Can you explain lenses on size and give examples?

Question

Im going to buy a nikon d80 and i am wondering what lens to buy

Answer 1

There are 3 obvious choices:
1) Nikon 18-70mm:
This is a good zoom range for everyday use, the lens provides good image quality, and it's great value for money ($310 retail, cheaper used). This used to be the kit lens with the D70. It should cover about 80% of your needs but most people eventually consider getting an additional lens for telephoto shots (something like the cheap 55-200 or a 70-300).
2) Nikon 18-135mm:
For the same price as the 18-70mm you get more zoom reach in exchange for slightly inferior optics and inferior build quality - e.g. a plastic lens mount instead of metal. This lens doesn't get the great reviews that the 18-70 did, but the added zoom does make this a viable all-in-one lens.
3) Nikon 18-200mm:
This is a true all-in-one lens. It has VR (vibration reduction / image stabilization), a huge zoom range, good image quality... it's has pretty much everything you could ask for. The down side is price. It has a $750 list price, but poor availability has pushed the street price up to $900.
The focal lenghts that Brendan mentions would be fantastic for a Nikon film camera, but they're too long for a digital model. Digital Nikon bodies effectively magnify your lenses' reach by half.
Also, if you were hoping to spend less than say, $250, please reconsider. You won't find decent image quality in a zoom that cheap, and that would defeat the purpose of buying such a nice camera.
Also note that the 3 lenses I mentioned are general purpose, consumer grade zooms. If you have specific needs and money is no object, you can get better lenses. Nikon makes some of the best. (Eg. the 12-24 or 17-35 for landscapes, the 17-55 for journalism, the 70-200 for sports, the 85 f/1.4 for portraits, etc.)

Answer 2

The mm thing is the focal length of the lens. This is the distance from the optical 'centre' of the lens to the plane of the film or sensor when the lens is focussed at infinity. For zoom lenses, the first figure is the shortest focal length the lens can be set at, and the second the longest. You will find people will talk about equivalent focal length. This is where they translate the actual focal length of a lens on a digital camera to a 35mm equivalent. This is to allow you to have a common comparison of what you can achieve with a particular lens. Digital SLRs have a x1.5 or thereabouts factor. So a 17-85mm zoom on a digital body will have a 35mm equivalent of 25.5 - 127.5mm. Compact cameras have a much higher factor, up around x4 to x6 or more, depending on the size of the sensor.

Answer 3

If you are only able to afford the one lens then decide which type of photography you will be doing most. For example if you will be mostly taking pictures of people and small groups then opt for a short range zoom - say 24 or 28mm to 105mm. 28mm is wide enough for most small to medium sized groups photographed indoors and 105mm is ideal for portraits.

If on the other hand you are going to shoot mostly outdoor activities - sports etc - or landscapes; then opt for a larger size zoom; say 80 to 200mm. Anything bigger is too cumbersome without a tripod.

And remember a golden rule of thumb. To avoid camera shake do not hand hold a camera at less than 1/the focal length of the lens. So if you are zooming at 200mm your shutter speed should be at least 1/200th of a second. This is not a hard and fast formula as many professional photographers can hold a camera rock steady at much lower speeds than this rule implies. However for most amateurs it is a good rule of thumb.

Brendan

Answer 4

If you are buying one lens, I agree 110% with OMG's answer above me. Please choose him as the best answer, because his answer is very comprehensive and accurate.

I own both the 18-70 and 18-200 that he mentions and either one is a great "walk around lens" with virtures of their own, as OMG has discussed so clearly. Actually, my wife has the 18-70 and the"cheaper" 55-200 that OMG mentioned and she is quite satisfied.

For more information, other than OUR esteemed opinions, go to http://www.kenrockwell.com and search for his reviews on these lenses.

Answer 5

Make it three on a dime....OMG's answer is good.