Help : Nikon D70 lenses

[fraggle]

I've just got myself a nice D70 with the 18-70mm Nikkor lense.

I'd like to get a decent tele zoom lens too, but looking at the range of lenses availble I'm more than a bit baffled...

I see people saying that lenses with wide zoom ranges are a compromise and best avoided, like the Tamron 28-300mmF/3.5-6.3 XR Di lense, true?

Also I'm confused about which lenses do what in the Nikon range (never mind the 3rd party brands)

Am I right in thinking that all AF-S, AF-I lenses do not have aparture dials as this is controled via the camera, and that AF works with these in all modes?

And for AF-G lenses, does the AF work with these in all modes?

Also the AF and AF-D lenses, AFAIK these do have the aparture dial, so the camera won't be 100% operation with respect to that? And I see from one web page that the AF-D uses the focus motor in the camera body, so I'm doubting that AF will work on the D70 with these lenses?
Link

I've also read that AF doesn't really work below f5.6 due to too little light, true?

I'm basically after something like 70~300 (or 70~200 ish), F4 or thereabouts (can't afford F2.4 yet!) with the same optical quality as the 18~70mm lense the camera came with.

Second hand or new, what do people wot know a lot more than me know? Help!!

PS As I'm new to decent SLR photography, I sort of expect to buy a cheap(ish) tele lense and then in a few years flog it and buy a decent one once I know whats what and what I like doing.

[owain_thomas]

Hi fraggle, I'm in a very similar situation to you. I got my D70 a couple of months ago and have had to learn a LOT recently to get upto speed with it all.

As I understand it the abbreviations mean the following:

AF-S = Silent wave focussing, uses magnets to do very fast, very quiet focussing.

AF-I = Internal movement of the lens elements so that the filter doesn't turn as the lens focuses.

G-Lenses = these lenses don't have physical, manual control of the aperture they are controlled by the aperture setting on the body of the camera. All AF-G lenses will autofocus with your D70.

As you've got one of the very good kit lenses I would suggest getting something which operates above the range you've already got. I recently picked up one of the AF-G 70-300 nikkor lenses ( http://www.jessops.com/search/viewpr...WORD_SEARCH=N& ) and its great. Its pretty cheap and cheerful (I got mine here in the US - where I'm living until next monday - for about 60 quid) but it works well and has given me some pretty sharp pictures so far.

A couple of caveats: It is not the same quality as the kit lens so don't expect it to be, it doesn't have ED glass, is not AF-S so makes some noise when focussing and takes longer to focus. Also, as it is not and AF-I it twists the filter as it focuses, so circular polarisers need to be adjusted after you focus, not before. It is a "slow" lens, even at its shortest focal length it is only rated at f4.5 so a tripod is necessary for a lot of things. Having said all that, for the money I think it's hard to grumble, its a great introductary lens and will allow me to see whether it's worth saving up for a hideously expensive vibration-reduction nikkor in the future!

hope that helps clear the muddy waters a bit,
owain

[Radiohead]

From what I've read the Tamron lenses are very well-received and well priced. This month's Digital Photographer has a small test of 4 telephotos and the Tamron in the test (28-300 Di IIRC) comes in just behind the Nikon 18-200 (again I may have the lens wrong) but is a useful amount cheaper.

I'm agonising over a longer lens as well as a decent 1:1 Macro.

[Radiohead]

Hell - that 70-300 G lens is just £80 here

http://www.digitalfirst.co.uk/ProdSD...es&ProdID=1536

Can't go wrong for that money can you.

[Pink Fairy]

I've got the 70-300mm AFD-ED version, it's not fastest in terms of AF speed and it's 'ED' badge is a bit deceptive in that Nikon only use the ED glass on one of it's elements... still, it's optically superior to the standard version but it's being ripped apart when put in front of my D2x, a fair bit of vertical CA (colour fringing) evident... although fine on lesser dslr's.
At the prices that are being shown for the standard version, that looks a better buy.

cheers,
Andy

[fraggle]

Thanks for everyones help so far.

