I have in my kit a 18-55(VR) and a 70-300 (non VR) and a lowepro 160 NOVA AW

After been out over the weekend and been lazy and not taking my kit bag, I have got thinking maybe a 18-200 lens might be an idea,

I find with my bag (lowepro Nova 160) been a shoulder slung one and using a shoulder strap on the camera, they get in the way of each other when down by the waist, and on hot days i find I'm just carrying my camera only, as its the only options to save myself have a strap going one way and one the other. I like my camera out and to hand and ready for snapping too

After missing a good photo opp of some seals, which were just out of the range of my 18-55, so have come out not as sharp as i would like, if i had a longer all round lens, i would have been in a better position.

The Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR DX


Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM


Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO


or maybe another option is to loose the camera shoulder strap, when i need both lenses and obtain a handstrap, like this one and take my kip bag out also, which then takes the worry out of getting caught in the rain

What do others do or have, a bag or a one lens meets most shots scenario

Walking back down Filey beach there was one chap, huge camera and lens in hand, Lowepro Ruck sack on back, tripod strapped to the back of it and he was out like me for a family day at the beach

I had my camera, no bag and the nervous twinge in my stomach as I felt a few spots of rain and no waterproof bag to put safe the camera if the heavens opened. I ended up with a doggy poo bag in my pocket as a quick rain protector

I go out with 3 lenses 17-40 f4 L, 24-105 f4 L and a 70-200 f4 L, never found lenses with too big a range very good, the 24-105 is a good walkabout, sharp as hell but suffers from flare so need to be careful, Pegleg has a cracker of a 70-210, he will be better to advise on Nikon kit. Looking at your kit, your missing an important chunk right in the middle, one lens is quite wide, one quite long.

All gets thrown in a Tamrac Expedition 6 backpack that holds thr tripod and other stuff too, along with a small Lowepro shoulder bag that will hold the camera and two lenses for short walks, quick trips etc.
I leave the 24-105 on all the time as a walkabout, its not particularly wide at 24mm on a crop sensor but I get round the problem by taking multiples and stitching them together if necessary, 105mm is long enough for most shots, 15-20 seconds to change lenses and I have a 2x convetor that will give me 400mm if needed, although at f8 it needs lots of light or the tripod.

more reviews and comparisons here, you can also compare full crop images for different lens side by side...

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews...;APIComp=0

Works best in Internet Explorer 

when i went out on the Saturday, i had my bag with me, took the camera strap off, but found it quite fiddly to open the clip, unzip and lift the flap take the camera out to take a shot, not good for quick snaps, as it was busy i felt the bag was a little exposed and a lens could be lifted out by someone.

I might have to look at different bags again, not thought about a middle lens, I want something to grab those up close, kids covering themselves in ice cream moments which 70-300 is a little bit long and those little things that happen a little bit further away which the 18-55 is too short

The Nikon 18-200 gets a good review from Ken Rockwell http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm
I've never used one myself so can't give an opinion. But that lens is the best part of 600 quid and should I decide to go FX in the future, the lens becomes redundant.

I never put the camera strap on my shoulder; it could slip off. I always wear it round my neck and my 160AW bag on my shoulder. Like Taz, I don't find carrying a couple of lens a problem; at least I wouldn't part with 600 quid!
No matter what, your bag should always be with you; as you say, what happens if it rains? Not only that, it's protection for your gear. Yes, it can be a bit fiddly, but i don't mind.

The 70-210D type that Taz refers to is a full frame/35mm film lens. It's as sharp as hell, optically as good as anything today. Build quaily is superb not plastic and as a result it's heavy. The A/F is really fast due to the gearing. Ideal for fast moving subjects. The good news is that you can pick 'em up secondhand for under £150 quid. Don't forget on a DX camera the focal length becomes 105-315. Problem with the lens on 35 mm film is that it suffered from barrel distortion, most telephoto's do. So nobody wanted it. No problems with digital though. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/7021056.htm

I'm not understanding why your having problems with focal length. You've got 18-55 and 70-300. So you're only missing 55-70 which is nowt really.
So yes, 18-200 might mean you only have one lens;
at a price. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

My strap go on the shoulder, its then across my body, so strap is left shoulder, camera hanging at right hip

I was regretting not having my bag, mainly at first due to a few spots of rain coming, but then no longer lens when we came across the seals, which were on the rocks with a big patch of water between us so i couldn't move closer

Only issue with focal is the subject was, in my opinion a little far away, i'll post up a shot later, of the seals

Gotcha Nick!
Idle b r
Many Nikon owners rate the 18-200 highly.
Is it worth 600 quid though?

Athough at your risk you could do a Toeknee  Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

http://www.cpr.demon.nl/prog_plotf.html

Download this piece of software and follow the instructions, it will tell you which focal length you are using the most.
You can then determine which lens will be best.

Paul

Sigma 18-250 is what u need! Mine is amazing

i have been looking at the Sigma online today

Still deciding on what to do, i have a feeling carrying both my lenses will win at the moment, but i want something that can shoot a little closer that this as my everyday lens,

this is uncropped, shot trying out my CPL filter too


Grey Seal Filey by npinks, on Flickr

if anyone wants to show me my 18-55 lens is ok then the RAW file is here for download and you can have a play
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p873gtu1piizcff/DSC_2081.NEF

Last edited by npinks on 21st Aug 2012 7:46 pm. Edited 1 time in total

I use a Nikon 18-200 VR & it's a great lens. All my photo's come out really clear & clean with it. The vibration reduction is really useful at the longer end of the zoom or in lower light situations. However it is a bit expensive & if I had to buy again I would seriously consider the Sigma 18-250 O/S. It does everything I want in the one lens. Poke it, Poke it, make it do it again!!

Gone - 2008 Freel2 HSE Santorini Black
Hello - 2010 RRS TDV6 3.0 HSE Santorini Black

Hey Nick, that's a seriously good photo. Well done. Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

Thanks, I think it could have been better, a bit tighter and composed a bit better

Blimey Nick, NEF 2081 already! You have been busy.
All that's wrong is that you didn't take your longer lens with you, that's all.
Most of us have to take two lens at least in order to get a decent focal range.
Or pay a lot of money for one lens.

In any event, I do like to change lens anyway, they do have quite different qualities. For example, my Nikkor 24-85G AFS full frame lens is much better with skin tones than my 70-210 full frame even at the same focal length.
And the 24-85 will focus down to 9 inches. And optically it's almost as good as the whooping Nikkor 28-70 which is very silly money.
I'd be very bored with just one lens, it may be all things to some men, but won't be all things to all men.

Incidently, my 70-210D which is a real joy will not autofocus on your camera body, so don't get one! Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

Yes, two weeks away took havoc on my hard drives

Going to start carrying the bag, see how that goes for the time been