300mm Lense Advice

[Waxed]

Hi guys,

I am new to photography - and and wanted to ask about these few telephoto lenses [all used] for d5100 - confused with the options.

Vivitar 300m f5.6 @ £40 ~ $66

Nikon Nikkor-Q 300mm f4.5 @ £80 ~ $132

Soligor 200mm f3.5 Teleauto prime lense @ £30 ~ $49

Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG Macro @ £60 ~ $99

Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro lens @ £80 ~ $132[h=1][/h]Thank you - for any help. Appreciated.

 

[Lawrence]

I got a good price on a refurbished Nikkor 70-300 from Adorama. Very happy with it. Sorry can't comment on any of those you listed as I haven't tried them

 

[Bill16]

I would skip the vivitar and the soligor lenses. I'm not particularly thrilled with my soligor lens myself. I'd buy the Nikkor that my friend Lawrence recommended if you can, or the Sigma you mentioned if it were me.

 

[Pretzel]

I also got the 70-300 Nikkor VR refurb, but from Cameta for the 1 year warranty. I really enjoy it!

 

[Mike D90]

Hi guys,

I am new to photography - and and wanted to ask about these few telephoto lenses [all used] for d5100 - confused with the options.

Vivitar 300m f5.6 @ £40 ~ $66

Nikon Nikkor-Q 300mm f4.5 @ £80 ~ $132

Soligor 200mm f3.5 Teleauto prime lense @ £30 ~ $49

Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG Macro @ £60 ~ $99

Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro lens @ £80 ~ $132Thank you - for any help. Appreciated.

I can't say I would spend the money on any of those. All of those are inferior glass, except the Nikkor-Q, which itself will not function in any capacity other than completely manual mode with the D5100. Neither of the "macro" lenses are truly macro lenses and are inferior.

A much better version of a Sigma or Tamron lens . . . maybe. Definitely a Nikon 70-300mm VR which I can highly recommend or even the Nikon 55-300mm AF-S lens.

 

[DraganDL]

These are very different lenses. The choice depends on both: what you already have, and what you think you need the most. If you are equipped with only a kit lens like 18-55mm, the best lens of those aforementioned would be, in my opinion, this Tamron 70-300mm macro. It is quite decent lens in it's category, in terms of the overall quality (it's DxO score being virtually the same as Nikon 70-300mm's), and can be used as a macro (kind of "limited macro", so to speak, but hey!, with such price tag it's a bargain). Just make sure it is a motorized variant since there are two revisions of this lens (non-VC model), at least (unless you don't mind manual-focusing with it).

 

[Brian]

Hi guys,

I am new to photography - and and wanted to ask about these few telephoto lenses [all used] for d5100 - confused with the options.



Nikon Nikkor-Q 300mm f4.5 @ £80 ~ $132

.

Nikon never made a "Nikkor-Q 300/4.5", the "Q" would stand for 4-elements, "Latin". They made a Nikkor-Q 135/3.5, 200/4 and OLDER (1952) 25cm F4.

Nikon did make a 5-element Nikkor-P 300/4.5, and a better 6-element Nikkor-H 300/4.5. These lenses should run in the $100~$150 range as you show. These lenses are "pre-AI", will work on your camera - but the meter of your camera will not work.

The Minimum Focus is around 13ft, so no shooting close with it.


DSC_0464

Closest Focus ^

and Infinity.


DSC_0469

Both shot wide-open, hand-held.

My Nikkor-H 300/4.5, wide-open on the Nikon DF. More in my Flickr photostream.

 

[Waxed]

I can't say I would spend the money on any of those. All of those are inferior glass, except the Nikkor-Q, which itself will not function in any capacity other than completely manual mode with the D5100. Neither of the "macro" lenses are truly macro lenses and are inferior.

A much better version of a Sigma or Tamron lens . . . maybe. Definitely a Nikon 70-300mm VR which I can highly recommend or even the Nikon 55-300mm AF-S lens.

Thanks - but the costs of "Nikon 70-300mm VR" is a lot - it seems you can get all of the above for that price!

PS - I did find: " Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 G lens" at very reasonable price. Is there all that much difference, besides the VR functionality?

 

[Waxed]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I do like the idea of collecting lenses and experimenting! I actually mind working in the manual mode [even though nearly all I take looks a mess].

 

[Mike D90]

Thanks - but the costs of "Nikon 70-300mm VR" is a lot - it seems you can get all of the above for that price!

PS - I did find: " Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 G lens" at very reasonable price. Is there all that much difference, besides the VR functionality?

You probably could get all of those for the same price as the 70-300mm VR but what is the price you put on much better images? I have never used the 70-300mm G lens so I cannot compare the quality to the VR lens. I know the 70-300mm VR smokes the 55-200mm lens hands down. I got a great condition used Nikon 70-300mm VR ED lens for less than $370. I sold my 55-200mm VR lens.

 

[Bill16]

@Waxed I have the Nikkor AF 70-300mm G lens, and I've been very happy with it so far. I'm not saying it's equal to the newer vr versions, since I haven't tried them. But it cost me around $200.00 (or bit less I think)so I'm pretty happy with it for the price!

PS. This lens won't auto focus with the D5100 though. It has no built-in focus motor. It can be manually focused, but it's much better on a Nikon DSLR that has the focus motor built into the camera.