Which lens kit to get?

[StinkyFeetMendoza]

Hey guys. I'm looking into getting my first dslr and I'm am about sold on the D7000 for several reasons. I don't have the budget or experience for a custom built kit so I am looking at the store kits. The two kits I'm interested in are almost identical except or the lens options. One kit comes with a Nikon AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR the other kit come with two lenses a Nikon 18-105mm VR AF DX-S zoom lens and a Nikon 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR DX AF-S ED Zoom Nikkor lens. The kit with the 18-200mm lens is $50 more expensive but comes with a precision design brand flash and tripod. I plan to use this camera primarily for family pictures but I also enjoy wildlife and would like something to get up close to some white tail deer, turkey, and other wild animals. Thanks for all of your opinions and advice.

 

[orb9220]

Nikon 18-105mm VR AF DX-S zoom lens and a Nikon 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR DX AF-S are both sharper and give more than the convenience of a jack of all trades all in one zoom. And if the one lens goes bad what do you have to shoot with?

I never liked the all-in-one pay thru the nose for less optical performance for sake of convenience. Use the extra cash to buy a 35mm f1.8 or 50mm f1.8 prime to round out your lens choices. Will do much to expand usability indoors and lower light shooting.
.

 

[Watch72]

It is a matter of compromise and you can't have it all. The 18-200mm zoom is convenient and probably suits your need a little more. Why? I guess you would'nt want to be bothered with bringing an additional lenses with you and changing it for different situations. I could be wrong of course, you could be a real keen photographer and willing to do all this.

If what you are offered at $50 more for the 18-200mm, the flash and tripod - this means the actual price of that lens is probably cheaper.
But if you want to take on the wildlife at 200mm or more - you better have a tripod (whether it is the one they are trying to "sell" to you is another story. You do need a good, strong and preferably light tripod).

So what advice can I give. Well, frankly I have no particular advice because I do not know your photographic style. All I do know is you want family shots (from 18mm ultra wide group indoor to 80mm portrait) to outdoor wildlife capture (200mm~300mm would suffice). So both sets would suit you fine.

Optics wise - the 18-200mm is not likely to be better than 18-105mm. The lens physically, it is also smaller for the shorter zoom.
So if you are a little more discipline, meaning - you know what kind of pictures you are going to take on the day and prepare yourself according with the right lens, then I would say the two lens kit is more appropriate.

If you are the type that picks up your camera as you walk out the door without a specific intention, unsure what you are after, only knowing it when you see it, then the all in one 18mm-200mm zoom is definitely more "convenient" for you.

For me personally, I stick to fixed focal length. The optics is simpler and the lens more compact cf to a zoom lens.
Zoom lenses are definitely more convenient but it also allows me to get lazy. Instead of thinking more about changing composition by changing my position, I will rely on zooming in or out. Believe me, using a zoom can be addictive and curb your creativity. "Zooming" do fools you into believing you are "composing" your shot, when in essence it it not - it is more like cropping in PP.

BTW - bundling the flash and tripod is something that you might want to look at more closely. These are, no doubt, useful accessories but whether you should get them later on your own and not pushed to have them now as part of the deal.

/W72

 

[SCraig]

If you are interested in wildlife go for the kit with the 55-300 because you will need the reach. My guess is that the flash and tripod are just about what you'd expect for $50 more: Just plain junk.

Hey guys. I'm looking into getting my first dslr and I'm am about sold on the D7000 for several reasons. I don't have the budget or experience for a custom built kit so I am looking at the store kits. The two kits I'm interested in are almost identical except or the lens options. One kit comes with a Nikon AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR the other kit come with two lenses a Nikon 18-105mm VR AF DX-S zoom lens and a Nikon 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR DX AF-S ED Zoom Nikkor lens. The kit with the 18-200mm lens is $50 more expensive but comes with a precision design brand flash and tripod. I plan to use this camera primarily for family pictures but I also enjoy wildlife and would like something to get up close to some white tail deer, turkey, and other wild animals. Thanks for all of your opinions and advice.

 

[StinkyFeetMendoza]

Thank you all for the responses. You have given me some things to think about. And yes SCraig I think you are right about the flash and tripod, they are both very cheap and crappy looking. After your responses, I think I'm leaning towards the two lens kit. Please keep the opinions coming

 

[shadowlands]

I had an 18-200 VR and loved it. Made money with it. It's a great lens. Sold it along with my 70-300 VR and replaced it with the 18-300 VR, also awesome...

 

[JaronRH]

I would recommend the two-lens kit personally. I prefer the quality of the two lenses over that of the 18-200 VR. The only exception would be if you live in or plan on shooting in a dusty environment where switching lenses might not work so well!