Third party gems (and dogs) for Nikon DX or FX

[eric_arnold]

<p>my one third-party "dog" would have to be the tokina 24-200 3.5-5.6. fairly soft until f/8, but built like a tank.</p>

[soeren_engelbrecht1]

+ 1 (or more, if I may :-) for the old Sigma 28/1.8 AF (58 mm filter). It's my preferred prime on DX, and served me

great on film, too. I chose it as the only lens for the birth of my son, actually. I guess that says it all :-)

 

Http://www.imagepro.dk/birth

[JDMvW]

<p>Another vote for the Sigma 10-20mm for DX<br /> I don't have the descendant -- the 12-24mm for FX, but if you can find it, the Sigma 15-30mm lens is a dandy performer for FX.</p>

<p>For macro, the Tamron 90mm Macro lens is an excellent lens for a bargain price.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<blockquote>

<p>if you can find it, the Sigma 15-30mm lens is a dandy performer for FX.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>forgot to mention this one. got mine used for $150. the outside was a bit banged up but the optics were perfect. 15mm on FX is really w-i-d-e...</p>

<div></div>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>my 3rd party gems for fun of the hobby (got paid for some of their services, too):<br>

sigma 17-50mm f/2.8<br>

sigma 50-150mm f/.8</p>

 

[RaymondC]

<p>I didn't like my Tamron 28-105/2.8; sold it. I got it free when I bought a cheap D2h. </p>

<p>I have a Sigma 10-20 which I am v happy about. </p>

[ian_gordon_bilson]

<p>I really like my Nikon 70-210 AFD f4 constant aperture (105-315) . Heavy as a beer keg,but excellent on all my Nikons.<br>

Also,Tamrons 300/5.6 Close Focus in Adaptall-2 mount.</p>

[kohanmike]

<p>I'm another for the Sigma 50-150 f/2.8, which got even better when I moved from a D70s to a D300s. Looking forward to receiving the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 in the next couple of weeks.</p>

[BernardMiller]

<p>I only own one third-party Nikon lens. But I'll add my vote to the others who've mentioned that the Tokina 12-24/4.0 is a very nice lens. Well made, fairly light, compact, and quite sharp. And quite reasonably priced. Lots to like about that lens!</p>

[tallnbig68]

<p>Have purchased and traded much glass over the years. The most recent dog was the original Nikon <a rel="nofollow" href="http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/telephotozoom/af_zoom70-300mmf_4-56g/index.htm" target="_blank">AF 70~300mm f/4-5.6G</a>.which was soft at the extended range. Flogged it at a camera show and simply pocketed the money. $250.00.<br>

Tend to shy away from non-Nikon and before Nikon, Pentax glass. Thirty years or more past tthere were many used and new non-brand lenses for sale; here. Now seems as most brands have disappeared to on-line auctions or the scrap bin as the older glass was mounted in metal as opposed to some form of plastic.<br>

I don't do on-line auctions; far too risky. And then too have found handling and using the glass before possible purchase has avoided problems. Most of the time!</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Another vote as gem for the Tokina 12-24 f/4 and Tokina 100mm f/2.8 macro. <br />One lens I very very long contemplated (and finally never bought), but which I believe to be a gem too: Zeiss ZF 35mm f/2.</p>

<p>Only lens I had which I regard a real dog is the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3.... Looking back now what it produced, it seems it just failed to be sharp at any setting beyond 120mm. Below that, not too bad, though surely nothing special.</p>

[John D]

<p>I will cast yet another vote for the Sigma 10-20. More than adequate at that range. Also the Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5 is pretty good. I put mine on the D7000 to use until I found a really good general purpose lens. It is still there. Covers the classic 28-105, of course. I do wish it was a bit wider but the 70 end of it gives a bit more reach and does not send you to 5.6 for wide open. It also does color close to Nikkor rendering and appears to be well built.</p>

[Stephen L]

<p><strong>Gems:</strong><br>

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 DX - wonderful, if under used. Don't forget the hood.<br>

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DX - my favorite prime for street<br>

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 - my only gripes are jumpy focus at times and lack of contrast on occasion. Bokeh is wonderful.<br>

Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro - very sharp. A joy to use.<br>

Tamrom 90mm f/2.8 macro - very nice images. Beautiful out of focus rendering.<br>

All my other glass is Nikkor. No third party dogs.</p>

[tom_clune]

<p>My poor man's holy trinity on my DX body is:<br>

Tokina 12-24 f/4 II, Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, and Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR. All are excellent performers for the price, and they play well together.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<blockquote>

<p>My poor man's holy trinity</p>

</blockquote>

<p>LOL.</p>

[walterh]

<p>Two lenses that stand out (of at least 40+ lenses I used for 35mm in say 4 decades) because of their rendition:</p>

<p>Nikon 28mm f 2.0 MF ( used one of the first copies, must have been near 1972, already got CRC and later bought one of the latest version because I wanted one again)<br>

Zeiss Macro Planar 100mm f 2.0</p>

<p>Both lenses are still great on a D3.<br>

Cheers<br>

walter</p>

[marypar4]

<p>Tamron 200-500 purchased used for $400 and she is a beauty...very sharp..can't hand hold ..but a nice compromise to the more expensive 500 mm's. Eventually I will get a VR but for now ..loving it!<br />Also own the SIgma 10-20..wow..sharp sharp..loving the wide angle ..<br />sigma 70-200 hsm 2.8 ..its a beast ..only bring it out for low light shooting but its sharp and great in low light.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>My favorite third party lenses with the DX format D2H are those I favor for their unique technical flaws that lend certain aesthetic characteristics I don't see with my "better" lenses:</p>

<ul>

<li><strong>Spiratone Portragon 100mm f/4</strong> (non-adjustable aperture). It's a soft-focus single element lens with heavy spherical aberration that was about introduced about a decade prematurely. Where the Portragon failed, the Lensbaby succeeded. Timing and marketing really do matter.</li>

<li><strong>Lentar 135mm f/3.5 T-mount preset</strong>. Adequately sharp wide open, comparable in resolution to my 105/2.5 AI Nikkor stopped down. The simple coating and internal baffling/flocking makes it prone to veiling flare, including from internal flare, which is good for a "softer" look without sacrificing resolution of desired details. Lovely bokeh, due more to the simple optical design than to the nearly perfectly rounded iris shape.</li>

</ul>

<p>It also helps that both were cheap at local pawn shops.</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>Surprised that no one has mentioned this gem in the thread:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00HsSA</p>

[walterh]

<p>Robert with time someone will mention it for sure :-)</p>

<p>This is a nice lens with respect to both optics and mechanics. However, the Zeiss 100mm f2.0 beats it in the bokeh.</p>

<p>There is a certain difference in price (if one can find the Kiron, it took me 2 years to find one in excellent condition) and the solution for me was to own a Kiron and borrow the Zeiss if I need it :-P<br>

Once I run into the problem that I cannot borrow the Zeiss anymore I am willing to sell most of my macro lenses just to afford the Zeiss.</p>