18-55 mm or 18-140mm kit lens for Nikon D5200?

philipgonzales3 · Mar 15, 2014

I'm going to pick up my first DSLR today and wonder which lens I should get to learn on? I am worried about the distortion (barrel and pin cushion) with the larger lens. I plan on getting a 50mm f/1.8 g lens in a couple of weeks but which lens should I go to start with? for general photography, just to learn the basics. I don't really have a type of photography that I am trying to achieve, just to learn a bit about DSLR and photography. Thank you.

goodguy · Mar 15, 2014

If you plan on getting good glass in the near future then the 18-55mm is good enough but if you will just get the 50mm 1.8 then might as well get the 18-140mm which will give you a nice large focal range.

CmazzJK · Mar 16, 2014

I took my 18-140 to the zoo Saturday and was pleasantly surprised at how sharp it is. I will post up some pictures when I get home to let you be the judge. Good luck finding any good info on the 18-140 though its a newer lens with a focal range that doesnt have a reputation for being "tack sharp" but if you want an all around pretty good lens with a really convenient focal range for APS-C then you may really like the 18-140, I am finding it very useful.

CdTSnap · Mar 17, 2014

Definitely get the 18-140. The 18-55 is very easy to get if you need it. But you won't. The 50mm will be much more universal.

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yioties · Mar 17, 2014

Isn't the 18-140 around 350-400 used? I would get the 18-55vr and the 70-300 vr for the money you are going to spend on the 18-140vr.

CmazzJK · Mar 17, 2014

These have all been cropped and slightly adjusted in Lightroom

The silverback was shot at 85mm
The flamingo was shot at 140mm
The lion was shot at 140mm
The bird was shot at 140mm

Just to give you an idea of what it can do at the long end. This lens is more than likely capable of shooting much better photos with someone competent behind the viewfinder, but with the exception of moving targets in low light I was happy with it. Not sure I would spend brand new bucks on it, though. If I were you I would look for someone wanting to off load this lens which they got with the new body. I'm sure you could find it cheap that way.