Which Nikon DX lens upgrade makes sense for landscapes: 18-200 VR, two-lens kit, or an ultrawide?
Asked 7/29/2010
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I shoot mostly landscapes on Nikon DX bodies (D300s and D70), usually handheld or from a beanbag. My current lenses are a Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX, Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6, and Sigma 30mm f/1.4. The 18-70 is fine, but the 70-300 feels slow, and I often want wider coverage without changing lenses. I’m also interested in VR for lower-light handheld shooting.
I’m considering the Nikon 18-200mm VR as a one-lens solution, or alternatively an 18-105mm VR plus 55-200mm VR with one lens on each body. Budget is roughly under £600. Are those good choices for a serious hobbyist landscape shooter, or would another option make more sense?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
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I think it's useful to emphasize that technique matters more than equipment, particularly in this context. For example, an inexpensive consumer zoom plus a decent tripod used well will get you better images than an expensive pro lens with no tripod or poor technique.
A similar high-level point: buy equipment that addresses your specific needs. In other words, to justify and plan an equipment purchase:
- Identify specific shortcomings in your photography you'd like so solve.
- If you can identify specific equipment acquisition that will help you address these shortcomings, and you understand why, go for it.
- If you can't, or things seem vague, don't buy anything yet.
In other words, buy equipment when you can say Purchasing X will improve my Y by helping with A, B, and C. If you can't fill in the variables with specificity, the equipment purchase is not justified from a photographic standpoint.
(To be clear, the research and purchase of equipment, and great interest in same, is a valid variation on the hobby. But make this choice consciously.)
Take a read through Thom Hogan's site and reviews, particularly his articles "Rationalizing Lenses", "Nikon Digital SLR Lens Kit Recommendations", and "Tripods 101".
Random tips:
- If you are actually going to carry two camera bodies, don't bother with a superzoom. (Though, I'm skeptical of dragging around two bodies when out and about for landscapes.) Carry two lenses with complementary focal lengths. This might be a good plan even if you're only carrying one body.
- The 16-85mm is also well regarded.
- I do have the 18-200 and like it, though I'm not 100% convinced I'd buy it again, since I often want to go a little wider.
- Consider something strange, like the 10.5mm fisheye.
- At the risk of repetitiveness, consider a decent tripod instead of a lens as your next investment. The lenses you have will all take great landscapes used well.
- Don't hesitate to buy used lenses. I've purchased from and can recommend KEH; don't know if they ship to your side of the pond or if it's cost-effective to do so.
Originally by user27. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27
16y ago
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For landscapes, the answers suggest technique and support matter more than replacing your current lenses. A tripod or careful support will usually improve low-light landscape results more than VR, since landscapes are often shot stopped down rather than wide open.
Lens-wise, the biggest gap in your kit may actually be wider coverage, not a different midrange zoom. An ultrawide DX lens such as a 10-20mm was specifically recommended and is often very useful for landscape work.
Between your zoom options, the two-lens 18-105 VR + 55-200 VR setup mainly gives flexibility across two bodies, while the 18-200 VR gives convenience and fewer lens changes. For pure landscape image quality, neither is likely to be a dramatic improvement over what you already have.
So the practical advice is:
- don’t upgrade unless you can name a specific limitation you need to solve
- prioritize support/technique for landscape shooting
- if you do buy a lens, consider going wider rather than replacing your existing range with another general-purpose zoom
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