Newbee Needs help with D80 Lens Selection.

[tfa8rva]

Hey, I'm brand new to the forum....anyhow. I'm getting ready to pick up a Nikon D80 and I need a little guidance in picking out the first lens. It's going to be a while before I can pick up another lens, so I need this one to be somewhat multi-purpose. I don't do portraits, or photos of people much. Mainly airshows, and also scenery and low light shots of city skylines........and the occasional picture of my cat. I don't know if there is any one lens that will work for these, so I would prefer it to work best for the scenery shots over the others. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks,

Jay

[herc182]

Welcome to the forum.

First question is, have you got a kit lens with the camera? Like the 18-70 or the 18-135mm? Or are you just buying the body?

"Mainly airshows"

assuming you are taking shots of the planes flying, you would at the very least need the 55-200mm (Nikon). Click on the link in my signature. Thats my recommendation. I got it for £150. If you are taking shots of them on the ground, then your kit lens (if you have one) or the sigma 10-20mm in my signature would be a good buy.

"scenery"

What, landscapes? If you got a kit lens, then that will have to do. Otherwise, i would massively recommend the sigma 10-20 (see my signature). Others like the tokina 12-24mm.

"and low light shots of city skylines"

You would probably be better off boosting ISO and / or using (or buying) a tripod rather than getting a lens for this. You can use your kit lens (if you have one).

HOWEVER. If you dont have a kit lens, the one lens that could meet all these requirements would be a nikon 18-200mm (with VR), or the tamron 18-250mm or the sigma 18-200. They are general purpose. maybe someone else can recommend those as I have never used them.

[erichlund]

Hey, I'm brand new to the forum....anyhow. I'm getting ready to pick up a Nikon D80 and I need a little guidance in picking out the first lens. It's going to be a while before I can pick up another lens, so I need this one to be somewhat multi-purpose. I don't do portraits, or photos of people much. Mainly airshows, and also scenery and low light shots of city skylines........and the occasional picture of my cat. I don't know if there is any one lens that will work for these, so I would prefer it to work best for the scenery shots over the others. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks,

Jay

If you absolutely need one lens to do all these things, then the Nikkor 18-200VR is the ticket. A better choice, both from cost and image quality standpoints would be the new 18-55VR combined with the 55-200VR. I'm pretty certain that even combined, these will cost less than the 18-200VR. In fact, I think you could even throw in the 50mm f1.8 for good measure. The $730 18-200VR is still pretty expensive.

[jcon]

If you absolutely need one lens to do all these things, then the Nikkor 18-200VR is the ticket.



For the stated use and request of just one lense, I agree 100% with that suggestion.

[Tony_V]

I agree with erichlund; if you need one lens to do all things the 18-200VR is the ticket. However, if you already have a kit lens (18-135mm for example) I like the Nikon 70-300mmVR as an option. The 55-200VR is a great lens for the price but the 70-300mmVR has the additional reach and it shares the same 67mm filter size with the kit lens.

If you do not have a kit lens a 17-50mm F2.8 lens would be a good choice. Tamron, Sigma and Nikon have lenses in this range but they are more expensive than the kit lenses in the same range. I have the Tamron and so far I am pleased with it. The F2.8 will give you additional low light capabilities. It also shares the 67mm filter size. Then add a 70-300mmVR and you're all set.

Tony

[XaiLo]

Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8... 50mm should do for scenery... f/2.8 takes care of low light 150mm for the occasional air show. Since your looking for a multi purpose lens the ability to have f/2.8 and work in low light is worth the 50mm tradeoff that you would gain with the slower 55-200nmm VR or 18-200mm. hth :)

[coldrain]

One thing missing is your budget...

Airshows can use quite some zoom power. If your budget can take it I would go for a 2 lens instead of 1 lens solution:
Nikon 18-55 f3.5-5.6 VR (if it is already available) and Nikon 70-300 f4.5-5.6 VR.
This combo will still cost less than the Nikon 18-200, and will outperform it opticall (and give more tele reach).

[tfa8rva]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. And you're right, I did forget to include my budget. I'm trying to keep the body and lens around 1200-1500 right now....closer to $1200. I think I can get the D80 with am 18-55 and a 55-200VR for about $1150 from Ritz. I guess this is a decent deal, and that's what I may go for right now. But I would like to pick up a better zoom lens down the road.

Side note: I need to figure out how to make this forum notify me when I get replies to the threads I start.

Thanks,

Jay

[erichlund]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. And you're right, I did forget to include my budget. I'm trying to keep the body and lens around 1200-1500 right now....closer to $1200. I think I can get the D80 with am 18-55 and a 55-200VR for about $1150 from Ritz. I guess this is a decent deal, and that's what I may go for right now. But I would like to pick up a better zoom lens down the road.

Side note: I need to figure out how to make this forum notify me when I get replies to the threads I start.

Thanks,

Jay

At the top of the thread, you will see "Thread Tools". Select that and you can subscribe to the thread. I think you may have to go to your account and set up what is done when you subscribe to a thread.

[Daubs]

I know it's out of your price range, but I would echo the thoughts on the 18-200mm VR. Great lens.

I purchased the D80 kit with the 18-135 lens...and that lens did not last me long. Did well outside, but suffered indoors. I picked up a 50f/1.4 and shortly after picked up the 18-200vr. The 135 got ebayed.

Save your bones, get the VR