Wildlife tele

[greybeard]

I've been toying with the idea of getting a long tele for wildlife. 400mm or bigger. As you all know, this can get real expensive real fast so I've been looking at the economy rout first just in case the thing ends up sitting around. Right now I have a 70-300 f/4-5.6 AF-D I bought some 20 years ago and believe it or not, it isn't all that bad as long as I stay above 1/500 and f/8. But, I think I'd like a 400 prime or a 150-600 Tam a lot better. I've been looking at a used Tokina 400mm f/5.6 TOKINA 80-400MM F/4.5-5.6 AT-X LENS FOR CANON EF MOUNT {72} - KEH Camera from KeH but it says "Film Only". So I called yesterday and the man said that I wouldn't work properly with my D7000. I contacted Kenko/Tokina and they told me that the lens had been discontinued since 2000 and that were parts or service available for that lens. (*&^%) I know I could rent something but that wouldn't give me enough time to really see if I liked it and I know that the Tokina is available in a manual focus only for even less money. What other options are there?

 

[Rick50]

Canon U.S.A. : Professional Imaging Products : EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

 

[tirediron]

What is your budget?

 

[Derrel]

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor + TC 14e-II is decent actually, as a 420mm f/5.6, probably better than any zoom lens that hits 400 at f/5.6 effective aperture. PLUS, you have the prime lens only option, at a crisp 300mm and f/4 aperture; the 300mm f/4 AF-S **is better** than any zoom lens is at 300mm. Period. The 300/4 AF-S is also a close-focusing long lens, and it works surprisingly well with an extension tube added as a sort of long-distance close-up lens for situations where you want high magnification, from the 300mm focal length, and close-focusing, due to the extension tube you've added. It's also a pretty good portrait lens, and it is NOT super-heavy, and is easily carried when slung over the shoulder in its own ballistic nylon case, or in the case for the Nikon 70-200/2.8 (both cases almost identical in size). It integrates well with a 70-200mm in actual use: you have a way to carry the 70-200 or the 300 and the 1.4x converter when actually out and about, with only a single lens carry case needed.

The new Tamron is longer, yes, and affordable.

 

[greybeard]

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor + TC 14e-II is decent actually, as a 420mm f/5.6, probably better than any zoom lens that hits 400 at f/5.6 effective aperture. PLUS, you have the prime lens only option, at a crisp 300mm and f/4 aperture; the 300mm f/4 AF-S **is better** than any zoom lens is at 300mm. Period. The 300/4 AF-S is also a close-focusing long lens, and it works surprisingly well with an extension tube added as a sort of long-distance close-up lens for situations where you want high magnification, from the 300mm focal length, and close-focusing, due to the extension tube you've added. It's also a pretty good portrait lens, and it is NOT super-heavy, and is easily carried when slung over the shoulder in its own ballistic nylon case, or in the case for the Nikon 70-200/2.8 (both cases almost identical in size). It integrates well with a 70-200mm in actual use: you have a way to carry the 70-200 or the 300 and the 1.4x converter when actually out and about, with only a single lens carry case needed.

The new Tamron is longer, yes, and affordable.

The Nikon would be probably be the best choice. They are $899 refurbished from Nikon. That still is a bit over my budget. What do you think of this lens?

SIGMA 400MM F/5.6 APO MACRO D TELE AUTOFOCUS LENS FOR NIKON {77} - KEH Camera

 

[greybeard]

Canon U.S.A. : Professional Imaging Products : EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Cute

 

[Derrel]

What do you think of this lens?

SIGMA 400MM F/5.6 APO MACRO D TELE AUTOFOCUS LENS FOR NIKON {77} - KEH Camera

I really don't know anything about it, but the price seems at least "reasonable" for a 400mm f/5.6 prime lens from a third party lensmaker. AT least it says APO, so Sigma probably made some design allowances for correcting chromatic aberration....APO is better than non-APO, and although many lower-priced lenses that say APO are not 100% corrected, they usually are better-corrected than non-marked designs. APO = apochromatic.

Size and weight BOTH look very,very good to me. NOT big, long, or heavy. Just based on the name,meaning APO-designated, and the fact that it is a prime lens and not a zoom, my guess is that optically it will out-perform most zooms that reach 400mm....just based on the old rule of thumb idea that even a modest prime lens can be designed to have fewer limiting areas of performance than a zoom because it needs to be only ONE, single, specific length.

 

[greybeard]

What do you think of this lens?

SIGMA 400MM F/5.6 APO MACRO D TELE AUTOFOCUS LENS FOR NIKON {77} - KEH Camera

I really don't know anything about it, but the price seems at least "reasonable" for a 400mm f/5.6 prime lens from a third party lensmaker. AT least it says APO, so Sigma probably made some design allowances for correcting chromatic aberration....APO is better than non-APO, and although many lower-priced lenses that say APO are not 100% corrected, they usually are better-corrected than non-marked designs. APO = apochromatic.

Size and weight BOTH look very,very good to me. NOT big, long, or heavy. Just based on the name,meaning APO-designated, and the fact that it is a prime lens and not a zoom, my guess is that optically it will out-perform most zooms that reach 400mm....just based on the old rule of thumb idea that even a modest prime lens can be designed to have fewer limiting areas of performance than a zoom because it needs to be only ONE, single, specific length.

That was kind of my thinking too. I may go this rout if I don't do the Nikon with a 1.4 converter.

