My first Nikon SLR

Wishing Star

New member
Hello,

I've decided to make the switch from Canon to Nikon. I was sold after I learned about the superb image quality on Nikons.

I am seriously considering the D5200. I have two options that are $50 in price difference.

Option One: 18-55mm lens and a 55-200mm lens
Option Two: 18-105mm lens

Getting the two lenses gives me some further telephoto reach, but i wouldn't be switching lenses so much with the 18-105. I would be shooting more portraits and some landscapes, and I think the 18-105 would be a better fit for a walkaround lens in my case. I'm leaning towards the 18-105 option, but i'm not really sure. I would appreciate some advice from experienced photographers.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
My mother in-law got in over her head when she wanted a "good camera" and the guy at the store sold her a D90 with an 18-105mm and a 55-200mm, so she offered it to me in exchange for buying her a top of the line, ore user friendly point and shoot. Good deal!! The 18-105mm is almost never off that camera. It's got most of the reach you'll ever need for the work you describe. The extra reach of the other zoom is nice if you want to snag a pic of a bird in the back yard, but having one go to lens is a nice thing. 55-200mm can be had fairly inexpensively on the gently used market, so if you decide you need extra reach down the road it might not cost you much more that the Option One package (assumed to cost more) plus another $50.
 

suvlady

Senior Member
My mother in-law got in over her head when she wanted a "good camera" and the guy at the store sold her a D90 with an 18-105mm and a 55-200mm, so she offered it to me in exchange for buying her a top of the line, ore user friendly point and shoot. Good deal!! The 18-105mm is almost never off that camera. It's got most of the reach you'll ever need for the work you describe. The extra reach of the other zoom is nice if you want to snag a pic of a bird in the back yard, but having one go to lens is a nice thing. 55-200mm can be had fairly inexpensively on the gently used market, so if you decide you need extra reach down the road it might not cost you much more that the Option One package (assumed to cost more) plus another $50.

I'm new to the D5200 as well. You mentioned a gently used market. Do you have any specific site you can share that has used lenses that can be trusted? I'm looking to pick up an 18 - 135mm lens.
 

AC016

Senior Member
I'm new to the D5200 as well. You mentioned a gently used market. Do you have any specific site you can share that has used lenses that can be trusted? I'm looking to pick up an 18 - 135mm lens.

B&H Photo is a very good site.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
keh.com; ebay, since they do have buyer protection; craigslist.

As far as choices go, I wish I knew in hindsight to get 18-105 as my starting glass. And later on you can just add 70-300 to be completely set.

18-55 works, but the the whole front end twists to focus and that makes using say, hoods, very annoying. Nor do standard snap-on ones work. 55-200 from my own experience is awesome, but 55 or 70-300 will probably do what a long reach lens is for, much better, provided it has a farther reach. Lastly, having 55 as that split point could get a bit annoying, but 105 would be next to perfect for an all-around base lens.
 

suvlady

Senior Member
keh.com; ebay, since they do have buyer protection; craigslist.

As far as choices go, I wish I knew in hindsight to get 18-105 as my starting glass. And later on you can just add 70-300 to be completely set.

18-55 works, but the the whole front end twists to focus and that makes using say, hoods, very annoying. Nor do standard snap-on ones work. 55-200 from my own experience is awesome, but 55 or 70-300 will probably do what a long reach lens is for, much better, provided it has a farther reach. Lastly, having 55 as that split point could get a bit annoying, but 105 would be next to perfect for an all-around base lens.

They make an 18-135mm also. I'm going check into the cost of that one next.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Only thing I still don't know myself is whether having too much zoom and gimmicks in a lens is good or bad. One-lens-do-all, given how complex and intricate they are, just doesn't sound right to me in a way.
 
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