Small Nikon Glass

[Bill McCrystyn]

I have decieded to buy a D300 with the 200-400. Now, not really knowing Nikon I need opinions on what Nikon zoom is the best to pack for Landscape. A two, at most three lens pack including the 200-400 would be ideal for me. Canon's 70-200L IS equivilent would be good. Is there such a thing. I don't know if Nikon has a consumer and pro series. Are all the lens the same quality or are there differances?

[Jim Poor]

The 70-200 f 2.8 VR is an option.

http://tinyurl.com/3xm2jh

[Bill McCrystyn]

Thanks Jim. Does this info come from first hand use or just a general recomendation. It seems I remember you are on the dark side.

[Jim Poor]

I use it, but not for landscapes. I've been real happy with it for birds in flight though. Maybe someone more landscape knowledge will chime in.

[Mike Dale]

The best walkabout lens for the D300 would be the 18-200VR in my opinion.

[Randy Stout]

Bill:

I do shoot NIkon, and would go for something like a 17-35 or 17-55mm f2.8, the 70-200 f/2.8 and the 200-400. 1.4 and possibly the 1.7 multiplier. Could use one on the 70-200 and the other on the 200-400 when out birding. Both of the wide angles are pro lenses. The 18-200 VR is a remarkably useful lens, great walk around, one lens solution, but there are some compromises compared with the pro lenses. You could always consider a 50mm f/1.8 AF, which is dirt cheap and remarkably good, nice to have in the pocket for really low light. There are wider options as well, but for me 17mm on a D300 is usually wide enough.

Good luck.

Randy

[Robert O'Toole]

The 14-24 G (http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/46-nikon--nikkor-aps-c/361-nikkor-af-s-14-24mm-f28-g-ed-n-test-report--review) might be too wide for your purposes but it supposed to be one of the best lenses ever designed, it even meets and exceeds the IQ of many prime WAs.
If you want to read tests I like photozone (http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/overview) for a lot of good info. I dont think shooting test targets beats real world testing but photozone does include field samples.

[Alfred Forns]

HI Bill I have the 70-200 VR and can highly recommend Works very well with converters

On the wide side the 17-25 2.8 and I always have with me a 10.5 full frame fiisheye If you had a full frame camera the new 14-24 is a thing of beauty !!!

[Alan Melle]

While I don't have one (yet) I think the new 14-24 would also be a thing of beauty on a DX format camera like the D300. Coupled with the new 24-70 these two would great for landscapes. The 70-200 VR is an excellent lens with a lot of uses and is highly recommended.

[Gene Potter]

I have the AFS 24-70 G f2.8 and the AS-F VR 70-200 G f2.8 and think they are awesome. I use them on both a D70 and D200. I recommend both. The AF-S 14-24 G f2.8 is on my wish list even though I have the fixed ASF 14mm f 2.8, non-fisheye. I have the 18-200 mentioned here and have problems with it. It’s ok for snap shots. Good luck…

[david cramer]

Bill - I use the 12-24 and 17-55, both dx designs, for most of my landscapes. These work well on the D300. The 17-35 is also excellent glass, and the 70-200vr is the equivalent to Canon's 70-200is.

[Bill McCrystyn]

Ok, some good opinions that are starting to give me an idea. Now - I'm getting the impression that some of these small lenses are made for the DX format like the Canon S series, or do they all exhibit image cropping?

[Jim Poor]

DX lenses are specifically marked as such. The 17-55 is a DX lens but I use it on the D3 with DX cropping turned off. You get more frame to work with that way and and you can crop it yourself in PS. At a point along the zoom range which I don't remember off the top of my head, you get full frame images anyway.

[Bill McCrystyn]

Thanks Jim, all you guys have been a big help. It sure is nice to have this depth of knowledge at your fingertips. BPN FOREVER!!

[Scott A. Flaherty]

For landscape, I primarily use a Nikon 12-24mm and a Nikon 28-70mm on my D200. Two fantastic lenses. Although I occasionally like to do long lens landscapes and then I may use my 300 or my 200-400mm.