Camera Labs

Hi all

Im about to buy a Nikon D40X and am procrastinating about which set of lenses to buy:

1) Body only, with Sigma 18-200mm lens, OS - sadly, the Nikkor VR 18-200mm is out of my price range

2) D40X kit with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses

3) D40X kit with 18-135mm

All are about the same price, but im finding it difficult to choose of the three....

Dee

def option 2 imo.

remeber to pick up the 55-200mm with VR not the older one.

I got my 18-135 in a kit package was cheaper for me but im prob gonna go
with 55-200 VR as next upgrade lens it is ridicolus cheap for a vr lens and what i have heard and read its a real bargain .

Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-200 is nicer but its more expensive and in some places it is ridiclous hard to get one .

Hi Dee, welcome to the Cameralabs forums!

I haven't tested the 55-200mm VR model yet, but it's certainly a very affordable option. I do hope it's ok. We hope to have a review of it in the near future...

If it is ok, then it and the 18-55 represent a good combination, and also have the advantage over the 18-200mm as two lenses optimised for their own particular ranges as oppose to trying to do everything in one...

As mindmeld says though, beware of the older 55-200mm and make sure you're buying the new one with VR.

We have a review of the popular Nikkor kit lenses here:

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikko ... roup_test/

Gordon

Thanks to you both - you have really reassured me of which to go for. My main concern with the dual lens kit was the issue of dust - which some of the other cameras address with their anti-dust feature. my thinking was that with a lens of 18-200mm, one would mitigate the dust issue by not needing to change lenses.

This was precisely my reasoning when I bought my D80 with 18-135mm kit. It doesn't work! Dust still appears on images now & again.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

Well, Zorro, that's too bad!
You have only one lens and you don't take it off the body, I assume?!
Then there should be no prob with dust whatsoever

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

That's what I thought but I suppose I had to attach the lens in the first place and once I'd cleaned it once, thus exposing it, I guess it'll always be an issue. It doesn't really bother me as it's easily removed in pp. I've only ever used the blower for cleaning and it works pretty well. The only problem with blowers is that they can't actually remove dust, they only move it around a bit. Anyway, some would say dust is the least of my problems.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

Do you hold the body overhead, when you blow the dust out?

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

Aye. Although I don't think I did the first time. My real fear is getting pollen on the screen. Pollen is sticky and so not removable with a blower alone. I bought some Sensor Swabs and fluid for that but so far I haven't needed it. Touch wood.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

I wish it was so...
From what I've read, lenses that extend during zooming and/or focusing can "suck" up dust and send it towards the sensor. You probably need a weather sealed body and lens to prevent that from happening... Not even typical P&S cameras with their permanently attached lenses are completely imune from dust (those all-weather P&S are probably the exception...).

Darrin

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Nikon D40 | Nikkor 18-55 VR | Nikkor 55-200 VR | Voigtländer Ultron 40mm SL-II | Nikon Speedlight SB-400