Is this a good deal?

[Stina3246]

The company I work buys Nikon cameras in bulk and they have just extended the discounted price to us employees. I can buy an AF-S DX zoom -NIKKOR 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED (I don't know what ALL the numbers mean but I need a good zoom lens.) for $109 and an SB-600 AF TTL speedlight flash for $139.
Are these a good deal or can I do better on E-bay?

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by Stina3246

The company I work buys Nikon cameras in bulk and they have just extended the discounted price to us employees. I can buy an AF-S DX zoom -NIKKOR 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED (I don't know what ALL the numbers mean but I need a good zoom lens.) for $109 and an SB-600 AF TTL speedlight flash for $139.
Are these a good deal or can I do better on E-bay?

Don't know what the number mean?????? it a 55mm-200 zoom lens with f-stop of 4.to 5.6.
good deal So is the flash unit.

[Stina3246]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Don't know what the number mean?????? it a 55mm-200 zoom lens with f-stop of 4.to 5.6.
good deal So is the flash unit.

LOL....I know what the 55-200 f-stop etc means. I also know AF is autofocus but I DON'T know what the S stands for or G or ED so I guess I should have said I don't know what all the LETTERS mean.

[Indigo November]

Um, where do you work? Are they hiring?

Yes, VERY good deal!










P.S I don't know what the letters mean either!

[candleman]

Originally Posted by Stina3246

LOL....I know what the 55-200 f-stop etc means. I also know AF is autofocus but I DON'T know what the S stands for or G or ED so I guess I should have said I don't know what all the LETTERS mean.

"G" means the lens has no aperture ring

"ED" is "Extra Low Dispertion" meaning the glass is coated so you get less refraction etc etc

"AF-S" means the lens has a built in auto-focus motor "Silent wave motor" so it will AutoFocus on any Nikon DSLR

[Jim Bryant]

Thanks for explaining Luke....I'm not a Nikon user.

[Stina3246]

Originally Posted by candleman

"G" means the lens has no aperture ring

"ED" is "Extra Low Dispertion" meaning the glass is coated so you get less refraction etc etc

"AF-S" means the lens has a built in auto-focus motor "Silent wave motor" so it will AutoFocus on any Nikon DSLR

OK thanks. I guess I'll scrape my pennies together and order these.
And Indigo, I'm one of the managers at Universal Studios for the company that does all the photos in the park. Sounds glamorous but really isn't most of the time but I enjoy it. The best part for me is when I learn something new about photography I can take my camera out and practice, practice, practice using all the guests as guinea pigs AND get paid for it. Now I'm the one my company comes to for all the special shoots. The most recent was was a private shoot for John Travolta....I didn't get rights to the photos for obvious reasons but at least I get bragging rights!!
And yes...we are ALWAYS hiring.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Stina3246

AF-S DX zoom -NIKKOR 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED

VR or not? If it has VR, then that's an AMAZING deal. If it doesn't, that that's only a little bit less than anything you can find at a retail location.

[Stina3246]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

VR or not? If it has VR, then that's an AMAZING deal. If it doesn't, that that's only a little bit less than anything you can find at a retail location.

No VR unfortunately. A friend of mine just loned me his 18-200 Nikon lens with VR and I think I'm hooked. I have decided THIS is the one I want. I would love to get the 55-200 but I don't know if I'll be happy with it now that I've been spoiled by my friends lens. The pics come out BEAUTIFUL!!
I may just have to go back to E-bay...and save more pennies.

[mattdm]

Originally Posted by candleman

"ED" is "Extra Low Dispertion" meaning the glass is coated so you get less refraction etc etc

A little nitpicky, but: the ED glass isn't about the extra coatings, but actually the exotic materials and manufacturing used in certain elements in the lens (usually only one or two of the lens elements are ED) to reduce chromatic aberration. See Nikon's explanation here:
ED Glass from Nikon