Need help deciding which lenses to buy - D90

[scyzoryk_o4]

Hey, I have both the nikon 18-200 and the 50 1.8, im really happy with this combo. I have the prime lens for portraits and any situation where i need particularly low aperture size and sharp pictures and for everything else i can just use the 18-200 which is sharp enough, especially when your still getting used to a new camera.

 

[NateS]

Okay sorry for double posting, but what if I opt for only the 50mm prime, and the Tokinan wide angle?

Basically, my collection will consist of:
Tokina wide angle
50 prime
55-200

Will I miss the range between the 50 prime and the wide angle?

Edit: Can any of the above serve as a macro lens? I think I'm already pushing my budget - the lens above total slightly over 1K.

No, none of the above can serve as a Macro lens. The 50mm least of all as it's focus distance is far from what I'd call close. 55-200 can get closer than the 50mm but still not enough that I'd say it can be a Macro. The Sigma 70-300 APO I talked about can though. Regarding the 50mm and missing the wide end....yeah, but how much depends on what you are shooting. For portrait type stuff I never missed it at all honestly, but when doing landscapes or cars, stuff like that, you need a wider lens in my opinion.

If you want some examples, the link in my sig has both the Sigma 70-300 and the 50mm f1.8. All of the family section and all of the "Lillian Snelson" section are with the 50mm f1.8. All of the animal section and all of the insects and flowers are with the Sigma 70-300 APO. Maybe that will give you some kind of idea of what each lens can do.

You could also do something like the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 (400ish) and the Sigma 70-300 APO (200ish) and be at the same price as the 18-200. The 70-300 is really good if you can keep it around f/8 or smaller and the both can act as a "Macro" lens and get you fairly close for those types of shots. The Sigma 18-50 f2.8 is a very good lens for the price as well.

 

[Yves Gaudet]

I own an 18-200 and a sigma 10-20 and i like them both. Since the Sigma has a 10 year warranty and the image quality, built and size are good I would go with the Sigma.

L.L.Lozeau - Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
L.L.Lozeau - Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Nikon

 

[sabbath999]

I haven't had real life experience with either but based on Ken Rockwell's reviews the 18-200mm is sharper than the kit lens (which he doesn't like). However, I HAVE heard in some sites (forgot where) that the 18-200mm wasn't as good as he made them out to be.

If you are talking about the 18-105 kit lens, I don't have any information on it... but if you are talking about the 18-55 I can tell you (I own both it and the 18-200 VR) that the 18-55 is VASTLY superior in image quality. A combination of the 18-55 VR and 55-200 VR is about half the price (more or less) than the 18-200 and will give much better image quality throughout the range.

I am a big fan of both the 18-55VR and the 55-200VR, and use them extensively even though I own some pro level glass. The 55-200VR is every bit as sharp if not a touch more so than the vaunted 70-200VR (although it is inferior in every other way, as well you might expect for a lens that costs 1/10th of what the other one does).

 

[sabbath999]

To my knowledge, the VR version is optically the same as the non VR version so problems I mentioned having with that lens would be the same.

Acutally, they are a bit different, although I can't really tell any difference in the images... the newer VR version does not use ED glass.

 

[chyidean]

but when doing landscapes or cars, stuff like that, you need a wider lens in my opinion.

I mentioned the Tokina in the list. Wouldn't that count as wide angle?

 

[hossmaster]

I purchased a 50mm 1.8 fairly quickly after I got my D50 and that lens usually stays on the camera. I find that this lens has all of the F/stop range I could use and forces me to move around and think about the picture I want to take. I can go from shooting buildings and candid's during the day and then plop the camera on a tripod and do wonderful night shots.

 

[Dhaines94]

I just upgraded from the D40 to the D90 and love it. I have the 18-200vr, 50mm 1.8 AF and the 10.5mm fisheye. Once you get used to the fisheye, you can take pics at a very wide angle without much distortion. I would recommend the 50mm 1.8 - it a great lens and only cost about $100.

here is an example landscape with the fisheye