Nikon Walk-Around Lens Recommendations

narbs

narbs

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Jon
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I've recently bought a used D90 as a potential route back into DSLRs after a long break.

I have a 35mm 1.8 and would like a general purpose zoom to go with it.

I'm looking at two Nikons, the 18-105 or the 16-85 and also the Sigma 17-70. I'm unlikely ever to be in the position where anyone wants to buy anything I shoot so a new budget of around £300 but will almost certainly look for a good used example.

This will be used mainly for travel/family portraits/practicing documentary photography.

The multitude of pixel-peeping reviews turn me off and there don't seem to be many direct comparison real use reviews so any help will be much appreciated!
 
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Tamron or Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 would be my choice.
 
I'll be honest, I'd like something with a bit more reach for portraits etc.
 
snerkler said:
Tamron or Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 would be my choice.
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I had the older Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 which I loved. Really sharp, good for everything from landscapes to portraits and even pretty good for close up/semi-macro stuff.

The 17-50 f2.8 is even better with the addition of stabilisation and a touch wider too
 
If the 16-75 has good image quality then that's the one I'd choose. When I travel my walk-about lens on crop is a zeiss 16-80 and I barely ever wish for anything longer - last holiday I also took a Sigma 18-250 and it came out of the bag once just to make me feel better about bringing it. The zeiss is simply so much sharper that there's little lost at the long end even if I crop.
 
I have the 16-85. Ok it's not the fastest glass about the focal length is good and its not too heavy.
 
When I used to shoot with my D90 I had the 16-85 on 99% of the time. It's an excellent lens and received good reviews from SLR Gear and Photozone, the latter who are normally quite critical of lenses, no matter how good they are supposed to be.

IQ, contrast and colours are really good, and the VRII works very well. When I bought it the Sigma had just been launched - I tested both but preferred the images from the Nikon.
 
narbs said:
I'll be honest, I'd like something with a bit more reach for portraits etc.
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TBH I find effective focal length of 75mm pretty good for portraits, and of course you have the f2.8 to get more subject isolation. With the other lenses you're losing at least one stop. You could of course see if you could find a Tamron 24-70mm f2.8, but 36mm equivalent at the wide end is not really that wide.
 
When I sold my D90 I kept the 18-105 that came with it and am still using it. OK it is not that fast and it is made largely of plastic but it is now about 6 years old, works fine, the images are fine (again I am never going to be selling or exhibiting anything) and does everything from landscapes to portraits and mild telephoto. I have a variety of other glass but if I am just taking my camera with nothing specific in mind and can't be bothered to lug anything else around, that's what I take. I know it is not the most 'fashionable' lens but for my purposes it does everything I need of it.
 
the sigma 17-70 is a nice lens and cheap. You then might want to consider a 24mm prime to accompany your 35mm for documentary work.
 
I've used the 18-105 for a few years now and it has always proved reliable. It supported me superbly on a trip to the US where I pushed it to the limits covering NewYork, Washington DC, golf at Augusta National plus a variety of road/landscape shots.
 
Thanks all, plenty of helpful stuff!

A colleague of mine had the Sigma and speaks very favourably of it so that's favourite at the moment, with the 18-105 a close second with the price for a used copy being a big attraction!
 
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The 18-200 is extremely versatile and delivers pretty good IQ - not up to f/2.8 zoom quality but certainly useable. The old 18-70 punches way above its weight.
 
I use the Nikon 35mm and also the 18-105, the 18-105 is what I use most of the time, its a good all rounder in my opinion, ive just got the 18-140 with that bit more reach and its just as light as the 18-105, ive took lots of pictures with the 18-105 and ime happy with them ide go with the 18-105 or the 18-140.
 
The Nikon Afs VR 18-200mm can be picked up at bargain prices used these days and would probably prove to be the only other lens you will need in addition to your 35mm f 1.8
 
I had an 18-200 vr, and I thought it was ok, but a bit soft. Didn't realise how soft until I started using a sigma 17-50 and Tamron 70-300mm
The 18-200mm range is good though.
 
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