Walkaround lens

chip

Senior Member
My current go to is the Nikon 18-55mm VR AF-P DX VR G NIKKOR.
Curious if any of the below might be a better option. I was looking into the 17-70 sigma C for the price.

Unders $1,000 range:
Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 Contemporary DC Macro OS HSM Lens for Nikon
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM Lens for Nikon
Over $1,000 range:
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR
Sigma 24-70mm Art Lenses
Tamron’s 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Just about any lens you buy will be better than the 18-55. Are you looking for better IQ or better zoom range. Also, with your D3300, make sure any lens you buy has a built-in focus motor.
 

lokatz

Senior Member
Hi Chip, I have owned the Nikon 18-55, Sigma 17-50 and Sigma 17-70, the latter being my current favorite as it combines light weight with very good IQ.

A few test results might help: ColorFoto, a German magazine I like for their comprehensive and credible testing, gave the Sigma 17-70 the highest score by far of these three, a 65. Of the others you are eyeing, the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art is the ONLY one scoring higher, at 67.5, though personally I find its zoom range too narrow, even though I would love the wide aperture. They did not test the Tamron 24-70 G2 yet (that will likely happen in the upcoming issue). The previous version got a 61. (All tested on D7100 to ensure comparability.)
 

chip

Senior Member
Hi Chip, I have owned the Nikon 18-55, Sigma 17-50 and Sigma 17-70, the latter being my current favorite as it combines light weight with very good IQ.

A few test results might help: ColorFoto, a German magazine I like for their comprehensive and credible testing, gave the Sigma 17-70 the highest score by far of these three, a 65. Of the others you are eyeing, the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art is the ONLY one scoring higher, at 67.5, though personally I find its zoom range too narrow, even though I would love the wide aperture. They did not test the Tamron 24-70 G2 yet (that will likely happen in the upcoming issue). The previous version got a 61. (All tested on D7100 to ensure comparability.)

Do you have the Sigma 17-70 Contemporary?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
My current go to is the Nikon 18-55mm VR AF-P DX VR G NIKKOR.
Just to be 100% clear... You have the 18-55mm AF-P DX VR? That "P" in the nomenclature is important because it means the lens is the latest version (released in 2016, I believe) with the stepper-motor for auto-focus. In short, this latest version of Nikon's 18-55mm is a surprisingly good lens; it's leaps and bounds better than any of the previous 18-55's and not a lens I would be eager to get rid of unless the focal range was simply not working for me.

If you don't feel you're getting good, sharp images out of that lens I would ask if you're shooting JPEG primarily, and if so if you've adjusted the Sharpness setting in the Picture Control menu for your D3300. If do, and you haven't, I'd suggest you start there before looking for new glass in the same focal range.
 

chip

Senior Member
Just to be 100% clear... You have the 18-55mm AF-P DX VR? That "P" in the nomenclature is important because it means the lens is the latest version (released in 2016, I believe) with the stepper-motor for auto-focus. In short, this latest version of Nikon's 18-55mm is a surprisingly good lens; it's leaps and bounds better than any of the previous 18-55's and not a lens I would be eager to get rid of unless the focal range was simply not working for me.

If you don't feel you're getting good, sharp images out of that lens I would ask if you're shooting JPEG primarily, and if so if you've adjusted the Sharpness setting in the Picture Control menu for your D3300. If do, and you haven't, I'd suggest you start there before looking for new glass in the same focal range.

Correct I have the newer af-p. Yes I usually shoot in in jpeg but haven't adjust sharpness.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Correct I have the newer af-p. Yes I usually shoot in in jpeg but haven't adjust sharpness.
Then here's what I suggest you do...

Press the Menu button and drop down to the Shooting Menu (camera icon)
Highlight Set Picture Control and click right one time to enter the Picture Control menus. I use Standard when shooting JPG, but pick your poison. Know also that all the different Picture Controls have their own set of sub-menus and settings.

Click right one more time to enter the Settings menu for the Picture Control you want to work with.

From this menu, drop down to the "Sharpening" setting and bump it up to +7. For whatever reason, by default, Nikon sets this option really low, at something like like 2 or 3, and if you haven't changed anything that's where the setting will be. You can try using other settings here but +7 seems to do a really nice job; there was a noticeable difference in image quality once I made this adjustment.

I don't adjust anything else in this menu; the Sharpness setting is the only one I feel needs help but some people like to bump the Saturation setting by a tick. Try it, see what you think. You can always go back and change it if you don't like what you're seeing.
 

