Which lens should I keep?

Hey guys looking for a little advice…lol.
I am selling my D80 with lens, but not sure which lens to sell with it?
I have the Nikon 55-200mm VR. Or the 18-135mm.

Which would you included with the D80. The person buying the camera does not seem to care one way or the other. But I am wondering which lens I would have more use for. I have the 70-300mm, so I don’t use the 55-200mm much at all, I could very much use the 18-135mm for wide angle stuff (using 18mm to about 35mm). But I think the 55-200mm VR. Is a much better lens, any advice?

You don't use the 55-200mm VR very much, but I agree, it probably has more resale value. The 18-135mm has value to you as a photographer, the other just in monetary terms. If it were me, this is a no-brainer: I'd get rid of the one I don't intend to use.

sell them both get a 35mm 1.8

Well luckily I have lots of time to decide. I will not be selling until next fall.
So I can use them both over the summer and see which one I will keep.
Right now I have a 28-105mm 55mm macro and a 50mm 1.8
But nothing covering between 18-28mm. Thanx for the advice.
They are both DX lens andI am leaning towards FX, but we will see?.

I would dump the 55-200. You won't use it with the 70-300 and the 18-135 will give you something you don't have so like someone said, no bainer from my stand point.

Well I have to look at the big picture, long term my plan is to go FX.
I will sell my D200 in time as well, and I am thinking I could get more for it with the 55-200mm. VR lens on it then the 18-135 kit lens. I was thinking of selling my D80 with both the 55-200mm & 18-135mm. But that would leave my D200 lens less when the time came to sell. Something to think about, I will be traveling overseas in the fall and I have a buyer for my D80 there, so I have until fall to come up with the answer…lol.

This is a pretty easy one Curt.

Keep the 18-135. Why? #1: you don't use or need the 55-200VR #2: the 18-135 is a much nicer and useful range and frankly - IMHO - the better lens - it's very sharp! So you'll then have 18-300 covered with 2 nice lenses.

If it were me, I'd try and package both of those lenses with the D80 and then take that money and buy the excellent but reasonably priced 18-105VR. Don't worry about your D200 and it having a lens - people often have their own lenses when buying other bodies. I don't think it would be a big deal in terms of getting rid of your D200.

Curt.....just the thought of you selling your D200 makes me cringe! That camera is a workhorse! It makes for an excellent backup camera to your much talked about D7000!
I, personally, would LOVE to own an 18-105 or the venerable 18-135. Those two (one or the other) are on my wish list.

Sell the D80 with the 55-200. You never use the damn thing anyway!

Sell all of it the whole shooting match and go FX!

With that being said - I will suggest to you that with DX you cannot get the juice out of any wide angle lens because of the crop factor you see??? So the 18-135 goes unless you go FX in which case you keep it...if you stay DX then sell it...

fotojack said:

Curt.....just the thought of you selling your D200 makes me cringe! That camera is a workhorse! It makes for an excellent backup camera to your much talked about D7000!
I, personally, would LOVE to own an 18-105 or the venerable 18-135. Those two (one or the other) are on my wish list.

Sell the D80 with the 55-200. You never use the damn thing anyway!

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Well Jack you are right, the D200 is a fantastic camera and I am sure it will be years before I get a FX body...lol.
It is my long term plan. I plan to sell my D80 this fall (which BTW is a great camera as well) I just can't keep them all.
But I will keep my D200 as a back up to the D7000.
Thanks everyone for the advice .

Eye-level said:

Sell all of it the whole shooting match and go FX!

With that being said - I will suggest to you that with DX you cannot get the juice out of any wide angle lens because of the crop factor you see??? So the 18-135 goes unless you go FX in which case you keep it...if you stay DX then sell it...

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Well I have compared the 18-135mm to lenses such as my 50mm & 28mm
and I do get a fair amount more coverage between 18 & 35mm.
I don't do a lot of landscapes or large group shots, but never say never.
So rather then running out later to get a WA lens, I might keep that lens.
I have until fall to make up my mind, neither the 55-200mm or the 18-135mm are in my camera bag very often.

