View Full Version : Whats a good alll round lens for the D50 that not too expensive
I have just purchased a D50 kit from 7DayShop (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php^QS^mid=530^QA^gid=6083^QA^id=30372) and I want to get another lens too go with it so I am looking for some suggestions.
I will be using the camera mostly for landscapes and wide angle shots so what lens would be a good buy? I don't have a great deal to spend at the moment though.
Also were is a good place to find out what third party lenses can be used with the D50?
Cheers
Stu
downhillbiker
26-09-2005, 16:36
What lens did you get with the camera? The 18-70mm DX?
Radiohead
26-09-2005, 16:45
Probably the 18-55mm Nikkor.
How much have you got to spend?
I got the Nikkor 18-55mm Lens with the D50. I am not to sure of my budget yet I am just looking for some advice on a good all round lens.
puddleduck
27-09-2005, 09:06
What are you looking for - a landscape lens (which will be wide) isn't really going to be a "good allround lens" - too be honest, for that critera I'd say the Nikkor 18-70 if you didn't already have the 18-55DX.... 18mm is still plenty wide enough for most landscapes though.
Any Nikon compatible F-mount lens that are AutoFocus will work on the D50. Just look for lens marked "F mount", Nikon fit, or NAF are things to look for. You can use some non-AF lens as well - ie SeriesE etc.
If you want a lens that is wide-ish and with a reasonable zoom as an all in one walkabout lens, I rate the Nikkor 28-200 very highly. Very nice lens optically, almost as good as the excellent 18-70 DX. But that won't be much good for landscapes... if you want some zoom and want to go wider than the 18mm you already have, you'll be looking at more than one lens (a wide-angle, plus a 200 / 300mm zoom)
Sprout Crumble
02-10-2005, 04:39
Also were is a good place to find out what third party lenses can be used with the D50?
Cheers
Stu
www.fredmiranda.com
Click on reviews and you can look at opinions on Nikon, Sigma and Tamron lenses. If anyones having problems it'll show up here.
If you want a lens that is wide-ish and with a reasonable zoom as an all in one walkabout lens, I rate the Nikkor 28-200 very highly.
This is what I'm looking at getting, and keeping the kit lens as a back-up. The alternative (for me, anyway) is the 70-300 (http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70300af.htm), and keeping the 18-55 kit lens handy for wider stuff.
emeyedeejay
03-10-2005, 20:28
If you're looking for a budget 70-300 you really cannot beat the Sigma 70-300 APO DG from onestop digital... many on here own it and I'm sure they'll agree that it offers excelletn quality for a budget lens.
DeadMode
03-10-2005, 21:01
Myself and my wife were looking at a big zoom recently to complement the 18-70 that we got with our D50. In the end we went for the Nikon 70-300 ED lens. We don't regret it, we have had some great results with it so far. We did consider other brands, but I heard a recurring comment when asking around, which was 'you can't go wrong when you put a Nikon lens on a Nikon body'. Also I believe that if we ever decide to trade in or sell our gear, the Nikon lens will hold it's value better than the equivalent Sigma or Tamron.
Also, the Nikon 70-300 ED will work on a full frame sensor / film SLR should we choose to use it as such, but probably not. :)
puddleduck
03-10-2005, 22:00
Good points about the 70-300 (both Nikon and Sigma versions) but its worth noting the OP is using "the camera mostly for landscapes and wide angle shots" so not sure if these recommendations are really relevant to the OP's question?
Darren A
03-10-2005, 23:23
Have to agree on the 70-300mm Sigma, great lens and I could be tempted to sell mine for the right price :) only had it a month and now upgraded to the 70-200mm 2.8 Sigma.
Have to agree with Andy though wouldn't be my 1st choice of landscape lens as it's not really wide enough.
puddleduck
04-10-2005, 01:11
Have to agree on the 70-300mm Sigma, great lens and I could be tempted to sell mine for the right price :) only had it a month and now upgraded to the 70-200mm 2.8 Sigma.
Have to agree with Andy though wouldn't be my 1st choice of landscape lens as it's not really wide enough.
Hi Darren
Great lens isn't it? :)
You might want to try Amazon Marketplace for the 70-300 - I sold my Nikon 70-300 G over there and got £120 for it - I only paid £60!! :nuts:
Sprout Crumble
04-10-2005, 02:54
Sigma 10-20mm ???
emeyedeejay
04-10-2005, 06:10
Good points about the 70-300 (both Nikon and Sigma versions) but its worth noting the OP is using "the camera mostly for landscapes and wide angle shots" so not sure if these recommendations are really relevant to the OP's question?
