Thanks for all the feedback. Unfortunately I was "encouraged" not to take any pictures as the Venue made money from selling the pictures on the night. They had one main guy with 3 assistants and those brought/flashed somewhat serious gear were politely asked to limit their shots to their individual tables and no group shots with the lucky couple. But I do appreciate all the feedback, and learnt that even the groom asks you to shoot for them, one need to check with the venue principles as it is their money earner after all.

Another idea is leave the heavy lifting photography to the main shooter and just do general candids. (table group shots, wedding cake, dancing, etc) Bring the D7k, the 20 and the 35. That will work for most everything. You wanted to go light, that's LIGHT.

Leave the heavy lifting of portraiture to the main shooter. You can work the crowd while the main shooter is busy with the wedding party just after the ceremony.

Remember to say, "Hello everyone!" when approaching a table and try not to get them eating. Nobody looks good in a pic when they are scarfing down dinner or wedding cake. The beginning of the reception when people are just seated is a great time to float from table to table and group to group before they get situated.

Since you are not the "top dog" and he or she is likely to resent your presence because they fear you will take money out of their pocket if the couple don't buy some of their photos since the couple will have yours, I suggest you will not be given "good positions" from which to shoot. Each good shot you take is one the pro may not sell. You may sort of have to grab what you can get from where you are in order to get a shot of what is happening at the time. Thus, I suggest reach and fast glass will be most important. Hence, take the 85mm f1.8 and the 35-37 f2.8 with the D7000 body or if you are taking two bodies put the 85 on the D200 and the 35-70 on the D7000. The reason is simply to give you the best chance for framing from wherever you have to shoot from, which I expect will be from some distance away.

Hmmm hard choice out of your lenses...personally I would probably go with your zoom for a single lens option. If multiples is an option I would go for the 14-24 and 85 F1.4.

If it were me I would shoot my 17-55 or equivalent since I am not the main photog and would let me use just one lens.

Really just depends on which focal length you think you are going to be using most...the speed of the lens will be negligible as you will have to just get the ISO up for the right shutter speeds (if shooting available light). My two lens suggestion will give you a little more flexibility in a zoom and fast prime.

are you going as a second photographer or as a guest?

if you are a guest, just take the two zooms

Here are several threads on wedding shoots... I also changed the name of your thread to make it a "new" topic.

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=2198

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=7476

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=2386

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1631

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=2843

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1292

And, in contrast to what R8R has suggested, I would use the 35mm f/1.8 on the D200 and the 85mm f/1.4 on the D7000. Shooting available light is apparently what you are doing as you have not mentioned any flash or other lighting equipment.

Just my opinion here - I would take the two zooms and the 85. Don't bring all the primes, weddings go by too fast to constantly change lenses. Keep the 35-70 on most, the 12-24 for tight indoor shots and groups, and the 85 for portraits.

Make sure to do a custom WB on a grey card from the start.

If you do get the D600, bring the D7000 with the 35mm stuck to it as backup.

I am attending a wedding over the weekend and will take pictures as backup (there is an official venue photographer). I would like to travel light and as I just upgraded to a D 7000 from a D200, I need your advice on the subject.

I have the following lenses:
AF-D 20 mm f/2.8, AF-D 35-70 mm f/2.8, AF-S 14-24 mm f/2.8, AF-S 35 mm f/1.8 DX, AF-D 85 mm f/1.4 IF.

The wedding is at night in an indoor Venue with florescent lighting. I am also fighting an urge to stop buying recently released D600 ;-)

Thanks in advance for all your comments

Cheers

Umit

Ok that's great advice - thanks guys.

spraynpray said:
Interesting Gabbb. I'm thinking of the metal mount 16-85 to go between my 11-16 and 70-300 as it would make more sense than my 18-105. I do find myself frustrated though when using zooms with a smaller range than 18-105, so perhaps the 18-200 is the ideal walk around lens (for me) as it is similar speed to the 18-105. For me the 16-35 would be like my 11-16 as too limited in its range (not to mention the slow max aperture).

@Bairdy: If you are going FX in two years, get FX lenses now? It makes more sense.

The 16-85 is the same as the 18-105 image quality wise, work against the bright light may be worse. I greatly disliked that lens, when I had it. I do have an 50mm for generic portraiture, but I do like the wide to normal zoom range on dx. I like it so much I might end up selling my 35mm 1.8g. :)

I'm using a 16-35vr fx zoom on my d7000, after being disappointed by the majority of nikon dx zooms, it's a really refreshing experience.

