nikon vs sigma (zoom tele)

[mate_bartha]

Hi!

I'm a d70 owner for sime time now, but i've only used the kit lens

nikkor 18-70 dx. i'm planning to buy a zoom tele, and i would need

some pieces of advice. first of all, what is the main difference

between the nikkor 70-300g and the 70-300d? is it only the ed glass in

the d type? i know that the g type is of a lighter construction, and

is cheaper, but are these only what "g" stands for? sorry if i'm

stupid, but i don't even see huge differences between the test photos

(pbase)

 

i sense that d ... "must be" better, and i could afford it as well,

but i'm still curious.

 

the second, and the main question is the following. i've also thought

about the sigma 135-400, which i could buy at a price about 70-300d

is. what do you suggest? i'm not really into animal photography, so

for my usual subjects, carrying the tripod would be a bit frustrating,

but i still think that the 135-400 is a fantastic lens, and later i

would be able to complete it whith a sigma 24-135 os 28-135 or

something like that.

The main point is: does 70-300d's quality reach 135-400's?

 

(or should i forget both and buy a nikkor 28-200g...)

[angel_o.]

I cannot comment on the Sigma but an alternative to the Nikkor 70-300 zooms is the AF 75-300/4.5-5.6 (with tripod collar). As you're not into animal photography and don't like carrying a tripod (IMO a slow 400 mm lens is far too long to be hand-held - specially with the 1.5x crop factor of a DSLR) I'd consider looking at something in the 200 mm focal range (e.g. Nikkor AF 70-210/4 or even better at the 80-200/2.8 zooms).

[richard_laepple]

I'd wait a bit for the new 50-200 AF-S G Nikkor.

[ecarter]

A "G" lens is basically a "D" lens without the aperture ring on the lens itself. Since your D70 uses its own controls rather than the controls on the lens to control aperture, there's no functional difference between these lenses that I can think of. The G may not be built quite as well, as you've already noted, but I think that optically, they're the same beast.

[jbq]

G lenses are the ones that don't have an aperture ring. While the first G lenses were low-end consumer lenses and therefore lightly constructed, that is not in inherent property of G lenses (anybody who has handled a 70-200VR will confirm that).

 

Between the 70-300G and the 70-300D ED, the optical difference is 1 ED element, and that element is a small element in the middle of the lens (most telephotos with an ED element have it is as the positive element of the large front doublet, probably because that's where it's most efficient. Because that makes it more expensive, it looks like the design of the 70-300D ED chose a cheaper location, possibly for marketing reasons more than anything). There's very little reporter difference in image quality between the G and the D ED variants.

 

The Tamron 70-300 is said to be exactly the same lens as the D ED for much cheaper. The Sigma 70-300 APO Macro (not the non-APO version) is said to be better than both.

[ShunCheung]

I agree with Richard that at this point the up-coming 55-200mm/f4.5-5.6 AF-S G DX zoom will likely be a good choice. It has the advantage of AF-S but is a pretty slow lens. It will be in the $200+ range (more expensive than the 70-300 G and on-par with the 70-300 ED) and at least I haven't seen test results from those common sources on the web. On a DSLR, a 300mm is very long and is likely to be an overkill; it may also be difficult to use without a tripod collar.

[jlobb]

I'd grab the G version. Take a look at my portfolio, ALOT of those pictures are taken with that lens. Optically it's not the best, especially with backlit subject, you get a noticable amount of blue dispersion. but I've used the ED version and it's not any better.

 

I also like it becuase it weighs almost nothing, and it only cost $99 so if I break it into a million pieces i'm not gonna be too pissed.

[bill_kerner1]

I am also in the same boat. After reading the many posts regarding this issue, I was in a local

dealer and they sales person was showing me how the Canon was shipping with a cheap

"lightweight" lens. It had a plastic mount. Please tell me the 70-300G has a metal mount. the

sales person had suggest the Tamron 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 XR Di. Its a little more money, I have

no problem paying a littel more if I get more. I come from the professional video world and

am making the leap into the still world. I have always followed the "buy name brand" path

with professional video equipment, but I am beginning to feel as it is different in the Photo

realm.