Costco Nikon D5200 bundle 18-55, 55-300

[rjtolman]

Hi, I am new to nikon and have been looking at the new D5200.

back to DSLR's after 10 years. basically a newbie

Costco has the following bundle for $1,149.

• Nikon D5200 DSLR Camera
• 18-55 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• 55-300 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• Rugged Nylon Camera Bag
• 16 GB SD Card
• WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter
• Nikon School Instructional DVDs & Photo Guide

Would this be a good bundle for someone just getting back.

I will use it for lots of Grandkids, videoing their sports, general work.

Really look to get a quality setup. This seems like a good place to start.

I am unable to find this bundle on Nikons USA web site. Shows up in europe. Would that be a problem.




Thanks in advance for any an all suggestions.

 

[mosswings]

rjtolman wrote:

Hi, I am new to nikon and have been looking at the new D5200.

back to DSLR's after 10 years. basically a newbie

Costco has the following bundle for $1,149.

• Nikon D5200 DSLR Camera
• 18-55 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• 55-300 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• Rugged Nylon Camera Bag
• 16 GB SD Card
• WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter
• Nikon School Instructional DVDs & Photo Guide

Would this be a good bundle for someone just getting back.

I will use it for lots of Grandkids, videoing their sports, general work.

Really look to get a quality setup. This seems like a good place to start.

I am unable to find this bundle on Nikons USA web site. Shows up in europe. Would that be a problem.

Thanks in advance for any an all suggestions.

As a point of reference, the D5200 with 18-55 alone is regularly $900. So this would be a very serviceable bundle. I'm not enamored with the 18-55. It's a good, serviceable lens, but for many folks 18-55 is too small of a focal length range - the 18-105 or (more expensively) 16-85 are better all-around lenses, but they're heavier - 14-17 oz vs 7 oz, close to that 55-300 (19 oz). The 18-55 also focuses rather slowly, so you don't get all the advantages of the D5200's very competent AF system for moving subjects (like skittering kiddies). The 55-300 on the other hand is not a bad telephoto at all - you would have to go to the $600 70-300 VR (a FF compatible telephoto) to get better build, VR, and AF. I'd be tempted to sell the 18-55 and use the proceeds towards the 18-105 for a net upgrade cost of around $250.

Do consider what you'll be using that kit for. Unless you're taking shots of your grandkids from up in the bleachers, you really don't need anything longer than about 85mm or so; wider is actually more important to get pictures of all the folks at the table.

Under normal circumstances I would tend towards this combo:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/910173-REG/nikon_13216_d5200_digital_slr_camera.html

But at $1149, the Costco bundle his is a good deal even if you have no use for the Wireless Mobile Adapter or can't stand the styling of the camera bag.

Do be aware that Nikon today (Saturday, 2/16) is beginning a major lens sale promotion that would allow you to lenses at significantly less than the street prices I'm quoting:

http://nikonrumors.com/2013/02/14/i...buy-a-new-nikon-lens-wait-till-saturday.aspx/

 

[Eeegah]

Yeah that comes off as a pretty good deal to me. I have a 5200 and both those lenses and while yeah the 18-55 is 'just a kit lens' it does the job and you can't beat the price.

Surprised it comes with the wireless adapter instead of the clicky remote which would be a bit more discreet for grandkids-on-the-lap shots than trying to hide an iPhone while taking the shot.


You'll probably want a bigger SD card if you're shooting them playing sports, especially if you're shooting RAW -- 5 frames per second times 35MB per shot equals a lot!

 

[GlennW]

The bundle is apt to be a Costco only one with all the items listed.You can try Best Buy to try to match it.

The 5200 is $800/body or $900/ kit 18-55 lens. Some will prefer to spend $200 more for 18-105 kit option. Adding the 55-200 @ $200 or 55-300 @ $300 completes the kit. Add in the "starter set" bag + video $60. Memory card prices get cheap all the time. I prefer SanDisk over PNY.

I think you can see adding in all the options makes a much higher than the Costco price. Someday you can add in a $199 35 1.8G or a $219 50 1.8G for your low light indoors work.

We can only guess what easter/spring sales Nikon will have to move unsold inventory.

