Stupid beginners question

[joehayes999]

I am a total newbie. So i bought a Nikon D5300 with an 18-55mm lens. I want to get a telephoto lens also. So my question is this. What will be the difference, if any, between photographing distant objects using a 18-200mm lens at full zoom or a 55-200mm lens?

 

[cauzimme]

I don't understand your question ...

Zoom range is calculated as the maximum focal length (say 55mm) divided by the minimum focal length (say 18mm), around 3x in this case.

You have a 55-200 and a 18-200 it's not the same...

 

[Vtec44]

I am a total newbie. So i bought a Nikon D5300 with an 18-55mm lens. I want to get a telephoto lens also. So my question is this. What will be the difference, if any, between photographing distant objects using a 18-200mm lens at full zoom or a 55-200mm lens?

One you can go from really wide to really close, the other you can go from normal to really close.

 

[dennybeall]

The wider the zoom range the more quality (read cost) is needed to get better shots. I have an 18-140 and it does a better job and cost more than the 18-130 that preceded it. Also what's the f-stop rating on each lens? A 3.5 is more $$ than a 4.0.
The 18-140 on the D5300 is equivalent to an 27-210 lens on a full frame camera and I find it very useful 90% of the time. I rarely need to break out the 70-300 or the 150-500.
Also, the 18mm end of the zoom is used a lot more than the 140 end.
That said, since you have the 18-55 why not go with the 50-200 if the f-stop is ok
But that's just me.

 

[cauzimme]

What do you wanna shoot ?
And also how much money are you willing to invest ?
When buying a telefoto, it's not only about the range but mostly about the f\stop.
Are you interested in portrait ? Or in Sports-birds? Or in Landscape, it's all make a difference when choosing a lense.

 

[waday]

I am a total newbie. So i bought a Nikon D5300 with an 18-55mm lens. I want to get a telephoto lens also. So my question is this. What will be the difference, if any, between photographing distant objects using a 18-200mm lens at full zoom or a 55-200mm lens?

Talking strictly focal length, if you're taking photos at 200 mm from the same camera, it doesn't matter if the lens is 18-200mm or 55-200mm. At 200mm, they should be the same. (Image quality can vary, but that's another question and answer.

The only real difference would be that the 18-200 also provides a range from 18-55, which avoids having to carry a second lens to get this range.

 

[joehayes999]

Ok, got it, thanks you guys. I am sure I will have many other silly questions too, but one day I hope I will know enough to answer a few for other newbies!

 

[480sparky]

From 55-200mm, they will both have the same field of view. There might be a -slight- difference in image quality, more likely with the 18-200.

The 18-200 also may be slightly behind image quality than the 18-55. So it's simply a matter of whether you're willing to sacrifice a little sharpness and gain the ability to shoot 18 to 200mm with one lens or get better IQ and carry two lenses.

 

[sashbar]

Ok, got it, thanks you guys. I am sure I will have many other silly questions too, but one day I hope I will know enough to answer a few for other newbies!

There is nothing silly about your question. As waday stated, 200 mm is 200 mm, whatever the focal range, and the image will be similar. The only difference is the image quality. As a rule of thumb the wider is the focal range, the less IQ you may expect in a similar class of lenses (that effectively means similar price range).

In reality the difference may be very small although the IQ is usually deteriorates a bit towards the end of the focal range with consumer lenses.

The other important factor to consider is max aperture. Max f/3.5 is better than max f/4, and max f/4 is better than max f/5.6. Believe me, this is VERY important.

But bear in mind that 18-200 mm f/ 3.5 - 5.6 lense will be close to max f/4.8 at 55 mm, which is slower than 55-200 mm f/ 4 - 5.6 lense at 55 mm.

If image quality for you is more important than the convenience of having just one superzoom or a really small lense, my recommendation would be to keep your 18-55 and add a 70-300VR lense, it is an inexpensive, great lense with a proved excellent design.

 

[BananaRepublic]

The 18 200 will make your current 18-55 a little redundant as the will bought cover the 18 to 55 mm zoom ranges.

Pros: with the 18-200 you have the convince of carrying only 1 lens as posed to 2
Cons: The image quality of your 18 - 55 is probably better than what you would get from the 18 200mm.
Other: I don't now about the quality of the 55-200 compared to the 18-200 & You have the 18-55 anyway and I would not ditch that as it is a good lens.
My Opinion: I have a 18-55 & 55 - 200 and I found them fine.
Alternate: Consider the 55 - 300 as I think that could be better than the 55-200 search it here.
Overall Importance: What kind of money are you spending.

PS Sashbar points about f numbers is important, look into it b4 you buy

 

[dannylightning]

well 18mm is 18mm so you will get as wide of a angle with that lens as you get with your 18-55 but you will get a good deal more zoom since it goes up to 200mm, that is a pretty nice lens over all, allot of people love it and allot of people do not. i seem to think mine is pretty good. its very convenient to only have to carry the one lens around.

with the 55-200mm lens you will start out at the 55mm so when your kit lens is at 55mm that is as wide of a angle as you are going to get with that 55-200mm lens.

with the 18-200 you will get a much wider angle compared to the 55-200 and a more convenient package.

if you plan to shoot wild life a 200mm zoom is not very much, for wild life a 300mm is the minimum recommendations, a 400mm is really the least amount of zoom i would want, even my 600mm lens leave me wishing i had more when shooting small birds or even big ones that are far away..

i use my 18-200mm for every day shooting and my 150-600mm lens for shooting birds and those are what i use for most of my shooting and 200mm is plenty of zoom for almost anything except for shooting small objects that you are not close too...

the 70-300mm vr lens is definitely a good lens if you want better image quality and a bit more reach but you start out at 70mm instead of 18mm or 55mm so you do not have a really wide angle with that lens. but if you have that and your kit lens that would be ideal if you do not mind having 2 lenses.

here are a few shots with my 18-200 i am not really sure why some people think its a bad lens but there are better lenses out there..