Cos I'm going nuts here. Forgive the waffle but I want to make my option as clear as possible with the reasoning.

As you all know I now do press stuff and recently found my lens choice a little lacking. I usually use my Nikkor 20-70 F2.8 but since doing the press ticket I have found the 28mm too long!! Yes I'm that close! Like sub 4 feet from the subject. I have no problems with the lens its a cracker and should be for what it cost but still, its decission time.

I would also like to throw in into the mix that I own and use an F5 film camera hence the dilema.

My options are (all these lenses are 2.8 rated)

Sell the 28 - 70 and by the 17 - 55 (but its a DX so can't be used on the F5

Sell the 28 - 70 and F5 and by the 17 - 55 and know I'll never shoot film again.

Sell the 28 - 70 and buy the 17 - 55 and buy a Sigma 28 - 70 to use on the F5 (and use on the D200 occasionally)

Help me please!!!

PS: there may be another option too. A mate has expressed intrest in buying both the lens and F5. He owns the sigma 28 - 70 and an F80. So if he is in agreement, do a kit swap with cash adjustment.

12-24 or 17-35?

both well regarded lenses

17 -55 would save me having to swap lenses mid set. I'm on a time restraint when I'm in there.

more bodies ;)

anyhoo, what press stuff are you doing?

Don't!!! Please, I'm already looking at the D2xs!!! And already run 2 bodies in the pit, I don't need to run 3 FFS!!

anyhoo, what press stuff are you doing?

Not suprisingly, gigs for a press agency. :D Although, judging by the last 3 for how much longer I don't know.

hehe, when it's not going right, it really isn't :|

last gig i did, the lead singer said "did you get me jumping?"
what, randomly in the 4th song out of 12?! :rolleyes:

so many ways to not go right!

Wait till you get 1 like my last 1. No front lighting and back lit by strobes and what I affectionaly term "punter blinders" (banks of lights that get switched on to max and then off again)

Not surprised you find 28mm too long on a crop-format SLR. So you want a why-dangle, then get one. Easy answer. Forget the F5, sorry to say (but equally easy) :(

Maybe a more difficult question is wide zoom, or wide prime with a nice big max aperture :confused: :)

Richard.

Take the F5 out of the equation - its not relavent to what you now need to do. Just realised Richard said exactly the same thing effectively.Whether you sell it or not depends on whether you are sentimental about it. I've still got an EOS 1V in the boot of the car - haven't used it in nearly 3 years, but I cant imagine not having a film camera.

17-55 f2.8 is ideal - the boss has one and loves it.

Gareth

With the F5 out of the question (the F80 and sigma would take care of that) It still elaves the carefull thought of how much the 28 - 70 is worth. Its 1125 new, and the 17 - 55 is 900 (uk prices)

I WOULDN'T change the F5 for the F80 and the sigma - if you have to shoot film, you won't want the F80/sigma after using the F5/nikkor

It boils down to how to finance the 17-55.

You could just sell your mate the 28-70, buy the 17-55, and if you have to in the future buy a sigma to fit the F5 if its needed.

The lens you are going to use everyday now is the most important, not one you MAY, POSSIBLY, MIGHT need in 8 months time.

Its either that or buy the 17-55 on interest free credit, and keep everything

I think selling the 28 - 70 is the way to go. I can't risk the credit option as I may not have a job in 2 weeks. I just can't work out a price for it.

As for the F5, I've owned it for 10 months and put 1 roll of film through it!

Offer it on here - plenty of Nikon users (poor misguided souls ;)), see what happens

Don't bother trying to sell the F5 - I'm not sure how the market is, but I doubt you would get a real value on it given the fact that it is so new - you'd be throwing money away

F5's go for about 300 on ebay, so replacable should I really start shooting film again, but then I'm not entirely sure I will. Just teh odd roll now and again.

Could offer the lens on here, see what Chris says first.

But what did you pay for it ? If you bought it new from a dealer, then £300 back for it is a hell of a lot of lost cash.

If it was a cheap original buy then thats not too bad

bought it for 225!! :D so liable to not be out of pocket on this deal :D

In that case, fair enough.

Personally I'd still keep the F5 - you can easily replace the lens, the camera maybe more difficult to replace

Simon, I have the 17-55 DX and can tell you it is top notch - best lens I have ever had.

My opinion - ditch the F5 and get the 17-55 - you won't look back.

Apparantly the 17-55 can be used on 35mm between 26 and 55 according to Thom Hogan 17-55mm AF-S DX Lens Review by Thom Hogan (http://www.bythom.com/1755lens.htm)

So it may be quite close to the 28-70, not really that much difference between 55 & 70.

My dream 2 lens set up is the 17-55f2.8 and 70-200f2.8
My dream 3 lens set up is 12-24f4, 28-70f2.8 and 70-200f2.8

Well sale of F5 agreed, just have to wait a week to see if he wants the 28 - 70, if no then its up for grabs.

Bad move m8 :( Just wait till a client needs a job shot on film that afternoon and you have to say "no can do" - unless you plan to have the F80 ?

Well I am getting an F80 and grip in px so I haven't lost a film camera altogether. And if I'm honest, with Chris wanting to do more fashiony stuff, hes going to get more use out of it than me.

And I haven't used anything than the most basic functions on the F5.

:)

All I need him to do now is say yes to the 28 - 70 and I'll have my 17 - 55 and sigma 28 - 70 as well :D