Which lenses to purchase for my first DSLR (D7000)?

[mimilefleur]

So, I purchased my first DSLR-a Nikon D7000 body- and Nikon 35mm f/1.8DX lens.

I have been reading reviews on different forums looking for the last two lenses but the information is mind-boggling and overwhelming.

I am looking for a good traveling lenses and thought about purchasing Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S D or Tamron 70-300mm VC. What would you say are good on-the-go travel lenses? ANY recommendations would be appreciated! Thanks! :snowman:

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[SkvLTD]

Frankly, I'd get some kind of 70-300 and you'll be pretty set. 35 can take care of majority of the work and then zoomer for harder to reach things.

 

[Dave_W]

I've heard this phrase before "travel lenses" but I'm not really sure exactly what it means. I travel around a lot of places and I usally bring 3 lenses (14-24mm. 24-70mm and 70-300mm) unless I'm doing something specific, like portraitures or macro. Swapping out lenses isn't that hard or time consuming so I would say that the best lenses you can buy would be an excellent "travel" lenses.

 

[SkvLTD]

Well, a long answer would be- try to figure out what you shoot the most and that WILL determine what lenses you'll actually need. Most go the kit lens way to play with that 18-55 or 18-70 range and see what's missing or what focal length they use the most to get the appropriate fast prime. You already have a prime, so to save some time and money I'd just play around it and try to figure what you need.

 

[Marcel]

If photography is not your traveling goal, I'd keep it simple and get an 18-200 or 18-300, a wide 10-20 and your 35mm for low light situations. The 18-200 can probably cover about 90% of your needs while on vacations, the wide for interiors or landscapes and the 1.8 for night photo. A monopod can also be a shot saver for interior architectural shots.

This is what I've used for a few trips and was very happy with my choice.

 

[stmv]

interesting,, you have a 35 prime,, so sugget you want quality, you could get..

85 D prime
and 20 mm AF prime,,

and zoom,, a 200 mm F4 manual for say 70 dollars..

they are all small, and easy to switch out, and no compromise

OR

I second the 18x200 VR lens as your travel lens. balances nicely with the D7000.

 

[Cowboybillybob1]

Here are my comments in your introduction thread:

I have a Tamaron 18-270 that I use on a D7000 almost exclusively. It it Auto Focus and has Vibration Reduction as well. When I purchased it about two months ago it was about $550 USD including a $100.00 mail in rebate. I see they are now going for even less than that. When I do use the D7000 (my main camera is now a full frame D600) the Tamaron is the go to "do-it-all" walk around lens. Great sharp photo's and super versatile. I am sure that at 3X the price Nikon has a marginally better similar model.
I own some Nikon lenses but they are not the "do-it-all" type. In my opinion it is better to spend the big bucks on lenses that are more specific in their purpose. I have a Nikon 17-35mm "in-the-mail" for the D600.
You may feel differently and that's cool too.
The point I am trying to make is to at least give the Tamaron a try. You may be pleasantly surprised. The D7000 (or D7100) is again in my opinion Nikon's best DX camera. You may wind up going full frame like I am doing and having that much cash tied up in expensive Nikon DX only lenses is .....uhhh.... unfortunate.
Your mileage may vary.
Ohhh.... welcome aboard this fine forum.

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[Eduard]

Moved to D7000 forum.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

The lens I go to +90% of the time is my Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 and when I do switch from that lens, typically it's for my f1.8 G. I don't like changing lenses needlessly and I've not needed a big zoom enough to justify the cost; but that's me and my "light and fast" style of shooting. Your style, if you have one, may be entirely different. I do have one of the Nikon 55-200 zooms but I can't remember the last time I actually used it. The key to knowing what lens you need is being honest about how and what you ACTUALLY shoot; those parameters are what will tell you what lens you need.

 

[Epoc]

Tamron 18-270 VC on the 7000 for me as well. Plus a 35mm 1.8 for low light. Used this on a few trips and it is the perfect combo for me. Saying that, I haven't been on a photography specific holiday. If I did, I'd probably take my whole kit, FX body, DX body, long zoom, medium zoom and a heap of primes.

 

[Lee]

I am not going to recommend any of the lenses I have (which I am really happy with) because what may be an outstanding lens for one person, could be completely inappropriate and a waste of time for another. Honestly, good glass is not cheap and decisions to add to your kit are always worth a little research. I am fortunate in that I have had a couple of DSLR's prior to my new acquisition and when looking at lenses I started going through some of my 'general photos' and noting what my average preferred focal length and aperture were, which gave me an idea of what sort of focal length and speed I was looking for. Obviously this will not be helpful to you if you have not had a DSLR before. If you are not sure, renting a lens can be a a great way to test drive it before you buy. I built up my lenses slowly, but I have bought one at a time as needed after extensive research and each one very specific to my style and goals in photography. Now these do evolve but I am starting to settle into a pattern which is making it easier. My rule of thumb would be to buy the best glass you can afford. Buy once and buy wisely. Lenses hold their resale value fairly well so you don't have the pending threat of a major loss if you progress or change your interest and focus in photography further down the line

 

[evan447]

if you can afford them i would go for three lenses, the tokina 11-16mm, nikon dx 16-85mm and nikon 70-300vr.

 

[Krs_2007]

70-300 vr is a great lens, you will get years of use out of it.

 

[Harry Gage]

I have 3 lenses (see siggy) I use the 70-300 most and use the other 2 as needed. All I do is travel every day but 3 per month.

 

[SilanTra ZaiDi]

i dont see many people recommend for 18-200 ...i had this lens and its my current prime lens which i carry all the time with my body.... it fit many of my purposes and i have great time with it...

only my 2 cents

 

[crashton]

The 18-200 is a very nice range for a "travel" lens. It will cover many photo situations. The fact you only have to carry one lens is a bonus too.

 

[Mike FM]

If you have no plans to go Full-Frame anytime soon & had to choose only one zoom lens, I'd pick the 17-55mm f/2.8 G DX. It's expensive I know, but it will cover 75-90% of the most common focal ranges you'll use. The fast aperture is a huge plus. You can usually find a good deal on a used one since a lot of people are upgrading to full frame lately. The 18-200mm & 16-85mm are good choices, but to be honest, the smaller apertures at the tele end are very limiting. The same holds true for the 55-300mm. I had one and sold it because I used it maybe 5 times over 2 years. Unless you boost your ISO all the way up, lenses with small, variable apertures like the 55-300 f/4.5-5.6 are pretty crappy in low light conditions without a tripod and/or flash. It's nice to have in the bag, but it wouldn't be my 1st or 2nd choice.

Since you already have a 35mm, sticking to primes may be a better idea. Get a 50mm or even a 85mm and call it a day (these two are keepers and work great on FX cameras).

 

[mickhenso]

hi mimilefleur, the best lens for you overall would be nikon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6. with the cropfactor this would be 300mm, the lens is light to carry, so you get wide angle and reach, your nikon 35mm is a great standard lens, and brilliant foe lowlight.. all the best, ,, mickhenso.. ENGLAND

 

[RON_RIP]

For myself, it is the 16-85 vr hands down. That and a Tokina 35 2.8 for macro; however I do not shoot wildlife or subjects that require a longer lens. If I did I would have a 55 to 300. If you think hard about what you really want to shoot, then you lens choices will become more obvious to you. You are going to love the D7000 no mater what you final lens choices are. Happy trails

 

[Phillydog1958]

The 16-85? I second that! It's a good one. I used to have one. It offers that wide focal length for landscapes and allows you to shoot portraits . . . Perfect for travel.