I am just asking... I was covering a wedding yesterday and I just felt tired of going back and forth my bag as the wedding goes because there are some shots that I need a wider angle and there are also shots that I need a zoom. In the process I missed some important moments. Luckily I was only a 2nd photog.

My question is, will I miss the constant f/2.8 aperture if I switch? How about sharpness? I like the sharpness of the 2.8 which are pro lenses. This 18-200 VR is not a pro lens as far as I can tell.

Would it be able to produce this kind of sharpness? (... to me this is sharp, to others it might not :Grin: ...)

http://www.f3mphotography.com/images/DigiPhoto/jas.jpg

Note: No sharpening done in Photoshop, I just used a free action from the web to add some glamour touch.

Thanks,

Marco

havent had any experience with 18-200 VR... but if you'tr into wedding i think having 2 bodies is the way to go (even a entry level wld do.. very affordable now)

experienced the beauty of using 2 bodies in a recent trip to hongkong... 12-24 on one and 80-200 on the other... perfect! :)

If you're tight on the budget... of course the 18-200 VR by focal length range alone is the way to go...

But if you already have the 17-55 and the 70-200 VR; I doubt it if you'd drop this combo, in favor of the 18-200 VR... The next best option is just to carry 2 bodies for each. :)

As for sharpness... The 18-200 VR is also sharp; but it has it's reservations when it comes to bokeh.

As for, if you'll miss the constant 2.8... Only you Marco can answer that. But I know I will if faced with such...

Hope this helps. :)

havent had any experience with 18-200 VR... but if you'tr into wedding i think having 2 bodies is the way to go (even a entry level wld do.. very affordable now)

experienced the beauty of using 2 bodies in a recent trip to hongkong... 12-24 on one and 80-200 on the other... perfect! :)

I have two bodies (D70), one carrying each lens. I do not want to be a cowboy, as one thread here mentions, so I don't carry both at the same time, pinagtitinginan ka ng mga tao. I leave one in my bag then come back for it when I need it. It's just tiring. So if the VR can replace both lenses, it would be good for me. The other camera will be just a backup.

Oh, so you miss the 25-79mm area with your setup?

Oh, so you miss the 25-79mm area with your setup?

pretty much... whenever i travel i usually go extreme:)

but i do know that the 18-70 range is better/more workable.

just love the impact of a 12mm in a photo:)

If you're tight on the budget... of course the 18-200 VR by focal length range alone is the way to go...

But if you already have the 17-55 and the 70-200 VR; I doubt it if you'd drop this combo, in favor of the 18-200 VR... The next best option is just to carry 2 bodies for each. :)

As for sharpness... The 18-200 VR is also sharp; but it has it's reservations when it comes to bokeh.

As for, if you'll miss the constant 2.8... Only you Marco can answer that. But I know I will if faced with such...

Hope this helps. :)

Hi Earl,

I don't really have these lenses personally. I just rent these whenever I cover weddings for $35 and $40 respectively. If I can get what I get using these two lenses with just the 18-200VR then I'll be saving some buck too, or maybe, just maybe, I can purchase one in the near future.

I will be covering a sweet sixteen this Sunday and I'll be the main and only photog. I do not want to mess things up by renting the wrong lens(es) (reason I'm asking for your professional and experienced advises). I could experiment again on the 23rd when I'll be a second photog again to another wedding.

So, the bokeh is the one thing I'll miss?

I really hate this, I wish Nikon have an equivalent of the Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS L. That, I could work with. My mentor has that and he uses it almost for the entire wedding.

:(

Marco

And I wish Canon had the equivalent of the 18-200 VR :)

Grass is always greener he he he.

And I wish Canon had the equivalent of the 18-200 VR :)

Grass is always greener he he he.

sir, you can always shift (esp now wit the better after sales service):)

And I wish Canon had the equivalent of the 18-200 VR :)

Grass is always greener he he he.

the thing is the 18-200VR is not a constant aperture lens, unlike the 24-105 f/4 IS, and it does not look very "professionally" :Grin:

And I wish Canon had the equivalent of the 18-200 VR :)

Grass is always greener he he he.

I agree with Levi...be one of us...I feel the power of the Dark Side within you :Grin:

use 24-80 and aware what happening s paligid ng event. use ur talent pag wala p lens. second lng ang gamit sir.

d ko alam kung tama ako.

I have two bodies (D70), one carrying each lens. I do not want to be a cowboy, as one thread here mentions, so I don't carry both at the same time, pinagtitinginan ka ng mga tao. I leave one in my bag then come back for it when I need it. It's just tiring. So if the VR can replace both lenses, it would be good for me. The other camera will be just a backup.

Oh, so you miss the 25-79mm area with your setup?

Marco, the 18 to 200 is only a good walkaround lens...very light compared to the 17 to 55 and 70 to 200 2.8 lenses...but in terms of sharpness, quality and ultra fast focusing, nothing beats a 2.8...the downside is...are you willing to carry all that load?