That price for the 30-700 G is damn cheap, same as importing from HK on Ebay

I've found a cheap 30-300D ED lense here

From what you say Andy and Owain I'd be better off looking for a faster zoom tele lense. Hmm, back to ebay and the manufacturers sites :-)

[owain_thomas]

If you want something a bit of a step up from the nikon lens then it might be worth having a look at tokina lenses, I asked a similair question on the ephotozine website and was recommended the following lenses as middle ground between the cheap nikkor one and the more expensive versions:

Tokina ATX 80-200 f2.8 - £430

Tokina ATX 80-400mm II f4-5.6 - £360

HTH
owain

ps still reckon it might be worth getting hold of one the 70-300G's if you can get it for less than 100 quid, it seems worth that to me so far.

[fraggle]

Ok, made my mind up at last

After spending weeks on EBay looking at Nikon 80-200 f2.8D AF and AF-S and watching their prices sail right past what I would call reasonable money I gave up on them.
(I'm currently watching an old single touch AF one go right past £300, and I know that there's an identical one, A1 condition in Jessops, S/H that they want £120 for - EBayers are *mad*!!)

So had a re-think and I've now got one of the Nikon 70-300 f4-5.6G lenses that Radiohead posted the link to (thanks mate! )

And by tomorrow I should also have a Tamron 90mm Di F2.8 macro for closeup work. (£295 from the UK)

I've also ordered an SB-600 off a HK EBay seller for £91 + £25 p&p, cheaper than anywhere in the UK, and cheaper than all used SB-600s I've seen on EBay.

That lot will cover anything I can think of that I might like to do, for not much money (well, OK, lets say the lenses could have cost me *loads* more!) and when I get a feel for what I really like doing I can save and get a higher quality lense to do that if I feel the need to.

So, now I've (nearly) got the bits its play, play play

[Radiohead]

Fraggle - I'll be interested to see what you think of the 70-300. I returned mine yesterday (ahem) after a good play over the last week or so. It was too soft over 200mm for me, and I found a fair amount of CA, again over 200. Up to 200mm it was fine though.

I went for a Sigma 70-300 APO Super II instead and initial shots suggest it is happier over 200mm and seems to lock on a little quicker instead. It was £160 from Warehouse Express so is twice the cost of the Nikkor though. I ddin't bother going for the ED Nikkor at £260 or so as reports suggest it's not much different to the G version. The Sigma also has a macro function offering 1:2 when used between 200mm and 300mm which will be handy unitl I can afford the Tamron you're ordering.

The Tamron is a cracking lens - you should be well happy with that. I tried one last week and it's very nice indeed. Couldn't afford it now though.

[lurcher]

Going on holiday to states at end of June wont have much time for shopping as I will be fishing the St Lawrence river up in New York state. If I get chance to visit a Wall Mart or Airport camera shop what savings could I expect to make on a lens for the D70 ? Poss 70-300.

Thanks

[Radiohead]

Which one? Sigma, Nikkor G or ED, or Tamron?.....

[owain_thomas]

I got my Nikor 70-300G in the US for the equivalent of £60 delivered to my door. When I went into a camera shop in Denver they were retailing at about $160 (more like £90). If you want a real bargain it will depend how long you are out there and if you can have it delivered somewhere (can't imagine having it delivered to a hotel would be problem, best ask first though). If you are thinking of doing it try www.adorama.com that's who I used and they were very quick.

Owain

[paulc1]

when I was in new york last year (Manhattan), I was flabberghasted at the cost of camera gear, and in alot of cases, after you have added the tax, it doesn't work out much cheaper, if cheaper at all,..and then there is the warranty, be sure that it is international.
I bought my 300G nikkor lense on Ebay from a Canadian company, and after the import tax, handling fees etc, it was about a tenner cheaper than if I had bought it in the UK.

[wsurfa]

sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM is the best value high performance zoom lens. Possibly not quite as sharp as the NIkkor 70-200 2.8VR at 2.8 but still very good and c 400-550GBP dependant on source

[fraggle]

I've seen a lot of comments say that the Nikon 80-200 was the sharpest lense, and the early versions of it were the best.

Also that the latest VR 70-200 isn't as good sharpness wise.

Anyway, after having a little play with the 70-300G today the hardest thing I found was eliminating camera shake! If the shutter speed is slower than about 1/150 every shot has it to an extent. More practise and steadier hands needed!