18-200 VR Independent review
 

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 15:39:05 GMT, "RG" wrote:


Thanks, Reg. I guess I'll just keep my 70-200 VR lens and put up with the
added 2lbs. I appreciate the link.
--

John, I would hope you would make your decision on some better source than
the laughable "test" done by the original poster to the Nikonians forum. If
you read all the posts in that thread, you would see a common theme that
there was something seriously wrong with either the "tester's" technique or
his lens. The 18-200 shots of the card file he uses for his analysis are a
complete disaster, and not indicative of a number of 18-200 photos posted
later in the thread by others, or certainly of my own experience. Geez,
even Harry admitted that the boat in the Breezy Point photo was "sharp as a
tack", and I would agree. No sane person would ever try and put the 18-200
at the same level of the 70-200 in terms of optical quality or build
quality. Of course they're not at the same level of price and bulk, either.
If you really research this lens, you'll find that the vast majority of
owners are quite happy with it. Personally, I find the freedom offered by
the extended range of the lens to be quite liberating. But then I shoot
photos simply for the personal joy of it. I don't make my living with
photography, and I'm not looking to win any technical awards. So anything
that makes the experience more enjoyable is a positive. The 18-200 is
simply a delight to shoot with. Mine hasn't been off the camera since I got
it. Well worth the $692 I paid for it. I would think that lens on your
D200 would be a nearly unbeatable combination. I'll be giving the D80 a
hard look later this year.


I'm waiting for you to do the test. I won't do anything for at least a year
anyway. We're taking the daughter with breast cancer and her family on a
Disney Cruise next year. Might look into it for that. By then there'll be a
lot of 'real' reviews done by those with experience in doing them, like
Rockwell.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

18-200 VR Independent review
 

Reginal P. Smithers III wrote:
RG wrote:
Thanks, Reg. I guess I'll just keep my 70-200 VR lens and put up with the
added 2lbs. I appreciate the link.
--

John, I would hope you would make your decision on some better source than
the laughable "test" done by the original poster to the Nikonians forum. If
you read all the posts in that thread, you would see a common theme that
there was something seriously wrong with either the "tester's" technique or
his lens. The 18-200 shots of the card file he uses for his analysis are a
complete disaster, and not indicative of a number of 18-200 photos posted
later in the thread by others, or certainly of my own experience. Geez,
even Harry admitted that the boat in the Breezy Point photo was "sharp as a
tack", and I would agree. No sane person would ever try and put the 18-200
at the same level of the 70-200 in terms of optical quality or build
quality. Of course they're not at the same level of price and bulk, either.
If you really research this lens, you'll find that the vast majority of
owners are quite happy with it. Personally, I find the freedom offered by
the extended range of the lens to be quite liberating. But then I shoot
photos simply for the personal joy of it. I don't make my living with
photography, and I'm not looking to win any technical awards. So anything
that makes the experience more enjoyable is a positive. The 18-200 is
simply a delight to shoot with. Mine hasn't been off the camera since I got
it. Well worth the $692 I paid for it. I would think that lens on your
D200 would be a nearly unbeatable combination. I'll be giving the D80 a
hard look later this year.



RG,

Your summary of the review is what I would have expect anyone to come
from reading that thread, except that the review was laughable. It
highlighted an issue I have picked up from reading numerous other
personal reviews in forums and that is the Quality Control issue. I
have read where one person has seen various degrees of sharpness using
different 18-200 lens on the exact same camera. So I really don't think
the original posters test is "laughable", I think it was a great test,
that highlighted an important issue for anyone who wants to buy this
really nice "all in one" lens. If you buy the lens and and it is soft
as a marshmallow, exchange it for another one. It will not be as sharp
as a pro lens, but it will be a nice lens. I still have my lens on
order and will not cancel my order. I will A/B photos and decide if I
want to keep it, if I don't want to keep it, I will sell it on bay and
make money. The reason I believe John will see the difference between
the lens is he likes to photograph wildlife and crop and blowup the
images, this does highlight the differences in the sharpness between a
pro lens and a really nice lens such as the 18-200. There are many
people who elect to keep both lens, for different applications.

You and I really agree 100% on the quality on 18-200 lens.

Imagine that!!!

18-200 VR Independent review
 

I'm waiting for you to do the test. I won't do anything for at least a
year
anyway. We're taking the daughter with breast cancer and her family on a
Disney Cruise next year. Might look into it for that. By then there'll be
a
lot of 'real' reviews done by those with experience in doing them, like
Rockwell.


