bryan_terce Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hi everyone, I have a D100 with a 24-85G lens. I am looking for an 'affordable' zoom lens. I found a 70-300mm F4-5.6 'G' AutoFocus lens. Anybody with experience on this lens? Thanks Bert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi_wijaya Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 i don't have that lens, but i do have the 70-300ED. it is very sharp at f/8-11, i use it a lot for macro work. by the way the 24-85 that you have is also very nice with the price that we get. you got d100, why dont you get the D version of 70-300. it is very light weight "crappy" plastic body. you will feel so much different when you feel the ED series one. hope it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh_t Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 It helps when asking for lens recommendations it helps if you indicate what you plan to photograph and what you budget is. If you budget is under $200 and you want to reach 300mm this may be your only option. Considering you just spent at least 1600 in camera, software and accessories you may not want to get the cheapest lens available. I'm sure for home made 4x6 prints the G lens will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klix Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Isn't the 70-300mm G a typical kit lens?? So, it probably has a typical kit lens performance?? Why would you "cheap out" on a lens when you have a nice >$1k DSLR?? If you're looking in that zoom range, I would recommend the 80-200mm/2.8 AFD (2 ring). Of course, if you have the money the AFS versions (70/80-200mm) are sweet! Good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goemon Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I have the 70-300 G. If I had the cash I'd replace it immediately. It's apparently soft at 300mm, but I don't notice that nearly as much as I notice its speed issues (it's a slow lens and the AF is grindingly slow) and that it's not very contrasty at 300mm. The speed issues just irritate me but the lack of contrast is something I run headlong into a bunch. <p> If you want to shoot a lot at 300mm I'd look at a different lens. I can take pictures with mine and they come out and I even like them, but I would be way better served with a 300mm prime for the kind of shooting I like to do with mine (mostly wildlife and birds; I favor my 135 prime for my landscape work). <p> Now, that said: if you want the 70-300 to get the range of focal lengths between 85 and, say, 200 available to you, then the lens actually works mostly okay. I'd still pick the <a href="http://www.bythom.com/70300lens.htm">ED version</a> over the G (and not just because I have an FM3a I like to use). It's "only" $200 or so more. <p> More specific advice must await additional detail on your shooting habits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_roberts Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I bought a used 70-210/4-5.6D for < $200 at (KEH.com) and it is a very nice and relatively small lens. On the D-100 it ends up being about a 100-300. Here is a review. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/7021056.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astcell Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Get the 70-300 AF-D lens, it is NOT a G lens. I have shot very nice things with it, gave it to the wife when I got the 70-200AF-S. For the money, the 70-300 AF-D is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_cornell1 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 >I bought a used 70-210/4-5.6D for < $200 at (KEH.com) and it is a >very nice and relatively small lens. On the D-100 it ends up being >about a 100-300. Here is a review. >http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/7021056.htm I have the 70-210/4.5-5.6 D and second everything in Rockwell's review. It is a well made lens and produces sharp negs at all focal lengths. It's not an 80-200 f2.8 but I paid $160 for mine in like new condition -- more than $500 less than the 80-200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_sereda Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Another vote for the 70-210/4-5.6. Ken Rockwell was right, it is a fantastic lens, and the max aperature stays at around 4.5 or so all the way up to around 105-135mm. Paid $135 for mine in near mint condition on EBay. Can't go wrong with this fine piece of glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_sewell Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 When I was looking for an 'affordable' zoom lens, I also considered the 70-300 G lens, and discussed this with my 'standard' retailer (from whom I have bought quite a lot of phot/video gear over the years). He asked me what other lenses I had - I told him I had the 24-120mm f:3.5-5.6 ED. Whereupon he said that he would strongly advise against the Nikon G lens, saying that I would be disappointed with the results. He advised me to buy the corresponding Sigma APO lens (about the same price). He did actually offer to sell me the Nikon, with the condition that I could return it for the Sigma within the week, when I had found that I really was not going to be satisfied with the Nikon. My requirements are not particularly severe, but I remain happy with the Sigma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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