Nikon D80 Lenses

sdgmusic · Apr 1, 2007

Hey all, I have asked a number of questions about the DSLRs and I thank you for all your help, now I have one more.

The D80 (at least here in Canada) is sold as 2 different packages.

#1 D80 Body with 18-135 Lens - $1479.99
#2 D80 Body with 18-70 Lens - $1539.99

Why is the 18-70 more expensive, and which lens is a better all purpose lens?
This camera is going to be mainly for "work" related stuff (ie Weddings, Musician Headshots, Animals and some scenery)

Thanks
Sean

Mike_E · Apr 2, 2007

The 18-70 looks to be a better lens. According to Ken Rockwell- kenrockwell.com (you will hear people groaning but if you look a little past his hyperbole you'll find that he knows his stuff) the 18-135 has distortion that can't be fixed in photoshop. May be it can but it must be a bear to do and if you are going to be using a lens for pay, why beat your head against a wall?

My 18-70 works fine on my D200 and the range is good for anything form a medium sized room on down (28-105mm equiv). get that a 50mm 1.4/8 and a 80-200 f2.8 and you'll be set.

BTW, I got a cheap f2.8, 28mm manual that works great for candids in lower light. If you don't feel like focusing, just set it to the hyperfocal and shoot!

Here is one in front of a skate park after a concert.

This is a REALLY low quality jpeg (the orig was 3.6meg). I think I had the ISO at 1600, 1/45 @ f2.8 +2/3 ecomp. This place was Dark, but I had fun till my kids got out!

mike

gmarquez · Apr 2, 2007

I've got the 18-135, and i like it a lot. The distortion doesn't screw up my pictures for most of the range; however, I *could* do without the vignetting at extreme wide with the sky as a background. Does the 18-70 suffer some vignetting at wide?

fmw · Apr 2, 2007

I'm surprised you can't buy the body alone and put a better lens on it from day one.

Mike_E · Apr 2, 2007

Not so you'd notice. But then I have a hard time making myself shoot at the extremes of a zoom anyway lol.

sdgmusic · Apr 2, 2007

fmw: if I were to just buy the body alone, what would you suggest as the first lens for it?

fmw · Apr 2, 2007

At the expensive end 17-55 f2.8 zoom or one of the off brand comparable lenses from Sigma, Tamron etc. At the affordable end 50mm f1.4 or 35mm f2 AF lenses or even the 60mm micro nikkor.