18-55mm VR - 55-200VR are they good lenses with Nikon D90?

[rohitn]

Hi All,

 

Buying Nikon D90 SLR camera, I am getting combo deal with 18-55(vr) & 55-200 (vr) lenses but just wondering

are they good enough for this camera?

 

Price for the combo deal is really good. I am more interested in 18-70mm & 70-300mm (VR) lenses with Nikon D90

but getting “over” my budget.

 

<b>Just need to know that are they (18-55mm(vr) – 55-200mm (vr) lenses are good ? </b>

 

Thanks

 

Rohit

[chris_autio]

don't buy the 18-70 ... it's complete garbage. It's a broken link in the chain of an otherwise great camera.

[stephen_worth]

I don't have a 55-200, but I do have the 18-55 VR and it is an incredible lens for the money. Very sharp and quick focusing.

It isn't very fast, but your camera is able to shoot in very low light, so it will make up for that.

[glen_berry]

Chris - au contraire! My 18-70 performs exceptionally well. It's reasonably priced and well made. Perhaps you have a poor copy?

[photo5]

Don't buy the 18-70? You must be joking! I've owned two different samples and they were both excellent and a bargain for the price. Far better than the cheap plastic 18-55mm kit lens.

[eric_arnold]

have to respectfully disagree, chris. the 18-70 is a pretty good lens optically--at least as good as nikon's other 18-xx kit lenses-- that's a bit faster on the long end than the 18-55 (4.5 at 70mm vs. 5.6 at 55mm), has a metal lens mount, and dust seals. so build quality is better.

 

rohit, any of the nikon kit lenses can produce good results stopped down. if you're trying to shoot under conditions which aren't optimal for these lenses, their flaws can be revealed. i'd say they make a good starter kit until you're ready to upgrade. IMO you'd be better off getting the optically superb $120 50/1.8 for portraits and low-light now rather than trading two variable aperture lenses for two others.

[Matthew Brennan]

Ditto Glen and Dave, I agree the 18-70mm DX is a great DX lens, sure it has it's distortions and is plastic like most DX lenses but it is tack sharp and the 18-70mm range is excellent for the DX sensor size. I sold mine years ago with my D70 and regret not keeping it as a back up / dirty jobs lens when I shot with D200 and D300. Don't discount your 18-70 and 70-300 focal range quest, you are on a good path there.

[johnny_anderson]

I've owned both the 18-55 and 55-200. The 18-55VR is an excellent lens for the money. It provides very sharp images of good contrast. It has gotten excellent reviews by the pros and users. It's well worth the price. The 55-200VR takes very sharp images when stopped down 1 to 2 stops. If you're on a budget these two lenses will serve you well until you can afford better.

 

If you can afford a little more take a look at the 16-85VRII and the 70-300VRII. Both the these lenses are a definite step up in both IQ and build quality. The 16-85 is exceptionally sharp across it's range and the contrast is just great with this lens. The 70-300 is very sharp at 70mm and sharp at 300mm shooting wide open. At the 300 end if you stop down to F8 or F9 it's very sharp. The VRII works extremely well on both lenses. I own these two and am very very happy with their performance. While these two lenses are not F2.8 the VRII helps tremendously with longer exposures. I can usually get a 3 stop advantage using the VRII. Either way you go you'll get a good to great lens. Buy what you can afford and upgrade when you can, NAS is a cruel disease!! LOL

[shuo_zhao]

The 18-70 is not bad if you don't mind its distortion pattern and vignetting at 18mm, but otherwise it might drive you crazy.

 

The 18-55 VR and 55-200 VR are both good lenses, especially for their prices. Of course by no means they are equal to the f/2.8 pro grade zooms.

[leicaglow]

I owned the non VR versions of both lenses you mention. I thought the 18-55 was one of the worst performing lenses I ever bought (and that includes some old Mamiya Sekor's and Ricoh's thrown in for good measure). I've heard the VR version is better, but I have a hard time believing they could salvage such a wretched lens design.

 

The 55-200 lens was surprisingly "okay", and actually performed better near 200mm, but not as well at 55mm.

 

Your D90 is very capable of superb images, so don't under rate it. If you buy a Nikon, you've gotta buy good glass. If you don't know how good your D90 can be, at least buy a cheap 50mm f/1.8 ($110 or so), and see what great glass looks like. You won't settle for anything less. For a wider lens, consider the soon to be gone 18-35mm. It covers wide to normal lens range on a DX sensor like the D90. It is a very good, cheap knock off of the legendary 17-35mm. Or just step up and buy a 17-55mm and get a great lens.

[studor13]

You know the saying "You get what you pay for".

 

The 17-55mm f/2.8 is better than 16-85mm DX which is better than the 18-70mm DX which is better than the 18-55mm.

 

What is the definition of better?

 

This is where everyone trips over themselves.

 

I'm actually thinking of getting these two lenses myself since for what I intend to use them for - at f8 - I

believe they are as good as anything that cost 10 times more.

 

And Chris, we all feel sorry for you. You must have gotten a bad - very bad - copy.<div></div>

[photo5]

Talk about distortion, take a look at the 18-200mm. That lens has distortion way beyond the 18-70mm! I bought the 18-200 and sold it quickly afterwards. It wasn't as sharp as the 18-70, and had far higher distortion at 18mm.

 

The 18-70 has a metal lens mount unlike the cheaper 18-55, and is a better performer all around.

[rohitn]

Hi All,

 

First for all, thanks Andy for great picture. Thanks everyone for great sharing experience. It will really help

me to decide.

 

I have been reading about reviews etc but every lenses has its own pros and cons (Not pro lens) and also

depending on your requirements plus there is no limit for how much you can afford.

 

The reason for asking question above is, there is so many variations regarding lens reviews, you start thinking

that which one to believe and which not, and how much do you “trust” those reviews.

 

I know that it’s all depend on what photography you like to take and how much you can afford to spend, In my case

mostly outdoors (Landscape, Wildlife and Sports) photographs only.

 

Just need to know for one only reason, whatever I am spending on camera and lens is getting “Value for money”?”

 

If you are keen where I was reading reviews about lenses you can visit here: <a

href="http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikkor_kit_lens_group_test/page6.shtml">LINK</a>

 

Once again thanks everyone for feedback/input/experience.

[owen_omeara]

I agree that the 18-70 DX is a great lens for the price. When the weather etc. put the 17-55 at risk it is the glass I go to.

Like has been mentioned it is at its best around f/8.

 

-Owen