As to going FX it will be a slow move, the cost is just to hign right now.
I would love to get my hands on a D700 in the future, but for now, well you know .

Curt said:

Well I have compared the 18-135mm to lenses such as my 50mm & 28mm
and I do get a fair amount more coverage between 18 & 35mm.
I don't do a lot of landscapes or large group shots, but never say never.
So rather then running out later to get a WA lens, I might keep that lens.
I have until fall to make up my mind, neither the 55-200mm or the 18-135mm are in my camera bag very often.

As to going FX it will be a slow move, the cost is just to hign right now.
I would love to get my hands on a D700 in the future, but for now, well you know .

Click to expand...

Yeah but what kind of camera have you been using in your comparison? DX? Put that 18-135 on a FX unit and you will see much wider coverage. One of the "weaknesses" if you will of DX equipment really rears it's head when you start talking super wide angle such as 18mm. But really this kind of thing is sort of subjective and really depends on the style technique etc of the photographer. 28mm is about as wide as I personally go and I would probably be more comfortable with 35 actually but imagine what you could grab very quickly with super wide angle.

Isn't the 55-200 a sort of common run of the mill kit lens? Please excuse my ignorance I don't mess with zoom lenses very much.

I know exactly what you mean about the D700...I am probably at least 2 years out from having the money to get myself one.

Well on the cropped sensor (DX) the 18-135mm is 28-200mm. I to am happy with about 28mm. I will most likely not use the Zoom past that? Just use for WA.
No, the 55-200mm VR is not a run of the mill lens, however that MM is kind of a in between zoom, I just bought the 70-300mm VR AF-S Zoom and that has replaced my 55-200mm.

I would also recommend selling all three equipment to get the most that you can and start your FX lens line-up. Nikon "D" prime lenses are much cheaper alternative if you don't mind foot zooming. I would not keep the 18-135mm since that lens does not render a nice bokeh but it is a sharp lens at f7. 55-200mm is another redundant lens for your 70-300mm. I would also sell the 28-105mm to help fund for the Nikon 24-120mm f4 VRII or 16-35mm f4 VRII for landscape. Both f4 VRII lenses are sharp and are great walk-around lens.

"IF" it was going to be me deciding after going through a lot of lenses, I would simplify it to three lenses that will work with either FX or DX.

Nikon 16-35mm f4 VRII
Nikon 50mm f1.8 G (D)
Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VRII

But don't listen to me since I can't make up my mind still.

Well Glen I think it will be a long time before I am in a position to even think about a FX body..lol. But I am slowly stocking up on FX lenses (ones I can afford, mostly used). I have to make the best with what I have.
I am no pro so I guess what I have is good enough for me...lol?

Curt. I'm not a pro either. The problem is "NAS" and it's an addiction that is very hard for me to control.

I started with used prime lenses too. Just watch out for good bargain lenses and in due time, you will be able to complete your lens kit. The D7000 is pretty good actually and the only advantage that the FX has IMO is that it's "wider" field of view, narrower DOF, and slightly cleaner images at higher ISO. Of course you do get what you pay for since the D700 is a pretty robust camera and is well built.

Wow! nice gear Glen....Maybe you can send me all the old stuff you don't use anymore...lol.

Glen, right now I have:
Nikon 50mm f1.8.
Nikon 55mm. F2.8 Macro.
Nikon 28-105mm f3.5.
Nikon- 70-300mm Vr.
Nikon-55-200mm Vr.
Nikon-18-135mm f3.5
SB-800
SB-600
D7000.
D200.
D80.

As soon as I acquire an unlimited budget (Lotto 6/49) I'm going to get everything Glenn has! And then some! lol I have champagne taste........Kool-Aid money.

Jack, it sounds like you have some pretty nice gear, looking at your pictures it looks like you are putting it all to good use.
But you are right, Glen does seem to have it all...lol. Maybe one day he will have a garage sale and you & I can go over there...lol.