D300.Which Lens?

Jack Flash

Jack Flash

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Jeff
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Hoping to buy a D300 very soon.I have three basic lenses that I use on my D50.I am not sure what to buy to go with the D300.The Nikkor 18-105vr that is usually sold with the D90 was my choice,but a friend pointed out that I might as well pay a couple of hundred more and go for the 18-200vr.Also is it worth the extra £230 to go for the mark 2?Any advice welcome.
 
Yes get the Nikon 17-55 this is the best pairing with the D300
 
I really like the 18-200 it's a great lens if you don't want to lug loads of equipment around it also allows very close focussing negating the need for me to carry my 105mm macro around too. Mine is seldom off the D300
 
24-70 f2.8 would get my vote. Or a Tamron 17-50 and Sigma 70-200, both f2.8, both lenses for less than the price of the Nikon - what I did.
 
How about a 16-85? Obviously the 2.8 short zoom is better glass but far more expensive but the telephoto isn't quite as long as I'd like
 
Naith said:
As far as I know it's exactly the same as the mark I. In other words the lens has never changed since its release!
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There is little difference between the mk1 and mk2. They are optically the same. The mk2 has a zoom lock and I think it has the newer VR (not much difference). Certainly not worth the extra.

Mrs_C is using my (now her) mk1 18-200vr with her new D300 to great effect. It is a good lens especially if you get a decent one.
 
cowasaki said:
There is little difference between the mk1 and mk2. They are optically the same. The mk2 has a zoom lock and I think it has the newer VR (not much difference). Certainly not worth the extra.

Mrs_C is using my (now her) mk1 18-200vr with her new D300 to great effect. It is a good lens especially if you get a decent one.
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Exactly :agree:

Save yer brass (y)
 
Personally I found the 18-200 (mki I think) to be soft.

Ok so it's a vr and has a great range. But I prefer my 105d on it of the tokina 11-16

as to which lens, the ones you have should work fine on it.
If they are going with you older camera then it would depend on budget and what you like to shoot.

Have a look at the lenses I have in the sig, the flickr pages linked there and search flickr for lenses to see what people have caught with them.

If I had the choices again I wouldn't have the 200 f4 and would have gone for an afs 50mm f1.4. Or the siggy 30mm f1.4. The other two lenses are great though.
 
Graham00 said:
Originally it used to come with the 18-70, great lens.
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The first D50s came with the 18-70 as a kit lens (and a very good kit lens it is too) but they soon were paired with the 18-55 (non VR) which isn't quite as good although it can still get great images. Of the 2, the 18-70 is the one to go for IMO, although a 2nd hand one may well cost what a new 18-55 VR can be had for.
If the lens is to be paired with the D300, it makes sense to spend a bit more and IMO going for quality rather than vesatility. The 18-200 may well be very versatile but if it leaves you wishing it was a bit sharper or distorted a bit less or had less CA, then it's probably the wrong lens for you. Personally, I try to keep zoom ratios down to under 4x to reduce the compromises in design that tend to creep in with superzooms.
 
Thanks everone for your thoughts and advice.I saw some pictures last night at my local club (Leicester Forest) that were taken with the 18-200vr on a D80.They were very good and I decided that it would be a good enough lens for me.Reading all your posts has muddied the water a little but quite a few of you endorse the 18-200vr mk1 so I will go for that for now and perhaps go for something faster later on.It will be good not to keep changing lenses like I do with my D50.Nice photos hairy Duck.They helped to sway me.
 
Jack Flash said:
Thanks everone for your thoughts and advice.I saw some pictures last night at my local club (Leicester Forest) that were taken with the 18-200vr on a D80.They were very good and I decided that it would be a good enough lens for me.Reading all your posts has muddied the water a little but quite a few of you endorse the 18-200vr mk1 so I will go for that for now and perhaps go for something faster later on.It will be good not to keep changing lenses like I do with my D50.Nice photos hairy Duck.They helped to sway me.
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I have loads of 18-200 shots too but the reality is (in my opinion)

PROS

  • that it is a good quality lens
  • covering a monumental range!!! 18mm is VERY wide and 200mm is a decent long zoom which is long enough for most purposes.
  • Filter does not rotate when zooming in and out.
  • Comes with effective hood & lens bag.
  • VR

CONS

  • can be a little soft at times but not a spoiler.
  • suffers from zoom crawl (ie IF you take you hands off the lens and look straight up or down the lens zooms in or out a bit) - this is not a problem as you normally have you hands on the lens anyway!
  • Crop only
 
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