db_cro said:
...thx on your comments... now I'm sure that next will be 70-300VR and after I'll look forward on the 16-85...

16-85 is here :)) http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=2378&replies=8#post-81380 ..now looking for 70-300VR...

sevencrossing said:
Thanks for the feed back

Casperwb - There was a typo in my original post. I do NOT want VR. All the macro work I have done to date, is with manual focusing but would love auto, if it works

Like you, this lens has been on my shopping list for a while ( along with a a super telephoto or zoom which I definitely cannot afford )

DutchNikon

Can't get to grips with paying £1,000 for a Sigma lens. I dont need f 2.8 or VR and 150 mm is not long enough for some applications I have in mind for this lens

sevencrossing

hang in there and keep looking like I do, one might just pop up in circumstances that you can afford, like finding cars in barns.

a little seceret, I have found good lenses being sold with old film cameras that no one wants because they are film and manual focus. and the folks that inherit them just want to get rid of it and make a little money.

keep any eye out.

good hunting

& don't let anyone on this forum know

boo

Well I doubt I would get the new version because I have the current 200mm micro. I see them making it a G lens, not that I plan to shoot a manual film camera any time soon but like the option.

I took this to the local aquarium and had a blast but I wasn't allowed to take my tripod in so I had to use a monopod in low light. Needless to say you really need a tripod for this thing or any other micro I would say beyond the 105. At that point VR and "only F4" will not matter.

Unless the optics in an updated lens gives me a winning lotto ticket or free gas for life, I doubt I would upgrade.

NR Admin speculated a little while ago that 200mm f/4 Micro could be one of the FX lenses to be released with the now presumably postponed D800.

http://nikonrumors.com/2011/10/14/more-rumors-on-the-two-upcoming-nikon-lenses.aspx/

Who knows? Maybe Nikon will end up updating this lens.

Hi all,

Two of my most used lenses are a 60mm f2.8 and a 105mm f2.8 Micros, both over 25 years old and terrific. They get used for a lot of portrait work, too.

If a 200mm came out I'd be tempted.

My best,

Mike

Thanks for the feed back

Casperwb - There was a typo in my original post. I do NOT want VR. All the macro work I have done to date, is with manual focusing but would love auto, if it works

Like you, this lens has been on my shopping list for a while ( along with a a super telephoto or zoom which I definitely cannot afford )

DutchNikon

Can't get to grips with paying £1,000 for a Sigma lens. I dont need f 2.8 or VR and 150 mm is not long enough for some applications I have in mind for this lens

On the 105mm, I used to use AF to get me in the ballpark and then I turn it off. So AF isn't really necessary, but it certainly helps when the focusing ring is such long throw.

seems like the people wishing for this revised lens really does not shoot macro/micro.

1] VR - this not effictive for macro shooting. get a tripod or monopod, the high magnification means that VR does not work, unless of course it is VR111.

2] AFS- auto focus, everyone knows that autofocus and macrophotography are not friends, most people do one of these things, set the lens to the magnifaction you want and then move the camera back and forth to obtain focus, or, frame and then use manual focus.

or do any of the above and then fine tune the focus manually.

the reason, the DOF is shallow, even at f8-11 or f16 the very thin DOF means that you still have to fine tune using manual focus, and then auto focus hunts back and forth driving you crazy. also, at 200mm the DOF becomes paper thin.

auto focus might work on a macro lens that is less than 50mm, I have not tried one of those, but their DOF is greater so it might work. can someone please comment on this.

th 200mm is on the list of one of the lenses that I would like to have, got to play with one and I have wanted one ever since, just not at the top of the list yet.

sevencrossing said:
So 2 years later, no new lens

All the reviews on say it is the bee knees, but foccuing is slow

I do want VR for Macro work, but what about focusing? How big a different would an
AF-S version

At the moment I use my 30 year old 50mm Micro with manual everything, fine in studio but not so good for bugs and bees

It would be used on a D700

Sounds like you could be ïn" for the new version of the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro....

So 2 years later, no new lens

All the reviews on say it is the bee knees, but foccuing is slow

I do not want VR for Macro work, but what about focusing? How big a different would an
AF-S version

At the moment I use my 30 year old 50mm Micro with manual everything, fine in studio but not so good for bugs and bees

It would be used on a D700

DaveyJ said:
To NSXType-R: How fast things change! Here it is October 15th and the B&H Photo site now has the 70-300VR at $589 for both USA and "Imported". The MAP policy is here now and Nikon rebates and specials will I guess be the primary savings possible??

Crap, there goes my next lens purchase!

Oh well, gotta get to using my other lenses anyway.

To NSXType-R: How fast things change! Here it is October 15th and the B&H Photo site now has the 70-300VR at $589 for both USA and "Imported". The MAP policy is here now and Nikon rebates and specials will I guess be the primary savings possible??

