privid's reviews

  • Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF DX AF-S Nikkor

    6 out of 10 points and recommended
    Light weight, optically superior to 18-55,
    build quality to stay home and watch TV for,

    A very respectable kit lens but nothing more. It will suit most people most of the time but if you intend on venturing beyond the cafe strip you might run into trouble. Apart from the mount it's basically all plastic. It has a troubling amount of give extended at 70mm. Mine didn't last me more than 4hrs of moderate hiking before it transformed itself into a creaking and wining 24-50 grrr! Images captured though were great, don't not buy this because of image concerns, don't buy this because of build.

    reviewed December 16th, 2006 (purchased for $297)

  • Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED DX AF-S Nikkor

    2 out of 10 points and not recommended
    see cons
    build, distortion, softness, build

    When I first got my D50 I didnt care about the lens I was too excited to have arrived in dslr land. I'm older now and ditched this crappy little plastic fantastic ages ago. It's soft, has barrel and pin-cushion distortion, is built like a plastic hun of junk... oh wait. It's annoying that Nikkor stoop to this level just leave it for the third parties and make a decently built lens, people will pay more. I will say in its defence that the photo's I took on it were fine for the 8x10 prints i made with it, I just expect/demand that Nikkor deliver more. Again like the 18-70 this lens is much better optically than its physical construction may suggest.

    reviewed December 16th, 2006

  • Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED AF Nikkor

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    build for price, satisfactory image quality, fairly fast focus, metal mount, ED
    not a 'serious' lens, mainly plastic

    Like a childhood sweetheart this lens was great when I was starting out in slr world but now I'm older and more mature (cough) and this just doesn't satisfy my needs. I was able to make a lot of good shots with it at day time family occasions and kids sport, but as soon as you're working an event as a payed photographer under pressure, then you need a speed, responsiveness and ruggedness this lens simply can't deliver and realistically shouldn't for the price.

    Great for beginners or amatuers who use their cameras socially. The metal mount and ED element should ensure a higher resale value as well.

    reviewed December 16th, 2006 (purchased for $400)

  • Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF DX AF-S Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    inspiring build, sharp wide open, great colour and contrast,
    heavy, extending lens barrel, no VR, restricts onboard flash, overpriced.

    I have been nothinh but impressed by this lens. My copy, thankfully, has proven excellent. This lens has essentially taken over my camera. If I want wide I can go wide. If I want portrait or to isolate a face in the crowd I can. F/2.8 is also great for in doors, VR would make this so much better in this situation but it is still head and shoulders above the consumer zooms, hand held in doors available light shots that are sharp and controlled are possible. Unless I want telephoto reach this is the lens I use all the time. The extra 5mm of width at f/4 from the 12-24 at the cost of frequent lens changes just doesn't interest me.

    However, it is darn heavy, and you can't use the onboard flash of the D200 though most contemplating the purchase will probably already own an external flash they use regularly.

    It also costs too much. I expect to pay more for Nikkor but for a DX lens it seems a little high.

    reviewed December 16th, 2006 (purchased for $1,230)

  • Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF VR AF-S Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    build, af speed, bokeh, sharpness and colour/contrast
    weight, not enough flaws for decent review

    Enough has been said about this lens above to warrant another detailed account. Suffice to say, this is the best lens in it's class for the F mount. Its aperture and clarity gives me almost instant focus, its focus locking buttons give me greater shooting options, if the tripod collar starts to bug me its removable almost instantaneously without compromising a secure attachment. The lens can be dropped, cursed, re-attached and still keeps giving. Bottom line is it gets me more shots than other lens' which makes me more money. If you never wish to be able to use you're equipment as an excuse again, start here.

    reviewed December 16th, 2006 (purchased for $1,600)