Interesting Gabbb. I'm thinking of the metal mount 16-85 to go between my 11-16 and 70-300 as it would make more sense than my 18-105. I do find myself frustrated though when using zooms with a smaller range than 18-105, so perhaps the 18-200 is the ideal walk around lens (for me) as it is similar speed to the 18-105. For me the 16-35 would be like my 11-16 as too limited in its range (not to mention the slow max aperture).

@Bairdy: If you are going FX in two years, get FX lenses now? It makes more sense.

ericbowles said:
I think the real question is whether the quality and flexibility of the 18-105 is enough better than your 18-55 to justify the added cost.

The image quality is about the same. It's only the flexibility and maybe the focus ring. However you may sell it for more then what you would pay for it now, they sell used like hot cookies. I'm using a 16-35vr fx zoom on my d7000, after being disappointed by the majority of nikon dx zooms, it's a really refreshing experience.

I think the real question is whether the quality and flexibility of the 18-105 is enough better than your 18-55 to justify the added cost.

There are multiple versions of these lenses. VR is an important feature and you probably want to have the VR version of the 18-55 or replace it with the 18-105 VR. The optics are close enough that quality would not be a big driver of change. The flexibility of a zoom is nice, but most of us find that we never have a long enough lens, so alternatives like the 55-200 and 70-300 would make sense.

FX lenses tend to be expensive since they have to cover a much larger sensor. Many are fast lenses - f/2.8 or f/4 which also costs more. Probably the best addition to your kit in an FX lens would be the 70-300 VR. It's long enough to add some nice reach, and can make a good lens for a DX or FX kit. With extension tubes or a close up diopter it can be used for close ups and near macro.

The other option would be to add an ultrawide lens to your DX kit. The ultrawides from Tokina and Sigma are good cheaper alternatives to the Nikon models. Of course, they would not work on FX.

Hello, and welcome to NRF. Here are several threads which discuss this issue in some respects, but new opinions are interesting and some new stuff is on the horizon so we will continue unless another mod thinks this is to redundant.

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=3285

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=148

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1194

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=3285

A whole different discussion has gone on in my head over the whole Full frame/crop thing which Im sure has been asked a million times. What I have agreed with myself is to upgrade from my d60 to a d7000 and then move to full frame after a couple more years. I guess Id like to move towards selling images but my skill level in composition and post processing just is not there yet.

The d7000 kit bundle is £980. This has left me wondering whether its worth the extra £110 for the 18-105 as part of a kit bundle when I already have a 18-55mm. How do the two compare? The obvious focal length differences apart (which I can probably cover elsewhere. The problem is that I need to be flogging one piece of kit to fund the other.

Anyway - should I just flog my d60 and lens or should I keep the lens and buy body only d7000 to save a few quid.

I think you'll be happy with it, gethinshaji. Share some photos on the photo-a-day thread if you feel so inclined. Good luck!

Hai guys :)... Its the VR ... Thanks :)...

Yes, I would guess VR turning off. Try switching off the VR on the lens and see if it disappears. Then switch the VR back on.

What is a "tuck" sound? Does the camera work properly? Is there a reference in the manual to this? Does it correlate to the information readout disappearing at the same time? Is there any change when viewing through the camera when this occurs?

Is this a soft sound or sharp? Muffled? Snapping? Scrapping?

Most likely, if the camera functions the way it should and the controls all work, the images are consistent with your settings, the sound is nothing to worry about.

OK, try this.... or see if this is what is happening. On my D4 w' 16-35mm f/4 VR, I press the shutter release half way, the lens starts humming as it focuses, and the VR is working, then a second or so after I release the button it makes a slightly louder muffled click and is silent. I believe this is the mechanical stuff simply shutting down. I had to put my ear up to the camera body to hear this, however.

Good luck, and thanks....never knew the thing made so much noise....

Most likely the aperture blades or VR shutting off.

Hi guys :)... Got D5100 :)... Got a query ... When i release the shutter release button i can hear a small "tuck" sound after some 2 to 3 seconds, (not the usual mirror movement sound)... I don't know what it is ... Should I be concerned about it ... Or is it usual ... Help me out ...

Walmart Online has the D5100 with the 18-55 lens for $699.

B & H has several used or refurbished D5100s with various lenses, from the $500 to $800 range. This may allow an extra lens or the kits they have with two lenses cover a lot of ground...

FWIW, I love my D5100. Purchased a Demo package through Cameta Camera. No regrets thus far.

Probably a good choice. I love my D5000 still. It is one my desk right now.