Nikkor 55-200mm or Sigma 70-300mm

Taragravy

New member
Hi,

I'm looking for a telephoto lens for my D3200. I can't decide between the Sigma APO 70-300mm or the Nikkor AF S VR 50-200mm (they're both similar in price and I can't afford the 55-300 sadly).

Does anyone have any experience with these lenses, what would you recommend?

thanks!
 

pforsell

Senior Member
Be aware that the Sigma needs to be a "HSM" type lens to be able to autofocus with your camera. Otherwise a focusing motor in the camera body is required, and in current Nikon lineup that means at least D7200 or higher.

I have nothing but bad experiences with Sigma zoom lenses, but their single focal length lenses are usable. I currently have 3 of those, but the zooms (namely 70-200/2.8 DG OS HSM and 120-300/2.8 DG OS HSM) were very disappointing. Being cheap doesn't justify being bad. I know that other people have had better luck, so maybe I was just unlucky.

The 55-200 VR is a compact lens with decent optics and rather snappy autofocusing. The 55-300 you mention has slow autofocus. I once tried a friend's lens and it almost caused me an aneurysm and hemorrhoids at the same instant, and I had to give it away as fast as I could. The autofocus is so slow that the lens cannot track an invalid grandma on a walker.

So, if you someday want to move to a faster lens in the future, consider saving for a 70-300VR or a 70-200 f4 VR. Meanwhile the 55-200VR offers good bang for the buck.
 

Taragravy

New member
Thanks very much! I have no experience with Sigma lenses so will definitely try and avoid. As I will most certainly do with the 55-300, that sounds like a very unpleasant experience ha!

I was pretty set on the 55-200 so I'll get that and save for one of the faster lens in the future. Thanks again!
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
Ha ha I did even better - bought mine on local Craigslist mint for $85.

Bought on a whim as a knock around /walk around to pair with 18-55vr on D300 it is a cracking lens that gets used a lot! Good optics as stated above rocket focusing. Bokeh is meh at times but not an obstacle to good images!
 

CP93

Senior Member
Not familiar with the Sigma but I bought the 55-200 after seeing a number of good reviews. I've only had it a short time but so far it's been great.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
After I bought my D90, I tried out a Sigma 70-300mm zoom. The quality of the glass just wasn't there. It was this one:

Amazon.com : Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Macro Motorized Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras : Point And Shoot Digital Cameras : Camera & Photo

Please keep in mind I already had the Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G VR and wanted the extra reach. The Nikon was much better overall although it wasn't as long. My current Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G is much better than either one of those though.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Be aware that the Sigma needs to be a "HSM" type lens to be able to autofocus with your camera. Otherwise a focusing motor in the camera body is required, and in current Nikon lineup that means at least D7200 or higher.

I have nothing but bad experiences with Sigma zoom lenses, but their single focal length lenses are usable. I currently have 3 of those, but the zooms (namely 70-200/2.8 DG OS HSM and 120-300/2.8 DG OS HSM) were very disappointing. Being cheap doesn't justify being bad. I know that other people have had better luck, so maybe I was just unlucky.

The 55-200 VR is a compact lens with decent optics and rather snappy autofocusing. The 55-300 you mention has slow autofocus. I once tried a friend's lens and it almost caused me an aneurysm and hemorrhoids at the same instant, and I had to give it away as fast as I could. The autofocus is so slow that the lens cannot track an invalid grandma on a walker.

So, if you someday want to move to a faster lens in the future, consider saving for a 70-300VR or a 70-200 f4 VR. Meanwhile the 55-200VR offers good bang for the buck.

What about the greatest camera ever made bar none, the D7100? Will that auto focus this lens? Yes,yes. I think it will. So will the D7000. What about the D90? The D300?
 

pforsell

Senior Member
What about the greatest camera ever made bar none, the D7100? Will that auto focus this lens? Yes,yes. I think it will. So will the D7000. What about the D90? The D300?

Did I somehow touch a nerve? Sorry about that. The OP is in the market for a $150 lens, so I didn't think a new camera costing almost ten times as much would be the answer he was seeking.

I used the word current in the section you bolded. It was supposed to mean something that is still in production and available as new. Yes I know, some distributors, like Nikon USA, might still have 5-10 years old discontinued cameras filling their shelves and collecting dust, but those will never be sold no matter how long the cameras hang in their price list.

My view about the D7100 is not quite as rosy. The small raw buffer is a show stopper and the banding noise in shadows is probably the worst in recent Nikon cameras. In my books both D7000 and D7200 are much better options (buffer, image quality), but D7000 has been discontinued years ago. Ergo: D7200 it is. :cool:
 
Did I somehow touch a nerve? Sorry about that. The OP is in the market for a $150 lens, so I didn't think a new camera costing almost ten times as much would be the answer he was seeking.

