Nikon D50 Best Single Lens Solution

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Taking a cruise in March 2006 and want to bring my new Nikon D50 with
only one lens. Which is the most versitle, sharpest and fastest AF lens
for this new camera.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

The Nikon 18-70mm DX 'kit' lens springs to mind as an excellent all round
choice...
Maybe pack a 2X extender too giving 27mm to 210mm ish equivalent.

Guy

"aj" <aj.brun@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1125446637.345219.262020@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Taking a cruise in March 2006 and want to bring my new Nikon D50 with
> only one lens. Which is the most versitle, sharpest and fastest AF lens
> for this new camera.
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Escaper wrote:
> aj wrote:
>> Taking a cruise in March 2006 and want to bring my new Nikon D50
>> with
>> only one lens. Which is the most versitle, sharpest and fastest AF
>> lens for this new camera.
>
> Hi AJ:
>
> There is no single zoom that can do everything for you so there is
> no
> single answer to your question. The right answer depends on what
> you
> are looking for and what the primary objective of your cruise. Are
> you doing a cruise for pleasure and the camera is only to take
> vacation pictures? Are you planning to spend a fair amount of time
> taking pictures and you want the most stunning photographs? Anyway,
> here is a somehwat lenghty answer to your short question.
>
> a. best quality / best speed / no budget constraint / large and
> heavy:
> Nikkor 17-55/2.8 DX
>
> b. best value / decent speed / decent quality / great small size:
> Nikkor 18-70/3.5-4.5 DX
>
> c. most extended zoom range / great all-around lens / watch out for
> distortion but quite sharp around F:8.0-11.0: Sigma 18-200/3.5-6.3
> DC
>
> And here is my experience: I went on a cruise not long ago and I
> wanted to enjoy the vacation while having a decent camera to get
> decent photographs. I did not want to just have a point and shoot
> and wanted something to give me decent flexibity. This is what I
> took along:
>
> - Pentax ist-DS (equivalent to the D-50)
> - Sigma 18-125DC (I want the most range in a single lens)
> - Pentax 50 F:1.4 (for situations where low light prevents me to use
> the zoom and this lens is small enough to fit in my pocket)
> - one extra 1GB SD
> - one extra set of batteries (I brought along the charger)
>
> I am very happy with this set and got great shots when there is
> enough
> light.
>
> Good luck with your decision. Cheers.

See! There _is_ good, concise advice available here. As opposed to
this:

Between now and March you will develop a relationship with photography
and your camera that will guide you on your voyage. You can hasten its
maturity, cruise-wise, by making a few faux cruises and absorbing the
results. Beg, borrow, or rent the likely equipment candidates or
similars.

You may discover there is no suitable balance between experiencing and
recording your adventures. Or that you prefer to emphasize one or the
other. Or that there is no perfect single lens. Or, as was the case on
a few occasions in my experience, trying to do it all at once ruined
both possible best outcomes.

Depending on the excursion, I choose experience over High-quality
Photography. Leaving the heavy artillery at home and doing a P&S
snapshoot to share or reexperience the time was most satisfying. Doing
a same or similar version with the armament complete resulted in two
fine episodes: one of pure enjoyment, another of a satisfactory or
better photo sortie. Of course I'm not that good at keeping all the
balls in the air, any more.

--
Frank ess

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Bigguy" <gtittley@remove.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3nlm76F24v6jU1@individual.net...
> The Nikon 18-70mm DX 'kit' lens springs to mind as an excellent all round
> choice...

I'd have to second that choice. It's just a good all around lens that's
very sharp for the money. Gets good reviews as well. I have a D70 and
probably use that lens more than any other, and if I'm heading out the door
with only one lens that's it. Now, if you said you were into nature or
sports photography I would have recommended a longer zoom.

Actually the lens has only one drawback: It would be nice if it was a
little faster (wider aperture), but that would drive the price, and the
weight, way up.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Thanx Walter & Escaper,

That 28-200mm is looking good for me!

Can you get a D50 case cover with this lens attached to it??? You
know, for those misty times at sea or by the dock of the bay on the
cruise boat. PS: i love this camera and can't seem to put it down.
AJ

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Sheldon <sheldon@xxxxxxxxsopris.net> wrote:
>
> Actually the lens has only one drawback: It would be nice if it was a
> little faster (wider aperture), but that would drive the price, and the
> weight, way up.
>

And for it price, and compared to other vendor "kit" lenses, it is
probably the fastest around. There aren't too many consumer zooms that
are as fast as 3.5f-4.5f maximum apeture.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1
Spammers please contact me at renegade@veldy.net.