lens question

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

very new to photography and just got a nikon d5000 with the kit lens, and im wanting to upgrade the lens. i want some more zoom so i picked this one...which seems cheap so what do you think??

1928G Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Telephoto Zoom-Nikkor Lens with HB-26 Hood - Black Finish - Gray Market

AG74683 · Feb 7, 2010

That lens will not auto focus on the D5000.

The 5000 does not have a built in autofocus motor in the body. The AF comes from a motor in the lens itself, and the one you linked does not have this motor.

You need to be looking for lenses marked as AF-S or AF-I

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

o ok any recomendations? and what does the s and i stand for??

KmH · Feb 7, 2010

AG74683 said:
That lens will not auto focus on the D5000.

The 5000 does not have a built in autofocus motor in the body. The AF comes from a motor in the lens itself, and the one you linked does not have this motor.

You need to be looking for lenses marked as AF-S or AF-I

Plus being Gray Market it has no US warranty. Nikon USA service won't touch the lens, even for non-warranty work.

The optical quality of the lens is fairly poor and Nikon has not made the lens for a couple of years now.

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

what are my other options then??

Derrel · Feb 7, 2010

SIgma has an affordable 70-300mm lens with an APO designation,and it's dewcent according to what I have actually seen from it--but make 100% sure it is the APO model of 70-300 from Sigma; the non-APO model is lower quality.

The 70-300 G is/was a low-cost, ultra lightweight $125 lens. I own one. It is discontinued as far as I know. After it Nikon made a 70-300 model commonly referred to as the ED model, which was as I recall an f/4~5.6 model. That was a $599 or so lens. Below the ED was the 70-300 f/4.5~5.6, as I recall, and that was a $329 model if my memory serves me correctly.

A couple of years ago, Nikon SIGNIFICANTLY upgraded the optics, and put VR into its highest-end 70-300mm lens, which is the new 70-300 f/4.5~5.6 VR-G; a slower maximum aperture than the older 70300 ED glass model, BUT better optics and VR--capable of being used on higher-resolution cameras.

Thom Hogan's web site and Ken Rockwell's website might be of help; I'm pretty familiar with a lot of Nikon stuff, but I have not kept up on the 70-300 class of lens for many,many years--hence my use of words like "as I recall" and "if my memory serves".

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

o ok thanks for the help. well i dont necessarily need a 70-300 i'm just looking for something with some more zoom capabilities?

KmH · Feb 7, 2010

chips1 said:
o ok thanks for the help. well i dont necessarily need a 70-300 i'm just looking for something with some more zoom capabilities?

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

more zoom then my 18-55. now im wondering how much actual differance i will have between the 200 and 300. i like this one,

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro Nikon Camera Lens | Overstock.com

but i do like this one too but its only 200.

Nikon | 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Autofocus Lens | 2166

so dont really know what kind of zoom i will get from either lenses so can someone explain that, and also what the other numbers are? like f4 5.6

FattyMcJ · Feb 7, 2010

chips1 said:
more zoom then my 18-55. now im wondering how much actual differance i will have between the 200 and 300. i like this one,

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro Nikon Camera Lens | Overstock.com

but i do like this one too but its only 200.

Nikon | 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Autofocus Lens | 2166

so dont really know what kind of zoom i will get from either lenses so can someone explain that, and also what the other numbers are? like f4 5.6

If memory serves me, 200mm is about 10x zoom in lay terms. I could be wrong.

Either way, most will recommend the 200mm max for most general purpose use like kids in sports and other amateur hobbyists. 300mm isn't needed, nor necessarily better unless you're always stuck in the top row of bleechers at your kids events. lol

As far as the other numbers, they refer to the maximum aperture. At the 55mm end (of 55-200) the aperture can be f/4. At the 200mm end (of 55-200) the aperture will be a max of f/5.6

Again, someone will probably correct me about the values, but you get the idea.

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

o i see, well thanks for your help

Darkhunter139 · Feb 7, 2010

I have the 55-200mm VR and I really like it. If you are looking for a cheaper zoom lens you cant go wrong with it.

Pops up quite a lot for $160 on adorama refurbished (I got mine refurbished form them and it came like new)

http://www.adorama.com/NK55200VRR.html?searchinfo=55-200+vr

chips1 · Feb 7, 2010

so what does apo stand for for the sigma lens? and what is the differance? i think the apo is about 60 bucks more.

AG74683 · Feb 7, 2010

the 55-200 is a 3.6x lens. Just divide minimum by maximium length to get the zoom ratio....

BUT that ratio can be the same, and the maximum focal length be pretty crazy....

Examples to help you choose (They are underexposed)

18-55 lens at full zoom length.

55-200 at full zoom length

hopefully this helps!