Looking to buy a new lens

RuffianZenyatta16

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My parents are going to be getting me a new lens as a graduation present, but we don't know what the best lens would be. I use a Nikon D5100 and do sports/nature photography (mostly horses). I'm going to Saratoga racecourse this August so I need a lens that will be good for that to. I was looking at this lens: Amazon.com: Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX Nikkor Lens: NIKON: Camera & Photo


Does anyone have any other suggestions??
 
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This would be a good all around lens however if you already have a kit lens such as an 18-55 or 18-105 you can also consider the Nikkor 70-300mm for half the price and likely slightly better image quality.
 
^^ That! What sort of pictures do you like to take? What can't yours do now? One event doesn't really justify buying a lens if all your other shots are super wide or something...
 
I wouldnt get the 18-300mm.
Its too much of a compromise, it does many things faily well but nothing really good.
For zoom get the 70-300 VR, great lens and just a tad soft around the 300mm.
 
I believe ken rockwell described the focusing on that lens to be crap :p
I took these amazing shots with a 55-200mm, its great on focusing, and cheap, and ken rockwell even says the lens is amazing
Sports - IanCookePhotography
scroll down to see them, wish i submitted them to a magazine or somethi
 
Also, hint in shooting horse jumps, focus on the jumps and not the horse, that way your camera is ready to go, then you can go on burst mode when the horse reaches the jump.
My sister is a crazy horse person :p
 
I am assuming that you already have the 18-55 kit lens. To be honest, the 55-200 at $249 is really tough to beat.
 
I am assuming that you already have the 18-55 kit lens. To be honest, the 55-200 at $249 is really tough to beat.

Since its a gift from the parents (and he's already looking at 1000 dollar lenses) I think the 70-300mm would be the superior choice.
 
70-300vr would be my first choice.
As you will be back further for Sports,Horses,Wildlife and not needing the 18-70 end that much.
Having a kit lens already in that range makes for high price wasted spending at the sake of convenience.
And making optical compromises with a jack-of-all trades master of none for the sake of convenience zoom.
.
 
Thanks for the suggestions! I was also looking at the 70-300mm, but I wasn't sure what lens would be better.
 

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