Most people start out with an 18-55 / 55-200, then stepping up to the 18-200, before finally discovering \"pro glass\". By the time they discover \"pro glass\", their skills are much more refined and they credit that to...surprise! - the \"pro glass\"!. When they look at their 18-200 photos, they say \'wow that lens sucked\' without realizing that it\'s not the lens... it\'s the shooter. And the reason that it sucked is because most people buy the 18-200 at the point when they just graduated from the basic 18-55 kit lens phase of their photographic journey, when their skills are still not refined. I know, because I am one of them.
It might not have the bokeh of the 200 f/2, or the speed of the 85 1.4, but if you understand its limitations and have the creative eye, you can make the 18-200 sing. It\'s a great lens for what it\'s supposed to do.
Knowing what I know now, I wouldn\'t hesitate to pick one up.
As for Costco returns, I found out the local warehouse where they dump the returned stuff (but still working) for cheap. I think I\'ll visit it again and score a D7000
May 23, 2013 at 12:25 PM
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