Best telephoto lens for D800

N

naughtycalvin

New member
Hi D800 users,


Please help me decide the best telephoto lens for this camera. Here is what I see as of now:


Tamron AF 200-500mm f/5.0-6.3 Di LD SP FEC (IF) Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Model A08N)
OR
Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
OR
Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital DSLR Camera
OR
Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED Autofocus VR Zoom Nikkor Lens
 
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G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
When you listed "best", to me it implied Nikon's best lenses such as the Nikon 400mm f2.8 VR lens.

Maybe you've meant best budget lens perhaps?


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H

hulk2012

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
When you listed "best", to me it implied Nikon's best lenses such as the Nikon 400mm f2.8 VR lens.

Maybe you've meant best budget lens perhaps?


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Click to expand...

Glen..- he meant the best among the one he mentioned. Besides you wrong about the best. As the best long focal nikon mount is Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 200mm f/2G ED VR II - http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Ratings

Regarding the lens choice - Sigma seems to be the best of them all simply because of quick af, built in OSS (much better then older VR) and glass (APO) with the best IQ and focus among them (HSM). The only relevant are a sigma 150-500mm but score 14 in DXO MARK scoring system means nothing but "poor" quality. For nikon d800 you need to be looking for a score at least 25. All my glasses score over 30 but that comes with price. The flip side is - I get the best results and nothing cannot beat that (if obviously right skills applied). There is no way you can jus buy one lens to cover almost whole focal range (15-500mm) and expect from it great quality. Ain't gonna happen. You need to break it down into 2-3-4 lens with the highest IQ cos that's what is about especially shooting with high mega pixel camera like d800 or medium format.

If I can suggest I would look into 70-200mm VRII. The best in its class. Why don't you visit DXO MARK website, type your camera model and see what lens come up as the best and then decide. By this way to get the most reliable and valuable feedback. Study the game to make the most of it. Gear - It's all science. Skills you can always up but science work with numbers. You don't want someone who's lacking skills to tell you that's 70-200 vr2 are bad just because...






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C

Cowleystjames

Senior Member
To be honest, I suggest you wait for the Tamron 150-600. That looks to be a cracker if you can justify £950. Cheap at half the price if the reports are to be believed.
 
R

Rick M

Senior Member
From your choices it appears you are looking for a budget super zoom, if thats the case I would hold off for the release of the tamron 150-600 as mentioned.
 
A

aroy

Senior Member
The best Telephoto is the 200mm F2
The best Super telephoto 600mm F4 and 400mm F2.8 tie. If you want versatility then 400mm if you need the reach all the time then 600mm. The 800mm is a bit too big for my liking (I feel it has to have its own "gun carriage" and a helper to mind it!!!!!)

Telephoto zooms are fine but for sheer IQ nothing beats these big primes.
 
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