Photography Junkies!  Need your opinion on a lens!

[Busaman5000]

I have a Nikon D70 digital SLR camera that I bought a couple years ago. Its a great camera, but the problem is that I have this cheap $100 dollar Quantary lens that im using with it. Its like buying a corvette with a 4 cylinder engine, I fell the camera could do so much more with a good lens. So here is what I am looking at.

Nikon 18-200 mm F/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF DX VR Lens

http://www.wolfcamera.com/product....r-nikon

Does anybody have this lens. What are your thoughts about it. Are there any comparable lenes that will do just as well for less money?

Thanks for your time.

 

[dinoap]

Cant speak for them, I have a Pentax K10D and without using prime lenses I run an 70-300mm Tamron zoom for everyday shooting. That would be a great all around lens, does it have macro also?

 

[Mr Bogus]

I bought a Tamaron "AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical IF Macro Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF-D" for $100 that I really like.. It was a Reman (normally around $500) I am curious what I need to spend to get an even longer lens...

I have been watching Ebay for a better lens and new flash.. pretty nice prices but it takes me a week to find out if a lens is worth beans..

Oh my body is a D100

 

[dinoap]

I just checked with a few people that prefer Nikon and they seem to love it, I trust them and I would say go for it.

 

[big jim]

I am currently looking for a good all around lens for the Canon XTI and I have the same issue when I see a lens on E-Gay it take me a while to find out if the lens is worth purchasing.

 

[SD1300]

I am currently looking for a good all around lens for the Canon XTI and I have the same issue when I see a lens on E-Gay it take me a while to find out if the lens is worth purchasing.

 

I use two for the Canon

First
My walking around lens = Sigma DC 18-200 1:3.5-6.3 with AF and optical stabilizer. it's a great every day lens.

Second
Canon 100mm macro - I love that thing. It's a first rate macro lens and a perfect portrait lens.

I have retired the original kit lens to paper weight status although it's good enough for most shots.

 

[SD1300]

Oh, also I buy from BH Photo exclusively

Got tired of the bait $ Switch, callback, and other crap from the others.

 

[Busaman5000]

hmmm the sigma 18-200mm was another one I was considering. I just wonder how there lens quality compares to Nikon?

 

[zukracer]

you can check on DP Review and see what they have to say. Pretty reliable and unbiased opinions with test shots

Not sure how up to date the lens reviews are but defintely have good info

 

[Busaman5000]

you can check on DP Review and see what they have to say. Pretty reliable and unbiased opinions with test shots

Not sure how up to date the lens reviews are but defintely have good info

Ah they actually had a new review posted on it just last month! (2/28/08) Seems to have got good reviews (8/10) But they did say it was the jack of all trades, master of none.

Thanks for the link Zukracer!

 

[big jim]

The lenses that I currently use are the:

Tamron AF Aspherical XR 28-200 1:3.8-5.6 Macro (this lens stays on the camera and is my all around lens)

Tamron AF 70-300 1:4-5.6 Tele-Macro (1:2)

I also have the 18-55 lens that came with the camera came with.

What other lenses should I look into?

(or)

Do I have sufficiant (sp) lenses and need to start looking into flashes?

Sorry to threadjack.

 

[Projekt]

Look at that one at www.adorama.com
There are a ton of positive reviews there. My ladyfriend with a D200 has that lens and loves it.
I plan on buying it myself to have lens swapping between my 18-70 and 70-300 so that should fit the bill well enough. Saw it for around $759...

 

[zukracer]

you can check on DP Review and see what they have to say.  Pretty reliable and unbiased opinions with test shots

 Not sure how up to date the lens reviews are but defintely have good info  

Ah they actually had a new review posted on it just last month!  (2/28/08)  Seems to have got good reviews (8/10)  But they did say it was the jack of all trades, master of none.  

Thanks for the link Zukracer!

no problemo, thats a great site for anything digital photography related, good user base and as mentioned unbiased with test shots

 

[Projekt]

The lenses that I currently use are the:

Tamron AF Aspherical XR 28-200 1:3.8-5.6 Macro (this lens stays on the camera and is my all around lens)

Tamron AF 70-300 1:4-5.6 Tele-Macro (1:2)

I also have the 18-55 lens that came with the camera came with.

What other lenses should I look into?

(or)

Do I have sufficiant (sp) lenses and need to start looking into flashes?

Sorry to threadjack.

Just depends on what you want to do.

If you want to do action photography that is sports oriented (indoor or outdoor) invest in a few 2.8 or even 1.4 lenses. Flash won't help you much in that realm.

Flash is useful when you want to do portraits, parties and a few other creative things. Depending on what your goals are you could just get buy with a cheap diffuser that would help soften your built-in "pop-up" flash.
Shutterbug Magazine recently had an issue dedicated to lighting, you should see if you can find the issue at the library.

Not sure what is out there for the XTI but you can't loose with canon's speedlights either. Otherwise checkout www.alienbees.com for ideas

 

[BusaWizard]

Any time you buy Nikon glass your getting top of the line. thats an excellent lens, it has VR (vibration reduction) if your shooting on the move its very helpful. Along with the Ed glass, IF internal foucus so the lense doesn't turn the internals do. And unless you're shooting in low light the 3.5-5.6 is fine, you won't have the need for a 2.8 lense, unless you shoot a lot of sports and you want to blow out the back ground. But 2.8 lenses are very expensive. I have an 70-200 AF VR tele I paid 1700.00 for. All my lenses are Nikkor. I also have a 50mm 1.2 manual lense. I love it. And the G means you don't a F-stop ring you have set your F-stop through the camera.