D80 (and lens) advice
Discussion
My parents have asked what I would like for my 21st birthday, and after considerable contemplation I'm thinking a DSLR is the way to go. I think I've decided a D80 is the right body to go for as it should last and isn't so basic that I'm likely to want to replace it in the near future (hence why I dismissed the D40x). However the body only is right at the top of the budget they've suggested (around £500, play.com have it for £510), so I'll need a lens.
As luck would have it my uncle has also asked for present ideas, the budget is £200, but I don't know what to get! As it'll be a present I'd rather it is something that in a couple of years time I'm not going to want to upgrade. I'd have thought the budget we're looking at a prime lens? What would you recommend?
I'll buy a cheap 18-70 or similar from eBay initially, and upgrade to a good general purpose lens once I've graduated and I'm earning.
Cheers
Hugh
As luck would have it my uncle has also asked for present ideas, the budget is £200, but I don't know what to get! As it'll be a present I'd rather it is something that in a couple of years time I'm not going to want to upgrade. I'd have thought the budget we're looking at a prime lens? What would you recommend?
I'll buy a cheap 18-70 or similar from eBay initially, and upgrade to a good general purpose lens once I've graduated and I'm earning.
Cheers
Hugh
I've just bought the D80 and decided to go the prime lens route rather zooms. As my general purpose lens I went for the 35mm f2. You can get it for £168 from onestop digital:
www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24_27&products_id=89&osCsid=8b70781747371978c5dbf4bdbcd6b55a
I like this lens alot and anticiapte using it as my main lens (I only got the D80 a couple of days ago), but if its your first DSLR a prime lense might not be the best idea. Maybe split the £200 and buy a general purpose zoom like 18-70 or 18-55 and pick up the 50mm 1.8 if you want to try a prime lens.
Edited to correct spelling
www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24_27&products_id=89&osCsid=8b70781747371978c5dbf4bdbcd6b55a
I like this lens alot and anticiapte using it as my main lens (I only got the D80 a couple of days ago), but if its your first DSLR a prime lense might not be the best idea. Maybe split the £200 and buy a general purpose zoom like 18-70 or 18-55 and pick up the 50mm 1.8 if you want to try a prime lens.
Edited to correct spelling
Edited by omohat on Saturday 21st April 18:35
hugh_ said:
My parents have asked what I would like for my 21st birthday, and after considerable contemplation I'm thinking a DSLR is the way to go. I think I've decided a D80 is the right body to go for as it should last and isn't so basic that I'm likely to want to replace it in the near future (hence why I dismissed the D40x). However the body only is right at the top of the budget they've suggested (around £500, play.com have it for £510), so I'll need a lens.
As luck would have it my uncle has also asked for present ideas, the budget is £200, but I don't know what to get! As it'll be a present I'd rather it is something that in a couple of years time I'm not going to want to upgrade. I'd have thought the budget we're looking at a prime lens? What would you recommend?
I'll buy a cheap 18-70 or similar from eBay initially, and upgrade to a good general purpose lens once I've graduated and I'm earning.
Cheers
Hugh
As luck would have it my uncle has also asked for present ideas, the budget is £200, but I don't know what to get! As it'll be a present I'd rather it is something that in a couple of years time I'm not going to want to upgrade. I'd have thought the budget we're looking at a prime lens? What would you recommend?
I'll buy a cheap 18-70 or similar from eBay initially, and upgrade to a good general purpose lens once I've graduated and I'm earning.
Cheers
Hugh
Hi Hugh
Ive just bought a D80 with a 18-135 lense from Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124189 it was £685 delivered. If you dolloped your unc and parents cash together you could get it plus a few quid more will get you a loewpro bag or an sd card.???
b19 rus said:
Hi Hugh
Ive just bought a D80 with a 18-135 lense from Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124189 it was £685 delivered. If you dolloped your unc and parents cash together you could get it plus a few quid more will get you a loewpro bag or an sd card.???
Ive just bought a D80 with a 18-135 lense from Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124189 it was £685 delivered. If you dolloped your unc and parents cash together you could get it plus a few quid more will get you a loewpro bag or an sd card.???
I'm tempted to try and persuade them that this is the way forward. What do you think of the 18-135 so far? My only concern is that as its a special present (21st) the kit lens might not be good enough to prevent me wanting to replace it with something better in a few years time.
