All rounder lens recommendations

[evieh]

Hi All
I'm new to the world of digital SLRs having just purchased the Nikon D40. The main reason for buying it was because I'm off traveling for a year so wanted a decent camera to take with me. Heading off to Africa first so will need a lens which is decent enough to take pictures of game when I'm on safari but am also going to places such as the Grand Canyon so want something wide enough to take good landscape pictures. Ideally I'd only like to take one lens with me (to save on space and weight) and so have been looking at the AF-S DX VR Zoom Nikkor 18-200mm because it seems to give such a wide range. I suppose the other option would be to get the 55-200mm and take the 18-55mm kit lens with me too. This would be a much cheaper option (have seen the 55-200mm for about £100 as opposed to about £400 for the 18-200mm) but obviously the down side is that I'd have to take both lenses with me.

Does anyone have any advice/suggestions/alternatives?
Thanks very much

[Grandpaw]

Welcome to our site and hope you have a memorable trip. I have the Nikon 18-200 lens that you are talking about and think it would be an excellent choice. It not only would let you not have to change lens it would help by eliminating getting dust on your sensor during the changing between lens. It is a very good all around sharp lens that I think you would be very happy with, Jeff

[Photo-John]

The 18-200 VR lens is great. Some people complain about distortion. But for the kind of photography I mostly do - outdoor landscape and action - it's great. I took it skiing a few times last winter and I loved it.

Recently, I did a review of the Tamron AF28-300mm Di VC lens. If you want something longer and you're willing to give up a bit on the wide end, I think it's a solid and very versatile lens. Tamron's VC image stabilization system works really well. I was very impressed. And I think Tamron's good lenses are very good. The AF 28-300mm Di VC was also just awarded the EISA Consumer Lens of the Year award.

Tamron AF28-300mm Di VC Lens Pro Review >>

And if you haven't seen them yet, the Nikon 18-200 VR lens has lots of great user reviews here. It would be my choice if I were going to have one lens do it all:

Nikon 18-200 AF-S VR User Reviews >>

[Franglais]

I use the 18-200 most of the time, even for my semi-pro stuff. It's so useful to beable to go from a wide-angle view of an event then zoom in a pick out a face or some detail, all in a package which is only slightly bigger than a normal lens. Plus the VR really works.

However, in your situation I would find the 55-200 or 55-200VR an interesting option. Yes you would have to have a proper camera bag to carry around the second lens, you would have to be a bit careful changing lenses in windy situations, but you could spend the money you saved on a small flashgun like the SB200, very useful accessory.

[evieh]

Hi guys

Thanks very much for the replies.

I've looked at the 3rd party alternative lenses such a Sigma or Tamron (both of which are cheaper than the Nikon) but have been warned against them for the D40 because the auto focussing won't work - is this correct? Obviously being a beginner I'm quite keen on the auto focussing function.....

[Franglais]

Hi guys

Thanks very much for the replies.

I've looked at the 3rd party alternative lenses such a Sigma or Tamron (both of which are cheaper than the Nikon) but have been warned against them for the D40 because the auto focussing won't work - is this correct? Obviously being a beginner I'm quite keen on the auto focussing function.....

Don't even think of getting a lens that won't autofocus. The viewfinder on the D40 is too small for you to focus manually quickly.

The Tamron and Sigma 18-200's won't autofocus on the D40 (I heard that one of them was going to come out with a version with a focussing motor but now I can't find it).

An 18-200 is a fairly extreme zoom lens and Nikon have put lots of high technology into their version to make sure the performance is there. I don't have any reviews in front of me but I believe that the other manufacturers lenses are a step back in image quality.

[another view]

If you can afford the 18-200, it's an easy choice. It's everything you'll need for most situations (sure a 400 f2.8, a superwide and an 85 f1.4 would be nice, but... ) and it'll keep you thinking about photography instead of cameras. Here's the trade-offs with the other lenses:

--Changing lenses will give you a chance for sensor dust.

--28-200 or 300 lenses will have you give up a lot on the wide end. 10mm doesn't sound like a lot, but it's huge.

--If you don't have VR you'll want to bring a tripod (again, most situations rule applies). The VR on this lens is good for three or four stops in my experience. This keeps you thinking about photography too...

The 18-200 might get bashed for the brick wall test, but personally I don't shoot brick walls (pet peeve). This lens is designed for travel and moving quickly. It's designed to get a photograph in most situations, and it'll be easier than using a lot of other lenses available, especially with the VR ad AF-S.

This lens also gets bashed compared to the 17-55 f2.8 + 70-200 f2.8 VR for about $3000. With this combination you'll have clearly superior lens sharpness and faster maximum apertures, but you'll lose VR below 70mm and have two lenses to deal with - one about the size of a very large burrito. These two lenses are truly a bad comparison to the 18-200. You'll want them if you're planning on large prints with maximum sharpness, but really the 18-200 is no slouch here (I have an 80-200 f2.8 Nikkor to compare it to).

[evieh]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I've decided to go for the Nikon 28-200 mm after careful consideration (and because of the advice on here!) I'm getting it for my birthday so not having to pay for it swung it for me in the end!:-)
Cheers
Eve

[evieh]

Sorry - I meant 18-200!!

[Grandpaw]

I think you will be very impressed with this lens, I know I am, Jeff

[shootme]

Now I want one even more. I do a bit of street photography and such a range would be great, I'm often changing between the 18-135 and the 70-300, I think the 18-200 would work well, great choice evieh.