[veedy]

I'm looking to buy a Nikon D60 soon - what is the recommended lens for a beginner (aside from the included lens?) Thanks

[dazza74]

If you are looking to replace the kit lens I'd say there's a few good options, of the top of my head :

Nikkor 16-85 VR
Tamron 17-50 2.8

If your after a telephoto a Nikkor 70-300mm VR. Depends on your budget really.

[Yandros]

Do you mean as well as, or instead of the kit lens?

Also, note that there are two flavours of 18-55 kit lens - spend the extra 20 quid and get the VR version.

For covering the 18-50 range, my shortlist would be:

Nikon 18-55VR, (excellent value when bundled with the D60)
Nikon 16-85VR (sharpest Nikon consumer zoom, but pricey)
Tamron 17-50 f2.8 ('fast' glass that's optically as good as the £800 Nikon version)
Nikon 18-200VR (best superzoom on the market)

For a second longer lens, on a budget, the Nikon 55-200VR, but better to spend more and get the Nikon 70-300VR.

[veedy]

In addition to...

Looking for something fairly sharp and with a large zoom, ideally with autofocus +/ VR

[Yandros]

Originally Posted by veedy

In addition to...

Looking for something fairly sharp and with a large zoom, ideally with autofocus +/ VR

In that case the Nikon 70-300VR (£290), no question about it.

If you're after a wildlife lens, the Sigma 150-500mm OS HSM at £674 is the next step up after that really.

[veedy]

Thanks for the advice - are there any similar lens at a cheaper price?

[Yandros]

Originally Posted by veedy

Thanks for the advice - are there any similar lens at a cheaper price?

Yes, but then there's no such thing as a free lunch I'm afraid.

The 55-200VR is only £122, but you're losing out on the reach
The Sigma 70-300 is about £160, but you don't get the image stabilisation (though you gain closer focussing)

Both lenses get rave reviews though.

[konastab01]

Listen to Yandros mate,hes the man for nikon advice on here(Or so I have found)

[Fozzybear]

A friend of mine recently bought a D60 with 18-55VR and 55-200VR as the 70-300VR was too expensive... within three weeks he'd also bought a 70-300VR as he couldn't get the magnification he wanted with the 55-200. The 55-200VR is a pretty good lens for the price, as is the Sigma, but the Nikon 70-300 VR really is a step up from them in quality and the VR gives it a big advantage over the Sigma.

It IS a lot of cash to spend... although worth it in my eyes.

[kBm]

I bought a budget Sigma a few years ago, 28-300mm (for the D50) it was around £120. It was ok, but i felt it was lacking overall, and i kept missing shots as it was a bit slow at the 300 end.

However, it was all i could afford at the time. So, be realistic with what you can get, as there will always be a better lens on the horizon!

[julian_fraser]

I've got the Sigma 70-300mm APO with the built-in autofocus motor. It's all I could afford at £153 from Mifsuds in Devon and I'm very pleased with it. In good light it's capable of cracking shots...

I love mine for all types of situations but off the top of my head I think our resident Sigma 70-300mm expert is Holowlegs...have a look at his shots for the quality you could expect.

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by veedy

In addition to...

Looking for something fairly sharp and with a large zoom, ideally with autofocus +/ VR

As Yandros said, if you are getting the kit lens and you want more reach, VR and sharpness, it has to be the Nikon 70-300VR. You can ask for the thread to be closed now

Which kit lens are you planning to get and how much could you save by not getting one? If you just had the body, you may instead think of getting the 18-200, which is a nice starter lens due to its range and VR.

[Boldonion]

Originally Posted by julian_fraser

I've got the Sigma 70-300mm APO with the built-in autofocus motor. It's all I could afford at £153 from Mifsuds in Devon and I'm very pleased with it. In good light it's capable of cracking shots...

I love mine for all types of situations but off the top of my head I think our resident Sigma 70-300mm expert is Holowlegs...have a look at his shots for the quality you could expect.