To come back to the original question....I'd take a 18-105VR lens over a 55-200 as the second lens doesn't do much for all around photos or quality compared to some of the other alternatives addressed here. I believe the best combo for D90, D7000, etc. at "affordable" prices is the 18-105VR combined with the 70-300VR Nikkor. For a beginner the kit prices are very attractive. Once you are at the level of a number of us at Nikon Rumors......we already own many of the kit lenses.....then the purchase of yeat another 18-105VR as a kit purchase is a little less attractive. The 55-200 I just would not buy. Another I have come to really doubt is the new 18-55VR often purchased by newbies as a kit with the body. In awhile they want to move to the 18-105VR and wish they did not buy the cameras kit with the 18-55VR.

DaveyJ said:
The 70-300VR Nikkor is $489 @ B&H Photo today (Oct 8th, 2011) and about $440 refurb. It is a great lens. Buy it with a camera or another lens and it is less money.

Wow, it's that cheap now? Last time I checked it was around $600.

The 70-300VR Nikkor is $489 @ B&H Photo today (Oct 8th, 2011) and about $440 refurb. It is a great lens. Buy it with a camera or another lens and it is less money.

It's around $550usd

how much is 70-300?

...thx on your comments... now I'm sure that next will be 70-300VR and after I'll look forward on the 16-85...

I was fifteen when I got hooked by photography.

The 18-105 is the lens that I find myself using most of the time (with my D90). For the money, I'm hugely impressed by the 18-105 lens.

I also have the 55-200, although I do not use it often. It's a good quality lens, very lightweight, and has a good overlap with the 18-105 to reduce lens swapping.

I also use the 35/1.8 - WHAT a little gem. And the 12-24mm - truly excellent, but sadly way, way out of reach for most teenagers!

I agree with Bland! The 70-300VR is a almost must have lens. I shoot D90, D300, D700 and use the 70-300VR every day. The D90 is every bit as good as the D300 and D700 for many uses. I even know gals who use the 70-300VR on D3100 and have awesome results to prove that lens value. For what it is worth the 18-200VR is also an awesome lens. I use a 12-24 DX a lot and on 24 it is hard to beat with ANY lens and on 12 it is wide and can take in scenes that make you think the 12mm view is critical. A 18-105VR is a good match with the 70-300VR but I have seen it paired with a 18-55VR and again with results to prove that combination can work also. I strongly suggest what ever glass you use, be sure to dial in the 70-300VR!!

I shoot the D90 and by far the 70-300VR is my favorite lens. It's a must to have and affordable, it shoots extremely fast and pure.

sorry to hear you did not get any new lenses db-cro.

nikon prices have been up on new and used equipment ever since the earthquake.

70-300 is very nice, make sure and get the VR model.

cant comment on the 18-200, don't have one, never even got to play with one.

thank you for giving us the follow up, it is most appreciated, and good luck with your journey into the world of photography.

Unfortunately, I haven’t bought anything last month in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur as I couldn’t got a good price. Hopefully, next time I’ll be luckier especially as I sold in the meantime my 55-200 and now I need 70-300. Anyway, I can still deal with my 18-105 as my primer lens, even sometimes pictures are not sharp enough. I’m sure that 16-85 will improve this…

@DaveyJ
Not sure for 18-200VR will meet my criteria?...

The D90 is an awesome camera for the price range. I use mine almost as much as a D300, and my D700 is used a lot less. I would opt myself for the 18-105VR kit lens as the kits are a good deal. Some outfits like B&H have had very few D7000 without the kit lens.

I would ask casperwb about the prime lens sucking dust onto sensors? I unfortunately bought a D40X with a 18-135 Nikkor lens, got a second body and BOTH have dust on the sensor. I should have returned both bodies, not just one!! If you are careful you can do a lot of lens changes and not get dust on the low pass filters/sensors (whatever). But if you do get dust on the rig I think it has to be removed or your images will suffer.

Post shooting cleanup of dust is both redundant and will degrade your images. Learn how to swap lens (you can call Nikon Digital Hotline from anywhere in the world and have them walk you through that). I tip the camera body down and same for the lens without the cap over the end that goes to to the f mount during the swap. Also be careful to wait until a safe time to sap lens.

Right now you will have one lens and I find that I use fixed focal length lens less. Also know that db_cro and casperwb are astute photographers and at that 35mm point the prime lens would be tough to beat.

You will get a better deal on the D90 with the 18-105VR kit lens. One warning though you might want to remember that over time if you become rally serious about photo work, you'll make precious little use of a kit lens. The 18-200VR is one "kit lens" that I would say is a real keeper. Just that the 18-200VR isn't going to be anywhere near as low a price.

good choice, you cannot go wrong with the 35mm 1.8.

all those f1.8 primes are fantastic, and as someone pointed out on another thread, primes do not suck dust onto your sensor, while zooms do.

the 70-300 is fantastic in good light, however if you do a search for the lenses you are intrested in, you will find tons of info to help you with your choice.

Good luck shopping, getting a "new' lens even though they may be used, is like christmas all over again.