Drop Nikkor 18-200mm VR for Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8?

[c0ld]

I am soo tempted to get the Nikkor 17-55mm got the funds for it. Is the Nikkor 17-55mm really worth it? Get that and sell the 18-200mm and just get a cheap long tele?

 

[tirediron]

Moving to the Equipment thread.

 

[tirediron]

I've not used the 17-55, but by all accounts it's an excellent piece of glass for DX bodies. The 18-200 on the other hand is 'ho-hum' at best. It's poor at both ends of it's focal range, has lacklustre build-quality, and is really a 'Swiss-army lens' (It does a lot of things, but none of them very well). That said, it really depends on your shooting style and subjects. I would never recommend buying any 'cheap' lens, but Nikon has built some really nice 70-300s that can be had used for relatively little money.

 

[c0ld]

I find myself not using the tele range that much. Maybe later because my friend is a coach for waterpolo, I shot a game but with my 35mm f/1.8G while the shots came out nice since there was little light I wished for a tele. But his season is starting and I wanna go out and shoot since it was fun. Haven't done any other sport shooting since I got the 18-200mm.

What I like is the fast lens and I read that the color reproduction is superb with this lens, since the wideangle shots from 18-200mm have to be corrected on LR because of the noticeable distortion. There is a local 17-55mm for $950 with box hood and everything, maybe I can lower it down to $850-$900.

But the thing is if I get it maybe my primes will get kinda useless now? The 35mm more so than the 50mm.

By the way this is my gear atm:
D7000, 35mm f/1.8G DX, 50mm f/1.8G, 18-200mm VR and a SB700

 

[zamanakhan]

GET RID OF THE 18-200 the 18-200 is not even in the same leage as a 2.8 zoom. Your primes will not be rendered useless at all, they are still light and still 1.8 which is still faster than 2.8. I would perhaps sell one of the primes, personally 35 and 50 on dx are too close of a range to have both of.

 

[c0ld]

Yeah maybe selling the 35mm f/1.8 DX, wont part with my 50mm since I love the the bokeh that produces.

At large f stops will there be a clear difference in sharpness between the 17-55mm vs the 18-200mm(Obviously in the 18-55mm range)??