The "what should I buy thread"

[MonoManBlue]

Okay, i'm trying to figure out what to buy here. I have about a week before I place the order and just on the fence. Currently I have a D80 with the 18-135 lense. I am trying to decide between buying these options. Before anyone asks, I shoot a lot of landscape, animals, and just generalized items.

1. A bigger zoom lense. I was thinking something along the lines of 70-300, maybe slightly longer. The downside to this is I haven't really found to many occassions where I said "wow, I wish I could get closer"

2. a 50mm prime. I have wanted this for awhile, but the more I think about it, the more I think that I wouldn't use it that much. My kit lense has taken great fireworks photos.

and night parades at Disney I also get pretty good shots with my lense.

The reason I wanted the 50mm prime was to take night or low light shots, but I don't know if its really needed.

3. Today, I realized that I was taking a lot of portrait style photos and I do not have a battery grip. Nikon's battery grip is the same price as the 50mm prime and I thought that it might be a very nice feature to have on the camera. I never really realized how much of a pain it was to turn that sideways.

So my fellow Disboard photographers, what do you think?

 

[fhirleighinn]

Well, if you do not really see the need for the lens, then the battery grip seems to be your best option. I have the d80, 50 mm prime, 18-70mm, and the 70-300. The battery grip I certainly use with all of the lens, it has not left the camera since I bought it.
Buy what you think that you need and have the use for.

 

[Quicklabs]

I have a D80 and a 50 mm 1.8. The prime is a great portrait lens! The lens is so sharp that I use it almost exclusively for portraits. Since the D80 is a crop camera, the focal length is more like a 75 mm--very nice. Ive taken a ton of pics of my dogs with it. I recommend it highly! It's about $109 at B&H.
On my wish list for the D80 is the Tokina 11-16 and the Sigma 150 so I have a wide angle and a macro. Both out of stock. My "regular" lense if the 18-200-- a great walk around lens.
Example of portrait with the prime.

 

[YesDear]

Of course you have to decide which you want/need the most. If I were making that choice, I would probably go with the better faster glass. Until you use better and faster glass, you do cannot appreciate how much better it is. There IS a difference.

If money were no option and you were to take a picture with the 70-300 and a 70-200, you would select the shorter 70-200 even though it is over three times the cost of the longer lens.

The 50mm 1.8 is a marvelous lens for the price. You will be amazed at how much more light you have available to you.

The battery grip would be at the bottom of my list. Are you getting because it makes the camera feel better in your hand or because you need the extra battery power. Even with my D200 I would rather take an extra battery than the extra size and weight of the battery grip. But that is me.

 

[handicap18]

Well, your talking apples and sofa's. The 50mm f/1.8 can be had new for $120. If your looking at 70-300's, I wouldn't consider anything other than the VR version. It is a very sharp lens (especially for its class) and the VR works as advertised. Its a great lens to have as is the 50mm f/1.8.

I have both. I used the 70-300 a lot this summer at DS's baseball games and it was nice to have the VR when using the lens at the 300mm end. I used the 50mm yesturday to take some of pics of the kids in the pool. I also like using it for a portrait lens.

At Disney I didn't use the 50mm much because I also have the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 which works a little better at night mostly because of its wider focal range. The extra 2/3 of a stop is nice too.

I say go for the 50mm f/1.8 now, then save up a little more for the 70-300mm VR down the road a bit. The 50mm is sharp as a tack!

As for the battery grip, I wish my D50 had one. When I get the D300 I'm buying it with the battery grip. If you do a lot of portrait orientation stuff, then it definately is something that would come in handy. That is definately one tool I know I would get a lot of use out of. They make the camera bigger, but don't add a heck of weight. Having that extra shutter button is a HUGE plus IMO.

 

[saturndb]

if you want a battery grip i have this one, Opteka BP-D80 Battery. it works well and has a decent feel, while not being to big. it is half the price of the nikon one, though not as nice. It odes not have all the features of the nikon one. it can be found at amazon for about $70.00

 

[fhirleighinn]

I would not recommended the Opteka Grip for the price difference. Sine you can buy the Nikon Grip for only 50 more at the most, I do not think that it is worth it.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/449071-REG/Nikon_25345_MB_D80_Multi_Power_Battery_Pack.html