The Return of the 'Next Lens' Thread

Andysnap

Andysnap

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Andy Grant
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I know this is a well worn topic but I'm struggling to make a decision.
At the moment I have a Nikon 55-200mm VR lens (and a D90 & D70) but I want to upgrade. I want to take a few more wildlife shots but don't want to lug a huge lens around (I had a Tamron 200-500mm and it was mahoosive) and I don't really want to go longer than 300mm.
Is there a compact, light-ish lens out there that would suffice? I'm thinking of around 500 squids spending money and I don't mind second hand.

Cheers

Andy
 
I don't know about the Nikon 300 f4 or Sigma 100-300 f4 but I can definitely recommend the 70-300VR f4.5-5.6 as a reasonable value improvement on your 55-200VR. It's definitely small and lightweight and gives good results. OK it's a stop slower than the other two but it does have the newer VR which is apparently good for 3 stops (not much good for subject movement or DoF control though).

With the price rises you need to be quick if you want to get a new one reasonably at the moment you should be able to find one at £370ish (Jessops) but hurry, it's just gone up to £415 at Warehouse Express.

They can be found S/H but they are getting quite rare I was a scanning Amateur Photographer today and couldn't spot a single one. I'm guessing as the normal upgrade path from that is to the 70-200 f2.8 VR and that's just gone loopy people aren't upgrading. :shrug:
 
For £500 the only thing I can think of are the Sigma 100-300 f/4 and the Nikkor 70-300 VR - both will produce decent images.

The Nikkor 300mm f/4 AF-S is seveal leagues better than the zooms mentioned above, but I don't think you'll find one in your budget.
 
the 300mm prime is a brilliant lens (i just got one so i am biased) but you wont find one less than £700 (i paid £770) second hand, it works a dream with a kenko 1.4x converter and isnt bad with a 1.7x too.

The 70-300mm is a cracking lens for the money though, i had one for a while and got some sharp images from it
 
Thanks for the info guys. I'm in no rush to get this as I've just spent about a grand on a D90 and a new w/a lens so the wife has now drawn the purse strings really tight. I put some away each month and it will be about August before the cash is available anyway so just trying to crystalize my thoughts in advance. The prime is not out of the running even at £700, I may save for a little longer (or sell something, a kidney perhaps) but I am tempted by the Sigma. Mmmm ponder for a while I think.

Cheers

Andy
 
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