New Lens help

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RedPanther

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Jason
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I'm looking for a new lens for my D90. What I initially want it for is wildlife, sport (softball/baseball) and maybe some aircraft shots

I have currently got a Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6 lens however there is not enough reach on it for the requirements above.

I've been looking at the 2 following lenses so far

Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 -Cost is good but concerns me that its not wide enough for the sports
Sigma 50-500mm f4.5-6.3 -Wide enough but out of my original budget (now extended as below)

Budget wise about £1500 max but that needs to include a filter and monopod.

Does anyone know how these lenses will fair for the sports or maybe suggest some alternatives that I might have missed?

btw I'm still a real novice also!!
 
Depends what conditions you're taking the photo's in? Clear blue skies, yep fine no problems, but you will seriously challenge their capabilities if the light drops off or taking shots under flood light conditions, a f6.3 isn't a very fast lens, even with an up to date OS, it would struggle.

Both lenses have got a good rep for wildlife, with probably the 50-500mm edging the battle between the 2 lenses, as sport/aviation lenses, it really depends on the conditions, but in the right conditions they will get you the shots.

As for alternatives, used sigma 120-300mm f2.8 or new 120-300mm f2.8 OS (but you need to increase your budget for that by about another £500)
 
Hi, I have the 150-500 on my D3100 if you wanted to know anything specific. Not used it for sports but have been having a go at some wildlife, I've been really pleased so far and its the best my budget will go (second hand off of these forums)

You need to stop it down to f8 to find the sweet spot, if you look at the bird photos on my Picasa they were all taken with my sigma.

Cheers, Ian
 
Most of the sports stuff would be done in day light during the summer so hopefully the light would be good enough.

I really like the idea of the 120-300mm f2.8 especially for the sport as with the 55-200mm at distance there is just too much background I don't want, but was worried that the reach won't be there for the wildlife unless I use a teleconverter maybe?

Those bird pics make me want the 500's more. I was trying to get a catch all lens due to the amount of time I currently get, however I am starting to think I should be looking at a different lens for each area.
 
Have you thought about getting a TC? Considerably cheaper brand new and even cheaper if you buy used. A 2x TC will make your 55-200mm a 110-400mm. Maybe that would suffice? Ill admit I dont have any experience with TC's.

Failing that maybe rent the 50-500mm to see how you get on with it and see if it meets your requirements before buying it.

For your budget, I imagine getting a 50-500mm, a 2x TC, monopod and filter will still give you a good lump of change out of your budget of £1500 even if you buy brand new.
 
Sorry forgot to mention, the 55-200mm will be going to my son to use on a D40 although I will probably be buying him a TC for that.

I think the renting option might be the best option (but just means waiting till the summer and I'm no good at waiting :S )

Do the TC's remove the ability to autofocus? and which are better the Kenko's or Sigma's?
 
You can get a sigma 50-500 os version from a company on eBay with a 1.4x tc for £1099.99!! And before people say you'll have to pay tax on that you don't that's the price!!
 
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pooley said:
Another vote here for the 120-300mm f2.8, along with a 1.4x converter. That should provide enough reach for most situations, I'd take that over the other 2 any day
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I like the idea of having this lens the only thing that puts me off is the shear size of it!
 
biggles1979 said:
Hi, I have the 150-500 on my D3100 if you wanted to know anything specific. Not used it for sports but have been having a go at some wildlife, I've been really pleased so far and its the best my budget will go (second hand off of these forums)

Cheers, Ian
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Same for me. Great for bird shots, not tried sports.
Bird shots here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43281575@N04/

Its very big and heavy so not sure how good it would be for sports shots.
 
faddius said:
Have you thought about getting a TC? Considerably cheaper brand new and even cheaper if you buy used. A 2x TC will make your 55-200mm a 110-400mm. Maybe that would suffice? Ill admit I dont have any experience with TC's.
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Sorry but thats a very bad idea, 1st it won't autofocus, only manual focus, 2nd it probably won't work, 3rd you lose 2 f-stops of light so it becomes a 110-400mm f8-11 so if it did work you would need wall to wall sunshine and blue skies. TC are designed for prime lenses in the main.

The 120-300mm f2.8 OS works well with either sigma TC, but with lens and TC's and filters, your probably no getting any change from £2500
 
would either of the Nikon or Simga 70-200mm f2.8 be worth while considering. Use it as standard for sports and then stick a 2x TC on it for wildlife?

Just concerned though in both situations it might be 100mm to short.
 
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RedPanther said:
would either of the Nikon or Simga 70-200mm f2.8 be worth while considering. Use it as standard for sports and then stick a 2x TC on it for wildlife?

Just concerned though in both situations it might be 100mm to short.
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If you go for the first edition of the 70-200 VR then your budget should be enough for (secondhand) one of those, the new 20TC III teleconverters, a monopod (not that you should need it) and still leave a few hundred quid over for a filter :D
 
RedPanther said:
Sorry forgot to mention, the 55-200mm will be going to my son to use on a D40 although I will probably be buying him a TC for that.

I think the renting option might be the best option (but just means waiting till the summer and I'm no good at waiting :S )

Do the TC's remove the ability to autofocus? and which are better the Kenko's or Sigma's?
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You might be able to physically put a tc on the 55-200, but I doubt very much it'll autofocus and even if it does the viewfinder will be so dark you won't be able to see anything to focus on anyway....
 
RedPanther said:
would either of the Nikon or Simga 70-200mm f2.8 be worth while considering. Use it as standard for sports and then stick a 2x TC on it for wildlife?

Just concerned though in both situations it might be 100mm to short.
Click to expand...

What you've got to ask yourself is, if 200mm isn't enough with your current lens would a Nikon 70-200mm and TCs (1.4x 1.7x or 2x) give you the reach. You've also got to take into account, the loss of f-stops and the speed of the autofocus which does seriously get knocked for six. Personally If I had a choice of 2 options, I wouldn't choose the 70-200mm and 2xTC, I would go with the longer lens option.
 
pete.rush said:
What you've got to ask yourself is, if 200mm isn't enough with your current lens would a Nikon 70-200mm and TCs (1.4x 1.7x or 2x) give you the reach. You've also got to take into account, the loss of f-stops and the speed of the autofocus which does seriously get knocked for six. Personally If I had a choice of 2 options, I wouldn't choose the 70-200mm and 2xTC, I would go with the longer lens option.
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I agree I don't think that the 70-200mm is really an option as I know I will not be happy with the reach and issues with the TCs.

If I think about it seriously then I should wait until April and rent the 50-500mm and see if it's any good for the sport however it just means I am going to struggle in the meantime :(, plus can't guarantee the weather will be good enough as it is only a one day event. I missed a lot of potentially good shots last Sunday due to the 55-200m not having enough reach.
 
RedPanther said:
If I think about it seriously then I should wait until April and rent the 50-500mm and see if it's any good for the sport however it just means I am going to struggle in the meantime :(, plus can't guarantee the weather will be good enough as it is only a one day event. I missed a lot of potentially good shots last Sunday due to the 55-200m not having enough reach.
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Why don't you hire out a couple of lenses now? www.lensesforhire.co.uk for example sigma 50-500mm is £52.00 for a weeks hire. not too much of an outlay
 
How about the 300 mm f4 AF-S.....great lens and works a treat with the TC 1.4E II with very little if no loss of IQ.....

I have used it with the D90 and really liked it.
 
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