55-200MM lens

sumitboston · Oct 4, 2011

Hi All,

I bought a D7000 Nikon recently and have kit lens (18-105mm) and 55mm 1.8G.

I am trying figure out, if it makes sense to buy 55-200MM lens. I am mostly interested in Night, Skyline and Street photography.

Here are complete lens details:

Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens

Thanks.

Ballistics · Oct 4, 2011

sumitboston said:
Hi All,

I bought a D7000 Nikon recently and have kit lens (18-105mm) and 55mm 1.8G.

I am trying figure out, if it makes sense to buy 55-200MM lens. I am mostly interested in Night, Skyline and Street photography.

Here are complete lens details:

Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens

Thanks.

I have the exact setup. I use all 3 lenses.

Stradawhovious · Oct 4, 2011

NO. Walk away from it.

Soft at both the 55-60mm range and the 180-200 range, loud and slow on the focusing, all plastic construction including the mount and too slow for any practical night time or indoor photography. My recomendation (and I don't know ****, so you're probably best ignoring it) is to find a wider faster lens for the skyline photography, and if you make that a fast midrange zoom it will work for all three of the things you mentioned. ( I realize this will be a crossover with the lenses you have, but it will be very practical for night and skyline shooting.)

I just picked up a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 that, for the money, is absolutely amazing (I'm also using the D7000) I picked it up used for about $300. No VR on that one, but at that focal length I'm not going to miss it.

sumitboston · Oct 4, 2011

Thanks for your replies....

@Ballistics : Could you tell me what will be the difference in use of Kit Lens and 55-200mm, since you have both lens. Do you see any situation, where to use one or other?
@Stradawhovious: I am new to DSLR and lenses, but 17-50 sounds similar to 55mm wide range lens. Wouldn't it be very different from 55-200mm?http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/78623.html http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/95828.html

Ballistics · Oct 4, 2011

Stradawhovious said:
NO. Walk away from it.

Soft at both the 55-60mm range and the 180-200 range, loud and slow on the focusing, all plastic construction including the mount and too slow for any practical night time or indoor photography. My recomendation (and I don't know ****, so you're probably best ignoring it) is to find a wider faster lens for the skyline photography, and if you make that a fast midrange zoom it will work for all three of the things you mentioned. ( I realize this will be a crossover with the lenses you have, but it will be very practical for night and skyline shooting.)

I just picked up a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 that, for the money, is absolutely amazing (I'm also using the D7000) I picked it up used for about $300. No VR on that one, but at that focal length I'm not going to miss it.

To each it's own. At $150 I don't think it's bad at all.

Ballistics · Oct 4, 2011

sumitboston said:
Thanks for your replies....

@Ballistics : Could you tell me what will be the difference in use of Kit Lens and 55-200mm, since you have both lens. Do you see any situation, where to use one or other?
@Stradawhovious: I am new to DSLR and lenses, but 17-50 sounds similar to 55mm wide range lens. Wouldn't it be very different from 55-200mm?

The difference is the focal length. I took this @ 200mm. You will not be able to get anything close to this with the 18-105mm

20110812_1 by Compressed Memories, on Flickr