Walk Around Lens - Advice?

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Hey guys, I love photography, love it! Right now my current lens line up:

Walk Around: Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm f/1:3.5-5.6

Macro: Nikkor AF Micro 60mm f/1:2.8

Zoom: Tamron AF 75-300MM f/1:4-5.6 Tele-Macro (1:3.9)


As of right now, I hate my walk around, love my macro, and my zoom is... okay, I guess.

I guess I need some advice on a new walk around lens. I saw this one, looked good to me. Is that a good one?

Also, just so I have the info, a better "zoom" (what i call it) lens?


Thanks for all the suggestions.

EDIT: You should know my price range is about $400 and I'm a huge nature photographer. Everything I do is outside, for the most part, if that helps.

 

[Westside guy]

Hey guys, I love photography, love it! Right now my current lens line up:

Walk Around: Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm f/1:3.5-5.6

Macro: Nikkor AF Micro 60mm f/1:2.8

Zoom: Tamron AF 75-300MM f/1:4-5.6 Tele-Macro (1:3.9)


As of right now, I hate my walk around, love my macro, and my zoom is... okay, I guess.

I would think you might miss having the wider-angle - 24mm on a dSLR equates to about 36mm in 35mm-film equivalence.

Initially I thought a good replacement for your price range would be the 18-135mm Nikkor, but I've heard mixed reviews on that lens. Unfortunately the best lens - that'd also work as your zoom - is the 18-200mm Nikkor, which is almost double the amount you're looking to spend.

It would really help if you'd let us know why you hate your current lens (which was the kit lens; am I right?). My D70 came with an 18-70mm lens, and I was quite happy with it (as are most reviewers) until I started reading the reviews of the then-new 18-200mm. The 18-70mm is a very nice lens; and is within your price range.

Edit: Here's Thom Hogan's review of the 18-135mm.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Just doesn't go "far enough," I guess.

I want something with a little more room, maybe a little more room to "breathe" I guess you could say.

 

[wmmk]

Don't limit yourself to Nikon glass. Sigma makes some great stuff. If you hate your kit because it doesn't bridge the gap between 55-75mm, look at the Sigma f/2.8-4.5 17-70mm. If you just want fast, all the 18-50mm, which is fixed at f/2.8 is also available. The 17-70 is actually in the lower end of your price range, but the 18-50 may be a bit expensive.
Hope this helps,
wmmk

 

[Cave Man]

I also suggest you look at the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5. I sold my 17-40L to buy it and am glad I did. It's an excellent lens and does 1:2 magnification without tubes.

 

[wmmk]

I also suggest you look at the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5. I sold my 17-40L to buy it and am glad I did. It's an excellent lens and does 1:2 magnification without tubes.

cool, I'd like to hear more! I'd really like to get this lens when I have the money...

 

[jayb2000]

Out of your budget, but I have the 18-200 and its a great walk around lens.
Except for speed.

For nature stuff, the Amazon has the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR for 500 right now.
Its $100 more than your budge, but you could sell the Tamron and get what is supposed to be a nicer lens.

Or if you want something a bit closer Thom suggests the Autofocus Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 IF-ED

 

[Cave Man]

cool, I'd like to hear more! I'd really like to get this lens when I have the money...

It's around $305 at Sigma4Less. Here are some sample images and a nice review.

 

[Cave Man]

Out of your budget, but I have the 18-200 and its a great walk around lens.

The problem with the superzooms is they have real pincushion and barrel distortion issues. If you're not shooting objects with straight lines at the margins, it's not so noticible. Sigma and Tamron have the same problem with their 18-200s. They also have problems with vignetting at the wide end, but it's usually not a problem once you get one stop down. They make pretty decent travel lenses, though. Sigma's OS (analagous to Nikon's VR) version of their 18-200 should be out at the beginning of April (around $600).

 

[Westside guy]

The problem with the superzooms is they have real pincushion and barrel distortion issues. If you're not shooting objects with straight lines at the margins, it's not so noticible. Sigma and Tamron have the same problem with their 18-200s. They also have problems with vignetting at the wide end, but it's usually not a problem once you get one stop down. They make pretty decent travel lenses, though. Sigma's OS (analagous to Nikon's VR) version of their 18-200 should be out at the beginning of April (around $600).

Of course it's also true that all superzooms are not created equal. When someone like Thom Hogan says "far better than you'd expect, even for $750" and "of all the so-called superzooms I've used and tested, this is the first one that I'll keep", that says something.

It's certainly not a pro lens; but most of us don't have a pro lens budget unfortunately.

 

[Cave Man]

If you're willing to forego the VR, then the Sigma can be had for $305. I've seen images from this lens and they are really very good so long as you can get to f/8 (it's really an outdoor lens). If you're going to pixel-peep, you'll be disappointed.