I'm about to ask about upgrading a lens (my fire extinguisher is ready)

Quentin_Moyer · Jun 22, 2011

So I'm going to break down and ask the question that will probably warrant much flaming, which is okay, but I still need an answer in the end.
I'm shooting a Nikon D1X (I'm aware that it's old, but I'd rather spend $250 on that than a dinky D40 that won't take anything but AF-S glass) and I'm starting to get sick of my plastic 70-300mm
f/4-5.6G. The thing is not as sharp wide open as I'd like it to be (which is crippling because there's not much room to stop down anyway) and its AF isn't what I'd like it to be either. I like to shoot action and moving stuff, so AF speed is kind of critical.
I've narrowed it down to a few lenses within my budget-
-Nikon AF-S 70-300mm VR
-Nikon AF-D 80-200mm f/2.8 (would have to buy used)
-Nikon AF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6
-Nikon AF-D 70-210mm f/4
So I'm basically asking what the best value would be based on my priorities?
Feel free to suggest anything else, although I'm a little apprehensive to taking anything from Sigma/Tamron

Kerbouchard · Jun 22, 2011

My preference would be the 80-200 2.8 and in a very distant second, the 70-300 VR. The other two wouldn't make my list.

mrpink · Jun 22, 2011

Kerbouchard said:
My preference would be the 80-200 2.8 and in a very distant second, the 70-300 VR. The other two wouldn't make my list.

pretty much that.

The AF on the 80-200 AF-D is not SUPER QUICK, but it works just fine for most action. If you want lighting fast AF, the 70-200 VRII is what you want, almost three times the price though.

I love my two ring. Highly recommended.

p!nK

Quentin_Moyer · Jun 22, 2011

I've heard that the 70-300 VR has a bit faster AF than the 80-200/2.8, but the faster max. aperture is a great tradeoff.
Thanks for your responses.

chaosrealm93 · Jun 22, 2011

80-200

flea77 · Jun 22, 2011

Yep, no contest, 80-200 all the way.

Allan

molested_cow · Jun 22, 2011

80-200 F2.8 plus teleconverter and you will still be better than a F4.5.

djacobox372 · Jun 23, 2011

The 80-200mm has three flavors (four if you count the original non-d version), all the same optically, but with different focus speed-- you can save a lot of $$ if u don't mind a slower focusing lens. The af-s version focuses nearly as fast as a new vr2 lens, but cost around $900 used. The single ring push-pull version has slowish af but is still an awesome lens for only $400 used.

Keep in mind that your d1x has a strong af motor in it, so the af versions of this lens will focus more quickly then they do on most other consumer grade dslrs.

Derrel · Jun 23, 2011

The 70-210 straight f/4 has screwdriver focusing, and focuses VERY close, at all focal lengths. One of the closest-focusing zooms Nikon has ever made. Prices for clean samples I've seen lately have been $150 and $165, walk-in retail. Quite a good deal, in terms of money spent, and the constant f/4 aperture.

The 70-300 VR is pretty slow, aperture-wise. It's supposed to be optically quite, quite good. I have a 70-300 G, and am familiar with its several limitations. Still, the AF-S focusing protocol really helps on moving subjects...it's easier for a pro-level AF system to nail focus with the AF-S system than the screw-drive system, due to the different way the AF-S system interacts with the AF module; AF-S can 'see' the focal distance needed, and compute the exact amount of focusing needed to arrive at that distance; screw-drive is a constant focus-evaluate-focus-re-evaluate, trial-and-error system that is basically "stupid", yet in a fast way...so the 70-300 VR-G with its AF-S system ought to be considered for its range of lengths..yet still...slow aperture when zoomed out...

Honestly, I think there's a lens you ought to look at: the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX HSM. Used. Very handy for sports and portraiture outdoors. Nice weight and size. A good compromise INSTEAD OF a 70-200 or 80-200. I bought one to have the 200-300mm range in one lens. 200mm is often not enough top-end outdoors.

