Do-All Lens for D7200 (Page 4): As you can see some love superzooms and others don't. I suggest looking at the Sigma 18-300. It's a very good superzoom and it's a lot less expensive...

MarkD Loc: NYC

As you can see some love superzooms and others don't. I suggest looking at the Sigma 18-300. It's a very good superzoom and it's a lot less expensive than the Nikons. I'm very happy with mine.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

mwsilvers wrote:

Not exactly the category of focal length he was referring to.

Read the thread, he wanted to know about Great lenses not Good lenses that would cover the 18mm to 300mm range. On his Crop Frame Camera they fit.
Craig

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

mwsilvers wrote:

After initially using the kit lenses that came with my first body, i updated to superzooms and used them for a couple of years until i realized i wanted to take my photography to a different level with a different approach. Now, I keep the Canon 35mm f/2 with image stabilization on my Canon 7D2 most of the time. I do have short and long zooms when I need them, but for me 35mm is my go to focal length. For most, though, this won't provide the day to day flexibility they want.

Based on all the above, perhaps, then, the way to go would be a fixed focal length telephoto lens, then crop the image to draw it in, while maintaining good image quality. I hadn't really thought of it that way until the comments on the "mediocre" optical quality of most zoom lenses.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Far North wrote:

Based on all the above, perhaps, then, the way to go would be a fixed focal length telephoto lens, then crop the image to draw it in, while maintaining good image quality. I hadn't really thought of it that way until the comments on the "mediocre" optical quality of most zoom lenses.

That doesn't really give you the walk-around Lens I think you are looking for.
You are shooting the best Crop Sensor Camera out there.
The 18-300mm would give the ability to shoot anything, anywhere at a crop factor of 1.5x @ 27-450mm.
Craig

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

CraigFair wrote:

That doesn't really give you the walk-around Lens I think you are looking for.
You are shooting the best Crop Sensor Camera out there.
The 18-300mm would give the ability to shoot anything, anywhere at a crop factor of 1.5x @ 27-450mm.
Craig

Perhaps it's just the most discerning eye that really notices the apparent less-than-acceptable performance of the lens?

What else comes to mind is that if a lens is soft around the edges or corners, then a bit of cropping ought to eliminate that problem, but pulling the subject of the photo in a bit to take advantage of the best part of the lens?

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Far North wrote:

Perhaps it's just the most discerning eye that really notices the apparent less-than-acceptable performance of the lens?

What else comes to mind is that if a lens is soft around the edges or corners, then a bit of cropping ought to eliminate that problem, but pulling the subject of the photo in a bit to take advantage of the best part of the lens?

Your D7200 would already Crop the edges and corners for you.
That's why they call it a Cropped Frame.
A Full Frame Camera uses the whole image.
Your's uses about 75% of the image.
I used to have the Nikon 28-300mm lens and it was quite an excellent Lens.
It is something to seriously look at.
Craig

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

CraigFair wrote:

Your D7200 would already Crop the edges and corners for you.
That's why they call it a Cropped Frame.
A Full Frame Camera uses the whole image.
Your's uses about 75% of the image.
I used to have the Nikon 28-300mm lens and it was quite an excellent Lens.
It is something to seriously look at.
Craig

Thank you.

Drala2k Loc: Vermont

I currently have a D7100 and the 18 - 200mm, similar to the 18 - 300. I have found that it is a good lens but not a great all around lens. For example you have to know the lens and where the strengths and weaknesses are to help get the best out of it. With my lens I have found that it goes soft at around 18, 120 and 200mm. Just the nature of the beast. Also, because it is a fairly long Tele, it is also slow and not that good in low light situations.

Hope that helps.

PhotoPhred Loc: Cheyney, Pa

I still make the case for the Sigma 18 - 250 macro. I use it with a d7100 and a d5100.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Far North wrote:

Based on all the above, perhaps, then, the way to go would be a fixed focal length telephoto lens, then crop the image to draw it in, while maintaining good image quality. I hadn't really thought of it that way until the comments on the "mediocre" optical quality of most zoom lenses.

I did not suggest most zoom lenses are mediocre. Many are incredibly good. I was referring specifically to superzooms which generally have a range of 18mm to between 200mm and 300mm and are designed for crop sensor bodies. Many people are perfectly happy with their image quality. You might be one of them. But compared to most primes and shorter focal length zooms, their image quality is mediocre. I can tell you that many people can't tell the difference.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

My sisterinlaw loves her 18 to 300 I found it to be good but sometimes a bit soft at 300...

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

bdk wrote:

My sisterinlaw loves her 18 to 300 I found it to be good but sometimes a bit soft at 300...

All the Telephotos I've used are soft at both ends.
I try not to run them all the way in or out.
Craig

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

mwsilvers wrote:

I did not suggest most zoom lenses are mediocre. Many are incredibly good. I was referring specifically to superzooms which generally have a range of 18mm to between 200mm and 300mm and are designed for crop sensor bodies. Many people are perfectly happy with their image quality. You might be one of them. But compared to most primes and shorter focal length zooms, their image quality is mediocre. I can tell you that many people can't tell the difference.

Well, you are probably right here. One would no doubt have to look close to tell. But also correct is the fact that one does need to know their lens and how to use it. As I go through these threads and ask questions, I am definitely advancing my education here. I appreciate the good information.