18-55mm lens or 18-135mm

Hi guys

I am brand new to photography using dslr's so my use of terminology may be flimsy. I will be travelling to China for 2 years and wish to have a camera+lens which will allow me to take some nice shots of the scenery (and people pictures) without breaking the bank. Having recently finished school with not much money left in the bank I don't want to go OTT and splash out on a camera for which I use sparingly and casually. Best to keep things in perspective.

So I think i am set on getting the Nikon D60 but i am unsure on which lens to get. I can get a camera packaged with a 15-55mm lens+gifts for £320 but if i were really persuaded that it was very beneficial to get the 15-135mm lens i could push my self to get that lens combined with the D60 for £400, which is a steep increase. £80 could be used for something more practical+I may have to spend £30 for bag, memory and tripod. So what should I do guys? Thanks in advance.

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15-55?...nikkor/sigma/tamron makes a 15-55/15-135? I think you mean the 18-55 or maybe the 17-55.

If you don't need the zoom range, go for the 18-55.

yea 18-55mm lens. So you're saying if I do not want to zoom in on anything at all i should use the 18-55? I think at least at some point i would want to use the zoom function but I can't believe the18-55 is unfit for anything but non zoomed photograph. My friend says he the attached picture using his d80 with a 18-135 lens+i've had to reduce the detail and size in order to upload it.


Would I be able to take such a shot with the 18-55 lens? He got quite close to the insect.

I've been using the 18-135 for two years and think its a great lens that doesn't get much attention because of the 18-200 vr.
Its is supposedly sharper than the 18-200. It does suffer from some vignetting at wide apertures when wide open.
It will give you a lot more range than the 18-55.

Is the 18-55 not that good then?

I'm hearing that the 18-135 is over priced for what you get. But if i put my budget up to £400 what is the best camera+lens combo i could go for? Even if i consider trying the lesser known brands.

Well...there is no right answer... best camera and lens combo is all opinionated and depends what your needs are exactly. I'm not sure on what kind of lens that dragonfly shot is of, but it probably has a focal distance of less than a foot. Then again it could've been taken from 5 feet back, with all the variety out there there's just no telling.

I'd go with the d60 and 18-55 preferrably, but if you can afford it then the 18-135.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NAB

Would I be able to take such a shot with the 18-55 lens? He got quite close to the insect.

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He had it zoomed to 135mm, so from the same distance away your image will have the damselflies a bit under 1/2 that size with lots more space around them.
Or you'll have to get much closer than he was, which might make them fly off.

Hey thanks for the feedback guys. How about if if push the budget to £520 and maybe thought of the new Canon XS. What would be the best lens i could get for this? I'm confused by the description of the lenses on offer for Canon. Or should i use the money to maybe get the 18-200 vr for the D60? Is the vr and is feature important for lenses? Cheers.

vr is important when not using a tripod and you need slower shutter speeds and/or smaller apertures. Skip a few meals and go for the 18-200vr

Hi Frog

I've been looking at the 18-200mm offered by sigma or tamron, will either one of these two do the job?

i also have the 18-135 and am not happy with the Image Quality that i get out of it. it is not acceptable, blown up past 8X10, or cropping, in my book, where as shots from my 60mm macro are superb blown up 20 inches by 20inches and probbably more.


it however is a good range for walking around taking shots

I guess its all subjective. I have a 18x24 print form the 18-135 that's sharp as a tack.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Frog

I guess its all subjective. I have a 18x24 print form the 18-135 that's sharp as a tack.

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I've heard good and bad things about the Canon 100-400L lens. Maybe like Canon, Nikon has put out some soft lenses. I'm sitting next to a 16 X 24 of a loon, that is just as sharp that size as it is 4 X 6.