Which 55-200 for Nikon D5100

Colin-Cr

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Colin
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Hi all

Just looking for a bit of lens advice from the experts.

I have just purchased my first Nikon DSLR, a D5100, and loving it so far, I am looking to add a 55-200mm lens to my kit and wondered if it is best to stick with Nikon or should I be looking at the Tamron or Sigma offerings? Not looking to spend a fortune so what is best for the money?
 
I only have experience with the Nikon and it was very good and very reasonably priced.

Think I sold mine second hand for just over £100.
Once you get a few more posts under your belt you should get access to the classifieds on here.
 
The Nikon is lovely, make sure you get the VR version. I sold mine years ago for £115, but would have kept it if not for the fact that I'd gotten a great deal on a 70-300 VR. If I was on a tight budget I'd be all over the 55-200 VR like a rash(again), I had great fun with it.
 
You can buy the 55-200 VR for about £120 after Nikon cashback which is a great deal.

Al
 
With all of the positives so far, I have been searching for deals and have come across buyacamera.co.uk, anyone used them?

They are offering a "white box" lens with 2yr guarantee for £116 posted, seems like a bargain to me but I have been wrong!
 
I'm in a similar position, having just bought a d5100. The Nikon Lens seems to get good reviews, in terms of second hand i've seen one on another forum for £90 posted. Seems like a good deal if it's the lens you want.

What was it that made you decide on upgrading to this lens first?

I've found that doing most of my photography inside maybe a slightly faster 18-55mm lens or similar might give me better results..... i'd sure like to have gone to a wider aperture then f/3.5 today!
 
What was it that made you decide on upgrading to this lens first?

I've found that doing most of my photography inside maybe a slightly faster 18-55mm lens or similar might give me better results..... i'd sure like to have gone to a wider aperture then f/3.5 today!

My first thought was to get a f1.8 50mm prime for quality and aperture but I try to do a lot of outdoor stuff where I think that the zoom would be more useful.

Until the lottery comes up I'll not be getting a large aperture zoom so the 55-200 seems to be a good medium distance follow on to the kit 18-55.

I got the lens from the supplier in my post, delivered next day with a 2 year warranty, these deal lenses are apparently new ones that have been removed from the "double lens" kits. Pity that the weather has been terrible and the light so bad that I've not really had chance to give it a good test yet!

My next purchase will almost certainly be that 50mm prime simply for the price/quality.
 
My first thought was to get a f1.8 50mm prime for quality and aperture but I try to do a lot of outdoor stuff where I think that the zoom would be more useful.

Until the lottery comes up I'll not be getting a large aperture zoom so the 55-200 seems to be a good medium distance follow on to the kit 18-55.

I got the lens from the supplier in my post, delivered next day with a 2 year warranty, these deal lenses are apparently new ones that have been removed from the "double lens" kits. Pity that the weather has been terrible and the light so bad that I've not really had chance to give it a good test yet!

My next purchase will almost certainly be that 50mm prime simply for the price/quality.

The 55-200mm is a great lens. Obviously it's slow in terms of light but we all know that when we buy it...

For me it has 2 little flaws...

1) plastic mount. Never had a problem with mine in 2 years though.

2) there is quite a bit of light fall off (vignetting) wide open but it's easily corrected and vanishes completely stopped down a bit.

If you take that into consideration and live with it, I think it could well be the sharpest lens in it's category and was indistinguishable in that respect from my tamron 90mm.

The 18-55 and 55-200 will be a great combo and the only thing that will really hold you back is the aperture. But again... you know this :)
 
You could pay a little extra and go for the 55-300. Half a stop slower at the wide end but still excellent.

I have the 55-200 on my D40 which I have let a friend borrow who wants to get into photography.
 
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