So, I'm getting ready to go out to Japan later this month and I want to make sure that I take something a little better than just the iPhone Camera. In preparation I decided to break out and dust off my Nikon D50 that has been collecting dust for far too long.

Currently I have:
Nikon DX - AF-S Nikkor 18-55 DX 1:3.5 - 5.6G ED
Nikon ED - AF Nikkor 70 - 300mm 1:4 - 5.6 D

While my 18-55 lense is pretty nice I bought my larger lens on the cheap many years ago and while its good for tripods and distance its crap for anything else.

I'm looking for something that will reduce my need to switch lenses and go a little further probably something with VR - because I'm not carrying a tripod around Tokyo with me currently looking at this but not sure if this is the best solution:

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras - (New)

I'm also looking for a new backpack as well to carry it in. I've heard really good things about Triple Aught Design EDC or LiteSpeed granted not a camerabag but I've heard you can make it into a good one. I'm really leaning towards that but figured I would throw it out there just in case someone new of some gem I had never heard of.

Thanks!

My thread from back in December.
D70S, but I'd imagine the lenses are compatible.

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...580011434#7580011434

For an "all in one" Nikon I would look hard at the 18-200 VR. I took many a great picture with an older 18-200 VR lens. Used to be all I carried around.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
For an "all in one" Nikon I would look hard at the 18-200 VR. I took many a great picture with an older 18-200 VR lens. Used to be all I carried around.

That's what I carried around for a long time.

Pretty good range.

But beware it's quick heavy. I ended up selling mine for faster glass.

logrumaster,

Check your e-mail.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
My thread from back in December.
D70S, but I'd imagine the lenses are compatible.

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...580011434#7580011434

I see someone is an Card fan

I think I borrowed an 18-200mm lens once before and really liked it but that was a long time ago...

I've heard a lot about the Prime lense you suggested at the bottom of the thread too.

the new VR (vibration reduction) lens won't work on your D50. You need and older auto focus lens only...

Now with that said the real expensive ones that allow you to turn the VR off on the lens might... but I would check with Nikon first ... I bought a 10-20mm zoom with VR and it would not work (at least the auto focus would not) on my D7000. It will work if you go to manual focus and try to focus manually which is a pain with these new lens.

I just spent two weeks in the Pacific Northwest.. one week in Portland and then then next week on the Olympic Peninsula and on Mount Rainier.. all that time I was carrying my new Nikon D7100 and three lens plus other stuff... what I used was a 511 range bag... should bag... here is a picture of it and all the stuff I had packed in it.... the nice thing about a shoulder back is you can change lenses with out taking it off...

I have a D7100 w/ a Nikon 18-300 VR. Any lens with that much "reach" (1:16.7) can have compromises at the extremes but I find that it produces high quality images in JPEG Fine, suitable for reasonable cropping and for enlargement up to 13" X 19." Got the lens at B&H for something like $900+. (I actually visited their store in NY and compared the lens to several similar aftermarket lenses on the camera body). They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I use it instead of carrying 2 lenses to cover the range I want when traveling. I consider myself a good-to-very-good amateur but far, far from a professional.

quote:

Originally posted by logrusmaster:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
My thread from back in December.
D70S, but I'd imagine the lenses are compatible.

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...580011434#7580011434

I see someone is an Card fan

I think I borrowed an 18-200mm lens once before and really liked it but that was a long time ago...

I've heard a lot about the Prime lense you suggested at the bottom of the thread too.

I actually need to go back & read through it again, never did end up buying a new lens after that thread.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
For an "all in one" Nikon I would look hard at the 18-200 VR. I took many a great picture with an older 18-200 VR lens. Used to be all I carried around.

I put the 18-200VR on my D50 and never changed it. When I went to a D7000 I just moved the lens to it. When the D7000 died (salt air damage) that lens had gotten a little gritty so I bought the 18-200VR2 lens and a D7100. On trips I take the D7100 with the VR2 lens and the D50 with the VR as my emergency backup. I don't use any other lenses. If I were to change, I'd probably opt for the newer 18-300VR lens, but I'm not ready to do that.

I don't know whether the 18-200VR2 will work on the D50--I've not tried it. If that really is a problem, I'm sure there are refurb VR versions available and that might be the way to go.

flashguy

Logrusmaster,

Email inbound.

My 18-200 VR2 migrated from my D40X to my D7000 to my D7200. I’m very happy with it
Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Fdan:
I have a D7100 w/ a Nikon 18-300 VR. Any lens with that much "reach" (1:16.7) can have compromises at the extremes but I find that it produces high quality images in JPEG Fine, suitable for reasonable cropping and for enlargement up to 13" X 19." Got the lens at B&H for something like $900+. (I actually visited their store in NY and compared the lens to several similar aftermarket lenses on the camera body). They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I use it instead of carrying 2 lenses to cover the range I want when traveling. I consider myself a good-to-very-good amateur but far, far from a professional.

What he said. Mrs.BurtonRW and I rented an 18-300 to go along with our 18-200 for general use in Australia a couple of years back. I bought one when we came back home. Haven’t used the 18-200 in a while.

Excellent value for that kind of range. Not particularly suitable for low light. Good enough resolution even stretched all the way out for anything other than really large (poster size) prints.

Try borrowedlenses.com for your trip if you aren’t ready to buy.

-Rob

Wicked deal right here

https://www.adorama.com/nk7030...m_source=rflaid21866

Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens factory refurbished.

$149 - down from $400

I have that 18-55 kit lens and the 70-300.

I just recently bought a D7500 to replace my old D60 and the relatively new 16-80mm 2.8-4. Both pricey. I really wanted a better all-around, wide angle lens hence the 16-80. It has a different diaphragm control and would not work on the D60.

Sounds like the general consensus is the 18-200mm VR lens for 90% of photo-taking needs and thanks to the sigforum greats I should have one on my way sooner rather than later!

Thanks again as always everyone!

F4.5-6.3 on that 70-300 pretty much means you are only using that lens in bright sunlight.

At 300mm on a DX sensor camera would be about 450mm equivalent. You would have to have the shutter open to about 1/500th of a second to hand hold a sharp image without VR. 1/500th shutter, with maximum aperture of only F6.3 and an older sensor camera with a usable ISO of around 800-1200 is going to be pretty limiting. Essentially bright sunlight only.

Nikon claims 4 stops of vibration reduction, so you could hypothetically hand hold that down to 1/60 or 1/30th if you trust VR, but now you are going to struggle with keeping your subject still long enough for 1/30th or 1/60th of a second. You could shoot on overcast days, or maybe at Sunset or sunrise if you shoot carefully, but your subject would have to be absolutely still for sunset or sunrise.

I had the precursor 70-300mm, without VR. I bought it before I understood photography and the exposure triangle. I just thought, cool, 300mm zoom! I couldn't recommended something with that much reach with that small of a Max aperture unless you had kids in sports and wanted to capture pictures of them in bright daylight. 18-200 is more useful as a travel lens.

I still have my Nikon D50 and I still use it once in a while. For the level of technology at the time it came out, it has taken some amazing photos.

Here is a list of D50 compatible VR lenses:
http://lenshero.com/lenses/Nikon-D50-vr-lens

quote:

Originally posted by xl_target:
I still have my Nikon D50 and I still use it once in a while. For the level of technology at the time it came out, it has taken some amazing photos.

Here is a list of D50 compatible VR lenses:
http://lenshero.com/lenses/Nikon-D50-vr-lens

I note that it lists the 18-200VR2 as compatible.

flashguy