Just ordered the Sigma 70-300 APO myself for this weekends Sunderland airshow. It can be had for £129 from Microglobe.

[noidea]

Hi
I have recently bought the D60 with the 18-55 VR kit lens.
I am not by any means a photography afficionado and my main reason for purchasing the camera is to get around the speed of shot and indoor picture quality of non SLR digicams. I'm enjoying the new camera and one day I hope to understand more than a fraction of what it can do, but 95%+ of the time I will probably use it on full auto as a better, faster point and shoot camera than I've had before (last one was a TZ3).
One thing I do miss though is the additional zoom capability of the TZ3 and feel that I have to get a longer reach out of the D60.
I have been researching online and see that the 18-200 VR lens could be just what I'm after - I know it replicates some of the range I have and I could save money by getting a 55-200 version but I know me and I won't be changing lenses every few minutes (or even hours).
My one concern over the 18-200 is that even though it is apparently small by superzoom standards, it is physically a bit longer and twice the weight of the kit lens I have. Would it be too heavy to use with the relatively small body of the D60? Is it really designed for one of the bigger DSLR bodies that Nikon make? Any advice appreciated

[py6km]

Depending on budget I'd get the D60 body only and put the money saved towards an 18-200 VR (around £400).

If budget is more of an issue, I'd get the D60 18-55 VR kit, and augment that with the 55-200 VR, which is about £125.

[tps58]

Originally Posted by noidea

My one concern over the 18-200 is that even though it is apparently small by superzoom standards, it is physically a bit longer and twice the weight of the kit lens I have. Would it be too heavy to use with the relatively small body of the D60? Is it really designed for one of the bigger DSLR bodies that Nikon make? Any advice appreciated

Its not a great balance and can feel a little front heavy on a D60 - but you must try it out for yourself, you might disagree. However the 18-200vr is perfectly balanced for a D80 and for me its a great lens and covers all the bases.

[obs154]

I was thinking of buying a micro & zoom lens for my D60. After reading all your post I'm going for the 70-300 VR.
But I'm unsure which micro lens to buy, though I've been looking around the internet and getting more & more confused.
I want to do some micro and portrait shots, my idea wast to use just the one lens. Would the following lens suffice with all functions working

The Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Micro

I would appreciate any suggestions on which type of lens to buy.

John

[Gingerbillc]

I don't know how you hold your camera but I hold them with my right hand on body / left hand under the lens so the 'unbalanced' bit means nothing. The 18-200 is just that bit better than the combo, so it should be for over £400.
Macro + portrait 105mmVR all the way - possibly the best consumer (sub £1000) Nikon glass there is. Have a look for Tarmoos gallery to see it in action, though I've yet to attract busty Asains with mine yet(well I am a ginge). You need some distance for full body shots but for head and shoulders its lovely.

[dazza74]

Originally Posted by obs154

I was thinking of buying a micro & zoom lens for my D60. After reading all your post I'm going for the 70-300 VR.
But I'm unsure which micro lens to buy, though I've been looking around the internet and getting more & more confused.
I want to do some micro and portrait shots, my idea wast to use just the one lens. Would the following lens suffice with all functions working

The Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Micro

I would appreciate any suggestions on which type of lens to buy.

John

I think 60mm is a little bit short personally for Macro's. I was after the versatility like yourself, my ideal choice would have been the Nikkor 105mm VR but for the price I realised I could get both the tamron 17-50 & 90mm 2.8 for about the same money so went down that route.

Originally Posted by Gingerbillc

though I've yet to attract busty Asains with mine yet(well I am a ginge

I know how you feel, I'm cursed with the same affliction.

