Camera Labs

Hello,

This website really helped me to buy my D7000, and learn lots more about photography. Now, to my main question:
Just today, I got my brand new Nikon D7000 kit which came with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ... you know what it is. I just love the body and the lens... way better than my previous Sony Alpha 350, which I sold. And now, I'm thinking of buying a new lens/es for my D7000 within next year. How is Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G and Tamron 18-55mm f/2.8? I take mostly portraits and landscapes; not a great fan of mega zoom lens.
So please, Camera Labbers, help me out in buying my new lenses, and recommend some great lenses you have used before!

Thanks you.
-Andrew

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Andrew
nikon d7000
18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Ed Dx, 50mm f/1.8G

Well, you already own a very decent zoom lens for everyday use. As per landscapes, the 18-105VR is a solid performer and quite sharp at wide angle, besides, the 3.5 aperture vs. 2.8 of the Tamron it's not such a great difference.

If you shoot portraits, then the 50mm f/1.8 seems the obvious choice for me, it's more than a stop faster than the Tamron and way sharper at large appertures (the Tamron struggles a bit at 50mm when wide open).

Count me as one totally in love with primes, I've got a 18-200VR for everyday use and I love it, but no zoom can match the tack sharp pictures I can take with my 35mm F1.8 (and don't even get me started on how fast primes perform indoors). The 50mm F1.8 is in the top of my list as of today.

That said, if you're interested in a fast general purpose lens, then the Tamron it's a great choice, as shown by its many positive reviews.

P.S. BTW, the Tamron is a 17-50mm, not 18-55mm

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Nikon D90 | AF-S 18-200 VR II | AF-S 35mm f/1.8 | Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 | SB-600 | Gorillapod + Manfrotto 484RC2

Hello Andrew, and welcome to the Cameralabs forums!

I agree with Beren, you wouldn't get much of a benifit with the 17-50 f/2.8, as it doesn't offer too much of an advantage at wide angles, it's already pretty sharp and the f/3.5 aperture isn't too much slower than the 2.8. Also, the 18-105 covers a more broad range.

I'd go with the 50mm f/1.8, it's sharp and offers a nice focal length good for portraits or everyday use. However, you may also want to consider the 50mm f/1.4, a bit more expensive but offering a faster aperture, or the 35mm f/1.8 DX. The 35mm gives a 50mm equivalent on DX cameras, plus it's a tack sharp lens. You can't go wrong with it.

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

I agree with beren23 and EvanK.

The 18-105 covers a really useful range and is a good quality lens.

For portraits the 50/1.8G is stunning value and hard to go past. For more general usage the 35/1.8 is a very capable lens also.

If you want more reach you can always complement your 18-105 with a longer range zoom like the 55-300 or the 70-300.

The D7000 really repays sharp lenses with excellent images.

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HCC
Nikon DSLRs, film cameras from Leica to Linhof

Thank you!
and another question is:
what is the significant difference between "Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 EX DC OS HSM" and "Tamron 17-50mm f2.8" ? ( sorry, can't recall the exact name of the lens for Tamron.
I will definitely buy the 50mm 1.8G lens, but I would also like a low aperture lens; though is it true that there's not much difference between f2.8 and 3.5?

Thank you again Camera Labbers! (: I very much appreciate it!

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Andrew
nikon d7000
18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Ed Dx, 50mm f/1.8G

From 2.8 to 3.5 is only two thirds of a stop.

But remember, that's only at the wide angle end of the 18-105. Since it's the end that I mostly use, I've not been so tempted by a 2.8 zoom.

And, if you have room to move the 1.8 prime gives you over an extra stop on 2.8.

A tripod also evens things out.

The 50 is good for portraits and the 35/1.8 for more general work.

I've got the older non-AFS 50, but I'd go for the new one, where the optical formula seems to give better performance at wider apertures at the expense of a bit of distortion.

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HCC
Nikon DSLRs, film cameras from Leica to Linhof

@whnlee Both Tamron and Sigma's 17-50mm lenses are thoroughly reviewed at Photozone.de, for what I've read, both perform quite well, not easy to chose one over the other IMHO, read the tests yourself and see which one fits you best.

Cheers!

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Nikon D90 | AF-S 18-200 VR II | AF-S 35mm f/1.8 | Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 | SB-600 | Gorillapod + Manfrotto 484RC2

I probabaly would choose a nikkor 50mm F1.8 or 50mm F1.4 prime lens.
I use a 35mm F1.8 myself but 50mm is better for outside walkaround lens.
35mm would be nice for indoors.

35mm is only 52mm cropwise, not zoomwise.