Is there a good walkabout lens?

[Simresd]

Is there a better walkabout lens (effective 28-200mm on D70) than the Sigma one? What is the best in this range? Hopefully with VR?

[West_ray]

24-120 VR nikkor?

[andy9110]

hmmm i thought the 24-120 VR is a bit soft.

my opinion is use the kit len. its 18-70, consider a WA already and it can cover up to 70mm. if 70mm is not enough get something like Sigma 70-300mm APO II which is also quite good. but the only hassle is changing of the lens when you need it. but one more thing when will you use more than 70mm. Little chances will you shoot more than 70mm.

hope it help you

[Sk8te]

well, I am seriously considering the 24-120 vr for a walking around lens... the VR really tempting even though there are many comments that this lens is soft... but other forums that I have been crawling through is giving mixed reviews about this lens... some even say it might be batch issues... anyway you can check out my other post regarding the 24-120VR

[espn]

There has been a lot of talk and jabs at the 24-120VR being soft, but ultimately it still is a good walkabout len, afterall there's always USM. It's definitely slightly soft wide open, but once step up to about f/8 it's virtually fine.

I used to have it and I can say I love it for it's range, AF, SWM, VR. Wonderful.

[Simresd]

Its not very wide after FLM. Can i jus fix a wide lens converter to it?
These are lens within S$1k. Above it?

[chisiang]

I kept hearing people here says that "they heard the 24-120 VR is kinda soft".

But if you ask yourself "how soft is soft??" Is it softer than the kit lense? Which lense is actually sharper than the 24-120?? Are those prime lense?

I think most lenses are reasonably sharp enough for 4R print, and most of us are not going to do 8R print every week or so.

[espn]

Originally Posted by chisiang I kept hearing people here says that "they heard the 24-120 VR is kinda soft". But if you ask yourself "how soft is soft??" Is it softer than the kit lense? Which lense is actually sharper than the 24-120?? Are those prime lense? I think most lenses are reasonably sharp enough for 4R print, and most of us are not going to do 8R print every week or so.

I have done S8R prints from 24-120VR

There are a lot of lenses sharper than the 24-120VR, definitely, but one must see the cost effectiveness for a minor casual common complain like 'soft' compared to expensive sharp zooms like 28-70 f/2.8 etc.

The other sharper walkabout I can think of is the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 no VR but there's AF-S

[mugenzim]

What abt using the 17-55mm F2.8 as a walkabt lense?

Is is necessary to use a DX lense for D70?

[kerpalz]

kit lens for d70 is oso not bad.... u got best of 2 world,... both wide and zoom.... sharpness.... u can alwiz get USM in PS~

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by Simresd Is there a better walkabout lens (effective 28-200mm on D70) than the Sigma one? What is the best in this range? Hopefully with VR?

What's wrong with the Sigma 18-125mm lens anyway? Isn't it a decent and cheap walk around lens?

24mm (36mm on D70) isn't wide enough. JMO.

I still prefer using either a wide-zoom lens for scenery/landscape or a mid-zoom lens for street/event shooting. I'm done with an All-In-One lens

[espn]

Originally Posted by mugenzim What abt using the 17-55mm F2.8 as a walkabt lense? Is is necessary to use a DX lense for D70?

I've personally tested the 17-55 (courtesy of Dennis) on a D100 (courtesy of sykestang) am pretty ok with what it can deliver on a DX format, distortion, flare, colour reproduction, sharpness are pretty ok compared with 17-35 and 28-70 (courtesy of AJ)

The AF speed is also noticably faster perhaps because of a newer motor.

Using it as a walkabout is also pretty ok for the angle, I'd love to dangle a 28-70 on my F80 as walkabout too

When (IF) I get to it , I'll post the test shots that I took

[Simresd]

Originally Posted by fengwei What's wrong with the Sigma 18-125mm lens anyway? Isn't it a decent and cheap walk around lens? 24mm (36mm on D70) isn't wide enough. JMO. I still prefer using either a wide-zoom lens for scenery/landscape or a mid-zoom lens for street/event shooting. I'm done with an All-In-One lens

Nothing wrong with it. Just that its not that wide, abit soft? Hoping to get the best lense money can buy. Dont mind forking out more if there is a much better one. Still prefer the range of at least 28-200mm. Greater range may be good if VR available. Have been using this range on prosumer. Found the tele end useful even at scenary shots. It simply provide more varieties at shots.

Back to my question. Is it possible to fix some kinda converter to extend the tele or macro range? This will add flexibility without removing lens(introducing dust,...)

Thanks.

[F5user]

hmm

so far, i think the best lesnse for walk arounds = 28-105

nice heavy and excellent old (but good) glass. Got macro some more. =)




ok.. now onto the 24-120... well, soft ... yes it is soft, f8 and above, problem solved.. but htink about this... paying $800 and above for a lense(new) that gives this kind of results, i'd rather go for a brand new 20 2.8 prime and be utterly happy with it.

=)

[obviousdude]

many pros and cons of each lens, and many arguments abt whether each one is good or not. (especially the 24-120VR) so i won't go down that path.

i'll just cast my vote on the 18-70 as a good well balanced lens in terms of price, size, weight, wide range and zoom range.

[Dennis]

Well personal experience on the 24-120 is that it is not soft but rather inconsistent especially with the VR turned on. I get unexplained softness at times which I can't explain, seems like focussing problem, have tried to repeat some of the problem faced but failed (When you really want to repeat the problems it always came out OK ). Have not used it often now adays.
As for a all round lens I go for the 18-70, good, light and has a good range. If 3rd party than the 18-125 is also OK. If you don't mind weight that 17-55 is undisputed. If prime lens is Ok with you than the 50mm or the 45mm is very good.

[bernardsia]

Originally Posted by chisiang I kept hearing people here says that "they heard the 24-120 VR is kinda soft". But if you ask yourself "how soft is soft??" Is it softer than the kit lense? Which lense is actually sharper than the 24-120?? Are those prime lense? I think most lenses are reasonably sharp enough for 4R print, and most of us are not going to do 8R print every week or so.

It's more like one of those cheap third party zooms which usually get 3 stars for reviews. Why not get a sharper faster 3rd party lens with better performance? The slow aperture and need to stop down big time pretty much cancels the usefulness of the VR.

[mpenza]

can also wait for the tamron 18-200 which was announced but not realeased yet. don't expect superb quality wide open but when stepped down to f8 or so, it should perform well.

there're not many super zooms with high quality lense and VR technology. only 1 I could think of is the 28-300L IS from Canon but it's super heavy and cost more than twice your camera.

[espn]

Originally Posted by bernardsia It's more like one of those cheap third party zooms which usually get 3 stars for reviews. Why not get a sharper faster 3rd party lens with better performance? The slow aperture and need to stop down big time pretty much cancels the usefulness of the VR.

Not really, have shot at f/8 at 1/8s and got a sharp image. The VR and slow aperture makes up for things you'd miss at f/2.8.

[Simresd]

Originally Posted by mpenza can also wait for the tamron 18-200 which was announced but not realeased yet. don't expect superb quality wide open but when stepped down to f8 or so, it should perform well. there're not many super zooms with high quality lense and VR technology. only 1 I could think of is the 28-300L IS from Canon but it's super heavy and cost more than twice your camera.

For the 28-120 VR, can i step up ISO to increase shutter speed? D70 has quite low noise right? So for S8R/8R still ok i hope. If so even at f8, it would be fast enough and sharp enough?

28-300! Wow. If it is not so heavy....