Help about choosing lenses

Help me in deciding lenses, i had made a shortlist of lenses can you tell if it is a good selection or should i make some changes my camera is nikon d7100?
shortlist of lenses
tokina 12-24mm f4 - $434
tamron 24-70mm f2.8 - $1, 270
sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 - $1, 250

YOU are the one who has to decide this, based on experience.

I suggest you concentrate on learning how to get the best out of your existing kit first.

That depends on what you want to photograph. Different lenses are used for different subjects… But you already know that right?

Assuming that you have researched what you will be photograping then you have selected a good choice of lenses. I would swap that Tokina wide zoom for a Tamron 10-24.

I have a D7100 and it is pretty close to what I have.

I have:

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon AF 80-200mm f/2.8

My wife and I take a lot of cruises, and the Tokina 11-16mm is great for inside areas of the ship in lower light conditions, as well as inside buildings, cathederals, etc. The f/2.8 aperture means one stop better than the f/4 of the 12-24.

The Sigma 17~50mm is a great lens, and many feel better than the Nikon 17~50mm f/2.8.

I dislike Tamron as I think they are not all that good, but that is just my personal opinion.

The Sigma 17-50mm (as well as the Nikon 17-55mm) are Dx lenses and are more or less equivalent to the 24-70mm for cropped cameras. You may find you have fewer lens changes with a 17-50 than a 24-70.

But if you are looking to go Full Frame, then the 24-70 might be a better choice. The 17-50 is a Dx lens and smaller (and lighter) than the 24-70 though.

And the Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 is a knock out lens. However it is heavy as can be (but lighter than the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8). The price is about the same, although the Sigma has AF-S type focusing and VR where the 80-200 does not. The 80-800 is sharper though. Either lens would work well.

One thing though - it is not necessary to cover every mm, and I do not have any issues with the 50~80mm gap.

I only use my 80-200mm for sports, because due to it's weight, I do not take it on vacation. For a vacation telephoto, I take either a 18-200mm 3.5~5.6 or a 70-300mm 4.5~5.6. While these lenses are slower - for vacation use, they are sufficient for daylight use, and a lot lighter than the 80-200mm f/20 (or their 70-200mm brethren).

At any rate, the D7100 is a high quality camera and deserves high quality lenses. Your lens selection will support that need and are good choices.

Weird that you can advise that Nikon are the best… Yet you prefer independent lenses… They don't use Tamron, Tokina or Sigma in episodes of C. S.I. Product placement only allows for Canon or Nikon items.

Whatever is suggested for you to buy… Enjoy trying to figure out how it works?

I'm personally not a big fan of third party lenses. When you are paying so much, a hundred or two hundred does not seem to be a lot of savings. Especially if any problems arise. Nikon have service centred across the world and is relatively much more convenient to get serviced. Keep in mind that your 12-24 will not be compatible if you upgrade your nikon body to a d600 or 800 in the future.

Second, the focal lengths are quite admirable and are very useful. Every camera I have have similar focal lengths.

Third, the lens you choose should correspond to the type of pictures you want to take. Landscape - 12-24. Low light utility - 24-70. Sport games, studio portraits and or birds - 24-70. I personally have in regular use 5 different cameras with different focal lengths. Each for a particular purpose and function. When i leave home i only carry one, maybe two lenses. The criterion i use is based upon the picture i hoping to create that day. The lens you are going to buy should follow a similar principal. GET THE LENS YOU NEED TO PRODUCE THE PICTURE YOU WANT.

So, what kind of picture are you trying to create?