Zoom Lens

Hello everyone. I'm kinda new to all of this. Just got a Nikon D3100. I have a Nikon DX AF-S 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED VR lens and I would like a little more power. I've been looking at the Nikon 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 AF-S VR IF ED G lens.

I enjoy taking photos of all kinds of aircraft in flight, but the 200mm lens just doesn't fit the bill. Unfortunately, money is a factor. I have my 200mm lens listed on ebay and found a 70-300mm that I've place a bid on as well. No idea if I'll win the bid or if I made the right choice. I should have searched for this forum first. I kind of put the cart in front of the horse in the case.

Nevertheless, I just read that the Sigma 150-500mm lens is good, but I don't think it has VR and it's out of my price range unless I get lucky and find one on a good deal.

So, what is your advice between the 170-300mm Nikon vs the 150-500 Sigma? Or is there something else I should be looking into?

Thanks

Max

Hi Max welcome...If the sigma your looking at has OS it is Sigmas name for VR..HSM is their equivalent to AF-S

pedroj, I didn't know that Sigma had any type of VR. Thanks for the heads up.

btw, it looks like I posted this in the wrong section. Is there a way someone could move this threat to the right forum?

Something else I know nothing about is a teleconverter? Do they work and if so how well on a D3100 with a 55-200mm Nikon lens? If so, what brand is the best go get?

I know Nikons tele converters wont work properly on your 55-200mm...Kenko or Tamrons might..

I feel the Sigma 150-500mm would be better then a tele-converter on the 50-200mm...

Maxie - Sigma made more than one model of the 150-500. You definately want the OS HSM version. OS is the same as Canon IS , Nikon VR and Tamron VC and these are all stabilised lenses. HSM is Hypersonic Motor and is Sigmas answer to modern AF focusing drive using Ultrasonic Oscillation

AS for your choice of lenses for your chosen subject, 300mm would be ok but its slow at full tele, so if a slow lens is your budget, you may as well get the Sigma, but the weight increases. Depends if you're intent is to hand hold or use a tripod. You can hand hold the big Sigma for a while but it will get tiring very quickly. The Sigma will aslo double up as a birding lens, whereas the 70-300 will be too short unless you shoot Ostriches

Any teleconverters on any of these lenses will give poor results.

The Kikkor, Sigma and Tamron are close, as quality is concerned? Is there an order of best to second and third, are they close enough not to matter or is it personal preference between the lenses?

I've read that the teleconverters reduce the amount of light, but haven't read of lessor quality. Is it the quality you're referring to as well as the lighting issue?

I use a tripod as well as hand hold. I would say it's about 75% of the time hand held.

Thanks for the reply and heads up.

Max

Yup, give or take. they are similar in IQ at full tele, which is where it will be most of the time ??

Yes, TC's reduce light because of the extra glass and you lose IQ, because of the extra glass. On top of the range fast lenses, you can get away with a TC a lot of the time, but on consumer slow lenses, they are a tad frustrating. Dont waste your money

Just wouldn't work would it?

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Its a struggle even with a 1.5x TC, as i tried one, i just never bothered again. With a 2x TC, expect even worse. The 1.5x I tested ( Teleplus SHQ chipped for Nikons ) was awful, and had terrible hunting with AF due to the max aperture being taken to about f9 and very poor IQ. A 2X TC wouldnt even start to AF, and your max ap would start at something like f13, give or take

Maxie said:

What about a Sigma 2.0x Teleconverter EX APO DG on a Nikon D3100 and a Sigma 150-500 F/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM? What could I expect with this combo?

Tkx

Max

Click to expand...

Your F6.3 becomes F12.6 the only time this combo would work would in very bright sunlight....
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I have a x 2 converter, I used it once...The problems with it were the lens hunts for focus and the image Quality is reduced...For a X 2 converter to work efficiently you would need a F2.8 lens...

I understand how you feel about T/C's and the 2.0 is out of the question. But what about a Sigma 1.4 on manual focus? I'm really not that worried about the AF part of the equation.