Which lens next?

[iamrupert]

I have a Sony Alpha 200 and although the kit lens is nice, I do want to be able to get closer to subjects when it isn't always possible. I started looking at the Sony 75-300 but then I thought I might prefer to have a more all round lens and I came across the 18-250mm which has had very good write ups. There is also an 18-200mm which costs slightly less but is much the same spec as the 18-250 and also has good write up's.

Should I save the £££'s or go for the 250mm. Will it get me that much more flexibility in terms of opportunity over the 200?

Thanks a lot,

Rupert

[jerryph]

Anytime you get what is commonly known as a super-zoom, you compromise image quality. Usually this manifests itself as distortion or vignette, CA or weak colours.

The way around this is taking that range and splitting it into 2-3 lenses of higher quality.

While some may purchase these lenses and happy, those that take their photography a little more seriously will quickly hit the limitations faster.

I feel if a person has to ask what lens is next... they are not ready for any lens. Do the research, define YOUR needs, do not depend on anyone to tell you what you need or what your choices should be, but do talk to people once you have brought it down to 1-2 distinct choices and based them on your needs... not the opinion of someone who doesn't have a clue what your needs are. :)

DPREVIEW.COM and a few other sites online go into great detail about lenses. Besides reading those, I sometimes rent the lens I am considering and test it out on my camera to make sure it performs to my needs and expectations.

Good luck with the choice!

[coffee]

I agree with Jerry.

Your photography will, in time, dictate what your needs are. As well as your finances.

I would give yourself more time shooting till you are sure what focal lengths you need. This shouldn't stop you from doing research and starting to get to know the lenses that are out there and reading as many reviews as you can.

Remember, cameras come and go, but good glass can last you forever.

[iamrupert]

Many thanks to you for your responses. That is helpful. I guess my predicament is that I am looking for a good all-round lens which I can use to take "snaps" of the family, whilst also being useful for developing my photography skills.

Clearly if budget wasn't an issue I would look to get dedicated lenses for my specific needs as my skills develop but that just won't be the case. I guess I was just wondering if anyone could give me any insight as to the likely benefits of going for a focal length of up to 250mm or whether 200m would generally suffice as 250m won't give me much more flexibility.

Thanks again,
Rupert

[coffee]

I hate to state the obvious, but if you look through the viewfinder and you can't get close enough, and you can't physically get closer, then 200mm isn't long enough. I know this doesn't help you much, but whether 200mm is enough can't be answered by anyone till you look through the viewfinder. You have to decide whether 200mm is enough for you. Of course it will give you more flexability. 50mm worth on the long end.

[owenmorris]

Hi Rupert, just a quick one from me, only you can decide when and what your going to buy for this great hobby and I say hobby as it's what it is to me, depending on how far and serious your wanting to be the list of lenses and equipment is endless.I use Sony A200 with kit lens and also my Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro lens and bearing in mind just how cheap the sigma lens is I feel I do ok and am over the moon with my results so depending how far you want to go is entirely your decision mate.

Good luck with whatever you buy but don't forget photography is only what you want out of it not life and death as some would think.

Take care

Owen

[iamrupert]

Joseph & Owen,

Thank you again for your responses and consideration to my question. It's been very helpful.

I know that to only achieve the best results I should consider dedicated lenses but as it is, and where I am at, I think the type of lens I am considering is a good compromise until that point I can feel confident enough for other dedicated lenses.

Thanks again and best wishes,

Rupert

[iamrupert]

Just as an update on this thread I plumped for the Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 which I managed to get from Jessops for £185 which I think is an absolute bargain. The 18-250mm equivalent lens was £350 so I think I have done well here.

I will use the lens instead of my kit lens because it gives me more flexibility, a great picture and still is practical enough to carry around with me.

The AF is nice and fast and the focal mechanism is such that you feel quite in control of what you are doing.

I'll post some shots as soon as I have catalogued them.

Rupert

[jerryph]

In bright sunlight you fill find this lens adequate. As soon as the sun drops a little and you wish to take pics in darker locations... you will find this lens cannot take pictures without a lot of motion blur or high ISO noise. F/6.3 at 200mm is pretty much useless in all but the brightest of days.

However, I am sure you knew this and made the choice based on your requirements, and will be happy with your choice.

[coffee]

The reality of it is every lens has it's strengths and limitations. I look forward to the day they create a 15-1000 f1.4 the size of a 50mm, and every shot is crystal clear. But they haven't yet. Congrats on the new purchase.

I think your new lens will suit your needs more often than not, but there will be times when it's to slow for you. But the good news is that there are lots of good NR programs out there that take much, if not all of the noticeable noise out of a photo, depending on how noisy it is of course. So if the only way to get "the" shots in darker situations is to crank up the ISO and have some noise, go for it. It's better than not getting the shot at all, then NR it. Noise Ninja is very popular, I use Neat Image. I find it more user friendly.