vivitar 100-400mm series 1 f 4.5-6.7 bang for a buck???

in the $150-$225 price range which of the following lens is the best

buy for wildlife photography (specially mountains). (lenses will be

used with Nikon F75)

1. vivitar 100-400mm series 1

2. vivitar 70-300mm series 1

3. tamron, sigma , nikon (ED) 70-300mm

please advice.

11*4 will be the prints (in most cases)

I think, an used 28-300 Tamron would be the best bong for the buck.

11x4 sounds like an interesting print format out of a 35mm film frame.

You make curious typos too, Vivek.

:-)

"best bong for the buck"

Perhaps not ;-)

My key board is acting up. Doused by too much coffee vapors, I suppose.

Soumyadip, what I meant say (considering your application, the choices and the price range) is that the 28-300mm Tamron zoom is worth considering as a good all around lens for the price.

Now let me double check before pushing the post button...

O.K. all clear :)

I'd go for the Nikon 70-300 ED. It has a good reputation and is better than most 300mm zooms.

I wouldn't get either Vivitar lens.

BTW I don't think mountains are normally classified as "wildlife"!

if you want photograph mountain maybe is better a wide angle;-)

btw, the vivitar 100 400 if i m not wrong is done by cosina (you can find soligor, phoenix, cosina 100 400) all the same

is the worst optically in the range of that focal lenght

the best in mtf test is the sigma 70 300 Macro II (or 75 300 i dont remeber exacly)better then nikon same range lens

the right price of a 100 400 vivar (cosina)is less then 100 USD;-)

if you find it for 50 buy it ;-)

By far the best in the 70-300 range (and this price bracket) is the now almost extinct Sigma APO 75-300mm f4.5-5.6. Note: not 70-300, and not f4. If you ever find this lens, grab it. I have it in Pentax mount and consider these the best $60 I ever spent. It is a bulky, somewhat akward-looking, metal-barrel lens with rotating front element. I suspect that it is identical in optical formula with the Nikon 75-300mm, also a great performer, but more expensive.

Here's the Sigma, offered on eBay right now, in Canon mount:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3880104821&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

<p> If your budget is <b>very</b> tight than the Sigma 70-300 APO <b>II</b> is optically the best of all x-300 cheap zooms. </p>

<p> Happy shooting , <br>

Yakim. </p>

A very good bang for a buck is this:

http://www.photozone.de/2Equipment/reviews/tokina80400.htm

Use it with Provia 400F or Provia 100f pushed to ISO 200 and you be very happy with the results!

Good light!