Lens for Nikon D5600: I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I am having issues deciding on what lens to get - I am trying to get a good all around camera to keep with me as...

Photobear Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I am having issues deciding on what lens to get - I am trying to get a good all around camera to keep with me as a second camera for just general use and for my wife to use - don't need anything fancy hence the D5600 but I really want only one lens for her to mess with and I am thinking about the Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6VR but I noticed the Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6VR and even the
55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR. I have seen the camera bundled with the 18-140 mm lens and from what I can tell it seems to be a good match but I think she will want to reach out more so hence the 300mm. Any comments or other lens I should look at?

FYI - she has been using the Nikon P900 for a few years now but finds it a little to heavy and the zoom is great but she can't hold it steady so really not using it for the zoom that much hence going down to 300mm.

Thanks for any input!!!!!

IBM

Photobear wrote:

I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I... (show quote)

The weight of the d5600 and those 300mmzooms won't be any lighter , will they . I have a 70- 300 mm VR nikon , and I doubt if I could handle hold much more , with out using the tripod,

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I'd go with the 18-300. I have the 28-300 but sometimes it's just not wide enough on the DX body.

Photobear Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

Not so much weight but also with the zoom way out just hard to hold and I think the 300 might be a little better maybe not with the weight but the weight and the total zoom out? Anyway thanks for your input - I might try to take the P900 and put it up to the 5600 with the 300mm and see how bad it is - perhaps not much? I think she really wants a new camera????????

Photobear Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I'd go with the 18-300. I have the 28-300 but sometimes it's just not wide enough on the DX body.

I am leaning towards the 18-300 - guess I am trying to get everything I can so she does not have to changes lens. There is also a 18-140 that I hear is pretty good but then I don't think she will like not having the zoom she likes????????

Thanks for your input!!

I guess I just need to make up my mind and go for it - if I mess it up you can look for a deal from me later when I switch lens AGAIN!!!!

IF anybody has the D5600 with any of these lens and really likes them I hope you will chime in!!!

rmorrison - you say you have the 28-300 other than not wide enough how do you like it otherwise?

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

If you go with the 18-300mm be sure you look up the difference between the f3.5-5.6 and the f3.5-6.5. I have the 18-140mm lens that came with my d7200 and for general use it's a fantastic lens and is on my camera most of the time. I don't put my 300mm zoom's on unless I'm shooting wildlife.

Jim Bob

Photobear wrote:

I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I... (show quote)

The 18-140 is the best lens of that bunch by far. However, if..."she will want to reach out more" you may as well discard it from consideration. The 55-300 would be the second best choice. Don't take my word. Read some reviews starting with someone like Thom Hogan. I own both of those lenses by the way. I would skip the 18-300 or 28-300 if maximum image quality is your goal.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

The P900 weighs 31.8 oz. The D6500 w/ the 18-300mm 3.5 -6.3 weighs 34.1 oz, with the 3.5- 6.3 it weighs 44 oz. these weights are from the Nikon web site. her P900 is the lightest of the 3.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

From what I've read here and in reviews, my understanding was that the 18 - 300 suffers a bit at each end of the focal range. Also - one of the charms of the D5xxx is it's compactness and light weight. Adding a 300 mm "telescope" turns it back into hanging a bowling ball around your neck. The "industry standard" for long range zooms always used to be the 18 - 200 or 18 - 140. I have a D5500 (plus a 55 - 300) and I'm about to purchase the 18 - 200 as my all-around lens.

Photobear Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

jethro779 wrote:

The P900 weighs 31.8 oz. The D6500 w/ the 18-300mm 3.5 -6.3 weighs 34.1 oz, with the 3.5- 6.3 it weighs 44 oz. these weights are from the Nikon web site. her P900 is the lightest of the 3.

Really???? Interesting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!

Photobear Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

Jim Bob wrote:

The 18-140 is the best lens of that bunch by far. However, if..."she will want to reach out more" you may as well discard it from consideration. The 55-300 would be the second best choice. Don't take my word. Read some reviews starting with someone like Thom Hogan. I own both of those lenses by the way. I would skip the 18-300 or 28-300 if maximum image quality is your goal.

Yea I really like the 18-140 and maybe go with it and think about the 300 choices if that does not work for her. Don't know much about the 55-300 but I heard it was not that great???? But you say you like it so maybe worth another look? Any particular 55-300 or is it known as just the 55-300 Nikon?

Choices, Choices??????

CO

I have the Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR lens. It's sharp and has one-half the distortion of Nikon's superzoom lenses. I stay away from superzoom lenses. They usually have a lot of barrel distortion at short focal lengths and a lot of pincushion distortion at long focal lengths. These charts are from Ken Rockwell's distortion testing of the Nikon 16-85mm lens and the Nikon 18-140mm lens.

Nikon 16-85mm
Nikon 16-85mm...

Nikon 18-140mm lens
Nikon 18-140mm lens...

IBM

Photobear wrote:

I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I... (show quote)

Is birds ,eagles going to be a part of what she wants to shoot , if so the 300mm is the least she should have , and the 70-300 vr nikon
Was checked all out by Thom Hogan , when it first came out , he said it was the best bargen in town and should be twice the cost of the
$600 that it was , the only difference of not being a $1200 lens was the construction , it is not as robust as the $1200 lens , but I haven't
Had any problem , as I'm carefully with all camera gear , and the optics deliver the same image as the $1200 lens , I have seen used ones for $350, $400 , so you could use it for a few years and sell it for what you payed for it ,as long as you treat it right , go to Thom's site and
See the high ratings he gives it .

Jim Bob

Photobear wrote:

Yea I really like the 18-140 and maybe go with it and think about the 300 choices if that does not work for her. Don't know much about the 55-300 but I heard it was not that great???? But you say you like it so maybe worth another look? Any particular 55-300 or is it known as just the 55-300 Nikon?

Choices, Choices??????

The 55-300 is not exceptional but it ain't bad either. You could do a lot worse.

Elliern Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

Photobear wrote:

I think I am ready to purchase a Nikon D5600 but I... (show quote)

I have the 55-300 on my D5500 and also used it on my D5100. I love it! It is definitely lighter than the 70-300 which a friend has. I have a neuromuscular disease and need a lightweight system. I can use the D5500 with the 55-300. I think the VR works well. I have another friend who has the 18-140. She likes that lens a lot. But she seldom shoots wildlife.