Which lens to buy?

MagicWoodBob

MagicWoodBob

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robert bridgstock
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Hello everyone - I'm new here.....
I could do with some advice?
Here’s a bit of background first: I’m a 73 year old pensioner and have owned quite a few Canon cameras, an odd Sony, Panasonic and Nikon cameras. I’ve had the following D7100, D7500, D600, D810 and currently, the D7200. I enjoy landscape photography, but also wild animals – I either quietly walk, or wait (weather permitting) each morning in the woods and fields. I’ve owned a small variety of telephoto gear, but I’m on a tight budget now and cannot afford fast or expensive lenses. The best results I got for wildlife were from my D7500 coupled with a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary. (Sort of wish I’d kept them!) Then I wondered about less weight and ‘silent’ shutters and bought 2 Lumix mirror-less camera and some lenses. Ok, I love some of their advantages, but so miss my Nikons, (which I needed to sell to buy the Panasonic gear) So here’s the QUESTION – Until I can afford a large telephoto lens to go with my D7200, shall I buy either: (1) The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 G ED VR, or (2) Nikkor 300mm AI-S ED IF f/4. Both are relatively cheap in price…. Would the Al-S ED prime 300mm f/4, give me a sharper picture, or would the AF-P 70-300mm (with excellent reviews on ePHOTOzine) prove more versatile generally? I'm happy to manually focus, but would I kick myself when seconds count and the animal is gone before I am ready? Any other suggestions? (PS. I want to keep the Panasonic gear too)
 
Don't wish to be rude or unkind but from your post it looks as if you are never actually satisfied with whatever you bought. You had an excellent camera in D810 and I wonder why you didn't keep it. If you had linked that with the Nikon afs 80-400mm G lens that may have suited. Anyway that is what I use to get distance and allows decent shots if photo is blown up/cropped. Looks to me as if you are trying to combine two different subjects with just one lens and I don't think there is a one lens fits all out there . So possibly at least on for landscapes and one for wildlife may be more suitable. I am 74 pushing 75 and for what I need I have boiled it down to mainly just 2 lenses and like you have to watch the pennies now
 
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MagicWoodBob said:
Hello everyone - I'm new here.....
I could do with some advice?
Here’s a bit of background first: I’m a 73 year old pensioner and have owned quite a few Canon cameras, an odd Sony, Panasonic and Nikon cameras. I’ve had the following D7100, D7500, D600, D810 and currently, the D7200. I enjoy landscape photography, but also wild animals – I either quietly walk, or wait (weather permitting) each morning in the woods and fields. I’ve owned a small variety of telephoto gear, but I’m on a tight budget now and cannot afford fast or expensive lenses. The best results I got for wildlife were from my D7500 coupled with a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary. (Sort of wish I’d kept them!) Then I wondered about less weight and ‘silent’ shutters and bought 2 Lumix mirror-less camera and some lenses. Ok, I love some of their advantages, but so miss my Nikons, (which I needed to sell to buy the Panasonic gear) So here’s the QUESTION – Until I can afford a large telephoto lens to go with my D7200, shall I buy either: (1) The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 G ED VR, or (2) Nikkor 300mm AI-S ED IF f/4. Both are relatively cheap in price…. Would the Al-S ED prime 300mm f/4, give me a sharper picture, or would the AF-P 70-300mm (with excellent reviews on ePHOTOzine) prove more versatile generally? I'm happy to manually focus, but would I kick myself when seconds count and the animal is gone before I am ready? Any other suggestions? (PS. I want to keep the Panasonic gear too)
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Generally a prime would give sharper results but the AI-S is quite old so I’m not sure. The AI-S is f4.5 too I believe, it’s the two AF-S’s that are f4.
 
Right been down the same paths , loved my D7200 and sigma 150-600 but had to sell due to heart failure earlier this year ,I did buy a 300mm f4 but as they are now getting on it turned out to be faulty ,a common problem on them the a.f motor goes so you can’t get b.i.f . .
I have now switched to Olympus omd1-mkii and love it plenty of pics on here .. so that’s one option weight is a problem as we age .. the 100.300vr is also a good lens but a bit short in reach .. unfortunately there is no cheap/light/ easy way round it .
My Olympus with a 100-400 lens giving 800mm of reach due to 2X crop factor weighs in at 1.4k.g and is easily Hand holdable .and is more than fast enough for b.i.f

Btw your Panasonic lenses will work seamlessly on Olympus ,both MFT bodies
 
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