[obs154]

Originally Posted by Gingerbillc

I don't know how you hold your camera but I hold them with my right hand on body / left hand under the lens so the 'unbalanced' bit means nothing. The 18-200 is just that bit better than the combo, so it should be for over £400.
Macro + portrait 105mmVR all the way - possibly the best consumer (sub £1000) Nikon glass there is. Have a look for Tarmoos gallery to see it in action, though I've yet to attract busty Asains with mine yet(well I am a ginge). You need some distance for full body shots but for head and shoulders its lovely.

I was informed that the 105 VR auto focus is not supported on the D60? thats why I was opting for the 60mm A Tamron or something similar I wouldn't be sure about, again all facilities might not work on the D60. The Tamron 90mm could be my best bet if the auto focus works!

[Gingerbillc]

All AF-s lenses from Nikon will auto focus on a D60

[obs154]

Originally Posted by Gingerbillc

All AF-s lenses from Nikon will auto focus on a D60

Thanks for the reassurance on the AF-S lenes.
I'll stand corrected but I'm sure I read somewhere that the 105mm doesn't auto focus on a D60

Looking at all your camera equipment you seem to well covered. What do you use the 50mm lens for?

Would I only need to buy the AF-S G lens or would the AF_S G ED lens work just as well.
I'm only new to all these lenses, so I get all confused to which lens does what. Then I have the worry about buying a lens and then only to find it's the wrong fitting.
It's hard to beat a bit of knowledge

[Gingerbillc]

You might be confusing the types of lenses around. I have the 50mm af not the af-s which means I have to manually focus with it. It was fun to start with, was my second extra lens(55-200 was 1st addition).I do occasionally use it, it came in handy when I had my younger daughter in the Bibiddy Bobiddy Boutique where the lighting was poor. Saving up to get a 50mm af-s, expensive christmas with 3 kids. If you have the money, get a 50mm prime afs as they are so sharp. the sigma 30mm is great too just a tad soft when stopped down to F1.4.

Nikon AF-S lenses have a built in motor, AF means they will autofocus on cameras with motor built into the camera bodies eg D50, 80,90 and above.

Sigma have a similar system called HSM - hyper sonic motor - which will autofocus on D60.

As a suggestion, get the cheapy 50mm F1.8 and have a play. If you don't like the results or you do but would then prefer autofocus, flog it on here in the classified section, you'll prob only lose a tenner .

[obs154]

I'm starting to get my head around things a wee bit. But is your 50mm a macro lens?
After all your help and from others on this forum, I'm going to buy.............

Nikon 70-300 AF-S VR
either a Nikon 60mm or 105mm macro
I know a feller who has a 105 macro its a Sigma I think, I will give him a twirl and see it in operation.

My Living room looks like

Nixon D60 Nikon 18-55 VR, Nikon 70-300 AF (which I'm going to sell) no reasonable offer refused. Nikon 18-55 kit lens(not VR) for sale also. Nikon Speedlight 800 flash.
Epson stylus R220 printer, HP scanner.

Thanks again, will keep you informed.
John

[dazza74]

50mm 1.8 and 1.4 are just a fast prime if that helps, 105mm VR is a macro

[Yandros]

Originally Posted by obs154

Thanks for the reassurance on the AF-S lenes.
I'll stand corrected but I'm sure I read somewhere that the 105mm doesn't auto focus on a D60

Looking at all your camera equipment you seem to well covered. What do you use the 50mm lens for?

Would I only need to buy the AF-S G lens or would the AF_S G ED lens work just as well.
I'm only new to all these lenses, so I get all confused to which lens does what. Then I have the worry about buying a lens and then only to find it's the wrong fitting.
It's hard to beat a bit of knowledge

The old Nikon 105mm macro lens doesn't AF with the D60. The current Nikon 105mm f2.8 VR macro certainly does. I'd suggest though that you try out 105mm vs 60mm using your existing lenses and see which works for you for portraits. 105mm is quite long to use indoors for people, but is the better length for insects. If you shoot people and cooperative macro subjects (plants and objects say) then 60mm would possibly be better.