I started DSLR journey with the 18-135 as my D80 kit lens. After shooting for maybe 2 months with it, I found it lacking in 2 areas:
1. Slow lens: f/3.5 to 5.6, the lens works wonders for me only in the brightest of conditions, shooting in-door and night scenes are totally hopeless unless it's on the a tripod (I did not buy, but borrowed from a friend), trying to shoot baby without flashes is not the best lens to work with. I ended buying a Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 EX DG for the baby shoots.
2. Tele range: 135mm is good for a general lens, with DX it comes to about 200mm, indeed a good range, but forget about shooting it handheld at 135mm unless under direct sunlight. . However after using my friend's 18-200 VR I was hooked, VR is essential for 'lower' light conditions. Being a cheapskate that I am, I bought a Sigma 18-200 OS HSM, happy with it.
Now, since I gotten these 2 lenses, the 18-135 was only used once in a while, most of the time, the Sigma 28-70 gotten used like 90% of the time.
Thus, if I were`to go over again, I would prefer to go for the f/2.8 lenses over the VR lenses, advantage is the flexibility in choosing between nice bokehs and motion stopping power, while Vr only provide advantages in shooting stationary subjects.
If you do insist in getting a VR lens, do consider the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 VR DX, I read it from some magazine to be the near perfect and most advance designed lens in the DX format.
1. Slow lens: f/3.5 to 5.6, the lens works wonders for me only in the brightest of conditions, shooting in-door and night scenes are totally hopeless unless it's on the a tripod (I did not buy, but borrowed from a friend), trying to shoot baby without flashes is not the best lens to work with. I ended buying a Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 EX DG for the baby shoots.
2. Tele range: 135mm is good for a general lens, with DX it comes to about 200mm, indeed a good range, but forget about shooting it handheld at 135mm unless under direct sunlight. . However after using my friend's 18-200 VR I was hooked, VR is essential for 'lower' light conditions. Being a cheapskate that I am, I bought a Sigma 18-200 OS HSM, happy with it.
Now, since I gotten these 2 lenses, the 18-135 was only used once in a while, most of the time, the Sigma 28-70 gotten used like 90% of the time.
Thus, if I were`to go over again, I would prefer to go for the f/2.8 lenses over the VR lenses, advantage is the flexibility in choosing between nice bokehs and motion stopping power, while Vr only provide advantages in shooting stationary subjects.
If you do insist in getting a VR lens, do consider the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 VR DX, I read it from some magazine to be the near perfect and most advance designed lens in the DX format.
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