 

[coastalconn]

I had the baby version of the Sigma 400 F5.6. They made a 300 F4 also. Make sure it is the "tele macro" as pictured at keh. There were other versions but they were kind of dogs. I've heard pretty good things about the 400 f5.6. I purchased one in the spring, but it was loaded with fungus. Anyways, here are some samples from the Sigma 300 F4 APO telemacro. The nikon version is very slow focusing.. Sigma 300 F4 APO Telemacro - an album on Flickr

As far as what Derrel said the 300 F4 AF-S is better at 300 then any of the big zooms, but add a TC and the difference is really gone.

 

[Mr.Photo]

I found a Tokina AT-X Pro 300mm f/4 lens at my local camera shop for sale for just shy of $200. It is an older AF (Screw Driven) auto focus which I know will work with your D7000 as I have the same body. I absolutely love this lens!!

1.
GBH on tree close by Gary C's Photography, on Flickr

2.
Loon_4 by Gary C's Photography, on Flickr

 

[snerd]

I haven't had much luck with the Siggy 150-500 on my crop 7D. I hope to give it a go on the 5D soon though!

 

[greybeard]

I found a Tokina AT-X Pro 300mm f/4 lens at my local camera shop for sale for just shy of $200. It is an older AF (Screw Driven) auto focus which I know will work with your D7000 as I have the same body. I absolutely love this lens!!

1.
GBH on tree close by Gary C's Photography, on Flickr

2.
Loon_4 by Gary C's Photography, on Flickr

The only ones I can find like your Tokina say "film only". I called KEH about that and they said that It wouldn't work with a modern dSLR, it needed a chip upgrade that was no longer available from Tokina. Have you had any issues with your Tokina?
TOKINA 400MM F/5.6 ATX SD AUTOFOCUS LENS FOR NIKON {72} - KEH Camera

 

[Mr.Photo]

The one you linked to is a 400mm f/5.6 lens. I have no knowledge of that particular lens with regard to it working on a digital body. Here's a photo of my lens.

Mine has all the proper electronics for metering and aperture control. To my knowledge the lens came from the factory this way and does not require any kind of upgrade to make it work with digital bodies. Auto focus is the older "screw drive" type, and everything works brilliantly on my D7000.

It's not surprising that you aren't able to find much about this lens. When I bought mine I tried to look up some info on it, and only found a couple of sites that had any info about this lens. I've provided a link to one review below.

Tokina AF 300mm f/4 AT-X (FX) - Review / Test Report

As the review indicates the lens is fairly rare, and apparently was not too popular. However I think they either had a bad copy of the lens, or were testing it in the absolute most extreme worse case scenarios that most people would most likely never encounter in the field as my particular lens exhibits very little to none of the traits that they depict in their review. For the money I spent I couldn't be happier. My lens is tack sharp even wide open, and the way it blows the backgrounds out of focus is fantastic in my opinion.

I did a quick eBay search and found a few copies of this particular lens, but most are in Japan, and asking prices are in the range of $400 plus. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and the price was too good to pass up.

Tokina also made a 2.8 version of this lens that from what little info I've read on that one is quite good as well, and also apparently can be had for a pretty affordable price when compared to other 300mm 2.8 lenses.

Another option you could look in to that may prove a bit easier to get is the older Nikon AF 300mm f/4. It's set up similar to the Tokina (screw drive AF), but still has all the proper electronics for metering, and as is typical with Nikon glass fantastically good. They can be had for around $400-500 depending on condition. I was looking at purchasing one of these lenses but didn't quite have the funds at the time, and then I found the Tokina and went for that.

 

[greybeard]

The one you linked to is a 400mm f/5.6 lens. I have no knowledge of that particular lens with regard to it working on a digital body. Here's a photo of my lens.

Mine has all the proper electronics for metering and aperture control. To my knowledge the lens came from the factory this way and does not require any kind of upgrade to make it work with digital bodies. Auto focus is the older "screw drive" type, and everything works brilliantly on my D7000.

It's not surprising that you aren't able to find much about this lens. When I bought mine I tried to look up some info on it, and only found a couple of sites that had any info about this lens. I've provided a link to one review below.

Tokina AF 300mm f/4 AT-X (FX) - Review / Test Report

As the review indicates the lens is fairly rare, and apparently was not too popular. However I think they either had a bad copy of the lens, or were testing it in the absolute most extreme worse case scenarios that most people would most likely never encounter in the field as my particular lens exhibits very little to none of the traits that they depict in their review. For the money I spent I couldn't be happier. My lens is tack sharp even wide open, and the way it blows the backgrounds out of focus is fantastic in my opinion.

I did a quick eBay search and found a few copies of this particular lens, but most are in Japan, and asking prices are in the range of $400 plus. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and the price was too good to pass up.

Tokina also made a 2.8 version of this lens that from what little info I've read on that one is quite good as well, and also apparently can be had for a pretty affordable price when compared to other 300mm 2.8 lenses.

Another option you could look in to that may prove a bit easier to get is the older Nikon AF 300mm f/4. It's set up similar to the Tokina (screw drive AF), but still has all the proper electronics for metering, and as is typical with Nikon glass fantastically good. They can be had for around $400-500 depending on condition. I was looking at purchasing one of these lenses but didn't quite have the funds at the time, and then I found the Tokina and went for that.

I realized that you were talking about a 300mm after I had posted. I have a Tokina 12-24 and love it. PM me if you ever run across another 300mm

 

[Mr.Photo]

I'll keep an eye out, but I've yet to see another like mine for sale since I got mine.

However I just looked on KEH.com, and they have a couple of the older Nikon AF 300mm f/4's I mentioned in my above post. These are really good lenses. I would have got one of those over my Tokina if I could have afforded it at the time. The Nikon version has a couple of nicer features that make it a bit better to use over the Tokina, but as far as image quality they are quite close to each other.

NIKON 300MM F/4 ED IF AUTOFOCUS LENS {39/82} - KEH Camera