A Question Of Zooms (POLL)

[Sheetshooter]

Which of the listed zooms do you use?

Your choice and any comments would be appreciated.

Cheers,[/b]

[sirhc55]

Kit lens
Sigma 70-200mm
Sigma 12-24mm

[Andyt]

+70-300G

[MATT]

Kit
24-120 VR
70-300G


MATT

[christiand]

Kit
70-200VR
12-24

CD

[moggy]

I only have the kit lens at present.
Bob

[wendellt]

Greetings sheetshooter
I only have two lenses: the kit and the 50mm
If i want to zoom, I just strap on the 50mm lens, then run towards my subject yelling out "ZOOO O O O O O O O O O O M M M M"
till i get my 80-400VR

[Geoff]

Can I just say (again) that I LOVE my 17-55 2.8 lens...it's SOOOOOO deliciously sharp and crisp!!! Don't know why I didn't get it sooner, oh yeah..money, yes I do! Got to test it out tonight at a friends engagement party - watch for pics

I now own (in order of preference/usability):

17-55DX 2.8 (yum)
50mm 1.4
70-300G

(next lens 70-200VR).

[cameraguy21773]

Normal Zooms
Sigma EX 24-60 f2.8

Others
Sigma EX 12-24 f4/5-5.6
Sigma EX 70-200 f2.8 HSM
Sigma APO 170-500 f5-6.3

[birddog114]

my 17-35 is on my D2x most of the time and the 28-70 is next to it.
Then 24-120VR on my D2h.

[Sheetshooter]

Birddog,

I am not convinced that zooms are the way for me to go just yet, but if I do decide on them I would probably find that my situation would be the same but reversed with the 28-70 being the fixture and the 17-35 being the available option.

But since distrotion-free rectilinear rendering is a must for me I think it will more likely than not end up with me choosing a range of primes.

I am just curious about what others do .... and so the poll.

Cheers,

[birddog114]

Btw, I also have and use 28/1.4 or 58/1.2 Noct as prime, same`as 35/f2 or 45p.
I have number of AI-S primes from the range of 20 - 180mm.
Talking about zoom, I still prefer the 17-35 more than the 17-55 (I have the 20-35/2. and the 28-70 is another part of my fun.They're my mid range arsenal.
It depends on what you normally like and use, and`everyone has difference of their own range which they normally shoot with.

[nat]

Nikkor 18-70 f/3.5-4.5G AF-S DX
Nikkor 70-300 f/4-f5.6G AF

the others are still in the "dreaming" stage.

[joolz]

I will echo Geoff and say I love my 17-55mm.
My initial concern was that it would not be long enough for my portraiture and that I would not use the wide end very much. I had been considering the 28-70 with a 12-24 eventually for wides.
I've found I shoot on either ends of the zoom most of the time and that I use the wide end much more than I expected. It is useful for environmental portraiture, especially indoors. The long end, as I expected is a bit short, though I'm not sure that 70mm would be enough in any case. The excellent short minimum focal length gives nice detail shots.
The 17-55 essentially lives on the D70 now and I rarely switch to the 24mm or the 85mm. Although I am a strong proponent for primes, I have found the 17-55 fulfills my needs for the rush of event/wedding photography with its flexibility. It is my one lens solution to mid range.
I will post some pics hopefully when I get back to Melbourne.

[gstark]

24-120 VR

Love it.

[sirhc55]

24-120 VR

Love it.

I thought you had an 80-400VR Gary

[gstark]

24-120 VR

Love it.

I thought you had an 80-400VR Gary

I do, but please reread the original question: I think that Sheetshooter is only interested in standard zooms.

I don't consider the 80-400VR to be in the "standard" range, which I'd suggest covers the 35-70 range or thereabouts.

[stubbsy]

My standard every day walk around zoom is the 24-120 VR.

[johnd]

18-70 kit but I really want the 12-24 and the 80-200, but who doesn't?

[kipper]

Current Zooms:

18-70DX
70-200VR

Planning on replacing both soon. I think the 24-120VR makes a good lens and I'll need something to fill the gap that the 70-200VR used to fill.

[Onyx]

Sheetshooter - while there is no doubt that zooms tend to exhibit geometric distortion at either end of their focal range, you might also be (unpleasantly) surprised by the distortion present in primes.

eg. even the famed $3k+ Nikkor 28mm f/1.4 has noticeable barrel on a DX.

[glamy]

I used to use the 24-120vr, but now use the 28-70 which took some time to get used to. It's better than the 24-120 by a long shot and fits nicely in the range I usually shoot in. My next normal zoom will be the 17-35, the kit lens is in a box.
Cheers,
Gerard

[Paul]

24-120 VR is my standard zoom which stays on my D70 most of the time.
When my 70-200VR arrives that will change to my weekend sports lens