confused: 18-55 D50 kit lens better than the 18-70???

[optimist2]

From the reviews I read, so far it was clear to me that the 18-55mm kit lens that comes with the D50 was bad and was planning to buy the 18-70 lens that comes as kit lens but with the D70.

But, alas, I came across this website where the reverse may be the case:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1855.htm

kenrockwell prefers the 18-55 mm kit lens over the twice as expensive 18 - 70 mm lens for "smaller size, less distortion and better zooming."

Should I conclude from this alternative opinion that the difference between the 18-55 and the 18-70 is more a matter of opinion than science and go for the cheaper option???

Can the more experienced please help me out? This is my first SLR but I don;t mind spending a couple hundred more if i will see an improvement in sharpness.

[Stoller]

For the price I don't think you can beat the 18-55. It has served me well. I have borowed the Nikon 18-70 and could not tell any major difference in picture quality. The 18-70 does have that extra zoom which the 18-55 seems to fall short on sometimes. The 18-55 is light, and cheap feeling compared to the 18-70 but that does not affect it's function. I would recommend the lens for a starter lens to anyone because it so cheap and functions well. It's my choice for hiking, and for all around I would choose it over my 17-70 sigma.

[Jason25]

I got the 28-80 lens with my D50, but dumped it in favor of the 18-70 DX lens. This is my favorite lens, easily. I may have a good copy of it, but it's sharp, has low distortion, and focuses very fast.

[JohnK]

I'm curious why you dumped the 28-80 lens Jason? I'm looking at getting the D50 as well and was trying to decide between the 18-55 and 28-80.

John

[coldrain]

I got the 28-80 lens with my D50, but dumped it in favor of the 18-70 DX lens. This is my favorite lens, easily. I may have a good copy of it, but it's sharp, has low distortion, and focuses very fast.
Well, all other things can be right, but low distortion it has not. It has more distortion at 18mm than most lenses. Something it shares with the Nikon 18-200 VR and the Canon 17-85 IS. If you want low distortion, these are lenses to void.

[coldrain]

I'm curious why you dumped the 28-80 lens Jason? I'm looking at getting the D50 as well and was trying to decide between the 18-55 and 28-80.

John
The 28-80 is not a great lens at all on a DSLR, it is a kit lens from the cheaper film SLRs and they are trying to unload old stock onto you. The real kitlens is the 18-55mm, it is designed to have the same focal range on the 1.5x crop factor sensor of the D50 as the 28-80 would have on a 35mm film SLR.

If you want more range than 18-55, I would recommend that you look at the 17-70mm f2.8-4 Sigma. A bit more light sensitive, very good performance for its price, and a 1:2.3 macro mode for free with it.

[wh0128]

I haven't bought a new lense with my D50, so I still use the one and only 18-55mm. It hasn't done anything wrong with any of my pictures, and I love the lightness of it. Its an easy to function lense with a switch from autofocus to manual. Very comfortable in your hands. I wish I could have gotten the 18-70 just because I love to get close up and zoom in on things, but that 15mm doesn't bother me one bit, and I don't regret what I purchased. Why don't you try out both lenses, and see which one you feel is best?