Wide Angle For D600 Shooting in night clubs ie close proximity?

RaOsiris

Hello, i am looking for some advice on which lens to purchase for shooting up close in night clubs.

I have a D600 and currently have a 50mm 1.8, love it. Its beautiful but obviously to distant for clubs, and a 28-300mm Nikkor, which again, Love it! but its A)super heavy and B)f3.5
Ive shot with my 50mm in clubs and love the effect of using it on f2.2-2.8 it allows much more background bleed of the lights and the obvious bokeh of said lights.

I like the 28-300 for the 28mm range. So im looking at 28mm primes and 24mm and well.. everything lol.
But im seeing reports of the Tamron 28 primes not being super sharp as well as some other points of de-quality in the cheaper lens's aimed around that wide angle area.

If i had 700-2000 dollars i would buy nice glass for sure, but till then. I'm looking for under $500..

So my question is. For sharpness and quality im accustom to in my 28-300mm do i need to drop top dollar to find a between 20mm and 30mm wide lens to replace it with lower aperture, possibly less weight, lens?

Thank you

Ra

Pistnbroke

None of what you mention here is wide angle to me ....your best lens would be a Samyang 14mm f 2.8 ..fabulus quality using a mega 18 mp used of your 24 mp DXO says . I shoot wedding first dance so similar to your night clubs and have also used the Sigma 17-35 2.8-4 old model about $150 or $300 for the HSM .this gives me a bit of zoom ability I usually shoot at F5.6 or F8.....what you need is two cameras a wide and a zoom

Golf007sd

Hello and welcome to NFR RaOsiris.

If you can muster up to about $700, the one that would suit you best would be the Sigma 35 1.4 Art. But this is not considered a "wide-angle" lens. But if the 50mm has served you well, then this will to without question.

sevencrossing

How about the Nikon 24mm f/2.8D AF

shawnino

The Nikon 20 2.8D comes in right at $500 (grey market, NYC discount stores). I've got this lens and I get good results. The good news is that it's very compact, and sharp/useful from f/4 on. Distortions very easy to correct in post. The bad news is that f/4 might not float your boat in a night club.

If you need something faster, although I don't have it myself everyone I know loves the Nikon 28 1.8G. B&H showing a "9+" used copy at $539. Over budget by $40 and I apologize for that but if you need to be faster than f/2.8 while wider than 35mm, I don't see another realistic option. B&H 9 and 9+ lenses have never disappointed me. (With the rebate program, new copy is $599.)

Pistnbroke

Be very very careful with anyting third party on your nikon ..sigma seems to work well but side issues like LCD not working right ..why do they need a USB dock if they dont need to re programme it ? Sigma think faults are features when you complain. Stick with Nikon and go wide at least 17 mm or below for your FX

sevencrossing

go wide at least 17 mm or below
may be with dx
but the Op is shooting FX
something between 20mm and 30mm is ideal
the 24mm f 1.4 would be perfect but out of his ( and mine) budget

framer

Sometimes you need to step up to the pump. If your serious about your photography find a nice used 17-35 f2.8 nikkor. Yes it's more than $500 more like $800-$1000. This should become your goto lens in clubs. In 5 years you can sell it and it could bring more than you paid used.

framer

Symphotic

Perhaps you should consider a change in plans and start saving for a 24 - 70 f/2.8. It works well indoors, and although it is heavy, it is a lens you will use for many years to come. My biggest regrets in camera purchases are the lesser lenses that I've bought that I don't use.

Otherwise, I'm with shawnino: the 28 1.8 is not much more than $500 and 28 mm is a great focal length for full frame sensors.

sevencrossing

Farmer, Symphotic
Would you go for the 24 - 70 f/2.8 or the 17-35 f2.8 over the 24 f 1.4?

My experience of UK night life is, it's dark
I normally only shoot night life for fun, so when I can't use flash, I stick to my 50mm f 1.4
On the rare occasions, I am being paid, I hire the 24mm f 1.4

Symphotic

I can't fault the 27-70, even in darker locations, but I don't think there are too many lenses that give better results and are more rewarding to use than the 24 f/1.4. I was being paid to shoot some in-situ laser equipment two years ago, and I bought the 24 f/1.4 for that job. Up close, indoors, in conditions where I could not bring in any lights, I got terrific results that got me another job right away. One job paid for the lens, the second for my time.
Actually, I have never yet used the 24-70 for anything but recreational shooting. It is versatile and fun.
Sevencrossing, we ought to meet up and do some night shooting in London... I'm visiting next month for an Oceanography conference. I'll bring along my Df and a couple of lenses you don't have, and you can let me try a couple of your lenses.

Vipmediastar_JZ

are you using a speedlight at the club? sigma 10-20mm 4-5.6 $429.00

Pistnbroke

A speedlight will just ruin the atmosphere ..you might as well shoot it outside in the mid day sun ...just use the auto iso and say 1/30 at F whatever you want . the Sigma 10-20mm is a DX lens this guy is using FX

NoXiN

my recommendation is to go as wide as you can. I have the 17-35 and use it all the time, but the majority of my shots with it are at 17mm. if you are shooting up close you will something as wide as possible, but just be careful of the distortion you can get if with a wide angle if you get too close to the subject. I would also stick with something that has AF because it will be hard to focus in a dark club with people moving about.

Vipmediastar_JZ

i need more coffee. i forgot that it was a dx lens. carry on

Golf007sd

The 24 1.4G rocks. I love it, but it is not $500. Hence, way above the OP's budget.