Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED DX VR AF-S
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $150.00
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
Light, good VR system, compact. Way better at f/8 and /11 than any lens this cheap has any right to be. Should be in everyone's compact kit. Look for refurb versions for as little as 150, and get the VR version.
|
|
Cons:
|
Terrible MF capability.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sigma 20mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical RF
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 5
|
|
Pros:
|
Wide and fast.
|
|
Cons:
|
Wasn't sharp on DX. Giant 82mm filter. Getting pretty big. It went back to the store. Awkward MF clutch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sigma 24mm f1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $175.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Fun macro ability. My copy was ridiculously sharp on DX, even from f/1.8 (kicked the 20/1.8 hollow).
|
|
Cons:
|
77mm filter. Exposed front element. Awkward MF clutch.
|
|
|
A great option given the few fast wides for DX.
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 85mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $350.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Small, quick AF, good rendering, a bargain. My favorite lens.
|
|
Cons:
|
Spinning MF ring can get in the way a bit. As you stop down the apeture doesn't remain quite as circular as one would like, so it's usually used wide-open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $200.00
| Rating: 7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 20mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $350.00
| Rating: 6
|
|
Pros:
|
Compact.
|
|
Cons:
|
Softer than I'd like; even on DX.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 180mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF Nikkor
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Razor sharp. Smaller than a zoom. Great manual focus feel.
|
|
Cons:
|
Slow AF. MF clutch is annoying.
|
|
|
Buy the older versions; they're all the same optically.
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX Fisheye AF
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
It's ridiculously fun. Compact.
|
|
Cons:
|
It's far more expensive than the manual focus Samyang alternatives that exist now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED DX AF-S
|
|
Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $150.00
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
A very useful range.
|
|
Cons:
|
The falloff never bothered me; it bothers some people. Lacks VR.
|
|
|
It's an absolute bargain at ebay prices these days. The lack of VR does make it mostly a daytime lens.
|
|
|
|
|
