Need advice please: I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300...

sabapete

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

Rongnongno Loc: FL

The difference between 16-85 and 18-55 is marginal at best in the wide angle range as to the 55~85, walking a few steps is not all that difficult so if you want to purchase a new lens, don't ask for permission here, ask your government!

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

I use a 16-80mm on a crop sensor camera when traveling and find it does the job for me 95% of the time. The missing 5% is probably at the 200-300mm end but, if I don't have it I usually don't miss it . I agree, the weight of an 18-200mm would be too much for me to lug around all day. My 16-80 is an f/3.5-4.5 which means a lot less weight than an f/2.8. Not the fastest gun in the west but I get by with the help of increased ISO and some Photoshop tricks.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

The 18-200 is best of all!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

You have plenty of time, so relax and do some research. Below are some links that let you compare one lens to another. Also, Google a specific lens and look for reviews. Every review is going to point out negatives, if only to make the reviewer look like he's earning his money. Since no lens is perfect, pick the one that is best for you, keeping the weight in mind.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/lenses
http://lenshero.com/lens-comparison
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx
http://www.lenstip.com/lenses.html
http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

I think the 18-105mm would be best. It is a versatile lens giving a range from wide angle to telephoto. That was the kit lens that came with my D90, and I kept it as my main lens when I upgraded to the D7000. I only got rid of it when I moved to full frame.It's a great lens and will give you what you need.

MtnMan Loc: ID

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

My experiences in Europe lead me to take the 18-55. I also took my 55-300 one time and found I only used it once.

Or, you could do what I just did for me D5300 going to Europe in June: replaced the Nikon 18-55 with a Sigma 17-50 f2.8. I got it last week and can already see that the image quality is MUCH better, in accordance with DXOMark ratings. Alas, it isn't all that light. I have the advantage of the D5300 at about half the weight of the D7100. But I might just drop my f1.8 35mm in the bag for the longer walking trips.

My wife also has a D5300 and is bringing her 18-300.

CO

I have the Nikon 16-85mm lens. It's sharp, and has great build quality. The zoom and focusing rings turn very precisely without any looseness. It has half the distortion of Nikon's superzoom lenses like the 18-140, 18-200, 18-300, and 28-300 lenses. Ken Rockwell did a comparison between the Nikon 16-85mm and 18-200mm lenses here:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/16-85mm-vs-18-200mm.htm

bruswen Loc: Eugene OR

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

I don't see any reason for you to buy a new lens for your trip unless you want one. The 18-105mm is comparable to the 16-85mm in the images it will produce, size and weight. It is not as robustly built (plastic mount) but I have never had a problem with mine. I also have a 16-85mm, both lenses produce very good images. The 18-105mm is a little sharper but has more distortion and CA, all of which is correctable in camera or in post processing. If you want a new lens, by all means, buy it, but you can make do with what you have. I would take the 35mm f/1.8 DX for low light to go with whichever zoom you choose.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bruswen wrote:

...unless you want one.

The story of my life. :oops:

bruswen Loc: Eugene OR

jerryc41 wrote:

The story of my life. :oops:

I know the feeling, I just added a D7200 and picked up the 18-140mm kit lens because of the package deal they offered. I didn't need it, but I wanted to try it as a walk around lens with the D7200. I figured for $300 I couldn't go wrong. :thumbup:

houdel Loc: Chase, Michigan USA

I'd go with the 18-105mm, its as close to an all around lens as you have in the bag and a pretty decent lens. 18mm should give you all the wide angle you will need and the 105mm makes for a decent mid-tele length. If you really have a burning desire for a new lens, the 18-140mm will give you a little extra reach.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Try the Sigma 17-70 2.8-4 - if you won't be ashamed by a non-Nikon lens !

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

sabapete wrote:

I've got a Nikon 7100, with a bunch of lenses: 35, 18-55, 18-105 (came with my older d90) 18-200 (bought in desire to have a single walk around lens) and a 70-300 (kit with d90). I found the 18-200 to be fairly heavy, especially for long trips.

We're going to Spain and Portugal in May and I need to choose a single lens to take with me. I can either take one of the ones listed, but I'm sorely tempted to buy a Nikon 16-85.

Any suggestions please?

Not talking about your trip, but with a Sigma 17-70 aquisition and having the 70-300, you could ditch all the rest ....

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

when I get the money, I've been thinking about that 18-140 awful hard. I have the 18-105 and love it, have the 55-300 and a 70-300 and an old 70-210, they all work great. My thinking is a lot of photo ops come in needing something between 55 or 60mm and 140 mm. Kind of a no mans land. To get 135 from an 18-105, you need to get closer, it isn't happening. That way with an 18-140 and a decent 70-300, your base's are covered. Just gave a niece my old D70 and my old 28-200 Sigma. For a walk around lens and carrying no extra lens, that thing was super, very light weight.