Favourite 'walkaround' lens for Nikon

spav

I'm just in the process of upgrading my camera body, and I'm thinking of taking the opportunity to sell my old D40. I'm thinking of selling the 18-55 with it, and spending the money on a new standard zoom lens, probably second hand.

Anyone have any recommendations? Just looking for something versatile, and something that's old / popular enough that it'll be reasonably easy to find second hand.

Arciphel

What body are you going to be using this new walkaround lens on?

For a DX format body i think you can't go far wrong with the 18-55mm VR or the 16-85mm VR if you can afford it (there's one going secondhand on adverts at the moment )

For full frame I think you're looking at a 24-70 type lens, constant f2.8 if you afford it or else something like an f3.5 - 4.5 in that range. You can pick up a Sigma one of these for about €300 and you'll get good results with it, or else splash the cash on the Nikon one (about €1,400! :pac:)

DaireQuinlan

My favourite walkaround lens (film/fx) is my 20->35 2.8. I'm a big wideangle fan though so that might not suit everyone. Relatively cheap enough nowadays because they're about 3 models old.

I'd say the vast majority of these sets were shot using it...

Montenegro / Croatia. June 2008

Italy 2007

Stephen

In daylight, I like the 18-105VR that came with my D90. At night I use the good ol' nifty fifty. The only other fast lens I have is an 80-200 f/2.8, far too big for walking about

melekalikimaka

Stephen wrote: »

In daylight, I like the 18-105VR that came with my D90. At night I use the good ol' nifty fifty. The only other fast lens I have is an 80-200 f/2.8, far too big for walking about

really, the 18-105??? I've heard nothing but bad from folk with that... tho the range you get is handy i guess

Stephen

I've had no problems with it anyways.

spav

Arciphel wrote: »

What body are you going to be using this new walkaround lens on?

For a DX format body i think you can't go far wrong with the 18-55mm VR or the 16-85mm VR if you can afford it (there's one going secondhand on adverts at the moment )

For full frame I think you're looking at a 24-70 type lens, constant f2.8 if you afford it or else something like an f3.5 - 4.5 in that range. You can pick up a Sigma one of these for about €300 and you'll get good results with it, or else splash the cash on the Nikon one (about €1,400! :pac:)

A D2x, so that's a DX.

There's a 28-70 3.5-4.5 for sale over on adverts. It's an older Nikon lens, which means it's more metal than plastic - a definite plus for me, love the heavier, more substantial feeling lens. I'm just not sure if it's going to be wide enough at 28mm. Fits the bill in a lot of ways though - plenty available second hand for not much money.

Hugh_C

For me it's the Series E 75-150 mm manual focus, cheap as chips, beautiful results either dx or fx, get one for about 60 quid on eBay, I've taken a bunch of stuff with it, great, great lens, lovely bokeh, reasonably fast & dead cheap. Did I mention it was cheap? I use it with a D300.

Don't worry about the MF, AF screws up a lot of the time anyway - easily known I come from a film background.

spav

Hugh_C wrote: »

For me it's the Series E 75-150 mm manual focus, cheap as chips, beautiful results either dx or fx, get one for about 60 quid on eBay, I've taken a bunch of stuff with it, great, great lens, lovely bokeh, reasonably fast & dead cheap. Did I mention it was cheap? I use it with a D300.

Don't worry about the MF, AF screws up a lot of the time anyway - easily known I come from a film background.

Thanks for that, could be very interesting.

Some incredible shots there by the way.

Peace

Sigma 18-200mm. Used it tonight indoors and it was fine but needed IS0800 to prevent motion blur.

punchdrunk

the 16-85vr is razor sharp and intended for a dx sensor so it'd be ideal for a walkabout lens