens setup make sense?

[nimborde]

I'm thinking of getting a Nikon 35-70mm 2.8 zoom lens (Used for 600 Euros) and a 50mm 1.8 lens (Used for 100 Euros). I'm thinking of using the zoom for everything and the prime for cases where light might be a problem. Does that sound okay?

Incidentally, I noticed Nikon makes a 50mm 1.4 (200 Euros) and a 50mm 1.8. It seems to be a small difference. Is it worth it to get the 1.4?

Finally I'm thinking of throwing in a 85mm 1.4 lens but that's another 400 euros. The 28 prime is also 400 Euros.

I could also go with 3 primes but the zoom seems to be a perfect workhorse. With a Budget, how would you tackle the issue with the lenses above?

[puredrifting]

Depends on the type of stuff you will be shooting. If you are a one man band and will be run and gunning, the zoom makes a lot of sense. If you have a crew and an AC and are shooting narrative, bag the zoom and get primes. They are much faster and less expensive. Most people like a 28, 50 and 85 set as a basic set or perhaps add a 105 or 135 on the long end. Depends on what you shoot, field of view desired and your personal visual signature.

I shoot with the 28, 50 and 105 set and I am pretty happy with the results so I would't need the zoom, because it is a much slower lens than the primes.

1.4 is worth it if you shoot a lot of available light and cannot light your scenes well. Keep in mind, all of these lenses look their best in the F4.5 to F8.0 range, I hate when filmmakers think that they have to shoot all of the time wide open with .5" of depth of field. Also, depending on the adapter you use, you may or may not be able to stop down a lens farther than 4.5 or 5.6.

Dan

[davide]

600 Euros sounds like way too much to pay for a 35-70 zoom lens. It'd be cheaper to buy a 35 f/2, a 50 1.4 and an 85 f/2.

[nimborde]

Ands these are used lenses. New the primes all cost around 400 Euros.

[Postmaster]

1.4 is worth it if you shoot a lot of available light and cannot light your scenes well. Keep in mind, all of these lenses look their best in the F4.5 to F8.0 range, I hate when filmmakers think that they have to shoot all of the time wide open with .5" of depth of field. Also, depending on the adapter you use, you may or may not be able to stop down a lens farther than 4.5 or 5.6.

Dan

We should make that a sticky - and everyone should have this engraved in his camera somewhere.

Frank