Rockwell weighed in on this lens quite a while ago. He's a big fan of it
and uses it heavily.

18-200 VR Independent review
 

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 19:28:43 GMT, "RG" wrote:



I'm waiting for you to do the test. I won't do anything for at least a
year
anyway. We're taking the daughter with breast cancer and her family on a
Disney Cruise next year. Might look into it for that. By then there'll be
a
lot of 'real' reviews done by those with experience in doing them, like
Rockwell.


Rockwell weighed in on this lens quite a while ago. He's a big fan of it
and uses it heavily.



Then I'll be keeping my eyes out for one. I didn't know Rockwell had
reviewed it. Hell, I'd probably trust his reviews even more than those from
folks in the group, except you and Reggie of course! Thanks for bringing
Rockwell's review to my attention.

I'd think Rockwell liked the lens with a review that starts like this:

***********************************************
It's a miracle! I bought mine in November 2005 and love it. It's replaced
most of my other lenses.

It's small, fun, flexible, sharp and fast. VR, instant auto/manual focus
override and macro and zooming all work perfectly. This lens is too much
fun! It has an almost all-encompassing zoom range and the images on my D200
are wonderful. Bravo!

Tamron and Sigma have dinky new lenses with the same zoom range, but they
are primitive lenses missing some or all of the other features which make
the 18 - 200 such a breakthrough. It's not just the optical range and
quality, it's how well it all works together.

The 18 - 200 VR works perfectly on every Nikon digital SLR camera (D50,
D70, D1X, D2X, etc.) It won't work on a film camera: the corners will come
out black.

I used to poo-poo zooms. This one has now replaced everything in my bag
except my 12 - 24 mm DX. These two lenses cover 99% of my work, with film
cameras filling the other 1%.

My 18 - 200 VR is more than just a new lens. It's changed the way I live
and make photos. Some reasons I love my 18 - 200 VR a

1.) I can travel without a camera bag. For casual trips I wrap this and my
D200 in a towel and throw it in my carry-on bag. This saves a bag and keeps
it hidden.

2.) No more tripod! VR obsoletes tripods. I only use a tripod for night
photography today.

3.) My bag weighs less when I do carry it. This and my 12 - 24 mm DX do
everything. I used to tote an F2AS and 16 fisheye, 17 Tokina, 24 f/2.8, 35
f/2.0, 50 f/1.4, 55 Micro, 105 f/1.8 and 180 f/2.8 ED manual-focus AI-s
Nikkors everyplace I went. My 18 - 200 VR is sharper, especially hand-held
in low light.
************************************************** ****

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

18-200 VR Independent review
 

Then I'll be keeping my eyes out for one. I didn't know Rockwell had
reviewed it. Hell, I'd probably trust his reviews even more than those
from
folks in the group, except you and Reggie of course! Thanks for bringing
Rockwell's review to my attention.


I read a lot of posts from people that don't have much good to say about
Rockwell. I've heard it said that there's never been a piece of Nikon gear
that he didn't get giddy about. I don't know. I haven't followed him that
long. But I will immediately concede that he knows way more about this
stuff than I do.

But here's another guy's opinion, and I really do think this guy's got it
together. I bought Thom Hogan's D70 eBook shortly after buying my D70, and
I found it highly valuable. Here's his review of the lens.

http://www.bythom.com/18200lens.htm

18-200 VR Independent review
 

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 23:04:12 GMT, "RG" wrote:




Then I'll be keeping my eyes out for one. I didn't know Rockwell had
reviewed it. Hell, I'd probably trust his reviews even more than those
from
folks in the group, except you and Reggie of course! Thanks for bringing
Rockwell's review to my attention.


I read a lot of posts from people that don't have much good to say about
Rockwell. I've heard it said that there's never been a piece of Nikon gear
that he didn't get giddy about. I don't know. I haven't followed him that
long. But I will immediately concede that he knows way more about this
stuff than I do.

But here's another guy's opinion, and I really do think this guy's got it
together. I bought Thom Hogan's D70 eBook shortly after buying my D70, and
I found it highly valuable. Here's his review of the lens.

http://www.bythom.com/18200lens.htm



I also bought his book for the D70 - much better written than the D70
manual and full of valuable insights into the operation of the camera. I
really appreciate the web site. Now I can order his D200 book.

Thanks!

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes