Lens Opinions

jayw

Senior Member
Merry Christmas & Happy 2018!

My current lens is a Tamron 16-300mm VR mounted on a Nikon D5300. Very good all-around lens, but, I find myself not using the lens often beyond 90mm (135mm FF equivalent). So, I am considering selling/trading the Tamron in favor of a Sigma or Nikon. I'm not ready to buy yet and maybe in 2018 there will be other options.

Read many reviews and they seem to give decent ratings with the usual caveats about distortions, CA, soft focus, etc. that you find with lenses in this size, but none putting them the do-not-consider list.

These are the lens I’m considering:

  • Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro (OS) HSM | C
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
  • Nikon AF-P Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (not sure the difference between a "S" or "P")
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
What I do like on the Sigma is the aperture range of 2.8-4.0 vs. the 3.5-6.3 on the Nikons. Not a major big difference, but enough so.

So here are my questions...

* those that use the Sigma and/or Nikon lens on DX body (if used on a D5300 all the better), what are your comments?
* If not this lens, what other lenses should I consider?
* Would I be better to scrap the idea altogether and keep what I have - Tamron 16-300mm?

What I do most is landscape/nature, portrait, family, grandkid's sporting events, close-up/macro, etc. Very little of wildlife.

Thanks for your insightful comments.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
I really like my Nikon 24-120 f/4 on a DX sensor. Not as wide as the others you’re looking at, but would cover the long range you’re after.


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Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I would advise you to keep your Tamron as a walkabout lens and buy a Nikkor 35mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.8 as well. These will give you excellent IQ for kids portraits and around the house shots AND low light possibilities. In my opinion, both these lenses are a MUST for any photographer.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
I have no direct experience with any of the lenses listed, but they are all highly regarded and it really comes down to how much zoom range you want and whether the extra stop of aperture is important to you. I will say that I can almost guarantee that if you get rid of the 16-300, you will suddenly see all sorts of things you'd like to shoot with a long telephoto. :)
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
You need of speed of focusing leans toward the Nikon 16-85 but the Sigma with the widest aperture at wide angle is pretty attractive because more light gathering gives the AF sensor more to work with.
The 18-105 is actually pretty good considering was the giveaway kit lens on a number of models. I have one from when I got the D90 as my first digital when it was first was released.

But for most flexibility, I would concur with the suggestion above, keep what you have and add fast primes. For general shooting 35mm on DX is pretty useful and the fast aperture assures better focusing in lower light. Wide apertures help the camera take better images by allowing better AF and having access to a nicely blurred background for subject isolation. The raw resolving power of the 35 and 85 1.8 lenses be far better than a zoom. The 85 1.8G is the best IQ lens I have seen on a lens costing less than $1400. If you are doing indoor shooting without flash that big aperture will be highly appreciated and if you are doing people shots the sharpness plus smooth creamy bokeh for subject isolate will spoil you. Only after shooting withf/1.4 or 1.8 apertures will the saying "life is too short for slow lenses" makes a lot of sense.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
* Would I be better to scrap the idea altogether and keep what I have - Tamron 16-300mm?

What I do most is landscape/nature, portrait, family, grandkid's sporting events, close-up/macro, etc. Very little of wildlife.

I'm with Marcel and Fish - keep the Tamron, because for those sporting events you will WANT and NEED that reach. Same with landscapes, the 18 end is plenty fine and you'd want to stop it down either way and that will get you quality enough. And for portraits and other bokeh-intensive subjects, get a 35/1.8 DX and then just see where you feel you need more of what your glass can't give you.
 

jayw

Senior Member
Thanks for everyone's comments.

I made the decision to trade the Tamron for the Sigma after hearing from many different people on different discussion groups based on what my "needs" are.

I have another question that I'm not sure if this is the right place or not, so please bear with me.

I received a Tether Pro cable that I want to use with my Nikon D5300 and Lightroom 6. Here are my questions:

1) Is there a way to set this combo up so I can see my image on my laptop as if I were using Live View on my camera? When I set it up, I was able to see the picture after I pressed the shutter release, but not before.
2) Is there a way to capture the image on my camera's SD card instead of on my laptops hard drive? Here again, the laptop is being used in my basement during the photo shoot, but not for PP on my desktop. To do this, I'll have to copy my session to a memory stick and then upload to my desktop. Too many steps.

Thanks for your insights.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
You’ll probably be more satisfied with something like a CamRanger...OR...use the D5300’s wireless feature with a tablet so you can see what you’re shooting while also recording to the SD card.


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jayw

Senior Member
That sounds interesting. As I don't have a tablet, will a laptop work and if so, how do I set up the camera to talk to my laptop? Will I be using LR 6 or something else?
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
That sounds interesting. As I don't have a tablet, will a laptop work and if so, how do I set up the camera to talk to my laptop? Will I be using LR 6 or something else?

That is the downside to Nikon’s wireless implementation, it doesn’t interact much/at all with desktop platforms. The built-in Wi-Fi wants to talk to Nikon’s WMU app, which is only designed for mobile devices.


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Fortkentdad

Senior Member
I would echo the suggestion to add a fast prime - first choice would be the DX 35 1.8 - have that one and love it to bits. Once you see what a fast (1.8) lens can do you will be hooked. The other fast primes (50 or 85) would be good choices as well. The 'niffty fifty" is the standard lens - or as it used to be called the normal lens. Everyone is mandated to have one. In theory I've heard it is close to what the human eye's field of vision is. I also have a 60mm 2.8 macro which isn't just for macro but adds that option. But I'd start with the 35mm. And I'd keep the 'super' zoom 16-300 unless you don't like the images. The beauty of DSLR is having lens options. If you can afford it, keep it.

Having said that I just got home from Christmas with the grandkids - shot lots of 'action' shots of two preschoolers. The lens I had on my camera most of the time was the Nikkor 16-85. Not super fast but I was using speedlights so didn't need to shoot wide open. That 16-85 zoom range on a APC camera is great for indoor and closer work. I switched to my 11-20 at one point and found that while I could get the whole room in the shot easily it was too wide for kiddie shots without getting in their space.

I do not have the 24-100 but am thinking it might be a good choice - have drooled over the Siggy Artsy version of that lens at a few camera shop counters.
 
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