The OP (EDIT: Erm ... I mean roddy) also posted ....
... The alternative (for me, anyway) is the 70-300 (http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70300af.htm), and keeping the 18-55 kit lens handy for wider stuff.
... and that's where all this talk of 70-300 is coming from ...
puddleduck
04-10-2005, 06:33
Apart from the OP is Stu_69 not Roddy!
Go and have a coffee, bit early yet your end :) :thumbs:
Mr Pedantic
It may not go wide enough for the OP's requirements, however, I bought the Tamron 28-300 (£214 from Jessops (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/click^QS^p=17211^QA^a=60823^QA^g=106115)) on Saturday as I wanted an alternative to lugging all my kit everywhere. I decided my 300D without battery grip and a light zoom with good coverage will do for those occasions where its not practical/ possible to carry my full kit. I had a quick play at the weekend and I'm impressed! Lens is sharp pretty much all the way through the range (startens to soften around 280mm). Only critiscm is its a little slow (f6.3 at the long end), but for an all in one its an excellent lens and IMO a bargain at less than £220.
emeyedeejay
04-10-2005, 06:50
Apart from the OP is Stu_69 not Roddy!
Go and have a coffee, bit early yet your end :) :thumbs:
Mr Pedantic
Ooops ... excellent idea - [note to self - step away from the forums early in the morning] :nuts:
Oh and wasn't trying to be pedantic Andy - sorry if you misinterpreted my post
puddleduck
04-10-2005, 06:57
no, I was referring to myself as Mr Pedantic :)
I had a nice coffee as well, half latte, half cappacino!
Back on topic, that sounds a nice lens Sam, I still hanker for just one walkabout lens, I'd be interested to see some samples! Didn't you just buy a Panasonic from OSD last week though? Would've thought that would cover as a nice walkabout pretty well?
no, I was referring to myself as Mr Pedantic :)
I had a nice coffee as well, half latte, half cappacino!
Back on topic, that sounds a nice lens Sam, I still hanker for just one walkabout lens, I'd be interested to see some samples! Didn't you just buy a Panasonic from OSD last week though? Would've thought that would cover as a nice walkabout pretty well?
I post a couple of pics tonight. OSD couldn't source a pansonic (not their fault, they were let down by their supplier). I had another think and decided that after being used to an SLR anything else would be a compromise in handleing & picture quality. I had my 300D as a back up (ie gathering dust) and decided that would be the way to go. Plus the Tamron lens was cheaper than the Panasonic camera ;)
Good points about the 70-300 (both Nikon and Sigma versions) but its worth noting the OP is using "the camera mostly for landscapes and wide angle shots" so not sure if these recommendations are really relevant to the OP's question?
Zoom lust gets the better of me yet again :nuts:. Apologies for irrelevant advice.
Thanks to emeyedeejay for the tip on the Sigma though, will have a look. Have to admit I was restricting myself to Nikkor products to reduce the massive amount of information us newbies have to assimilate. . .
Roddy
DeadKenny
04-10-2005, 12:23
Sigma 10-20mm ???
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021403sigma10-20dc.asp
Have to agree on the 70-300mm Sigma, great lens and I could be tempted to sell mine for the right price :) only had it a month and now upgraded to the 70-200mm 2.8 Sigma.
Have to agree with Andy though wouldn't be my 1st choice of landscape lens as it's not really wide enough.
What kind of price would you be looking for?
emeyedeejay
04-10-2005, 14:08
Zoom lust gets the better of me yet again :nuts:. Apologies for irrelevant advice.
Thanks to emeyedeejay for the tip on the Sigma though, will have a look. Have to admit I was restricting myself to Nikkor products to reduce the massive amount of information us newbies have to assimilate. . .
Roddy
[slightly off topic again :p ]
Roddy,
a few comparison shots between the Sigma and the Nikkor 70-300 lenses here ...
http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375061&page=2
Darren A
04-10-2005, 19:18
What kind of price would you be looking for?
You've got mail
puddleduck
06-10-2005, 08:49
stu_69 - If you are still looking for a wide-ish lens, that Nikkor 28-200G I mentioned earlier... well a few people over at Nikonians are also looking for alternatives and the 28-200G has got favourable mentions there too...
http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID6/7688.html
Andy, I haven't forgotton about posting some images from the Tamron 28-300, I just haven't had time yet!
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