I find the 18-135 to be a great general purpose or walk-around lens. It's not the absolute sharpest and I sometimes wish it was faster (f3.6) but on the whole, a nice piece of kit. I bought a 50mm/f1.8 prime to go with it and am adding the awesome Sigma 10-20mm and that's me done.
I don't think you'd ever replace this lens but rather end up adding to it as I have ... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
df
I don't think you'd ever replace this lens but rather end up adding to it as I have ... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
df
hugh_ said:
b19 rus said:
Hi Hugh
Ive just bought a D80 with a 18-135 lense from Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124189 it was £685 delivered. If you dolloped your unc and parents cash together you could get it plus a few quid more will get you a loewpro bag or an sd card.???
Ive just bought a D80 with a 18-135 lense from Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124189 it was £685 delivered. If you dolloped your unc and parents cash together you could get it plus a few quid more will get you a loewpro bag or an sd card.???
I'm tempted to try and persuade them that this is the way forward. What do you think of the 18-135 so far? My only concern is that as its a special present (21st) the kit lens might not be good enough to prevent me wanting to replace it with something better in a few years time.
Suspect you will end up upgrading most electronic kit which is why IMHO it doesnt make for a great keep sake ;-)
I maybe wrong but everybody i know has upgraded their kit lenses within a couple of years... i lasted 12 months with the std lenses for the D50....
Having said that i have enjoyed playing with the kit and in most cases spending the £££ :-)
dumbfunk said:
I find the 18-135 to be a great general purpose or walk-around lens. It's not the absolute sharpest and I sometimes wish it was faster (f3.6) but on the whole, a nice piece of kit. I bought a 50mm/f1.8 prime to go with it and am adding the awesome Sigma 10-20mm and that's me done.
I don't think you'd ever replace this lens but rather end up adding to it as I have ... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
df
I don't think you'd ever replace this lens but rather end up adding to it as I have ... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
df
the 18-200 is expensive IMHO at about £480 - but if you dont mind waiting abt a week it can be easily sourced, if you dont mind phoning around......
Edited by cab on Sunday 22 April 21:00
Frankly I find the kit lenses extremely good value for money. I have the 17/55 on the D2X but the combo weighs a ton so when travelling I take the D70 and the old 18/70 kit lens. It provides startlingly good results too. Many years back the old 24/120 was my touring lens since it covered the majority of situations. I now have the 18/200 as well (that makes 11 lenses now) which is fabulous but since this is out of the budget I'd recommend the 18/135 too. The 35mm is a great lens but too restrictive for everyday usage. You'll find yourself needing more focal length most of the time.
I happily use a 18-70 kit lense on my D2X quite a lot. For the money its a damn good walkabout lense. You may want to consider the f1.8 50mm too. Thats cheap as chips and gloriously sharp at f8.
If you are looking for something a little longer then ignore the cheap telephotos and look for a second hand f2.8 80-200 AF-D. There are plenty of them about now they have been replaced by the 70-200 series with VR, but optically they are brilliant.
If you are looking for something a little longer then ignore the cheap telephotos and look for a second hand f2.8 80-200 AF-D. There are plenty of them about now they have been replaced by the 70-200 series with VR, but optically they are brilliant.
Good advice oagent. I have bothe the 70/200 and the old 80/200 and prefer the old lens for portrait work. It just seems sharper and also better balanced. If the poster can afford both then go for it - the 18/70 I still have and it is a bloomin' miracle at the price and second hand they virtually pay you to take it away.
cab said:
dumbfunk said:
... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
the 18-200 is expensive IMHO at about £480 - but if you dont mind waiting abt a week it can be easily sourced, if you dont mind phoning around......
has any stock or will give any delivery times
I'm not that impressed by the 18-200mm TBH. Ken Rockweel bought one and said great things about it and now it's the best thing since cheese. One of my friends has one and it's very cheap and plasticiy. His is soft at the long end to. Even Nikon can't work wonders with a superzoom of this range. There's a current fad for packaging cheap, slow optics with fancy electronics (VR). In my mind you're far better off with better faster optics and managing without VR.