Iansky

Senior Member
I am using the superb 24-120mm f4 and used it on my D810 but now on the D500 so it gives me 36 - 180mm equivalent. Apart from that is is a stunning lens even wide open with very good VR. Not everyone's choice but it certainly works for me - not cheap but very, very good!!
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
It is hard to beat my first gen 18-200mm lens (the ones still made in Japan) for a stay on the camera a lot of the time. No, it is not as sharp as my Tokina 12-24mm, Tokina 28-70mm, or Nikon 80-200mm, but when I want a simple walkaround solution, this is it.
 
Last edited:

chip

Senior Member
Then here's what I suggest you do...

Press the Menu button and drop down to the Shooting Menu (camera icon)
Highlight Set Picture Control and click right one time to enter the Picture Control menus. I use Standard when shooting JPG, but pick your poison. Know also that all the different Picture Controls have their own set of sub-menus and settings.

Click right one more time to enter the Settings menu for the Picture Control you want to work with.

From this menu, drop down to the "Sharpening" setting and bump it up to +7. For whatever reason, by default, Nikon sets this option really low, at something like like 2 or 3, and if you haven't changed anything that's where the setting will be. You can try using other settings here but +7 seems to do a really nice job; there was a noticeable difference in image quality once I made this adjustment.

I don't adjust anything else in this menu; the Sharpness setting is the only one I feel needs help but some people like to bump the Saturation setting by a tick. Try it, see what you think. You can always go back and change it if you don't like what you're seeing.

Already set like that after I checked it last night.

on a side note anyone know why my Nikon 18-55mm VR AF-P DX VR G NIKKOR shows as a AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR in pictures and my Nikon 70-300mm VR AF-P f/4.5-6.3 DX ED shows as a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS...why is that?

CameraNikon NIKON D3300
LensAF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
 
Last edited:

dme

Senior Member
Hey Fish, I agree about the +7 sharpness on the D750 when shooting jpeg's. I'd like to know what you think about your Tamron 70-200 G2 lens. I recently purchased the Nikon D750(love it so far) and was thinking of pulling the trigger on that Tamron. Thanks for sharing all your photo info, and knowledge, it is appreciated.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Hey Fish, I agree about the +7 sharpness on the D750 when shooting jpeg's. I'd like to know what you think about your Tamron 70-200 G2 lens. I recently purchased the Nikon D750(love it so far) and was thinking of pulling the trigger on that Tamron. Thanks for sharing all your photo info, and knowledge, it is appreciated.
The Tamron 70-200mm G2 is out...standing. Full stop.

It's currently the best lens I own and all but lives on D750.

Highly recommended!!
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The 18-55 Nikon even the prior version, has a good reputation for being sharp and its only weakness is not being fast. Sharpness or resolving power is rarely the cause of images that do not look sharp and often it local edge contrast or micro contrast that causes some properly focusing lenses to produce unsharp appearing images. Lighting has more of an impact on perceived sharpness than absolute acuity. Can you post an image you are concerned with?
Getting faster lenses, wider aperture, have the advantage of gathering more light and for having more flexibility in selecting depth of field, but opened up, sharpness only degrades. F/4-f/5.6 is about the peak of resolving power for most lenses regardless of what its maximum aperture is. So if your main goal is sharpness, a faster lens, one with wider maximum aperture might not gain you what you expected. There are plenty of other reasons to get fast lenses however. Almost all the modern cameras can out resolve any lens they will likely ever have mounted.
 

cliffk

Senior Member
I'm looking for a decent walkabout FX lens for my D610. A friend is lending me the Sigma A 24-105mm F/4 DG OS which on paper looks to do the business, but I'm keen to see if there are any recommendations from you good folk out there

I have a fixed 50mm and then jump to the Sigma 150-500, which means I'm with a monopod a lot of the time so need to fill that gap

Any steers to (or from) lenses gratefully read!
 

TedG954

Senior Member
I believe the latest version of Nikon's 18-55VR is an excellent walking lens. If you take a lot of interior shots, or in limited light, then a 2.8 would be the way to go. But......... if you mostly shoot outdoors, in daylight, then the 18-55 is all you need. The D3300 has plenty of resolution and you can crop as necessary.

Save your money and put it towards the FX camera you're going to eventually get........ 'cause you know you're going to get one eventually.
 

TedG954

Senior Member
For FX, the Tamron 24-70 is super. It's on my D800 90% of the time.

9-17-17 Baldwin Wallace   (1 of 1)-16_01.JPG

9-17-17 Baldwin Wallace   (1 of 1)-19_01.JPG
 
Last edited:
Top