Camera Labs

First of all, let me say what a great site this is.

I bought a Nikon D80 about a month ago (after watching the video review), I want to upgrade the lense already. I'm looking for a lens for walk around but also to be used indoor at night like parties and weddings. I was wondering which one would be better, a lense with large aperture like the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 or Tamron 17-50 f2.8 or a lense with vr like the Nikon 18-200mm vr. I know the last lense has a longer focal range, however over the 18-50mm which one of the 3 lens will be better for indoor shoots.

Thanks

Hi easytiger21, welcome to the Cameralabs forums!

Great question -

VR will help reduce camera shake which lets you handhold at slower shutter speeds.

A bigger aperture gathers more light and lets you use faster shutter speeds.

So both can reduce the effect of camera shake, but remember a subject in motion requires a faster shutter to freeze.

So if you're shooting, say, kids or pets or wildlife, then the big aperture would probably be better as it will allow you to use faster shutter speeds and stand a better chance of freezing the action. Bigger apertures also allow you to achieve a smaller depth of field where you can make the background appear more our of focus.

BUT bigger apertures can be expensive!

Gordon

Thanks Gordon

Do you anything about the Sigma or the Tamron lens? I wondering whether I should get one of them and a Nikon 55-200mm vr or just the Nikon 18-200mm vr.

I'd say a wider aperture is better than VR, because it's more flexible. And VR can't give you that very narrow depth of field. For example, this photo would have looked so much better with f/2.8...



But to get that constant f/2.8 you'd have to spend a lot of money, such as with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED. I would have used a link to cameralabs, it there was a review of this lens available (hint, hint).

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Nikon D90 + MB-D80 + SB-600 + AF-S VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 + AF-S 35mm f/1.8 + AF 85mm f/1.8 | My photos on Flickr.

Hi easytiger21!
I find it hard to answer. I both use the stabilized small aperture variant and the unstab. large aperture lens. Best thing would be to have the (at least) f2.8 stabilized variant, like the Nikon VR 70-200mm/f2.8: a lovely lens! But this is a budget- and carry-all problem...
You can see my answer to your question in my signature: Go ahead with the smaller aperture stabilized lenses like the VR 18-200mm (which is hard to beat as an all-round lens) and get some cheapo large aperture prime-lens like the 50mm/f1.8.
One thing is clear: whereas there are tricks to get a sharp picture out of a small aperture non-stabilized lens (like using a tripod or high ISO) nothing can give you the out-of-focus background like a large aperture lens. See some examples in my collection of shots with the 50mm prime here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38912116@N ... 062304352/

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Hey Luis, it's not the same lens, but I used the 17-55mm f2.8 for my D200 gallery, here: http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/NikonD200/page5.shtml

Gordon,

Any chance of you reviewing the Sigma or Tamron lens in the near future?

Slim, but not impossible!

tombomba2

Great picture you have on Flickr.

I'm thinking a majority on my photos will be taken indoors ie parties and weddings, I was just wondering that by using the the VR lens at slower shutter speed I will not be able to take pictures of people properly, thus I was thinking of a large aperture lens. Unfortunately those tend to be expensive and therefore I will need to sacrifice the telephoto lens and get a shorter range lens like the Sigma or Tamron both at 18-50mm and reasonably priced as well.
Do you have any experience to taking indoor photos (eg weddings) with the Nikon 18-200mm VR?

Yes, I do! The support by VR/IS is very helpful, but as you're approaching 1/10 sec indoors it certainly is not adequate for "moving" people but only for still lifes
So if you like to catch indoor action, you have to go for a large aperture lens (plus a good high-ISO body)!

_________________
Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

tombomba2

You are a great advocate of the nikor 18-200mm vr. I think I'm going to get one plus a 50mm f1.8 like you mention, should be enough for now