Nikon DX 55-200 but faster

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Zilog

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What lens would you recommend to do the same job (same ish zoom range) as a Nikon/Nikkor 55-200mm f4-5.6 DX AF-S lens but be faster for shooting fast sporting events? Camera is a Nikon D60.

Thanks
 
faster and roughly the same zoom range 70-200 f2.8, but lots heavier and more expensive
 
Thanks boyfalldown. I thought the same but went to buy one today and the girl in the shop said as the Nikon and Sigma ones they had were for 35mm cameras and not 23mm that I have. So it works out at something like 100-300mm zoom on my camera. Or something like that at least. Is that correct?
 
she's wrong. both will work fine on your D60. The lenses are both FX designs so they'll work on DX and FX cameras.

BTW - there is a new version of the Nikon due, so you may be able to get some 2nd hand or new bargins on the current model if you can wait

Hugh
 
Thanks for the help a used one would be great, I will look out for one in classifieds :)
 
Zilog said:
Thanks boyfalldown. I thought the same but went to buy one today and the girl in the shop said as the Nikon and Sigma ones they had were for 35mm cameras and not 23mm that I have. So it works out at something like 100-300mm zoom on my camera. Or something like that at least. Is that correct?
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It is correct.You gain on the long shot but lose out on the wide angle.
I think the lens you mentioned 55-200 2.8 is quite expensive.I have the 18-200vr Nikkor lens.The image stablisation is really good and gives sharp images at a much longer exposure than a non vr lens. £499 from Jessops.
 
If not D60, you may choose Tamron 55-200mm. It is inner focus and very short focus process. But for D60, I think Nikon 55-200mm VR may be the only product for the same range.

Other choice could be nikon 70-200mm VR or Sigma 50-150mm and Sigma 70-200mm HSM. But around three times price.

You will only be able to use the 100-300mm range when you put a DX lens on a FF camera like Nikon D700. But on the contrast, you can use all the Nikon F-mount lens on a APS-C camera like D60. As no motor built in inside D60, you need AF-s lens or other lens with autofocus motor built in.
 
Lens Compatibility: Just like the D40 and D40x, the D60 autofocuses only with AF-S lenses, and does not meter with manual lenses. This means you have to focus older AF lenses by hand, and that you have to guess at exposure with manual focus lenses.

Newest AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR: All functions supported.

Traditional non-AF-S or AF-I AF lenses without a built-in motor (including some G and D AF lenses): No autofocus, but everything else like exposure is perfect.

Non-Type G or D AF NIKKOR not equipped with an autofocus motor: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II and autofocus.

IX-NIKKOR and AF-NIKKOR for F3AF: No way José!

Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except some shooting modes.

AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II

Manual Focus lenses (non-CPU): No meter, no AF, no nothing except a dot that lights when you're in focus. You can guess the exposure in M, but that's it. The dot (electronic rangefinder) requires a lens of at least f/5.6, which means you'll have to focus mirror lenses by looking at the ground glass.

Nikon 70-200mm AF-S Nikkor f2.8G ED VR II Lens £2000
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-nikon-70-200mm-af-s-nikkor-f2-8g-ed-vr-ii-lens/p1032957

Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II - Nikon Fit £645
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sigma-70-200mm-f2-8-apo-ex-dg-macro-hsm-ii-nikon-fit/p1027429
 
Jack Flash said:
It is correct.You gain on the long shot but lose out on the wide angle.
I think the lens you mentioned 55-200 2.8 is quite expensive.I have the 18-200vr Nikkor lens.The image stablisation is really good and gives sharp images at a much longer exposure than a non vr lens. £499 from Jessops.
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The OP said fast though. At f3.5-f5.6 the 18-200 isn't any faster then the 55-200 (across the same zoom range)

Hugh
 
As others have said, look at the sigma 70-200 2.8 hsm II at about £650 or the nikon 70-200 2.8 vr at about £1500. I have the sigma and am very pleased with it, although I would love the nikon version.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I think I have got my self in a muddle as to if the zoom will be the what I will expected it to be with these 70-200mm lenses or quite a bit longer than what I am borrowing now as the numbers are given for a 35mm camera?

The Sigma 50-150mm lens Longlyogre mentioned looks good as its intended for a small sensor is I guess the number will correspond with what I have now. It says f2.8 so fast and HSM. It also says can be used with a 1.4X teleconverter to make it a 70-210mm F4 lens if i am after the longer shot. Would that be any good?
 
no - a 70-200 mm lens is always a 70-200 lens and you'll see pretty much the same thing as you see through your 55-200 (just the difference between 55 and 70 will be different)

What is meant my crop factors for all lens on your d60 you'll get a field of view equivalent to a 1.5x longer llns (105-300) on a 35mm camera.

Try the sigma - but it will be shorter then your 55-200 and is no faster. Can't help with the teleconvertor though
 
Zilog said:
Thanks for all the replies.

I think I have got my self in a muddle as to if the zoom will be the what I will expected it to be with these 70-200mm lenses or quite a bit longer than what I am borrowing now as the numbers are given for a 35mm camera?

The Sigma 50-150mm lens Longlyogre mentioned looks good as its intended for a small sensor is I guess the number will correspond with what I have now. It says f2.8 so fast and HSM. It also says can be used with a 1.4X teleconverter to make it a 70-210mm F4 lens if i am after the longer shot. Would that be any good?
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All focal lengths are quoted for 35mm, it does not matter if it is on a fx or dx sensor it will still be a 70-200 lens, what will change is the field of view, when a 700-200 is on a dx camera ie d40 d60 etc it will give the same field of view as a 105-300mm lens on a fx sensored camera ie d700 d3.
 
