70-300m Which lens?

Plugus Maximus

Plugus Maximus

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I've a Nikon D70s and would like to purchase my second lens, I currently only have the stock 18-70mm lens.

I am considering the following:

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR (Approx. £310)
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF (Approx. £149)
Nikon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX IF-ED (Approx. £120)
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG MACRO Lens (Approx. £90)
Tamron 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 (Approx. £120)

What will I use it for? Everything my current lens doesn't cover (except macro stuff)! Most likely it will be candid pics or zooming into things I can't get closer too - objects or landscapes.

A photographer once told me don't worry about the camera spend your money on the glass!! Well he would say that because he was a pro and it's not his money. I'm an amatuer and in all honesty I'm not going to make a very good photographer but I want to produce results that I am pleased with and produce shots that non photographers will say "oh that's a nice pic". I'm not worried about pro's telling me I used not the best aperature setting etc.

So is VR worth the money to someone like me do you think? What about AF versus AF-S or ED and IF? Can someone post comparison shots to see if I can tell the difference?

I'm a complete newbie so please try and explain in simple terms(y)

thanks in advance for any help!
 
There is also the Sigma 55-200mm HSM onsale for £99 at jessops. Offer fortoday only i think.

AF-S and HSM (focus motor is in the lens) shouldn't really matter for you if you have the D70 as you have an in-body AF motor.

I've just bought the Tamron. No AF but it was cheap and as money is tight at the minute it will do for now. I really wanted that extra 100mm in length but would no doubt have gonefor that deal on the sigma above (if it was 4 days earlier! grrrr).

A lot of people have said good things about the sigma 70-300 but make sure its the APO version not the one you have listed.
 
As has been said the APO version of that sigma lens gets lots of good feedback and is temptingly sheap. VR is very nice o a lens that length but you can definately live without it as togs have done for many years so if you can't stretch to it I wouldn't worry!
 
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR (Approx. £310)
I have the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX IF-ED and it's very good. I used to use it as my sports lens and the results were very good, and very fast to focus.

Nikon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX IF-ED (Approx. £120)
As above.

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF (Approx. £149)
This is a VERY old lens, and can be bought for much less than you quoted.

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG MACRO Lens (Approx. £90)
The APO version is around £150. I used to have one and it was actually a pretty good lens. The pictures were very sharp and very happy with the results. The only thing I found is that compared to my AF-S lenses, the AF was quite slow.

Tamron 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 (Approx. £120)
No idea about this one. I'd be fine to get a Sigma lens but I wouldn't go less.
 
On a tight budget the Sigma 70-300mm APO which can be had for just £110 @ Onestop Digital (HK)
With £300 to spend the Nikon 70-300mmVR is the one to get imho - Excellent quality for the price and quite a small lens considering its range & VR - I got this after trying the Nikon & Tamron budget ones & even a 80-200mm f2.8 & 1.4TC (which was too huge for me to lug about) - The 70-300mmVF is perfect for my needs & most of my recent gallery efforts were taken with it including the bald eagle
HTH ... Paul ;)
 
Personally, I'd go for the 70-300VR. Check Kerso's prices first though. His e-bay shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/FLASH-CAMERA is showing this lens for £299. Contact him via a PM on this forum and I'm pretty sure you'll get it cheaper than that too.
 
I had the Sigma 70-300mm APO, and was happy with it for it Macro capabilities. I found it soft at maximum zoom, and this got worse after moving from the D70 to the D200, as the D200 amplified its shortcomings.

I decided to get the Nikon 70-300 VR as a replacement, and while I haven't been out and about taking pics yet, I did a couple of test shots before I sold my Sigma, and it looked sharper, and there was a change in colour reproduction between the 2 lenses. Which was more accurate, I don't know. My Sigma may have not been the best example though, as other people are very happy with their lenses.

I got my Nikon 70-300mm VR from Kerso for £300, and I'm more than happy with the quick service from him. :) I went straight to him, and not via Ebay, and so he was able to knock something extra off the price he shows on his Ebay store. ;) :D
 
Can someone list the differences between all those letters and numbers please.

APO,ED,VR,DG,AF etc.

If this constitutes a thread hijack mods, I apologize. Please move it to the correct section.
 
Thanks for all your help peeps. Very useful indeed.

Richomond take a look here: (http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikortek.htm) for explanations of Nikon lens terminology ... that Ken Rockwell runs a pretty sweet site so I've found!

Currently I'm thinking I'll opt for the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG MACRO Lens. I appreciate you get what you pay for and I'll look to upgrade to Nikon in the future once I find the Sigma limiting. Unless I can find a used Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR for 1/2 price. Anyone? :D
 
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