Will this kit combination be good for newspaper, wedding and other event photography?

I posted a question about this yesterday and am slightly less confused but still needing opinions.

I’ve been using a Nikon D50 for years and next month am getting a D90. It’s pretty much necessary to have higher resolution images now that I’m doing newspaper work and also it seems like it’ll cope with low-light situations well.

I really hate using flash so I want to get a lens that will work well enough with the D90 in low-light to (mostly) eliminate the need for flash. At the moment I only really use the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and love it to bits but for newspaper photography it just doesn’t have the focal range. I also have the 18-55mm kit lens and a Sigma 105 f/2.8.

I’m considering the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8. I know I’d lose one (?) f-stop but the D90 works well at high ISOs and the focal range is pretty important.

I could also just get a fairly cheap speedlight just for any situation where it was absolutely necessary. Perhaps the SB-400?

I know press photography normally needs something more like an 18-200mm but I don’t have the budget and a lens like that would also be pretty awful in low-light. Plus I’m going to be doing candid wedding photography too so would like my kit to work well for that.

So would a Nikon D90, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 and small speedlight for emergencies be a good combination?

Sorry for the very long-winded question! Any help will really be appreciated.
Well I’ll be doing wedding work as a second/assistant photographer so I’ve got room to screw up! I’m still learning.

Since you are just getting the D90, I imagine you will have it for a while. You might want something wider than 24mm on a DX body. I use the 17-55 F/2.8 on the D300 and this combination does well for events where I have access (ie: can walk right up to the stage) and in low light. The D90 is comparable to the D300 for low light, so you would be fine with f/2.8 if you use some higher ISOs. I wouldn’t do it at a wedding, but you can easily go to ISO 2000 for the newspaper work.

There are some third party 17-55 or 17-50 f/2.8 lenses that review well. This Tamron, for instance, for $460: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/550954-REG/Tamron_AF016NII_700_17_50mm_f_2_8_XR_Di_II.html

This drops out the long end, though, so decide which you need. Maybe a Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0? You only lose one stop. There are probably plenty of used copies of this lens available as it’s been around a long time.

A flash is a requirement for weddings – not for emergency only. I would suggest that you buy an SB-900 or find a used/reconditioned SB-800 and skip the SB-400. It doesn’t have the range you need for some event work and it does not have the versatility you will need for weddings. I’m not recommending it, but at a minimum, you will want the SB-600. If you are not going to be the primary shooter, okay maybe you can use the SB-400 for fill.

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My friend below makes an excellent point about NOT using an excessively high ISO. Yes, you can get the shot, but by the time you crop and enlarge, the noise can become a problem – even with the excellent low light performance of the D90. For weddings, you want the flash!