OK I think I have got my head round this. I will be on the look out for a cheap used Nikon 70-200 F2.8 and failing that I will get a new Sigma 70-200 or 50-150 F2.8 depending on whats got the best deal going :D

Thanks again everyone
 
When you say "fast" do you mean wider aperture or do you mean faster focusing speed?

Wider aperture "faster" would be one of the 70-200 f2.8's as mentioned above.

Faster focusing I would suggest either the Nikkor 70-200 VR (expensive!) or the Nikkor 70-300VR (loads cheaper!). These two lenses are more than capable of shooting motorsport and yielding high consistant results. One is cheaper than the other because the 70-200 VR is constant f2.8 and the 70-300 VR is f4-f5.6. Both are good!
 
desantnik said:
When you say "fast" do you mean wider aperture or do you mean faster focusing speed?

Wider aperture "faster" would be one of the 70-200 f2.8's as mentioned above.

Faster focusing I would suggest either the Nikkor 70-200 VR (expensive!) or the Nikkor 70-300VR (loads cheaper!). These two lenses are more than capable of shooting motorsport and yielding high consistant results. One is cheaper than the other because the 70-200 VR is constant f2.8 and the 70-300 VR is f4-f5.6. Both are good!
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The 70-300 would be my choice on a D60, even then it's quite a big lens on a small body. the 70-200 VR on a D60 would be really nose-heavy.

Actually, I'm sure I saw a 70-300 VR at a decent price in the TP For Sale section....
 
I was interested in there low light handling. I have been having problems shooting indoor events due to poor light. I was having to run to high iso really and at points it was simply telling me there was insufficient light to auto focus.

May be a really daft question but are Tamron lenses good value or just plain cheap and nasty?
 
Zilog said:
I was interested in there low light handling. I have been having problems shooting indoor events due to poor light. I was having to run to high iso really and at points it was simply telling me there was insufficient light to auto focus.

May be a really daft question but are Tamron lenses good value or just plain cheap and nasty?
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For low light you really need the f/2.8, it depends on your budget as to which lens is best though, if you've got the cash then the 70-200 VR is the one to go for
 
Tamron stuff is usually optically pretty darned good, but their auto focus motor system is noisy (no, really NOISY) and sloooooooooooooooooow.

If you want to shoot fairly static stuff, go for it. If its moving then think again...

BTW, how dim is the light you are talking about? f2.8 at something like ISO800 isn't going to give you magically true low light capabilities, even normal room lighting could still be a problem...
 
Zilog said:
I was interested in there low light handling. I have been having problems shooting indoor events due to poor light. I was having to run to high iso really and at points it was simply telling me there was insufficient light to auto focus.

May be a really daft question but are Tamron lenses good value or just plain cheap and nasty?
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F2.8 a minimum for indoor, you might even have to consider primes which will be faster lenses again. What indoor sports event do you do? and what other fast sport events do you photograph? that might help with your selection choice
 
I am just a sport nut in general. Everything from cycling to karts. I have found what looks to be a almost new UK Sigma 70-200 f/2.8D APO EX HSM for about £350 so think I may grab that and have a go. If its no good for me I suspect I will not loose to much selling it on.
 
With HSM, APO, DG, and EX, there is nothing wrong of Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 except the weight. It is around 1250g,nearly 900g more than the 55-200mm F4 (VR).

You may need a tripod or monopode for attaching it with your D60.
 
longlyogre said:
With HSM, APO, DG, and EX, there is nothing wrong of Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 except the weight. It is around 1250g,nearly 900g more than the 55-200mm F4 (VR).

You may need a tripod or monopode for attaching it with your D60.
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This is the lens that i have on my d300 most of the time, is not a difficult lens to hand hold
 
Zilog said:
I am just a sport nut in general. Everything from cycling to karts.
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Hmmm indoor sports.... there are three things you'll need to get good results:

1) Expensive fast focusing f2.8 glass

2) A camera body capable of fast focusing a fast lens

3) A camera body capable of high ISO (when I say "capable" I mean produces acceptable images at high ISO's)

The Sigma 70-200 f2.8 might help you a bit and is better than what you have currently (for the job of shooting indoor sports), but don't expect magical quality results.

The kit bag for what you want would be a D700/D3 and fast Nikon glass (24-70 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8, 300 f2.8 or 400 f2.8 - thats starting at 1200 quid upwards, climbing as you go up the focal lengths to about 5k for the 400!)

I'm not being negative here, I am just trying to give you perspective on what you money will buy you so you aren't dissapointed.
 
Davec223 said:
This is the lens that i have on my d300 most of the time, is not a difficult lens to hand hold
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It is true. But comparing with the D60, it is too heavy.

I have the old Nikkor 80-200mm f2,8. Around 1300g weight. It is ok while attachs to my Fuji S3 (totally around 2200 g with batteries). But I can't handle it with my D5000.

D5000 is 560g and D60 is only 495g. So I assume that wont be comfortable being handheld.
 
longlyogre said:
It is true. But comparing with the D60, it is too heavy.
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That ain't heavy, try 1D MKIIn (1.225 kg) + 300mm f2.8 (2.5kg) or 400mm f2.8 (5.6kg) handheld.
 
As as suggested, you'll need fast glass for indoor photography, and more likely pushing towards primes like the 200mm f2 or of similar ilk
 
I know what your saying Desantnik and I am not expecting professional quality photos. Its just a hobby for me and I was just after something a little better than what I have now. Though as the bug has bitten me I can imagine me upgrading my camera body and spending way more on lenses in the not to distant future. Its all good fun.

Thanks for the advice Peter.rush I will try out my new lens and see how it goes though I am already on the lookout for a 200mm f2 at a great price and if I can afford one I will snap it up.

I can imagine my new hobby getting out of control very quickly!
 
f4 won't cut it for indoors though Stinger - thats what he's on about.
 
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