18-105 upgrade?

skater

New member
Hi, everyone! I have an 18-105 lens that came with my D7000. It works reasonably well, but is starting to get beat up. (Somehow, I tore the thin plastic surround over the front of the lens, and it keeps getting worse as I catch the tear with the lens cap. Plus, hey, upgrade.)

So I'm looking at upgrading it, and I have an opportunity to buy something duty free soon. I use this lens for practically everything - on our current vacation, at least half of my pictures so far have been with the 18-105. Indoors, outdoors, you name it.

The 18-140 looks like a possible choice, but are there options I'm missing? The 16-80 2.8 would be great, but it's out of my price range. Also, I don't want to lose the low end of the zoom - I often take pictures of large objects without being able to get far back.

I'd really prefer to get a full frame lens, but then I'd lose that low end (unless there's one I missed) - they usually seem to start at 24mm, which is 36mm in DX.

I already have the 18-105, the Tokina 11-16, the 50, and the 55-200. I'm looking for a walk around lens here.

Thanks!
 

nickt

Senior Member
Adorama has a Nikon refurbished 18-140 for $210 with free shipping right now if that helps your decision. I bought both my 18-105 and 18-140 as refurbs. You cannot tell them from new other than the box.
 
I had the 18-140 with my D7100 and it was great. The other lenses you mentioned lose the long part of the zoom which is great for walk about lens.

I did go to the 24-120 FX lens for a while with the D7100 and I did miss the wide end a lot but was moving up to the D750 so it was just for a short time.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
Since you have a 55-200, something like the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would be worth looking at. I have been considering that myself for the wider aperture, and it is reported to be a very sharp lens. They can be found used for around $250 or less in very good condition.
 

Bill4282

Senior Member
18-140 or bigger upper end. As a walk about, you don't want to keep changing lenses. Why I sold my 18-55 for 18-105, backing up my 55-300. My 18-105 is my go to lens.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

skater

New member
Thanks, everyone. I'll probably go with the 18-140 - I didn't mention it above but I'm nervous about losing the upper end, too. Also, I think it would work for the pictures I take at hockey games - I usually use the 55-200 for that, but I'm pretty sure most of the time I'm in the 100-130 range for those.

I missed the deal, in part because I have limited internet on travel, and I'd be nervous about it arriving at home before I did anyway!

Edit - deal is still good, actually...
 
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carguy

Senior Member
Thanks, everyone. I'll probably go with the 18-140 - I didn't mention it above but I'm nervous about losing the upper end, too. Also, I think it would work for the pictures I take at hockey games - I usually use the 55-200 for that, but I'm pretty sure most of the time I'm in the 100-130 range for those.

I missed the deal, in part because I have limited internet on travel, and I'd be nervous about it arriving at home before I did anyway!

Edit - deal is still good, actually...

How do your hockey images come out using a 55-200? I'd think those variable aperture zooms wouldn't do well in a poorly lit ice arena.
 

skater

New member
How do your hockey images come out using a 55-200? I'd think those variable aperture zooms wouldn't do well in a poorly lit ice arena.

Not too bad actually. I should mention I'm taking these during warm-ups, near the glass, not during the game from our seats. I have to jack up the ISO so I get some noise, but remove much of that in processing. None of them are going to be good for a huge blowup, but for my wife's scrapbooks they are fine.

I can post some shots, but I'm traveling for another week and don't have access to them now. There's an old thread around somewhere from when I first joined the site where I posted a few examples of some focus issues I was having (self-inflicted, fortunately), and some better shots from back then.

We bought my wife a new camera last summer, an Olympus OM-D mirrorless 4/3rds. I have to say her pictures have a LOT less noise at even higher ISOs. Kinda making me want to upgrade the D7000!
 
Check out the DXO graphs for the 18-140 ...I have two of them and find its the best 18-xxx ....If you go over 150 with an 18-xxx the quality deteriorated and you are better cropping ..very cheap as a grey import. don't forget to set the fine focus adjust.
 

skater

New member
Finally ordered one. Unfortunately I waited too long and missed the refurb deal (I hated to order it while we were traveling, then I hated to spend the money right after we got back from a very expensive vacation...etc.). However, I just ordered a used one rated 9+ from B&H Photo. It should arrive tomorrow!
 
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