Marco, the 18 to 200 is only a good walkaround lens...very light compared to the 17 to 55 and 70 to 200 2.8 lenses...but in terms of sharpness, quality and ultra fast focusing, nothing beats a 2.8...the downside is...are you willing to carry all that load?

mas maganda tlaga pag 2.8 problema mahal.

sir jake dyan po kyo base s iloilo?:)

the 18-200VR can cover the focal length, but not the aperture.

Marco, Bro. :) Realistically speaking, the 18-200 VR can hold it's own in events... It's also a killer lens and fast in a way that you can cover the whole 18-200mm focal length range literally in one twist. Though it may not be a constant aperture (f/2.8); during events, you'll stop your lens down anyway to get more DOF... So what's the downside? :) The downside is that comparing this lens with pro-grade glass, aside from missing the wider/constant aperture openning... You'll most likely miss the lens contrast as well as the creaminess of rendering of the circles of confusion and background (translates to good bokeh).

If you're still looking for an urban assault type of lens similar to the 18-200 Genre. Do not look down or try also to consider the 24-120 VR. This lens sparked so many intrigues, followers and haters... But IMO, it really depends on the user. For me, it has better bokeh than the 18-200 DX VR; primarily because it is still a FF lens. This lens is very sharp... My advice to you is, go try it out in your camera so that you'll see... And take the online reviews of this lens with a grain of salt... :)

Good luck Marco. :D

the thing is the 18-200VR is not a constant aperture lens, unlike the 24-105 f/4 IS, and it does not look very "professionally" :Grin:

Marco,

There is a reason why most pros don't use a 18-200 lens. It's not being elitist. Trust me, if there were such a lens that can give me a f4 all the way with IS and is not any heavier or bigger than the 24-105L or 24-70L, even if it were U$2,500, I'd get it.

The thing with an 17/18-200 lens is not the sharpness. It's the aperture at f5.6-6.3 when you start getting to 200mm. That can be a problem when the light is down, w/c is often the case with weddings, especially in churches. If you have a 17-55 f2.8 IS, then you not just have IS, but f2.8 too. If the shutter speed there is already 1/15 at f2.8, then at f5.6 you're talking 1/4 sec! Even VR or IS is likely not going to help you there.

Another problem is corner/edge sharpness. A longish zoom tends to compromise this a lot. You may have to stop down to f11 to get it ok, but that is not often enough. If you do have the luxury of light to go to f16, then diffraction limits start setting in and diminishing the len's performance.

In your picture, you have the entire frame fitted with an image. All that sharpenss is in the center where you want it. And if the lens is soft at the corners, hey that's even better because it does help blur that edge/corner more adding to the pop of the image.

Now, try shooting a group picture and now you wish your corners are as sharp and not fuzzy! By going to such a wide range, you compromise one end over the other and also the edges/corners of the entire image. A

17-50/55 will have less compromise and thus will hold the corners better than a 17-200 lens. It will also be faster and have less compromises. You also get a better DOF control.

But don't think any less of yourself because you are using a 17-200 or a kit lens or whatever. To each his own. It is possible to use such a lens and there's really no shame in doing so. But you must be aware of its limitations. One of them is the higher f-stop wide open. You can always use a flash of course, but what if you are not allowed to in some churches? Or if your shooting style is available light shooting? So, a shorter range is better in 2 bodies or in 2-3 lens configurations. This is why I opted for a 10-22 and 24-105L line-up. It is basically 95-97% of my shooting needs for a wedding. But this is just me. Others will go for another configuration. But trust me, almost all of us like to have a 1 lens solution! But in reality, the compromises is just to limiting to some of us :(



ps. My friend from NJ just emailed me today and said she was
able to mail the dvd sampler yesterday. You should be able
to receive it any day now. :)

mas maganda tlaga pag 2.8 problema mahal.

sir jake dyan po kyo base s iloilo?:)

yup...why?:)

yup...why?:)

sir may shoot kc po ako dyan s jan, san agustin yata po yun church.

pasencya po ako dyan s inyo kung ok lng po.

joey

from kenrocwell:
Bokeh at 200 mm and 100 mm is poor.

Getting great bokeh in a lens like this isn't likely to happen. This lens is designed for sharpness, fast focus speed, reasonable distortion, no ghosts, VR and a huge zoom range.

ps. My friend from NJ just emailed me today and said she was
able to mail the dvd sampler yesterday. You should be able
to receive it any day now. :)
Hi Mel,

I got it already! Thanks a lot. The videos and slideshows are all very nice... master ka talaga :) .

Marco

Personally I don't like the idea of carrying two bodies - the chances of one banging against the wall or a chair and getting damaged, or even hurting a guest who gets hit by one of your cameras, is greater, and that risk is not worth that shot you might get at the event.

Try to anticipate what will happen next during the event, so you could already prepare the lens you would need. Personally i prefer the 28-70, but there are times I need the 18mm end, so pag wide angle na ang kelangan and there's a lull in the ceremony, I just put it on, take the shots and put back the sharp 28-70.

Whatever you do, just get the shot.:)