Need advise on lense purchases for Nikon D7000

[The Man from Mandrem]

I have already
Tokina 28-70/2.8 Pro II
Nikon 50/1.8D
Nikon 70-300ED
N70.

Looking at moving to DX but limited budget.

The D7000 looks incredible so looking for best low cost way to enable it with lenses.

I was looking at

Nikon 85mm/1.8 DX
Nikon 35mm/1.8 DX
Tokina 11-16

Something wideangle...

Then reality and budget set in.

The $1200 D7000 is too much to pass up. My kids are still young and cute so I can't postpone a camera purchase (I need a camera and video camera).... So I have about $400-600 to spend on lenses right now... and I have to figure out a low budget way to get the most of my cameras. I'm not buying 3rd party (other than the 2 Tokinas mentioned above). I really need high speed....

Any advise welcomed. I really was hoping for an ultra-wide so kind of pissed I won't have it for my next trip to Italy, but at the same time, lack of a good portrait lense like the 85mm is a bitch. And I frankly find 50mm on film to mismatch my perspective. I grew up with my dad's Zeiss with a 35mm prime. My Olympus Stylus Epic lasted me years as well with a similar fast, wide lense. Not sure I can teach myself out of that at age 40 to use a 35/1.8 as much, but a low cost 24mm high quality lense doesn't exist....

[The Man from Mandrem]

Never mind. I will buy 18-105 and 35/1.8 for now. I think that will give me enough to get shooting, add the Tokina next year, and 85/1.8 when there is money around.

[Franglais]

I find the 35mm is a bit long for my tastes (=50mm on film) but I just stand a bit further from the subject. I would prefer a 28mm (=40mm) but there aren't any good, cheap ones. I have a 5-element 28mm f2.8 and the resolution can't match the 12Mpix sensor on the D300, so the D7000 would be even worse.

I have a 85mm f1.8. I find it useful for stage performances to freeze the action and get into the scene. If I was looking for a portrait lens then I would check out the 60mm macro. It doesn't open to f1.8 but I think the focal length is better suited to waist-upwards portraits. Plus you can also use it on small objects..

[The Man from Mandrem]

Thanks, Franglais,

I think I will play with my Tokina 28-70/2.8 and Nikon 50mm for portraits until I have clear idea what I really need. I have also read very good reviews on the 60/macro in terms of sharpness and AF speed and the right distance for a real portrait length.

Regarding wide angle prime, I am considering the 24mm/2.8 down the road , but I hope a 24/1.8DX in the <$400 range comes out at some point with better optical quality. Out of curiosity, which 28mm are you talking about? Nikon or some other brand?

[Franglais]

...
Regarding wide angle prime, I am considering the 24mm/2.8 down the road , but I hope a 24/1.8DX in the <$400 range comes out at some point with better optical quality. Out of curiosity, which 28mm are you talking about? Nikon or some other brand?

It was the Nikon 28mm f2.8 AF (not the D version). This is a 5 element design, probably the same as the economy E series 28mm but in an autofocus mount. They didn't make very many of them. It was quickly replaced by the 28mm f2.8 AF-D, which was a new design.