Lens Upgrade Advice - Nikon

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Afternoon all after what I'd call a productive day at sunderland airshow the other weekend I feel I'm ready to upgrade my telephoto

I've got my Tokina 11-16 for wide, Nikon 16-85 for general everyday but of everything lens, and a Nikon 55-300vr telephoto but I want a sharper lens!!

Now I've read some posts about what's more important, weight, price, size, length.... The only thing I'm fussed on is at least 300mm but sharp

I've looked at the likes of the Sigma 120-400 and 150-500 but don't know if there actually a sharp lens any one else out there upgraded from the Nikon 55-300??
 
I have had a Nikon AF-S 70 300mm f4.5/f5.6 VR Zoom for a few years now and it has really served me well, no complaints at all, if you stick with Nikon, after that you are into the AF-S 70 200mm f2.8 VR or the new AF-S 80 400mm VR

The 70 300mm is light and easy to use, VR and good at the longer end for the price ……… the 70 200mm f2.8VR is heavier and certainly feels longer ……… it is a lens that I use generally on my D700

The AF-S 300mm f4 is a nikon classic and IMHO very very good - but no VR - but maybe it is a "specific use" lens and not a "walk about lens" I would not be without mine and I use it almost daily for all kinds of stuff

I always stick to Nikon, buying used if I feel new is just too expensive ………. so do not have anything helpful to say about Tamron or Sigma etc.,

Good luck
 
Budget would be helpful.
As Bill says I too always stick with Nikon for build quality, sharpness etc.
I recently bought the new Nikon 80/400 and really can't fault it for both focus speed and sharpness
Weight wise it's no heavier then either the 70/200 2.8vr or the Sigma 150/500 it replaced
But price wise it's not cheap
 
BillN_33 said:
I have had a Nikon AF-S 70 300mm f4.5/f5.6 VR Zoom for a few years now and it has really served me well, no complaints at all, if you stick with Nikon, after that you are into the AF-S 70 200mm f2.8 VR or the new AF-S 80 400mm VR

The 70 300mm is light and easy to use, VR and good at the longer end for the price ……… the 70 200mm f2.8VR is heavier and certainly feels longer ……… it is a lens that I use generally on my D700

The AF-S 300mm f4 is a nikon classic and IMHO very very good - but no VR - but maybe it is a "specific use" lens and not a "walk about lens" I would not be without mine and I use it almost daily for all kinds of stuff

I always stick to Nikon, buying used if I feel new is just too expensive ………. so do not have anything helpful to say about Tamron or Sigma etc.,

Good luck
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+1 for the 70-300 VR
 
DoctorJ said:
+1 for the 70-300 VR
Click to expand...

+2

I've had a fair few nikon lenses, and sold a few. This is the one I regret selling the most. It's sharper than a really sharp thing and produces excellent images, and the vr really does give you that extra stop or so that's needed. It punches well above its weight.
 
DoctorJ said:
+1 for the 70-300 VR
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I cant remember what I paid for mine, it wad about £300 about 5 years ago from memory. Good value then and a great lens, great build quality too as mine has been around a bit but still good as new.
 
Me personally having owned and used just about every single lens ever made, unless you have the readdies for a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 plus extender or the 300mm f/2.8 prime i would seriously consider the older Sigma 120-300mm EX DG HSM f/2.8, great quality lens, great sharpness.
 
I found my 55-300 plenty sharp enough, fantastic value for money too. What let it down for me was it's focus speed for racing and such, my hit rate was never terrible, but not great either. I then bought the Sigma 150-500, and while the extra reach was nice, and IQ was about the same, so was the focus speed, and it sometimes struggled in poor light. I fairly quickly realised that it's size and weight meant that more often than not I'd leave it at home in favour of the 55-300. Earlier this year I got rid of both and bought the 70-300VR and it was definitely the right decision for me. Not much more bulk or weight than the 55-300, excellent IQ, and pretty quick to focus, a much better hit rate than either of the others on moving targets.

As has been said above, I've no doubt that the serious pro kit is way better, but as a compromise in terms of size, weight, IQ, focus and cost, I'm pretty pleased.
 
i have the 70-300 vr, its the sharpest all round lens in my bag, for the money. hth mike.
 
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