Quentin_Moyer · Jun 23, 2011

The single ring push-pull version has slowish af but is still an awesome lens for only $400 used.

I have looked at the push/pull version, but what put me off is that I heard lots of gripes that people end up with optically "deteriorated" samples when they purchase online just because they're so old (although I have an F. Zuiko 50/1.8 that's more than 30 years old that's still sharp). However, I've seen most two-rings in the used market around $700 at their cheapest, so the price tag of the one ring is attractive. Like I said, I would be happy to sacrifice AF speed for a faster max. aperture, I doubt anything can get much slower than my current tele.

Quentin_Moyer · Jun 23, 2011

Honestly, I think there's a lens you ought to look at: the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX HSM

Is the Sigma's build/optical quality any good? Every time I look at Sigma I hear horror stories about their optics and build quality. Heck, I've even heard of D1 series bodies tearing Sigma AF screws apart.

Derrel · Jun 23, 2011

I have the Sigma. I bought it used. It's been a good lens for baseball. It has held up for multiple years. It's one of the better-built Sigma lenses that I have seen. It is not a screw-drive lens, it's HSM, and it's been used on a D2x, often at 8.2 FPS. So, banging along at roughly half that speed on a D1x, it ought to be fine. It's certainly built better than the 70-300G series $129 lens you've been using...it's several notches above that...

orb9220 · Jun 23, 2011

Quentin_Moyer said:
Honestly, I think there's a lens you ought to look at: the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX HSM

Click to expand...

Is the Sigma's build/optical quality any good? Every time I look at Sigma I hear horror stories about their optics and build quality. Heck, I've even heard of D1 series bodies tearing Sigma AF screws apart.

Well have to keep the horror stories in perspective. As you will get the 1-3 out of 10 that got early or bad copies post multiple times in multiple forums blasting a particular lens. But you don't hear much out of the other 7-10 that got a great copy. I have seen persons sitting on the fence on pulling the trigger. Because they gave more weight to the 1 to 3 negatives than the 7 that are happy with the lens. Or the early adopters blasting a lens of early production runs before the manufacture can isolate and correct the problem.

Buying used is a gamble tho and bought my 2-ring 80-200 f2.8 AF-D used with a tamron 1.4x for $800. Have bought 90% of my gear used thru craigslist so I can test drive first before giving the cash. Barring that would only buy from a reputable dealer with good exchange/return policies.

As to zoom choices would be the 80-200 f2.8 AF-D and a 1.4x or 1.7 Sigma or Tamron teleconverter as maintains AF ability and me a 280mm f4 or 340mm f5.6 which is still quite usable with minimum hits in speed or Image IQ. Wouldn't do the 2.0x tho just trying to hard in that case.

Then would do the 70-300vr tho would seriously consider the sigma 100-300 f4 as an option. Depending on true need of f4 200-300 all the time or more general use 70-100 need. Dedicated for wildlife,sports etc than would do the siggy f4 in a heartbeat as a better fit.
.

djacobox372 · Jun 23, 2011

Quentin_Moyer said:
The single ring push-pull version has slowish af but is still an awesome lens for only $400 used.

Click to expand...

I have looked at the push/pull version, but what put me off is that I heard lots of gripes that people end up with optically "deteriorated" samples when they purchase online just because they're so old (although I have an F. Zuiko 50/1.8 that's more than 30 years old that's still sharp). However, I've seen most two-rings in the used market around $700 at their cheapest, so the price tag of the one ring is attractive. Like I said, I would be happy to sacrifice AF speed for a faster max. aperture, I doubt anything can get much slower than my current tele.

I've owned three of the push-pull 80-200mm and all worked great, it's built like a tank--it should hold up as well as any other nikon lens. The AF-D version was made between 92-97, so it's less then 20 years old (hardly broken in!).

If you're worried about lens age check the serial number against this: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

You can get a two-ring for around $650 if you look hard enough... heck I was able to snag a mint AF-S version for even less then that (but that was a very rare deal).