Need help deciding on lens for travel

[red_ryder]

I currently have these lenses in possession - 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8, 70-210mm f4-5.6.

I'm going to Japan next month, and planning to spend a few days taking pictures of the landscape, shrines, and maybe some city shots. I'm saving money to buy the 18-200VR next year, and hence do not have any zooms that cover the range of 18-70mm. Right now, I'm very tempted to just buy a used D50 kit lens 18-55mm for the convenience. Do you think I should, or should I just walk around with the 50mm and change lens when needed?

[slooow]

18-55mm should be okie $80-100 only

a lot of people are selling 18-200vr now... if you need help let me know, even i may be selling mine!

hehehe

[westwest1]

Bring whatever u like to shoot whatever u like....

[mazdadan]

If you badly need all round lense try buying a AFS 18 -135 3.5-5.6 ED-IF it is around 1/3 the price comapre to the 18- 200 VR

[Scaglietti]

If you want to take landscape, do consider a zoom that can go wide. 18-55, 18-70 and even 18-135 are good choices.

I have never tried 18-55. 18-70 and 18-135 are both very capable lens to give you good photos.

But if you don't intend to buy, your 24mm should do a pretty good job.

IMO, I will be quite happy with the 3 lenses that you already have. A wider zoom would be a plus. I might even consider a 12-24, since you might be getting a 18-200 later.

[slooow]

this guy selling!

good luck bro

[red_ryder]

Thanks for the recommendations all!

I'm actually waiting for my next year bonus to get the 18-200vr, so don't intend to spend any money on lenses until then. Only exception I might make is for the 18-55mm since its so cheap used.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by red_ryder I currently have these lenses in possession - 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8, 70-210mm f4-5.6. I'm going to Japan next month, and planning to spend a few days taking pictures of the landscape, shrines, and maybe some city shots. I'm saving money to buy the 18-200VR next year, and hence do not have any zooms that cover the range of 18-70mm. Right now, I'm very tempted to just buy a used D50 kit lens 18-55mm for the convenience. Do you think I should, or should I just walk around with the 50mm and change lens when needed?

Really depends on whether you're travelling by yourself or with a group. If in a group, then it's quite difficult as people won't wait for you. 18-55 does not have enough reach. Like what scaglietti mentioned, if you can find one, the 18-135 would be a good bet. If you buy it 2nd hand, you can sell it without much loss when you're ready to get the 18-200.

Edit: Another option is to buy the 18-200 via interest free installments.

[Goondoo]

Read these reviews.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-135.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1855.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/55200.htm

Might help you making your decision

[seankyh]

Why don't you just use your 24mm f2.8 and 50mm for street shooting? Never know, limiting your range may improve your skill

[ryuggen]

Originally Posted by seankyh Why don't you just use your 24mm f2.8 and 50mm for street shooting? Never know, limiting your range may improve your skill

Care to share more about this mindset? People are telling me that with limitation, ppl will tend to perform better. But since we're moving in with higher technology, the convenience should be something we should enjoy with.

[KNIGHT ONG]

Originally Posted by red_ryder I currently have these lenses in possession - 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8, 70-210mm f4-5.6. I'm going to Japan next month, and planning to spend a few days taking pictures of the landscape, shrines, and maybe some city shots. I'm saving money to buy the 18-200VR next year, and hence do not have any zooms that cover the range of 18-70mm. Right now, I'm very tempted to just buy a used D50 kit lens 18-55mm for the convenience. Do you think I should, or should I just walk around with the 50mm and change lens when needed?

Bring what you think should bring .. and NOT what others think you should bring ..

[red_ryder]

I guess the thinking behind it is that without zooming, we are forced to be more creative in composition and really think about each shot. I believe in this philosophy too, but I'm afraid that I might miss some shots if I don't bring a zoom or because I wasted time changing lenses. After all, goodness knows when I have a chance to visit Japan again.

A few months ago when I was in Australia I walked round with the 70-200mm, and only changed to the 24mm when shooting landscape.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by ryuggen Care to share more about this mindset? People are telling me that with limitation, ppl will tend to perform better. But since we're moving in with higher technology, the convenience should be something we should enjoy with.

Simple... when you have fixed focal lengths, you would tend to compose better and slower too. You'd put more effort into each shot and checking if it looks nice at all.

Try it in SG for a few days... Limit yourself to one lens only per day and see what you can come up with.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by red_ryder I guess the thinking behind it is that without zooming, we are forced to be more creative in composition and really think about each shot. I believe in this philosophy too, but I'm afraid that I might miss some shots if I don't bring a zoom or because I wasted time changing lenses. After all, goodness knows when I have a chance to visit Japan again. A few months ago when I was in Australia I walked round with the 70-200mm, and only changed to the 24mm when shooting landscape.

You can do the same too...

[Ansel]

Originally Posted by ryuggen Care to share more about this mindset? People are telling me that with limitation, ppl will tend to perform better. But since we're moving in with higher technology, the convenience should be something we should enjoy with.

Sometimes convenience can make us lazy. Lazy to experiment. Lazy to try new angles. Etc.
Many photog legends from the past only work with one or two primes.

[red_ryder]

Originally Posted by KNIGHT ONG Bring what you think should bring .. and NOT what others think you should bring ..

Dude, I'm just asking for opinions. The whole point of this forum is to share opinions and learn from each other.

[seankyh]

Originally Posted by ryuggen Care to share more about this mindset? People are telling me that with limitation, ppl will tend to perform better. But since we're moving in with higher technology, the convenience should be something we should enjoy with.

Most of them have answered leow. For a while, I was stuck with my Tamron 90mm. That was the longest range I had. I used it for almost everything from macros (what its great for), Chingay parades to landscapes. It was a trying time but it trained me to think about the shot before shooting. I may have missed some good shots due to limited range but that's not a bad thing. There's always another time.

If you're in Japan, you will be going around the streets walking a lot and maybe sightseeing in those parks and all. I think 24 and 50 is a good range to work on for these. Someone here once said, the best zoom is in your 2 legs

Before you go, just practice around Singapore. Its quite a fun thing to do.

[red_ryder]

I once read a photography book where the author recommended this procedure for learning photography

1) First lens get a 50mm prime
2) Spend at least 1 yr using only that lens to learn all its strengths and limitations, and also to get a feel for that focal length.
3) Then get a wide or a tele prime.
4) repeat another yr for these lens
5) Only get a zoom when you have spent at least 3 yrs practicing on a wide, standard and a tele prime.

You need a lot of patience for this approach, but the good thing is you don't upgrade lenses needlessly and you'll probably know your lenses really well by the end.

[Ansel]

Originally Posted by red_ryder I once read a photography book where the author recommended this procedure for learning photography 1) First lens get a 50mm prime 2) Spend at least 1 yr using only that lens to learn all its strengths and limitations, and also to get a feel for that focal length. 3) Then get a wide or a tele prime. 4) repeat another yr for these lens 5) Only get a zoom when you have spent at least 3 yrs practicing on a wide, standard and a tele prime. You need a lot of patience for this approach, but the good thing is you don't upgrade lenses needlessly and you'll probably know your lenses really well by the end.

This way you will save a lot of money too!