I think I may have just uncomplicated my lens situation

[PatrickHMS]

For awhile now, I have had a really heavy camera bag, with two bodies, and full of lenses (as many as 7-8 of them), along with all the other stuff one keeps in their gadget bag. Think I may have come up with a solution that would downsize my lens collection, and still work for me without my giving up anything but # of lenses.

I shoot with a D80 and happy with it (would probably buy a D5000 for the sensor before I would ever spend the money for a D90), wife likes to shoot a D40, mostly in auto mode, but she has a good eye for composition and gets her share of really nice shots. She should never need or want any more than a D40.

The other day I tried out a Tamron 17-50mm constant f/2.8, and a Tamron 18-250mm (the one that someone from another forum likes so much). Both have motors so they will AF with the D40 as well as on the D80.

Really liked them for the time I tried them, so I am pretty much ready to buy, or trade for same lenses from someone here on TPB or somewhere else.

I really think I like the Tamron better than I do my Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8.

So, once I sell (or trade) my Nikon 18-55mm kit lens, my Nikon 55-200mm VR, my Sigma 18-50mm constant f/2.8, my Sigma 20mm f/1.8, and my extra Nikon 50mm f.1.8 ~

I would pretty much have the two Tamron lenses paid for, surely with some money left over.

Would have the entire focal length I now have still covered, plus I would gain coverage from 200-250mm that I don't have right now. And I would pick up a faster aperture in the short focal length range.

Even if I kept a 50mm f/1.8 and a 35mm f/2.0 I would still be down to only four lenses, shouldn't need anymore for what I normally shoot.

I was hesitant to sell the kit lenses, but with the two Tamrons, I probably would never use them anyway.

Hhhhhmmmmmmm...

[PatrickHMS]

Somehow this morning, when I had been up for 36 hours, and typed out the OP, everything made perfect sense in what must have been a brain-dead moment.

All I was focusing on was getting fewer lenses, and getting an extra 50mm of focal length (extend current 200mm to 250mm).

When I came to my senses, much of what I OP'ed didn't make logical sense at all.

So, I am keeping my 18-55mm, you can't find a better lens in that focal range for $70.00, makes it good for use on a second camera or as a backup lens.

And I am keeping my Nikon 55-200mm VR as well.

The Sigma ain't going anywhere. Significant malfunction or not.

Guess that I will just have to keep hefting a heavy camera bag with lots of lenses in it.

The Sigma 20mm f/1.8 can go, so can a couple of Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8 lenses, as I have accumulated several of them.

I already had a Nikon 18-200mm VR, and I hated it!

Maybe get the Nikon 70-300mm for the extended range. I know that the VR is the better lens,

or maybe look for another Sigma APO 70-210mm f/2.8. I had one a year or so ago, but someone offered me a krazy price for it so I sold it.

So after everything I posted in this thread, I end up with the same setup I already have, with maybe +/- one lens.

All this for naught.

sigh...