Nikon tele lens

bb40

bb40

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Hi all, I'm looking for some suggestions for a f2.8 lens. My son has started basketball so looking for something that would suit the low light you get in the halls he plays in hence my thinking on f2.8. The longest lens I have is up to 135mm so looking for something but longer. I was looking at the nikon 80-200 f2.8. Seen these going on eBay for round about £400-£450 recently. Is this a decent lens for what I'd be looking at using it for? Any other advice and suggestions welcome.

Thanks
 
The Nikon 80-200 is a very good lens but it is AF rather than AF-S so may not be fast enough for basketball focusing ... there is an AF-S version but not many about. A 70-200 AF-S VRI would be an alternative option as would the new 80-400 AF-S if you needed longer but both a bit pricier :)
 
Yeah looked at the 70-200 but budget (wife) says no. Max would probs be £550.
 
Actually u can get sigma 100-300 for that money easily. That doesn't have OS but does have HSM and therefore is super fast in focusing. Although not entirely sure about compatibility of this old lens with regard to newer Nikon bodies af systems if u want to AF-c or af-a mode for capture those moments.

Actually the 100-300 is f4 might not cut the mustard for u as you need a lot of light for in door use.

Looks like sigmas older 70-200 HSM.
 
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I have one of the older Sigma 70-200 2.8 lenses, the exact code for it is the EX DG HSM and find it really quite good (better than me for sure) I paid around £300 used for mine and haven't looked back, I was fortunate enough to bag a good copy from a user on here as i had heard about dodgy copies out there. The Nikon 80-200 is meant to be an excellent lens, but I can't speak for the AF speed although when i was looking i found Ken Rockwell said the 2 touch versions were quick, with the older push pull lenses being slower (in my mind i was either going to buy the Sigma or the 80-200 and was just a case of which came up first for the right money so i researched both)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80-200mm-history.htm
 
Yup. Sigma 70-200 on your budget. Think I had a non os version but given the shutter speeds I used it wasn't a massive issue. I had one for 300 quid and sold it on for the same. Great lens quick af. Not as quick or as sharp as the nikkor 70-200 vr11 f2.8 but then it was over a thousand pounds cheaper!
 
Go for either Sigma or Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8. Optical image stabilization isn't important at all for sports, as you'd be shooting at fast shutter speeds anyway, but the optically stabilized models are newer and generally better in every way, so try getting one of those but don't get too hung up on it.
 
The tamron 70-200 f2.8 non VC version doesn't have focus motor which makes it slow at picking up focus and adjust to sporting scenes. I had one, the image came out is top notch but the slow AF was an issue and I don't shoot sports or anything that is energetic in anyway.

Correction, I did use it for Olympics 2012 and found most of my shots were out of focus due to the slow AF while using af-c system.
 
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Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm thinking it will be a model with vr as I'd also be wanting to use it for wildlife to. May have to sweet talk the wife to up the budget
 
Will sigma ex os DG work on d300s. Not sure if I read somewhere that the DG on sigmas are for full frame bodies??
 
bb40 said:
Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm thinking it will be a model with vr as I'd also be wanting to use it for wildlife to. May have to sweet talk the wife to up the budget
Click to expand...
it will....DG will work on Full frame and APS-C. Lenses marked DC are for APS-C.

A DG 70-200 f2.8 Sigma on a D300 will give the same field of view as a 105-300 on an FX body.
 
Sir SR said:
Yup. Sigma 70-200 on your budget. Think I had a non os version but given the shutter speeds I used it wasn't a massive issue. I had one for 300 quid and sold it on for the same. Great lens quick af. Not as quick or as sharp as the nikkor 70-200 vr11 f2.8 but then it was over a thousand pounds cheaper!
Click to expand...
This.

I have the Sigma non OS (2007 model) and paid about £350 second hand. Love it, great lens, still very sharp.

When I was looking for a Sigma I contacted the company to ask about the different versions released, here's what I came up with, hope this helps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1998 Sigma launches the first EX designation lenses.
70-200mm F2.8 APO EX
70-200mm F2.8 APO EX HSM
(not compatible with D3100 etc)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced Friday 20th May 2005
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced Sunday 26th February 2006
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG Macro HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated version of the 70-200mm, Announced December 2007
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced February 2010; stabilised and completely new optical arrangement.
70-200 F2.8 APO EX DG "OS" HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EX - Excellence
DG - Lens Coating
HSM - Hypersonic Motor
OS - Optical Stabalization

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Zarch said:
This.

I have the Sigma non OS (2007 model) and paid about £350 second hand. Love it, great lens, still very sharp.

When I was looking for a Sigma I contacted the company to ask about the different versions released, here's what I came up with, hope this helps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1998 Sigma launches the first EX designation lenses.
70-200mm F2.8 APO EX
70-200mm F2.8 APO EX HSM
(not compatible with D3100 etc)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced Friday 20th May 2005
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced Sunday 26th February 2006
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG Macro HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated version of the 70-200mm, Announced December 2007
70-200mm É2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announced February 2010; stabilised and completely new optical arrangement.
70-200 F2.8 APO EX DG "OS" HSM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EX - Excellence
DG - Lens Coating
HSM - Hypersonic Motor
OS - Optical Stabalization

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Spoke nice to the wife and she upped the budget so got the latest model with OS. Expecting delivery today.
 
Zarch said:
DG - Lens Coating
Click to expand...
Are you sure about that? On Sigma's website, it's advertised as:
DG—compatible with 35mm full frame DSLR cameras and smaller sensor formats (APS-C, Four Thirds);
DC—compatible with APS-C and Four Thirds DSLR cameras;
DN—compatible with APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless system cameras.
 
Result :cool:

For future reference what did you say to the Wife? There may be some guys on here that need some help in the future ;)
 
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