• 07-08-2015, 09:23 AM
    volks
    Great little inexpensive lens
    Just tried the new 55-200 VR II on my D7200. Very nice sharp pictures.
    This lens will do perfectly for the odd times when I need a little extra reach to compliment my 16-80mm f2.8-4 as soon as it becomes available.
  • 07-08-2015, 08:41 PM
    Liz
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    Congratulations! It's always nice to get new gear! Don't forget to post some pics!

    Liz
  • 07-09-2015, 10:55 AM
    Franglais
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    I'm thinking about the 70-200 f4 VR which is neither little nor inexpensive but it works on my D800 as well.

    I already have the 70-300 f4.5-5.6 VR but I've realised:

    1) The autofocus is not very fast. Sometimes it hunts too much (air displays)
    2) The VR is not as good as the one on my 24-120 f4. In low light I'm getting camera shake while the 24-120 is sharp. Unfortunately this is really a problem
  • 07-09-2015, 11:18 AM
    volks
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    Charles, I had the 70-300 lens. I decided that I wanted to go light and sold it. The lens was ok, but not without those issues you mentioned, but then, it's been around for a long time now, and due for an upgrade. Now just waiting for the 16-80.
  • 07-10-2015, 11:49 AM
    Franglais
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    I just did a comparison of different combinations that I could use for indoor shootings at about 70-75mm view on the D800 and the D7200.

    In order to get the same depth-of-field I used the D800 at f6.3 and the D7200 at f4.5 so the D7200 is working at 1600 ISO when the D800 is working at 3200 ISO. Big difference..

    - The best result is the D7200 with the 50mm f1.4 as long as I stay at 1/100s or above. It's clean, sharp and contrasty
    - The next best is the D800 with the 24-120VR. It's sharp but lacking contrast. Very versatile but still a compromise which needs extra post-processing sometimes
    - The 18-140 on the D7200 did very well as well
    - The 70-300 on the D800 stricken by camera shake even at 1/100s
    - The 28-70 f2.8 on the D800 was the worst (though it might look OK on smaller images. Even at 1/200s the fine detail was blurred (on the D800). Without VR I guess that you have to forget about depth of field, use the lens wide open with a fast shutter speed
  • 07-11-2015, 08:09 AM
    Franglais
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    However to get back to the subject..

    Treat the 55-200 gently. It's not made of concrete like the 16-85. I helped a friend of mine buy the first version at a photo fair. It worked fine until one day she had difficulty getting it off, a ham-handed "expert" gave her some help - and afterwards it didn't work any more
  • 07-11-2015, 08:34 AM
    volks
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    Charles, I'm much aware of this little gems limitation and that is the plastic mount. I won't use it very often but when I do, I will treat it gentle, like not over tighten, not holding camera by the lens etc. Sometimes I just need a little longer reach than 80mm.
    Also, should the plastic mount break, it won't cost and arm and a leg to replace it.
  • 07-12-2015, 11:27 AM
    Franglais
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    To divert from the subject and get back to my obsession of proving to myself that I must have the new 16-80:

    - How the 50mm f1.4 on the D7200 beat my beautiful 28-70 f2.8 on the D800 made no sense to me. Both are non-VR lens and should suffer from shutter shake equally
    - I redid the focus calibration on both lenses on the D800 and both are too far out to be corrected on the D800. Disaster
    - I redid the focus calibration with the same lenses on the D7200 and both required little or no adjustment

    The D800 is starting to show its age compared with the D7200. Focussing system is too quirky. And if I use a wider aperture on the D7200 that allows me to use a lower ISO and any advantage in noise is eliminated
  • 07-12-2015, 01:30 PM
    volks
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    How the 50mm f1.4 on the D7200 beat my beautiful 28-70 f2.8 on the D800 made no sense to me. Both are non-VR lens and should suffer from shutter shake equally.

    Well, weight might be a factor.

    - I redid the focus calibration on both lenses on the D800 and both are too far out to be corrected on the D800. Disaster
    - I redid the focus calibration with the same lenses on the D7200 and both required little or no adjustment.

    This indeed is strange as that combo should produce great results. It's becoming clearer that certain camera/lens combos just don't get along.


    Have you tried the 28-70 on the d7200?

    Regardless, you will get the 16-80 for your d7200, I'll bet on it :-)
  • 07-13-2015, 12:31 PM
    Franglais
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    Yes the 28-70 did better on the D7200 than the 50mm - I think the heavy lens is less prone to shake. But the 24-120 with VR did best.

    Simplicity:

    - 95% of what I currently do I can do well with the D800+24-120
    - 99% of what I currently do I can do with the D7200+18-140 but I'm getting softer results due to noise reduction. The 18-140 just doesn't let through enough light and I'm forced to use higher ISO's
    - The 16-80 is the equivalent of the 24-120 and it lets through more light so it looks like what I'm looking for

    However the 16-80 is expensive and it defeats the object of the D7200 - to have a low-cost solution that I can take anywhere. It's half the price of a D750. Do I really want to continue investing in DX gear when Nikon is obviously concentrating on FX?

    Well actually - I rather like using DX gear for the small size and light weight when I'm travelling. Still thinking about it..
  • 07-13-2015, 01:08 PM
    volks
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    As you well know, for a while I was thinking of going to FX, however, I finally realized that at my age, the last thing I needed was to haul around more ( expensive ) weight.
    For my needs DX will do just fine. If Nikon were to give up on DX, it's doubtful that they would come out with this lens that both of us will soon own :-)
    Ordered the Nikon clear 72mm filter from Amazon. Great price and is being shipped from Japan.
  • 08-05-2015, 07:53 AM
    volks
    Re: Great little inexpensive lens
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by johncarter5 View Post
    ok fine am agree with you

    Please don't bother to post if this is the best you can come up with.