I have a Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-D and a Tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens which cost £250 (S/H) and £215 (new) respectively. Granted you have to swap lenses, but you have a similar range, can capture high speed movement better and shot with a narrow depth of field - something you can't do with a slow VR lens.
I have a Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-D and a Tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens which cost £250 (S/H) and £215 (new) respectively. Granted you have to swap lenses, but you have a similar range, can capture high speed movement better and shot with a narrow depth of field - something you can't do with a slow VR lens.
elderly said:
cab said:
dumbfunk said:
... unless of course you can get a hold of the 18-200VR which is supposed to be incredibly good but incredibly hard to find.
the 18-200 is expensive IMHO at about £480 - but if you dont mind waiting abt a week it can be easily sourced, if you dont mind phoning around......
has any stock or will give any delivery times
search for it under www.froogle.co.uk
mine arrived within a week from cornwall cameras - no probs at all. Think they got an order of 10 in all of which were preordered including mine by the time the delivery turned up
seem to remember park cameras had some on order...
Hope that helps
CAB
VxDuncan said:
I'm not that impressed by the 18-200mm TBH. Ken Rockweel bought one and said great things about it and now it's the best thing since cheese. One of my friends has one and it's very cheap and plasticiy. His is soft at the long end to. Even Nikon can't work wonders with a superzoom of this range. There's a current fad for packaging cheap, slow optics with fancy electronics (VR). In my mind you're far better off with better faster optics and managing without VR.
I have a Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-D and a Tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens which cost £250 (S/H) and £215 (new) respectively. Granted you have to swap lenses, but you have a similar range, can capture high speed movement better and shot with a narrow depth of field - something you can't do with a slow VR lens.
I have a Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-D and a Tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens which cost £250 (S/H) and £215 (new) respectively. Granted you have to swap lenses, but you have a similar range, can capture high speed movement better and shot with a narrow depth of field - something you can't do with a slow VR lens.
I think as discussed before it seems to be a very useful carry anywhere lense.
Each to their own and all that - as long as you don’t pay crazy prices you shouldn’t feel too hard done by!!
CAB
Hugh - Sorry to have hi-jacked this thread! But hopefully it might be relevant to you at some time.
CAB - Thanks for the heads-up on Cornwall Cameras; it's a good price.
However they will not be getting any for 2 weeks or so and I need a 'one compromise lens solution' (with VR!) to take on a trip with me before then.
I've found one (the last one) at Calumet for a little more money but cheaper than most suppliers.
CAB - Thanks for the heads-up on Cornwall Cameras; it's a good price.
However they will not be getting any for 2 weeks or so and I need a 'one compromise lens solution' (with VR!) to take on a trip with me before then.
I've found one (the last one) at Calumet for a little more money but cheaper than most suppliers.
Your lens is going to be the limiting factor on the performance of the D80. If you want a low-cost kit lens then go for the 18-70. It represents outstanding value for money and will probably handle most general and landscape photography.
I have a D200 with a 17-55 F2.8, which is an absolutely stunning lens but, to be fair, my son's 18-70 is in no way shamed by it. The 18-70 will allow you to realise a fair bit of the resolution that the D80 is capabale of delivering.
I have a D200 with a 17-55 F2.8, which is an absolutely stunning lens but, to be fair, my son's 18-70 is in no way shamed by it. The 18-70 will allow you to realise a fair bit of the resolution that the D80 is capabale of delivering.
18-200. Great if you really can't be bothered having more than one lens, but I think mine will go once I can save up some pennies for a 70-200 2.8. Whilst it's probably miraculous compared to other superzoom attempts (I wouldn't know since it's my first), the compromises are not just theoretical. I was never disappointed by the 18-70 (it was always my ability), but I've had a few disappointing shots with the 18-200. Also things which I couldn't necessarily spot at the time on the LCD in terms of sharpness.
It's still great to have and I'm able to take more and varied shots than I could before of course. For that all round lens if you're on holiday etc, it is terrific. The budget option with less convenience is the 18-70 + 70-300 VR. I understand that the latter is sharper than the 18-200 at 200.
Stuart
It's still great to have and I'm able to take more and varied shots than I could before of course. For that all round lens if you're on holiday etc, it is terrific. The budget option with less convenience is the 18-70 + 70-300 VR. I understand that the latter is sharper than the 18-200 at 200.
Stuart
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