Upgrading 18-55 kit lens

[emoneill]

I recently bought a D40. I like the image quality and close focus of the kit lens, but the lousy manual focus is driving me crazy. I was thinking about getting the 18-70 becuase it actually has a normal manual focus ring. But I am having a hard time justifying the $300 to upgrade just for the ability to focus manually with a normal ring. Did anyone here do this upgrade? And if so what are your thoughts.

BTW if anyone at Nikon is reading, I would have gladly paid $50 more for the kit if the lens had a normal manual focus ring. But I guess this posting proves that your marketing strategy works. GRRR!

 

[emoneill]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. The sigma sounds great, but a little out of my price range (poor graduate student with an expensive hobby). I am now thinking about the 24-85 AFS which has recieved good reviews, has a better manual focus override and covers most of the same range. It looks like I could pick up one of these off ebay for ~$200. Does that seem like a better option than the 18-70? Again thanks for the advice.

 

[redhawk]

Did anyone here do this upgrade?

I did.

And if so what are your thoughts.

Unbelievably happy with my decision. You not only get a better focus system, you get better optics, better build quality, slightly more speed, and 15mm more focal length to play with.

If you go on Ebay and watch the Cameta auctions, you can pick one up with a year warranty for around $200 - an absolute steal. While i might not have upgraded for the retail price, at $200 it's worth the upgrade IMO.

 

[RichYak]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. The sigma sounds great, but
a little out of my price range (poor graduate student with an
expensive hobby). I am now thinking about the 24-85 AFS which has
recieved good reviews, has a better manual focus override and
covers most of the same range. It looks like I could pick up one
of these off ebay for ~$200. Does that seem like a better option
than the 18-70? Again thanks for the advice.

I don't think so. You'll miss 18-24mm range, then you'll need to spend even more money on a 12-24 wide angle lens.

I have the 18-55. If I ever feel like upgrading, it'll be for faster glass, not better manual focus ring. Keep the 18-55 or get the 18-50 2.8 suggested earlier.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richyak/

 

[GaryBF]

When I ordered my D40 online from Adorama I also ordered a factory refurbished 18-70 lens and I am very satisfied with the combination.

 

[Ivan_J]

that 18-55 kit of yours is actually better at 18mm than 18-70 or 18-55 (lower distorsion being one thing) and you should consider it an 18/3.5 prime with 18-55 zooming bonus. All newer consumer lens are crappy to focus with manually, I have 18-70 and not happy with it's focus ring. Only advantage is in real AF/MF override (you can move MF ring anytime to correct focus, but why would you want to do that when the AF-S motor is very precice?) You didn't state what do you need manual focus for, maybe there is something else that would better suite you. If you're shooting landscapes on 18mm stick to your 18-55 kit. If you're shooting closeups and need 18-70 to do that, you won't be happy, Sigma 50/2.8 Macro or Nikon 60/2.8D Micro are what you're looking for. For general shooting 50/1.8D is best bang for the buck there is and lightyears beyond either kit-lens.

 

[emoneill]

I have decided to stick with my 18-55 kit lens and wait to see what (if anything) Nikon will introduce soon.

Seems like a lot of people are expecting some AF-S primes. That would be nice considering there are very few primes that will autofocus on the D40. I wonder if Sigma will make more of their lenses autofocus with the D40. All their AF lenses work on Canon right? Maybe they can modify something so that even their non-HSM lenses will auto focus with a D40, just like they do with a Rebel.