Which lens should i buy for my Nikon D50?

Question

I dropped my Nikon D50 slr the other day and broke the lens. It was a Nikor 18-55mm. I am wondering if I should just buy another 18-55mm lens or if I should go ahead and upgrade to a better lens? Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Actually, I don't own the 18-200mm (but Sam does.)
If you were happy with the performance of your old lens, just replace it. You can find tons of original 18-55mm lenses on eBay or you can order a copy of the new & improved 'll' version. The new version is still inexpensive, but the image quality is a bit better.
If you were looking for an excuse to upgrade anyway, the Nikon 18-70mm is better and more versitile for around $300 retail. This was the kit lens for the D70, so I expect you can find plenty of these on the used market, too.
The Nikon 18-135mm is the kit lens for the D80. Again, it's a step up from the 18-55mm, and it has enough reach to be considered an all-in-one lens. This lens also costs around $300 retail. The 18-135 sacrifices a tiny bit of image quality and build quality vs. the 18-70 in exchange for more zoom range - hence the similar price. They are both good, just pick your priority.
If you want something more suited for low light photography, Tamron has a great 17-50mm f/2.8 for $450.
The Nikon 18-200mm. This is the ultimate all-in-one lens. It's a much better lens than any of the third party 18-200mm zooms, but the Nikon version is a $900 piece of gear. (The list price is only $750, but the street price reflects poor availability.) I can't recommned the Sigma/ Tamron versions due to their poor image quality and lack of image stabilization.
And if you want the greatest, there's always the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8. A $1200 investment. This is the lens I DO use. Sam has one of these too. It's big, it's heavy, it's almost impossible to be inconspicuous with it, and I love the damn thing. To be perfectly honest however, the Tamron 17-50mm is about 95% as good in terms of image quality. The Nikon version is just built like a tank.
Best wishes deciding.

Answer 2

The lens length does not determine if it is a "better" lens.
Think of the type of shooting you do and then get the appropriate lens.
If that 18-55 worked well for you, then get another one. That is a pretty versatile lens. But, if you are doing a lot of portraiture, you might want to look into a little longer lens. Maybe a 70-220mm. If you have the cash, get the longer lens. You can always get the less expensive one later.
Also, to save a little bit of money, you can get an aftermarket lens. No need to stick with Nikon. Look at Sigma's website. Or try your local camera store and check for used lenses. You can always get great deals there.
good luck.

Answer 3

Depends on what you need a lens for. Do you want an all around walk around lens? Do you want a fast lens? Taking that into consideration, I would get the 18-200mm by Nikor. Its a great all round lens just remember it is not fast so dont rely on it in low light in telephoto. OMG and Dr can explain it better than I can since they both own one I believe. But my vote is the 18-200mm.

Answer 4

Since it's about the same money, I would go with the Nikon 18-135mm ED lens. Would give you a little more range and very reasonably priced.

The 18-200 with VR is a lot more expensive, but worth it if you a) can find one, and b) price is ok.

Answer 5

I would agree with OMG's "Best Answer" word-for-word.

It's not a lens test, but I have a few pictures on Flickr that are taken with the infamous 18-200 lens as well as the exceptional 17-55 that I'll link for you. There are comments with the images and you should read them, because many of the images are cropped considerably from their original size. Click on "All Sizes" and then click on the largest size available if you want to evaluate the lens.

Nikon 18-200 VR lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/408446616/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564890/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564887/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564880/

Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/412315793/
(Look for the 3 pigeons on the dome.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/412315798/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/412315806/

Answer 6

A 70-300mm is a good choice in any series.