Too much choice! Help on lens for northern lights D5000

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Hi there, I've owned a D5000 for just over a year now but am still a novice, and have the 18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses as well as a sigma 10-20 f4-5.6. I bought this kit last year because I storm chase every year in the plains, it's done me okay and the wide angle is great for capturing whole storms and landscapes, but I'm off to shoot the northern lights in a few weeks and I's like to replace the 18-55 with something quicker. The missus picked up a 50mm 1.8 non AF-S cheap so I do have that.

I've read and searched this forum loads over the past day and I've got it down to 2 I think! The Tamron 17-50/2.8 and the Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4. I like the idea of the extra reach on the sigma purely for when I go back storm chasing but I've read such good reviews on the Tamron. I just wondered if anyone had any experience using these lenses for night time photography? Or could you recommend any in that kind of range that would be great for dusk/night time shots as I'll be using it to go chasing again this year. I might as well throw the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 in to the mix too! I'm thinking of swapping my wide angle too as the F4 sometimes just doesn't cut it, is the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 a much better replacement?

Thanks

Arron :)
 
look like you 2 questions here. You want to replace the 18-55 kit lens and your sigma wide angle lens.

First: you do know the 50mm f1.8 non AF-S lens your missus picked up would not auto focus on your D5000? Just want to make sure you aware thats all.

Second: For the replacement of 18-55 kit lens, first you need to ask yourself do you like the reach on the lens? if you do but just want something faster then a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 non VC is a good choice, if not the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 is pretty decent too. If you have $$$ to spend then consider a used nikon 17-55 f2.8 which is a killer of a lens.

In terms of the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 it is a very good lens but is different than the 18-55 kit lens that you use to. If you don't mind changing lens when you want to use the wide end then it is a good lens to go for, otherwise stick with the 17-50 or 18-50.

Third: The Tokina 11-16 f2.8 wide angle lens is a very good wide angle lens compare to the sigma 10-20 in my eyes but if the sigma does the job then no reason to change yet.
 
Also, the Tokina 11-16 won't AF on a D5000.
 
opps, i forgot about the tokina. It won't auto focus on the D5000. If manual focus ok for you then thats fine.
 
Buy a tripod and remote release if you don't have them already.
 
Thanks for the replies :)

Badboy, yep I did know about the nifty fifty and no auto focus, hoping that if I get a decent lens to swap the standard 18-55 I wont need to use it anyway. I do like the extra reach on the sigma 17-70 and I think it would come in handy when I'm storm chasing, but I keep reading such good reviews on the Tamron that I keep flipping between the two! I've just gone on ebay to look at the price of the nikon lens and just fainted :lol:

Thanks for the info re Tokina, I forgot to check it had an auto focus motor. I think I'll hang on to my sigma for the time being or swap it for the f3.5 version.

Just got hold of a decent tripod and already have a shutter release cable :) Extra batteries and cards are on their way too :)

I think I might just flip a coin to pick :D

Thanks for your help
 
I've been searching for similar lenses too, for a similar purpose. From the reviews I've read, the Sigma 3.5 version isn't as good as the variable aperture one anyway.
 
I'm tempted to get both the Tamron and Sigma 2nd hand and test them both, then sell on the one I don't want :D
 
So I thought I'd decided on the sigma 17-70 but I've just seen they do a stabilised and non stabilised version. I know it depends on whether I think I'll need it, but does anyone have any experience on using the non stabilised version for general day to day use?
 
Hi, enjoy the lights they're superb.
Tripod is essential, as is a long exposure - just make sure some pillock doesn't walk in front of your shot.
Warm clothing and a hip flask help too!
BB
 
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