so i am still rocking my trusty D750 and honestly i love this camera but i am so tired of the kit lens. it is just too slow for what i want to do lately especially when the sun starts going down. i have been getting more into street photography and also some portraits of my nieces and nephews and the kit zoom just isnt cutting it for that blurry background look. i have a wedding coming up in about two months in chicago and i really want to bring something better than just my old zoom lens but my budget is kind of tight since i can probably only swing like 600 bucks max right now. i am looking at a few different things and cant quite decide which way to go. one is just getting the classic nikon 50mm f/1.8G since its so cheap and light and it would leave me with extra cash for a flash. but then i see the 85mm f/1.8G and the bokeh looks so much better for those portrait shots even if it might be too tight for street stuff. then there is the sigma 35mm f/1.4 art which everyone says is like the king of f-mount glass but it might blow my whole budget and it looks way heavier to carry around all day. im leaning towards the 50mm just to save cash but i dont want to regret not getting something sharper for the wedding... which one would you guys grab first?
Honestly, ive been down this road many times over the years and i always tell people to play it safe for a wedding. The Sigma Art is gorgeous but man it is a heavy brick and might blow your whole budget. In my experience, you want reliability and light weight for long days. Here is how i would spend that 600 bucks:
- Grab the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. It is cheap and sharp enough for anything. It leaves you cash for a flash which you will definitely need for the reception.
- Look for a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G. That lens is the secret sauce for portraits and the bokeh is way creamier than the 50. I have tried many lenses but native Nikon glass is the safe bet for autofocus. Dont overthink it tho...
In my experience, you should really look at the newer Tamron primes for that D750. Ive spent way too much time staring at MTF charts over the years, and their glass quality often outperforms the native Nikon equivalents when you look at corner-to-corner sharpness and CA control.
- Go with Tamron because the vibration compensation is a game changer for indoor weddings.
- Stick to their newer SP series glass if you want that modern look.
- Avoid the older budget Nikon primes if you want to actually use the full resolution of your sensor. Basically, anything from that newer Tamron lineup is gonna be sharper than the Nikon G series stuff you're looking at. The build quality is better too, plus you get that stabilization which is huge when the light drops. Just pick the focal length you like best from them and you're set.
