Ohhh.. i just knew.. thanks for the info.. now need to think whether I should go to putrajaya or LIMA langkawi.. it's around the same time.. argh!!!

The built in motor of tokina fast or not? meaning ring type or micromotor? Slow like Tamrons (before PZD)?

If you still want the light to be subtle.. you should put a reflector on her other side to give that rim light or use a flash/strobe with very low power so that she doesn't blend completely into the background and make the subject stand out as needed rather than blend in alltogether

I dont know which tamron 1750 you bought.. But the 2nd version was the worst among all three versions of tamron 1750... It was damn slow, it's slower than the nikon 1855 & 18-105... I wrote a mini review of all three versions a couple of years ago.. The 1st one being the fastest on motorized body even lower end motorized body like d90 (non motor version), the 2nd one with motor but slowwww..1855 was way faster... The 3rd version was the one with VC..faster motor but still not really that fast. Making me regret spending the extra money on it and later buying myself an 18-105...

Aperture wise ..yes the tamron wins but at 2.8 its soft.. The kind of soft you dont want..

I would tell anybody... I improved my photography skills & knowledge more using kit lenses like the 1855 and 18105 because then i have to force myself coping, understanding and adapting to the limits of my gear and know what is aperture, what is DoF, what is bokeh etc..learning photography as I go.. When i upgraded to better lenses, i could utilize it much better and use it to its limits than some of my friends who started off photography with all those highend gears... Give them a kit lens and a d60 and they'll probably suffer to get a decent pic.

Real photographers - give them any tool to take images and they'll give wonderful images

Posers - give them the best tools to take images and they'll take images... If it's not good, they'll give you excuses

In reply to ImBoYbOy's PM...

If you want to buy a dslr and want to use it longer, buy one that is at least more capable of using most lenses with AF..the first time you buy, in Nikon's case.. buying a dslr with a built in motor eg. d90 etc..

It depends on people.. i have a friend who used his D40x dslr for years now without upgrading.. another d70s for around 5 years already..some stick with their dslr but added another dslr to be used. some just upgrade their lenses..

There is really no NEED to upgrade for MOST people who are using it as a hobbyist, serious enthusiast etc...

but for me and others who are fulltime working photographers, we will upgrade if there is a NEED TO depending on what our jobs requirements are or ADD more gear later on or if our equipment fails to the point of no return.

I would say that most upgrade because they just have money and they WANT the next best thing...

NEED VS WANT .. you choose

you asked how long it will last .. it will last long if you take care of it.. but sometimes things happen and it could fail.. but no worries..

once my friend accidentally knocked a glass full of coffee onto my camera... then i WASH..i mean really wash it under running tap water without taking the battery off...washed it for around 5 full minutes...btw my dlsr camera attached to a 70200 totalling around RM12k .. it survived my madness.. but dont do it to yours..seriously..

Maybe nikon used NANO coating on the optical viewfinder.. LOL

Well you need to decide yourself how wide you want it to be... it's like comparing oranges to apples. no right or wrong there.

If you still want it to be light, then maybe the 20mm or 24mm is your only choice.

But if you don't mind spending a little bit more and dont mind using zooms, you can go and try out the

- sigma 17-50 OS
- sigma 18-50 (older model but cheaper)
- tamron 1750 (VC model bit more expensive)

OR if you just have a lot more to spend.. maybe try the Nikon 17-55 ?

You just try Lightroom 4 lah, more capable imo.. or maybe CaptureNX because it reads nikon's picture control settings.. easier but less capable..

what for s3 and one x.. get a new prime... though s3 nice laaa..

the 85 1.8G IQ wise better right? and the same price if not a bit cheaper than the D version..

Plus in the US, pro lenses have Nikon USA 5 year warranty.. and big retailers give their own long-term/extended warranty... this can be upto 3-5 years..maybe more.. i was like WTH.. here its only one year?

Can even put insurance like for accidents etc on the lenses & camera.. haihhh..

thats why laaa normal people there can go shoot in the rain, in the mud..and then if something wrong can claim insurance.. WTH.. cheaper camera prices as well..

yeah i know the holy "UNFILLED WARRANTY" ...

lets say I need to send in a 24-70 or 18-105 ... both of those lenses are still in production.. i fill it to a certain date and send it in.. it will work (for the time being)

what if I want to send in a 70200 VR1? lets say the production of the lens stopped 3 years ago and replaced by the VR2 version. Then I filled it to a certain date so that it is still within warranty period.. guess what bro? IT WONT WORK.. they know when the last batch is produced and sold, and if it's too long like 2+ years after the last batch.. they would just deny your "UNFILLED" warranty card..

take for instance, if I still have an unfilled warranty card for d70s.. enuf said. think about it

that why "5 years Nikon USA warranty" works rather than an "Unfilled warranty card" bro

afaik from my friends abroad in japan & the us.. japan dslr and lenses prices both 2nd hand and new are at least the same or a bit more expensive than malaysia..MOST shops are selling at these prices unless you know the right people to get much cheaper prices..usually malaysian traders/bulk sellers know those "right people" and got cheap prices for both 2nd hand and new.. although new "the warranty cant be used here"

my other friend in the US got a cheaper price for dslrs and lenses, and said got much better deals on kit packages (body + lenses + memory card + other accs) plus can easily add on extra warranty... and afaik most nikon lenses sold there are specifically made for the US market only and have serial numbers unique only to the US .. with the letters "US" before the serial numbers

i'm maybe going...

cover booth client?

if you can get a 2nd hand d7000/d300, it'll be better.. but the most limiting thing between d90 & 70300 will be the lens.. especially the older tamron/sigma 70300 (rm400-600 new) ... those lenses are slow to focus but not impossible. you will have a harder time to take more fast moving/action pics.

it's kinda like canon is becoming more nikon..and nikon is becoming more nikon..

- skintone wise these latest nikons' look better than the latest canons' IMO.. (contrary to the 5dm2/d700 era)

- nikon are pushing out very high MPx dslrs while canon are pushing out better ISO dslrs (unlike before when nikon are pushing better ISOs with the d3 & d3s and canon are going for high mp with 5dm2 and 1dsm3)

did a comparison for portraits in studio and outdoors.. d800/d4 seems more akin to the d2x than the d3 which i find a little red and not so smooth skin tone gradient out of the box

Sensors do react differently,

nikon's shutter sound is manly .. LOL