D810 plus one lens...spend my money!

Ironheart

@WetEndBoy, make sure you are not over generalizing. Zeiss makes some awfully good zooms. Here's one I would stack up against your 135:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/857771-REG/Zeiss_1984_033_70_200mm_T2_9_Compact_Zoom.html

WestEndBoy

@WetEndBoy, make sure you are not over generalizing. Zeiss makes some awfully good zooms. Here's one I would stack up against your 135:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/857771-REG/Zeiss_1984_033_70_200mm_T2_9_Compact_Zoom.html

Wow!

You had to come up with a $20,000 zoom lens to beat Nikon's $1,500 135?

Not over generalizing, but I didn't realize the Nikon was that good.

Ironheart

Don't exaggerate, it only costs $19,900

SquamishPhoto

and forget all this prime rubbish you never going to shoot the thing at f1.8

Yawn.


mack,

Sell your D7100, buy a used D800, a Sigma 35mmA, a 70-200mm f4 and an save the rest for another day. My .02

WestEndBoy

Don't exaggerate, it only costs $19,900

+1
You got me there.

Golf007sd

@Ironheart & WetEndBoy...you are both going to waste your money on the lens listed. Why...it is for EF mount. So before you hit the buy button, you may want to get this one.

Not back to the subject at hand. One thing to keep in mind as a photographer is: safety. Hence, there are plenty of setting where a prime is just not safe to use in getting that shot. Moreover, framing an object also plays a roll. A variable focal length telephoto, with a fixed aperture, is a very versatile lens. Used properly, the image it produces will be very, very, pleasing; and give a prime a run for its money.

Ironheart

@Golf007sd, the Zeiss EF mount is an interchangeable mount system that will let this lens mount to PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Micro 4/3, and Sony E. I figured if I was going to drop almost twenty large, it might as well have some flexibility

donaldejose

SquamishPhoto +1 The Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art and the Nikon 70-200 f4 are both very fine lenses. The D800 does provide the best image quality from Nikon at ISOs below about 1,000. At higher ISO the D4 and D4s have better image quality. If you are not going to be printing beyond 8x10 and not shooting above ISO 1,000 you won't see this additional advantage. So how large do you plan on printing your images?

Pistnbroke

no donaldejose they pay for the album as part of a package and never tell us what photos they want in the album so it never gets printed..if it did it would go straight from Acerboni to the customer and i never see it. I see lots of photographers whilst I am waiting at venues ..groom on wrong side ...guests holding cards..gaps in groups just general bad bad practice both myself and my wife are MPA BIPP RPS qualified so we have more than some idea what we are doing. But if you love your photography be it taking /photoshoping/camera fiddling great thats what its all about ..enjoyment
We just shot a wedding and the choice for the album was little better than a scrap book...

tcole1983

Well I have a D5000 so not sure if this will help. I sold my ultra wide 12-24 F4...and don't miss it. I just went on a trip and took my 17-55 F2.8 and 300 F4. I did slightly miss my 105 F2.8, but I never miss my 35 F1.8 which has by far the least amount of clicks on it.

I don't mind the gaps...I don't need the continuous coverage of the 14-24, 24-70, and 70-200. Landscapes and general use is covered in my 17-55, macro/portraits/general telephoto in my 105, animals or whatever else with my 300, lastly a few low lights and hardly used my 35.

If I got a D800 I would pretty much copy my kit except switch the 17-55 for the 24-70 and get something besides my 35 that I might actually use....probably the 85 F1.8.

For me I am not seeing enough of an advantage in my zoom range to warrant primes...I use the primes in the upper and macro range for doing what they do well. The 17-55 is good enough down low.

My $.02

Msmoto

Just to bring this back into the OP's question….. maybe three D810's…. 16-35mm f/4 VR Nikkor, 50mm f/1.4 Sigma Art, and 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII Nikkor. My thoughts today…. )

EiTaro

Exactly Ms Moto! :-h

kanuck

This is a total no brainer I think, easily the 24-70 2.8. Its the do all workhorse wide enough and shape enough for landscapes, portraits, weddings, a bit of sports, travel. Shockingly good on the D700 and still awesome on the newer D4, D4s, D800 cameras. I know it is pricey still despite being out since 2006/2007 but you can pick up a good used sample if you are smart and careful.