New Lens Help

[mark19632]

Hello Everyone

I have a Nikon D50 and up until now have been using the standard 18-55 kit lens. Thanks to my 2 year old I need to replace this.

The only other lens I have is a sigma 70-300 so I need something for more general shooting.

I was considering the Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens that comes with the new D7000, but I'm open to suggestion for a good replacement?

Thanks for any help,

Mark

[g8ina]

The 18-200 vr has some really nice write ups if you are just after a GP lens, but do you need something more specific ?

Macro, Zoom, Prime ??

[TheAnimus]

What sort of pictures are you wanting to take?

The 18-200 falls in to the category often known as "Day Lenses", because if you want to be able to sort of capture everything, you only need one lens for that.

I bought the Tamron 18-250 because I was under orders to bring only one camera and lens on holiday. It's not bad, but it certainly doesn't compete well below 100mm with any lens that costs a third of its price tag.

[kalniel]

Given you have a 70-300 already I wouldn't be looking at a compromise of a day lens, instead I'd go for a nice short tele, perhaps a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8. Nice improvement in image quality over the kit lens and day lenses, usefully wide aperture throughout the range for low light shooting and better subject isolation. It would leave a small 'gap' in focal lengths around 60mm, but there's a great macro/portrait lens (micro-nikkor 60 f/2.8) to fill that gap further down the line.

[Syd]

Hi Mark

Thanks to your little monster you get the chance to buy a new piece of glass - kids are great !!

It does very much depend on what you shoot, my daughter is 18months old, so I shoot a lot of indoors pics and to avoid flash wherever possible AND to keep the shutter speed fast enough to capture their motion you need to shot wide open, so I would be looking at a nice fast tele, either the 17-50 OR the 28-75 Tammy. Now the latter choice does leave you without a particularly wide end, but if you are shooting similar stuff to me I very rarely shoot much below 30 - 40mm. Both lenses are 2.8 and the af is pretty good. In fact I used the 28-75 for a couple of years as my main day to day lens on a d80 and then a d300.
I picked up a used copy for about £120 on the bay, and sold it 3 yrs later for similar money. IQ is really nice and it has a nice smooth BOKEH.

My other thought would be to invest in a 1.8 Nikon 50mm prime, simply the finest portrait lens £100 ish can buy and stunning iq, so it kind of depends on your budget.

The 18-105 is ok, but not great, 16-85 is better but much more expensive. The 18-70 Nikon is a few years old, but is a great performer, no VR but its fairly unnecessary at that range anyway and the 18-200 is a great all in one but again expensive and not as good as the tammys or the 18-70 for day to day use.

If it was me I would look for a used 18-70 OR one of the Tammys and a 50mm 1.8. The Nikon 18-70 can be picked up used from £90+ and the nifty 50 for £60+ used or £100 new and the tamrons from about £200 used or £300 new.

One more thing, if you do look at the 50mm I suggest you look at the 1.8D version, it's cheaper and your D50 has a motor drive so it can handle the focusing in body

EDIT: Just a thought, are you looking to change to FX anytime soon ? If you are then the 28-75 would def be the way forward

[Syd]

Ps, thinking about it, if you do decide to look at a Nikon 18-70mm I have a used one I would be happy to sell you

[technodean]

I have the 18 - 105 lens with a d5100, and im pretty happy with it, but as this is the only lens I have, I can't comment against the others mentioned. But as I'm new to dslr lens, I'm looking for advice on a macro lens for flowers, insects etc. @ G8ian, what lens did you use for Honeysuckle_7313?

[g8ina]

I use the Tamron 90mm f2.8 exclusively for all my macro and portrait shots.

[technodean]

Thx G8ina, will have to start saving for 1 of those, Great flicker portfolio, love the sharpness/ detail of MaleBrownHawker_6794.

[g8ina]

Ta very much...

Be Warned !!!!

Macro is HIGHLY addictive !

You will (have to) learn a whole new level of patience too

[mark19632]

Thanks everyone for there replies - very useful indeed.

I was thinking more of a general day lens so somthing like 18-70 would be fine, so maybe that with a 50mm 1.8 sound like it might be the way forward.

[Syd]

I use the Tamron 90mm f2.8 exclusively for all my macro and portrait shots.

It's a great, reasonably priced and
Lightweight macro/medium tele I've taken a lot of keepers with my copy's