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I'm gonna get myself a new digital slr, probably a Nikon D40x because I seen the image quality and it looks fantastic.
But what I need is the best quality walkabout lense money can buy with a range from about 28mm-200mm really. I'd really like a lens with some sort of vibration reduction because I have shaky hands. I was thinking about maybe the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Zoom, Nikon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 G IF-ED AF-S VR DX Zoom or maybe another, but I really need people's help because I dont know the image quality of these lenses.
You'll probably want to have 18mm at the wide end due to the sensor crop, that'll give you a 27mm equivalent focal length. Nikon's 18-200 VR is highly regarded, but then so is Sigma's 18-200 OS which is cheaper.
Personally I'd consider the Nikkor 18-135mm. It's lighter than the 18-200mm's, cheaper, covers 27-200mm equivalent and VR is only really usefull at the tele end of the zoom anyway. Okay build quality isn't as good, optically it's very sharp for it's price and handles distortion just as well.
Thanks. How good is the vibration reduction in the Nikon 18-200mm VR? I got a Konica Minolta A200 and the anti shake in it is fabulous. I've heard that about 5-7 years ago Konica Minolta made the best anti shake/vibration reduction systems.
I said D40X, not the standard D40. And because its cheap and gives just as good image quality as the D60. I've done a comparison on the Nikon site and the only couple of differences are a dust removal system in the D60 and 1 other small thing that I cant remember. But seeing as i'm 100% definately going for a walkabout lens i'm not gonna have any dust problems.
Quote: Thanks. How good is the vibration reduction in the Nikon 18-200mm VR?
they claim up to three stops, or four for the VRII but it depends on the situation. You can get away with a lot more sometimes (good light), or maybe a stop or two at others.
The Sigma OS is supposedly better, as it auto detects panning and has a slight edge optically, but then the Nikon has larger maximum aperture at the wide end.
Are Tamron going to do there 18-250mm with VC? If so, it might be worth holding out for that.....
I doubt that tamron will do the 18-250mm with the VC. I've heard a few bad things about the sigma lenses like soft images and lens creep etc...What lenses does Nikon do the VRII in though? Anyway walkabout ones?
My 18-135mm has been sucking in dust through the barrel during the course of normal use (a risk you take with ANY zoom lens), so don't think you'll be completely dust free forever. Don't you like your E-500 then?
I've got the Nik 18-200VR and I can't say I am very impressed with it.
User error no doubt as I am clueless but it is very hit & miss as to wether I get a sharp shot.
When I bought it they guy reckoned I'd be 'blown away' with the quality ...
For landscape and architecture yes, nice, but ...
Quote: TBH, for that sort of range, you will be compromised on the image quality.
Seconded. I have one purely for holiday use, where I don't know what I'll be shooting and I don't want to carry 3 or 4 lenses. Even then it depends on the holiday.
Quote: My 18-135mm has been sucking in dust through the barrel during the course of normal use (a risk you take with ANY zoom lens), so don't think you'll be completely dust free forever. Don't you like your E-500 then?
I might go for the Nikon D60 then actually. And yeah I loved the Olympus E-500, but thought I wasn't getting very good prints with it, but found my tft monitor was nackerd when I finally printed out some shots i'd taken with the E-500. I figured the Nikon D60 yields slightly sharper images and slightly more natural colours from the camera and there's more choice of lenses so i'd go for a Nikon. I guess then its a bit hit and miss with the walkabout lenses then seeing as 2 lenses are never exaclty the same image quality. I have to say that makes the lens market totally rediculous really considering that 2 of the same products are supposed to be identical in use. I might go with the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR Di VC then because its got built in image stabilization and has enough range for me, plus as long the image quality is better than the image quality from my Konica Minolta A-200 camera i'll be happy. If its not then the digital slr lens market is total waste of time and money.
Quote: But what I need is the best quality walkabout lense money can buy with a range from about 28mm-200mm really
Any lens in that focal length is going to be slow, you already have a couple of fairly good Olympus kit lenses, just get the E510 and be done with it.
I sold the Olympus E-500 to get the Konica Minolta A200 like I said, because I thought I wasn't getting good images. I think the best thing to do is maybe go into jessops or somewhere like that and try out the Tamron and Nikon and see which is the best in store. Like I said if its as good as the Konica Minolta A-200 i'll be more than happy. I never take pictures at the ends like at 28mm or 200mm I always move the zoom in a bit to cut down on distortion etc...
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