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I just purchased a d50 body (no kit glass) and a 50 mm/f1.8. Since the new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor lens is coming out in a few weeks. I'm waiting to read some hard reviews, but if it does what they say does, I thought it might be better buy it in lieu of purchasing two separate lenses:

18-70 mm f3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor is about $360
70-300 mm f4-5.6 APO DG Macro Sigma is about $220

They [18-200 VRII] are retailing around $650 but if you do the math it's less than $100 difference from the amount I was planning to spend on the two AND it's a VR to boot. Since this is my first dSLR, and I'm new to SLR photography, what do you guys think about this?

runningwithscissors

Welcome!
I don't know the real results of the 18-200VR II as yet! but anything with the 3x zoom, I doubt about it, perhaps I'm wrong. The recently reviews and testing of the lens do not give me the affirmative of its quality and real performance of its real life. BTW, the prices which you mentioned, perhaps you're talking about the prices in US$.

Until such time as the 18-200 is available to test, it's hard to say if it will be worthwhile, however if it is as good as the 18-70 kit lens then it should be a good lens for the D50.

Remember that if it's around $US650 then you are not getting a pro-quality lens, but a versatile quality consumer lens. Still, it should be a lot better quality than the 70-300.

Stay clear of the 70-300. You get what you pay for.

We will just have to wait and see.

Steve,

He was talking about the Sigma 70-300.

What you say about the Nikkor 70-300G is quite correct though, and running a long way from that lens is a good idea.

Some amongst us might say the same about any of the Stigmata range of Coke bottles too.

And Runningwithscissors (sounds like a native American name), please put your location into your profile; it will help us to help you.

Thanks for the input all. I currently have only a 50 mm/f1.8 lens and I can tell you, the wait is killing me. I need a short zoom lens now. I'm almost thinking that 18-200 is quite a range and may be too large to give images of the same quality as the 18-70 would give... and as Killakoala said, it's not a pro quality lens.

What's everyone's opinion on a good TP lens? I've heard good things about the Sigma 70-300 APO. Thoughts?

By the way, I didn't realize you guys were all in the Land Down Under! I am the only yank here?

welcome... and Yanks are welcome to our you beaut, fair dinkum place that some call home. and you're not the only one from the old U S of A.

Have a search around and you'll find plenty on different lenses... here is a few discussions on the sigma 70-300
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php?t=8088&highlight=sigma+70300+apo
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php?t=8000&highlight=sigma+70300+apo

Its all about budget... but wait until the lust creeps in and well budgets can be blown out the window!

Must admit I, like others here, and very happy with my sigma 70-200 2.8.
Look around and you will find no end to discussions, reviews and pics taken with a huge aray of lenses

Cheers

Welcome to the forum runningwithscissors - another good lens for general purpose use is the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 - do a search on this forum and you will see some very good reports on its quality