Steve'sDigicams

jonglee · Jun 24, 2005, 11:19 PM

I just purchased a D50 body today and want some advice on which lens should be my first.It looks like the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor lens is brand new so I assume there's no reviews yet, but hoping that Steve will review it.I see two Nikkor options: getting the 18-55 and the 55-200 DX lens. Or get the D70/s 18-70mm AF-S DX f3.5-4.5G IF-ED lens. The Ritz salesperson said that the 18-70mm lens is so much better. They seem to come out to be about $400 either way.Originally I was going to just get the kit 18-55mm lens then buy a macro lens because I like to take mainly photos of my new baby indoors/outdoors as well as product photos similar to what Steve takes for the camera reviews. As you can tell by my purchase of a D50 rather than the D70/s, I don't plan to purchase many lens in general.Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

edorfox · Jun 26, 2005, 9:34 PM

Hi,

Well, seeing no one has responded, I'll throw in my two cents. My personal opinion is that the 18-70mm (27-105mm in film terms) AF-S (Auto focus Silent Wave) IF (Internal Focusing) ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens that comes with the D70 is a wonderful lens and will produce excellent people portraits as well as "product portraits" for ebay or whatever. Whichever you choose I would recommend a lens with apochromatic (APO) or ED or SLD glass. They all mean the same thing just different designations by the different manufacturers, "low dispersion" glass. Low dispersion glass is premium glass specifically cast to render/direct all visible light wavelengths to the same point on the imager. If this is not done as with non APO (cheaper) glass, in certain high contrast circumstances there will be chromatic aberrations usually referred to as "purple fringing". The fringing can greatly detract from a perfectly good photo.

...Ed

RedHouse · Jul 20, 2005, 7:29 PM

Tamrom 28-75 2.8.:arrow:

brinnonbob · Jul 27, 2005, 12:10 AM

Go with the 18-70 Nikon lens (nothing but great reviews for it!)then add a 70-300 also. Should cover 95% of your normal needs unless you are into Macro, then consider the nikon 28-105 that has macro from 50mm up to 105, or a separate 60mm Macro or 105mm Macro if you can afford all 3 lenses. If you note the reviews of the new Nikon DX 18-55 & 55-? lenses, they have a plastic lens mount and barrel, and the the lens rotates when focusing making a polarizing filter etcnot very expedient to use.

eburrows · Jul 27, 2005, 8:04 PM

Jonglee,
I just purchased a D70 with the 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 and 70-300mm f4-5.6 lenses. I'm very, very happy. The 18-70 is terrific for landscape, close-up, and indoor shooting. The 70-300 is great for outdoor nature shots.

I think with only a 18-55mm, you'll be missing telephoto capability. The large range of the 18-70 also means less lens swaps (for me at least).

The only con to the 18-70 that I have found is that at the widest zoom, there is noticeable vignetting. However, dropping the aperture to f8 or less completely negates it.

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Jun 24, 2005, 11:19 PM	#1
jonglee Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 10	I just purchased a D50 body today and want some advice on which lens should be my first.It looks like the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor lens is brand new so I assume there's no reviews yet, but hoping that Steve will review it.I see two Nikkor options: getting the 18-55 and the 55-200 DX lens. Or get the D70/s 18-70mm AF-S DX f3.5-4.5G IF-ED lens. The Ritz salesperson said that the 18-70mm lens is so much better. They seem to come out to be about $400 either way.Originally I was going to just get the kit 18-55mm lens then buy a macro lens because I like to take mainly photos of my new baby indoors/outdoors as well as product photos similar to what Steve takes for the camera reviews. As you can tell by my purchase of a D50 rather than the D70/s, I don't plan to purchase many lens in general.Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Jun 26, 2005, 9:34 PM	#2
edorfox Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 171	Hi, Well, seeing no one has responded, I'll throw in my two cents. My personal opinion is that the 18-70mm (27-105mm in film terms) AF-S (Auto focus Silent Wave) IF (Internal Focusing) ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens that comes with the D70 is a wonderful lens and will produce excellent people portraits as well as "product portraits" for ebay or whatever. Whichever you choose I would recommend a lens with apochromatic (APO) or ED or SLD glass. They all mean the same thing just different designations by the different manufacturers, "low dispersion" glass. Low dispersion glass is premium glass specifically cast to render/direct all visible light wavelengths to the same point on the imager. If this is not done as with non APO (cheaper) glass, in certain high contrast circumstances there will be chromatic aberrations usually referred to as "purple fringing". The fringing can greatly detract from a perfectly good photo. ...Ed

Jul 20, 2005, 7:29 PM	#3
RedHouse Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 216	Tamrom 28-75 2.8.:arrow:

Jul 27, 2005, 12:10 AM	#4
brinnonbob Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Go with the 18-70 Nikon lens (nothing but great reviews for it!)then add a 70-300 also. Should cover 95% of your normal needs unless you are into Macro, then consider the nikon 28-105 that has macro from 50mm up to 105, or a separate 60mm Macro or 105mm Macro if you can afford all 3 lenses. If you note the reviews of the new Nikon DX 18-55 & 55-? lenses, they have a plastic lens mount and barrel, and the the lens rotates when focusing making a polarizing filter etcnot very expedient to use.

Jul 27, 2005, 8:04 PM	#5
eburrows Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 24	Jonglee, I just purchased a D70 with the 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 and 70-300mm f4-5.6 lenses. I'm very, very happy. The 18-70 is terrific for landscape, close-up, and indoor shooting. The 70-300 is great for outdoor nature shots. I think with only a 18-55mm, you'll be missing telephoto capability. The large range of the 18-70 also means less lens swaps (for me at least). The only con to the 18-70 that I have found is that at the widest zoom, there is noticeable vignetting. However, dropping the aperture to f8 or less completely negates it.