Zoom lenses

I own a D300 and recently watched a cricket game at the Melbourne Cricket

Ground (awesome settings ! and one of the best cricket grounds in the world!).

With a 18-200 mm Nikon VR lens, I was able to get some good shots but felt the

need to get a longer zoom lense to capture some close up action at the centre

of the ground from way back in the stands.

Would be grateful for some advice on the best long Nikon or Sigma lens around

(beyond 200mm) which could work well with D300.

Thank you.

There's tons of lenses I can recommend. Give me a budget to work with...

One cheaper lens is the Tamron 200-500mm f/5-6.3 - - in a very short period of time I managed to get super shots with this lens. But a prime, like the Nikkor 300mm f/4 AF-S is about the same amount & can be used with a TC.

Give us a budget & I'm sure many can help you.

Lil

the Nikon AF-s VR 70-300 on the less money end.

the Nikon 200-400 on the more expensive side.

My suggestion would be the Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200 f2.8 G IF-ED with a TC-17II teleconverter. Top quality products to go with your D300. This lens is very fast focusing and very sharp in my experience.

The Nikkor 80-400mm does not focus as fast and of course the f4.5-5.6 of the 80-400 is a limiting factor to some degree so that is why I suggested the above combination which is a little pricey but it really delivers. Also the quality control on the 80-400 is (was?) not as good as the 70-200 VR so that variable of posssibly getting a lens that is not up to standard would be diminished.

The ultimate solution would be the AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, but

should you not want to invest that much in a lens, the AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm

f/4.5-5.6D ED will do in a pinch. Much slower focusing ability and the necessity to boost

ISO to compensate for the f5.6 maximum aperture and to achieve useful shutter speeds.

I'm not a fan of teleconverters, but I know a lot of photographers like Al find their

performance to be acceptable or better.

Lots of possibilities to ponder, Sukumaran, but to reiterate theAF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR

200-400mm f/4G IF-ED is your best of all options if you can afford it, or even if you can't.

Nikon AF 300 f/4 or AF-S 300 f/4 and if there is enough light you can add a Kenko

telecoverter 1.4x or even 2x.

I have shot cricket with the 18-200 and i agree its too short. Didn't have my 80-400 with me on that day. I am sure that would have done the job pretty well.

Some people even use Kenko teleconverters with it and get good results, provided the sun is shining.

Sukumaran

You need at least a 400mm for good cricket action if you dont want to brake the bank I have used a cheap 400mm T mount lens cost $18.00 on a D70 with acceptable results, but a used Nikon 400mm 5.6 is not sily money maybe a 300mm with a teleconverter would work but a zoom is no really neccesary as the action is on the same level.

good luck Steve