Best "Budget/Bargain" Lens' for Nikons

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stew1982

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Any recommendations for "Bargain" lens for Nikon D70
- I have a 50mm 1.8, and a rather slow Tamron 55-200 but looking for some other lens' to make up the kit, preferably stuff that has decent focus speed and is sharp.

I do a bit of everything, so happy to listen to any recommendations, I've looked through ebay, and a lot of stuff seems to go cheap

Preferably AF, but i' alike to learn how to manual focus at some point!
 
All those lenses are a bit long on DX... so how about a 35mm f/1.8? It has a stellar reputation for performance and value for money.
 
freecom2 said:
All those lenses are a bit long on DX... so how about a 35mm f/1.8? It has a stellar reputation for performance and value for money.
Click to expand...

Depends on what you shoot, I find my 50mm perfect most of the time.

Best value lens would have to be the wonderful 18-70mm Nikon - available for about £100 second hand. In terms of value there is no better and its a good lens!
 
Indeed, focal length preference is a very personal thing but it fits some of the other mentioned criteria as well :)
 
"Bargain"? Depends how you define the word, personally I've always felt the Nikon 80-200 AF-D was a bargain, as it offers the optical quality of the 70-200 for half the price.

I get the feeling that what you're really looking for is "big chicken, little price", in which case, and assuming you're a limited budget, then getting rid of the Tamron and replacing it with the VR Nikon version would be a step in the right direction....
 
hmmm.............I like the idea of the 35 1.8 - how much are we talking for one?
- I like the idea of primes purely for speed!
 
I do need something for a bit of "zoo" photography!
- I probably have high expectations, having previously loved my 24-105L & 70-200 f4L before I discovered the dark side of the force!

But.....times and budgets change!

Probably the main thing I photograph is my Daughter, and animals at the zoo! - how times have changed!!!!!
 
The 18-70mm is a fantastic lens and used they go for £100 or thereabouts. A cracking optic that belies its price. It's also well made too, better than the 18-55.

Like mentioned, the 80-200mm is a bargain when it comes to pro-spec, fast-aperture zooms. You can get a two-touch version for £450 and the push-pull one can be had for £300-£350 or thereabouts.

A lot of the AF-D lenses are great value; the 60mm macro is excellent, as is the 85mm f/1.8. Not sure if the D70 has a built int motor to AF these.

I suppose bargain is relative to your budget and what you want. One of the best lens available for DX I feel is the 10.5mm, a real unique lens that is all about high performance and totally bonkers field of view.

35mm DX is about £125 in the classifieds. Good lens.

The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 gets a lot of votes too
 
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How about the nikon 55~200 mm vr can be picked up cheap but looks great little lens.
 
Samyang 85 1.4 has to be one of the biggest bargains in the photography world.
Manual focus only, but the image quality more than makes up for it!
About £240 from uk digital.
 
I have actually read some reviews, that say it is very sharp - I'd ruled it out originally as the Canon version I'd experienced, was ok, but I found it poor indoors and just didn't get on with it
 
You will struggle with that focal length if you want it for zoos. As i said 55~200 is good bang for buck and has vr.
 
Plus one for the tamron 17-50 - I picked my mint copy up for 165. It's awesome.

Also the Samyang is the most surprising lens in my bag. Manual focus but achingly sharp, creamy bokeh. A gem of a lens and a bargain next to the sigma and nikon alternatives.

The first two lenses I got (after the kit 18-105) was the 70-300 VR and the 50mm1.8d. Both brilliant. The 50mm was a near permanent attachment. If the d70 doesnt have an in built motor then the 35mm f1.8 is reported to be immense all round.

Hope that helps.
 
the D70 does have the built-in motor, and I do think the 50mm will be the most used lens
 
As you take a lot of pictures of your daughter, I have a leftfield suggestion. Use your 50 f1.8 and acquire a sppedlight and off camera lead. That will make a big difference to your portraits at not a massive cost.

Also the 85mm Samyang is superb for portraits!
 
I tend to be a value for money shopper. I'd love to have a 300 2.8 for wildlife shooting, but (1) it is only a hobby and (2) I have other hobbies which cost money. So instead of a 300 AFs VR 2.8, I have an AF 300 f4. I apply that same logic to other lenses, i.e. what is the sweet spot for performance/price.

For me, I'm really happy with my current bag. The 35 and 50 mentioned are both very sharp and awesome for low light (plus cutting sharp when stopped down to f4 and used in daylight). The 18-55 kit lens is good, small, and light, but for an extra £50 or so an 18-70 is a much better lens. The 55-200 VR punches well above its weight in good light and is usable for things that don't move in less light. I've wanted to get the 80-200, but for all the more I shoot those lengths the 55-200 is good enough and the best of its peers. Lastly the 300f4 is a tank of a lens. It doesn't focus as fast as the AFs version and VR would be nice (the Afs doesn't even have it) but if you watch what you're doing, it can turn out some great pictures and even takes a 1.4x well (for a 420 5.6).

Best part? Aside from the 300, you can get most of them used for £100 or less. The 35 goes around £125. The 300 will take £350 or so.

Thanks,
Rick
 
Do you mind manual controls?


If not, look for an m42 adapter (with glass/infinity) and search ebay some lenses.


I got a 300mm tair f4.5 for 50ukp and although the adapter is slightly soft, it works well. Links in the sig (m42 link first!)

As long as the zoo is well lit (sunlight pref) you should be ok with most lenses, although you'll be looking at least 200mm and possibly more towards the 300/400 mm (or 300 plus 1.4x converter).

If your budget was bigger, i'd say look at the sigma 150-500 or 50-500. If its a special event and a one off, possibly hire one of the lenses for a few days (practice before the actual event).
 
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