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:

  1. Identify specific shortcomings in your photography you'd like so solve.
  2. If you can identify specific equipment acquisition that will help you address these shortcomings, and you understand why, go for it.
  3. 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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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

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

UniqueBot

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16y ago

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