 

[toomanycanons]

rjtolman wrote:

Hi, I am new to nikon and have been looking at the new D5200.

back to DSLR's after 10 years. basically a newbie

Costco has the following bundle for $1,149.

• Nikon D5200 DSLR Camera
• 18-55 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• 55-300 mm Nikkor DX VR Zoom Lens
• Rugged Nylon Camera Bag
• 16 GB SD Card
• WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter
• Nikon School Instructional DVDs & Photo Guide

Would this be a good bundle for someone just getting back.

I will use it for lots of Grandkids, videoing their sports, general work.

Really look to get a quality setup. This seems like a good place to start.

I am unable to find this bundle on Nikons USA web site. Shows up in europe. Would that be a problem.

Thanks in advance for any an all suggestions.

Get a refurb D5100 with 18-55 VR for $439 at Cameta and a 55-200 for around $135 as well. Or maybe that 55-300 for a hundred bucks more.

Costco is great, I shop there all the time but for you just getting back into it the deal I'm telling you about is the way to go.

Just don't ask "are refurbs OK?"

 

[blue_cheese]

The deal is OK, basically you are getting a free cheap bag (~$40) and small memory card ($25) and a tiny bit off the average price (~$50), and a free wireless (~$60) cant really imagine a good use for that


I think you may find the memory card is not big enough for extended shooting (you will easily fill it up in a week's vacation - depending on JPEG/RAW setting)

You are obviously paying a premium for a camera that was just released, I would expect the deals to get better with time. An argument can be made that the D7000 for the same price is a better camera in many respects.

 

[A2T2]

blue_cheese wrote:

The deal is OK, basically you are getting a free cheap bag (~$40) and small memory card ($25) and a tiny bit off the average price (~$50), and a free wireless (~$60) cant really imagine a good use for that

I think you may find the memory card is not big enough for extended shooting (you will easily fill it up in a week's vacation - depending on JPEG/RAW setting)

You are obviously paying a premium for a camera that was just released, I would expect the deals to get better with time. An argument can be made that the D7000 for the same price is a better camera in many respects.

55-300 looks capable?

https://flic.kr/p/dU3XLw

https://flic.kr/p/dTXhQp

 

[blue_cheese]

A2T2 wrote:

blue_cheese wrote:

The deal is OK, basically you are getting a free cheap bag (~$40) and small memory card ($25) and a tiny bit off the average price (~$50), and a free wireless (~$60) cant really imagine a good use for that

I think you may find the memory card is not big enough for extended shooting (you will easily fill it up in a week's vacation - depending on JPEG/RAW setting)

You are obviously paying a premium for a camera that was just released, I would expect the deals to get better with time. An argument can be made that the D7000 for the same price is a better camera in many respects.

55-300 looks capable?

https://flic.kr/p/dU3XLw

I have it, it is a sharp light zoom, problem is AF speed, if that is not a concern then it is an excellent lens in all other respects, I have tons of 55-300 images in my gallery.

 

[H Akay]

I bought the exact same package from Costco last summer. I am very happy and it's a great deal. I had other lenses in my bag (Tamron 70-200vc, 18-270vc pzd, Nik 18-105 etc.) I am especially impressed with the performance of the 55-300 Nikkor lens. It rivals Tamron 70-200 in image quality but not in speed. For daylight shooting it's a great lens with lot of reach. 18-55 is not that great but for the price it's almost free. I definitely recommend this kit.

Alex

 

[Staceyliza]

I bought the D5100 two years ago for Christmas and immediately sold the kit lens after MUCH frustration with it. If I was going to buy the D5200 and a couple of lenses I would buy this-

D5200 body-

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www.amazon.com

50mm 1.8 fixed lens (Go with the 1.4 if you can swing it)

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www.amazon.com

Tamron 18-270 Zoom Lens

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www.amazon.com

And then any of the Case Logic DSLR photo bags are great and get a good SD card. This is in about the same price range and those are quality lenses. Hope you enjoy it!!

 

[calson]

The Costco deal is an excellent one and will get you started. If down the road you later upgrade to a more expensive lens you will have the experience to make an informed judgement as to what you really need for your own pictures.

 

[calson]

The 55-300mm lens is very slow to autofocus which will be a problem for sports photography. The 70-300mm would be a better lens for this use.