advice on lenses

W00DYW00DY Registered Users Posts: 183 Major grins
edited March 20, 2007 in Cameras
Hi All,

A friend is buying a Nikon D80 and wants to know what the better option would be in regards to lenses...

Offer 1
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera plus AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6GF ED II Lens and Zoom-Nikkor AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Lens - $1,769 (AUD)

Offer 2
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera plus an AF-S DX 18 - 135 mm F3.5 - F5.6G ED Lens - $1,895 (AUD)

I suggested offer 2 as I believe the 18 - 135 lens is worth the extra money over getting the 2 lenses in offer 1 ( I have used the 70-300 G lens and don't like it)

What are your thoughts?

Cheers,
W00DY

Comments

  • Duckys54Duckys54 Registered Users Posts: 273 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2007
    If he really wants the zoom I'd say the first, but personally I'd say offer 2 because of the wide range in one lens.
    I am Trevor and I have upgraded:
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2007
    Offer #1 is the best choice. The 70-300 is by far the superior lens of the 3.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • W00DYW00DY Registered Users Posts: 183 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    Offer #1 is the best choice. The 70-300 is by far the superior lens of the 3.

    really???? It is the 70 - 300 G Lens...

    I have used this lens quite a bit (my old man has one) and I find it slow to focus, noisy to focus and quite soft. Maybe it is just me but I have never really had much success with it.

    Cheers.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2007
    W00DY wrote:
    really???? It is the 70 - 300 G Lens...

    I have used this lens quite a bit (my old man has one) and I find it slow to focus, noisy to focus and quite soft. Maybe it is just me but I have never really had much success with it.

    Cheers.

    I qualified it by saying of the 3 lenses under consderation it was the best of the bunch.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • W00DYW00DY Registered Users Posts: 183 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    I qualified it by saying of the 3 lenses under consderation it was the best of the bunch.

    Fair enough then. I guess he will have access to all my lenses as well so i think he is going for the 18 - 135. Should make a decent walk around lens.
  • gpphotosgpphotos Registered Users Posts: 266 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2007
    the 18-55 is actually not too shabby for a walkaround lens...i used one for about a year until i bought DocIT's sigma 18-50 f2.8.
  • HarlanBearHarlanBear Registered Users Posts: 290 Major grins
    edited March 20, 2007
    Just to throw another opinion in: I bought a Nikon D70 about eight months after release and it came with the 18-70 ED DX lens. That translates to 27-105 for 35mm. A fantasitc lens that works in many applications for me. I already had other Nikon lenses and the 70-210 AF became my long lens of choice with the D70. AF works fine with the D70. But it's heavy and a little awkard if not on a tripod. So now I'm looking at the new (Dec '06) 70-300 ED VR. Reviews are very good on this lens, but it's $500 at B&H. However the VR and extra throw are hard to resist. And I feel it's an investment in my ability to cover a lot of ground witht these two lenses, 27-450 translate to 35mm. Might see if you can get the 18-70 at least. I highly recommend this lens.

    In any case, as a photographer, you'll make it work. Good shooting to you.:D
    Mick

    Website
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