I used the word current in the section you bolded. It was supposed to mean something that is still in production and available as new. Yes I know, some distributors, like Nikon USA, might still have 5-10 years old discontinued cameras filling their shelves and collecting dust, but those will never be sold no matter how long the cameras hang in their price list.

My view about the D7100 is not quite as rosy. The small raw buffer is a show stopper and the banding noise in shadows is probably the worst in recent Nikon cameras. In my books both D7000 and D7200 are much better options (buffer, image quality), but D7000 has been discontinued years ago. Ergo: D7200 it is. :cool:

I have to disagree with you about the D7100. It is a great camera and I have shot the same event at the same time with a D7200 being shot by a friend of mine The results technically were the same. the only difference was shooting style. (Mine was better) i shoot low light all the time and I don't have a problem with noise in shadows. I also have a D7000 and the D7100 is light years better. I let my wife shoot the d7000
I do not see a camera listed in your profile so what camera do you shoot now?
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Did I somehow touch a nerve? Sorry about that. The OP is in the market for a $150 lens, so I didn't think a new camera costing almost ten times as much would be the answer he was seeking.

I used the word current in the section you bolded. It was supposed to mean something that is still in production and available as new. Yes I know, some distributors, like Nikon USA, might still have 5-10 years old discontinued cameras filling their shelves and collecting dust, but those will never be sold no matter how long the cameras hang in their price list.

My view about the D7100 is not quite as rosy. The small raw buffer is a show stopper and the banding noise in shadows is probably the worst in recent Nikon cameras. In my books both D7000 and D7200 are much better options (buffer, image quality), but D7000 has been discontinued years ago. Ergo: D7200 it is. :cool:

No, you didn't touch any nerves. I just thought that the OP might want to hear about other cameras that can focus this lens other than the "D7200 or Higher"
BTW, none of the cameras that I mentioned cost anywhere near ten times as much as a $150.00

I'm just going to leave it at this, without getting into a debate about the D7100. After all it is not our thread.
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I tend to not rate the Sigma as poor as others do,here are some samples taken by my wife about 10 years ago,it may not be the best lens and has no VR,never had the 55-200 so not suggesting one or the other,just adding some balance to the discussion,taken on a Canon 300D with only 6mp so that could explain a lot :D

nancy bradley2 006.jpg


nancy bradley2 029.jpg


nancy-bradley2-040.jpg


It is possible later ones are not as good i just dont know
 

pforsell

Senior Member
I have to disagree with you about the D7100.
It's okay, I welcome opinions and discussions on both sides of the story. Thanks.

I do not see a camera listed in your profile so what camera do you shoot now?

I tried to update my profile with my recent (last ~2 years) purchases, but when 4 out of 4 items were not "available" in the forum database, I gave up. Who maintains the list, btw? They should add AF-S VR 400/2.8G, TC-20E III, TC-14E III, D4S. And I think even my 2009 vintage AF-S VR 200/2 II isn't listed. Or maybe the list is more up to date now?

Anyway, I agree with Blacktop, we should concentrate on the OP's topic of short/medium affordable tele zooms instead of camera bodies.

I'm just going to leave it at this, without getting into a debate about the D7100. After all it is not our thread.

Thanks for comments, and I agree about staying ion topic.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I tried to update my profile with my recent (last ~2 years) purchases, but when 4 out of 4 items were not "available" in the forum database, I gave up. Who maintains the list, btw? They should add AF-S VR 400/2.8G, TC-20E III, TC-14E III, D4S. And I think even my 2009 vintage AF-S VR 200/2 II isn't listed. Or maybe the list is more up to date now?

Last time I checked, it only took camera body info. So why not do what many others do...list your gear in your signature so it shows up beneath your posts? :)
 

pforsell

Senior Member
Last time I checked, it only took camera body info. So why not do what many others do...list your gear in your signature so it shows up beneath your posts? :)

There has been the camera, lens, flash etc form all along in the user settings, see below. There is some kind of database behind it, but the site hasn't been updated in quite some time and I cannot enter any new gear into it. On top of that the system had a hiccup and my old gear got deleted too.


edit_settings.jpg

I tried to enter my stuff into the signature as you proposed, but LOL!!! there's a 500 character limit to it. So I had to leave all my Nikon-1 stuff off, as well as all my bellows and enlarger lenses because they have long names like Schneider-Kreuznach Componon 75mm f/4 or Rodenstock APO-Rodagon 80mm f/4 etc etc.

I'm not sure I like the signature though. What purpose could it possibly serve?
 

mikeee

Senior Member
I've used the Tamrom 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Lens on my d3200 and am happy with it.
There is a $100 rebate on it now which would probably put it in the range of these other 2.
[h=1][/h]
 

rob shearing

Senior Member
I used to own the 55-200 vr, it's a great lens, really sharp. But I think you will find yourself thinking "I wish I had a little more reach!" I know I did, and now have the Tamron 70-300 VC USD, It's really good value.
Rob
 
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