Lens question

Sistabelle · Mar 16, 2014

Hello, i'm a retired portrait photographer who shot with Mamiya RB and 645. I didn't want to invest all the money necessary to get similar equipment in digital. I used manual everything and all the whistles and bells on the digitals have me stupidified! Anyway, I bought a D90 several years ago and don't know what type of lens to buy. I want a telephoto zoom lens for wildlife. I have read so many reviews now this is confusing! I only have about $1,000. To spend and the worst thing is I'm a stickler for SHARP images. Can anyone help me???

robbins.photo · Mar 16, 2014

Ok, well the wildlife photos your shooting, are you looking for something with a large telephoto reach (500-600mm) or do you think something like a 300 mm would be sufficient? Also I'm assuming were looking at outdoors in relatively good lighting conditions, correct?

Sistabelle · Mar 16, 2014

I have moved to a home that is on a lake. Some birds are very shy and fly away at the least movement, like the hooded merganser. I have bald eagles, osprey, herons, and all type of migrating birds. Most would be in the daylight, with some at daybreak or dusk. I have a nikor 18 - 105 now, which does me no good at all!! Thanks!

robbins.photo · Mar 16, 2014

Sistabelle said:
I have moved to a home that is on a lake. Some birds are very shy and fly away at the least movement, like the hooded merganser. I have bald eagles, osprey, herons, and all type of migrating birds. Most would be in the daylight, with some at daybreak or dusk. I have a nikor 18 - 105 now, which does me no good at all!! Thanks!

Ok, well not sure how fast you need to get this but I would probably give the new Tamron 150-600 mm a good hard look. It will be just a little bit more than $1000 but it from everything I've read it's a pretty phenomenal lens. The downsides of course it is going to be a heavy piece of glass, but it will give you a lot of telephoto reach.

Something like a Sigma 150-500 mm would give you good telephoto reach, and you could probably get one cheaper used now that the Tamron is out. If you plan to be using a tripod or monopod you wouldn't really need the OS feature which could save you even more money, me I like being able to shoot handheld as needed so if it were me I'd spend the extra and get the OS version if you decide to go this route. I don't own one personally, but from what I've read when shooting at 500 mm you want to stop the lens down a bit to get the best results as far as sharpness is concerned. Again for a telephoto lens of this size your looking at a lot of weight so plan accordingly.

coastalconn · Mar 16, 2014

Well I have used many of the lenses available at this price point. The newest lens out there is the Tamron 150-600 which is $1069 but has not been released for Nikon yet. It has some pretty good reviews for Canon with a few glitches depending on the camera body.. Here's the flickr group for that lens.. These are random people that have the lens for Canon.. Flickr: The Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD Pool

All the links below here are from my Flickr galleries...
The Older Tamron 200-500 F5-6.3 is $949 new and about 500-600 used. It is an underrated lens but does not have VR. I would not recomend buying it new with the 150-600 around the corner..
I shot this lens for about 18 months.. Tamron 200-500 - a set on Flickr

The "go to" lens for Nikon is the 300 F4 AF-S with a 1.4x TC. $1350 new, $900-1000 used It's sharp, focuses fast and is pretty light. I had one briefly but returned it.
Nikon 300 F4 AF-S - a set on Flickr

There is also the Older 80-400 AF-D nikon, which I have shot with. Optically it's OK AF is very slow. I don't have a sample gallery.

I shot for 6 months with a Tokina 300 F2.8. It is very heavy, AF is good for a screw drive lens. Optics are good, sometimes to much CA wide open. Worked intermittently with TC's used 800+
tokina 300 F2.8 - a set on Flickr

Another go to lens is the Sigma 150-500 OS. Optics are OK think F8 at 500mm for decent results. Medium weight about 3-4 pounds. The price has dropped to $899 new with the announcement of the Tamron.. Used 600-700... Sigma 150-500 OS - a set on Flickr

Sigma 300 F4 APO Tele Macro. I was always curious about this lens and tried one for awhile. It was incredibly sharp, but the AF speed was incredibly slow. It didn't work well with teleconverters.. about 350 used.. Sigma 300 F4 APO Telemacro - a set on Flickr

Sistabelle · Mar 17, 2014

Thanks so much for your info and input! I do have a mighty fine tripod, but would prefer a lens that can be hand held. I don't have to go out this week, but would like to get it before many of the birds will be gone.

Sistabelle · Mar 17, 2014

After looking again at the reviews on the choices, i believe at this point i'm looking mostly in to the Tamron 150-600. Even though i would probably use a tripod most often, i think i could get used to it.
thank you so much for your information!!!

sifelaver · Mar 17, 2014

Since you are shooting crop consider the nikon 70-300 VR. It will equal out to 450mm fully extended and only set you back a few hundred bucks used. it is a best in class lens that is light enough that you can use hand held. It has VR so you can get 450mm distance shots without shake.

coastalconn · Mar 17, 2014

Sistabelle said:
After looking again at the reviews on the choices, i believe at this point i'm looking mostly in to the Tamron 150-600. Even though i would probably use a tripod most often, i think i could get used to it.
thank you so much for your information!!!

99% of my shots are handheld. You get used to the weight after a bit

sifelaver said:
Since you are shooting crop consider the nikon 70-300 VR. It will equal out to 450mm fully extended and only set you back a few hundred bucks used. it is a best in class lens that is light enough that you can use hand held. It has VR so you can get 450mm distance shots without shake.

The 70-300 is a little soft at 300mm and it not long enough for the OP's needs. Mergansers are very wary of humans and stay at a pretty good distance. Eagles and Ospreys generally don't land next to you either, well sometimes they do

BillM · Mar 17, 2014

Lots of great advice :thumbup:

Maybe even start out with the 300 f/4 and use that while waiting for the Tamron to be released. Then sell off the 300 f/4 ?