D70 lens advice required

[wahlao1]

Hi,

I have a vacation coming end of the month and planning to bring the new D70+kit along together with 1 or 2 more lenses...

I am looking at a wide angle lens for landscape/scenary pictures and maybe another lens with more zoom to compliment the kit 70mm (x1.5) zoom.

Any suggestion ? When replying, could you also indicate if there is/are anything that I need to take note of the lenses like if it gets distorted at very wide angle etc etc ? Maybe posting of gd/bad pictures would be helpful as a picture is worth a thousand words. Thank you for sharing your experiences

[espn]

If you're going for holiday, landscapes/scenary would be your utmost priority, I frankly don't know why you need the 'extra reach' Focus on what you want to shoot and not everything

I'll recommend a WA like the 12-24 for the holidays

[Kaijiew]

Originally Posted by espn If you're going for holiday, landscapes/scenary would be your utmost priority, I frankly don't know why you need the 'extra reach' Focus on what you want to shoot and not everything I'll recommend a WA like the 12-24 for the holidays

but the Nikkor 12-24 (S$1650) is usually out of stock.. hard to find one.
unless you don't mind 3rd party lens like sigma 12-24 for $S1150.

or the super wide 10.5mm fish eye...sweeeet......... !!!! $S1050.

[nokin]

Originally Posted by wahlao1 Hi, I have a vacation coming end of the month and planning to bring the new D70+kit along together with 1 or 2 more lenses... I am looking at a wide angle lens for landscape/scenary pictures and maybe another lens with more zoom to compliment the kit 70mm (x1.5) zoom. Any suggestion ? When replying, could you also indicate if there is/are anything that I need to take note of the lenses like if it gets distorted at very wide angle etc etc ? Maybe posting of gd/bad pictures would be helpful as a picture is worth a thousand words. Thank you for sharing your experiences

I've just come back from a 2 weeks working holiday. Brought along the D70 + Kit Lens only. IMO this is a good enough lens for travel.

My suggestion is if you want more zoom, get the Sigma 70 -300 APO Super Macro II. This would extend your zoom requirement. Unless you want to drag yourself down .

If you don't mind, here are a few pictures shot with the Kit lens. Not good pictures but just want to show that the Kit Lens is

Kit Lens in Macro mode


Kit Lens at max wide. Shot from top of a hill


Sunset with Kit Lens

[wahlao1]

Thanks all for the advise

Espn, Kaijiew, infact I am also looking at 12-24mm lenses. Unfortunately I am unable to come to any conclusion whether to buy Nikon or Sigma brand

Read couple discussions in the forum and seems that the Sigma produces slightly better result ? Does anyone knows of any site that provide professional comparison between these 2 ? Also Nikon is S$500 more than Sigma

Espn, I am looking for a zoom lens is because it will definitely come in handy during vacation when you want to zoom in during performances etc..

nokin, those are great pictures ! Though personally I would definitely want to bring out more detail in the flower for Macro shot. A more zoom will definitely help here... Btw, where's the place for 2nd pic ?

[nokin]

Originally Posted by wahlao1 nokin, those are great pictures ! Though personally I would definitely want to bring out more detail in the flower for Macro shot. A more zoom will definitely help here... Btw, where's the place for 2nd pic ?

Yes, agree that there is not enough details for the rose macro and insufficient magnification. A higher range zoom lens with macro will definitely be able to bring out more details.

Second pic is Perth, shot from top of King's Park.

[Dennis]

My suggestion is don't just look at what others say and technical details go to a shop and handle it, molest the lens throughly and see which one feel shoik than buy that one (not considering the price of course). In most cases unless you blow up to large size you can't really tell the different unless you look real hard. Sometimes the design do have some practical advantage like the above 2 lens if you want more details on a close up shot, the Nikon allows the attachement of a practical 77mm close up filters or the Canon 500D (don't say 500D not suitable for wide angle, try it) but not the Sigma. In most case Nikon design takes into consideration filter size (similar size for a range of lens) but not 3rd party lens. So look beyond if you are going to be loyal to 1 brand you will most likely be rewarded, you decide.

Originally Posted by wahlao1 Thanks all for the advise Espn, Kaijiew, infact I am also looking at 12-24mm lenses. Unfortunately I am unable to come to any conclusion whether to buy Nikon or Sigma brand Read couple discussions in the forum and seems that the Sigma produces slightly better result ? Does anyone knows of any site that provide professional comparison between these 2 ? Also Nikon is S$500 more than Sigma Espn, I am looking for a zoom lens is because it will definitely come in handy during vacation when you want to zoom in during performances etc.. nokin, those are great pictures ! Though personally I would definitely want to bring out more detail in the flower for Macro shot. A more zoom will definitely help here... Btw, where's the place for 2nd pic ?

[WideZoom]

Originally Posted by nokin I've just come back from a 2 weeks working holiday. Brought along the D70 + Kit Lens only. IMO this is a good enough lens for travel. My suggestion is if you want more zoom, get the Sigma 70 -300 APO Super Macro II. This would extend your zoom requirement. Unless you want to drag yourself down . If you don't mind, here are a few pictures shot with the Kit lens. Not good pictures but just want to show that the Kit Lens is Kit Lens in Macro mode Kit Lens at max wide. Shot from top of a hill Sunset with Kit Lens

Hi Nokin, is the SIGMA 70-300 APO Super Macro ll a CPU lens too?
I know little about SLR. Or is it that all SIGMA and TAMRON lens of
Nikon mount are CPU lens?

[nokin]

Originally Posted by WideZoom Hi Nokin, is the SIGMA 70-300 APO Super Macro ll a CPU lens too? I know little about SLR. Or is it that all SIGMA and TAMRON lens of Nikon mount are CPU lens?

The above mentioned lens is a CPU lens. It works well with my D70, it seems that some do not like it but it's ok for me in terms of sharpness and color as I'm not a professional. I don't expect quality of a $2000/- lens for $340.

Sigma Zoom Lens

What is CPU Lens, Link1

What is CPU Lens, Link2

[xdivider]

Originally Posted by WideZoom Hi Nokin, is the SIGMA 70-300 APO Super Macro ll a CPU lens too? I know little about SLR. Or is it that all SIGMA and TAMRON lens of Nikon mount are CPU lens?

AF lenses are CPU lens, so u shouldnt need to worry abd metering. For greater portability, u can consider the sigma 55-200mm DC lens, considered pretty compact and sharp for its price. U might wanna go with a prime or fisheye for the wide end if u dun think u will be using < 18mm frequently. For imprompto macros, a closeup filter or extension tube would be nice, esp if u are not getting the 70-300mm.

[WideZoom]

Thanks a lot Nokin and Xdivider for your advise. Have learn some more about SLR.

[vince123123]

just wondering, how does the 500D differ from other close up filters?

Originally Posted by Dennis or the Canon 500D (don't say 500D not suitable for wide angle, try it) but not the Sigma. In most case Nikon design takes into consideration filter size (similar size for a range of lens) but not 3rd party lens. So look beyond if you are going to be loyal to 1 brand you will most likely be rewarded, you decide.

[xdivider]

Originally Posted by vince123123 just wondering, how does the 500D differ from other close up filters?

Canon 500D is a +2 2x element version. The 500D (+2), 250D (+4), nikon 5T (+1.5), 6T (+3) are all roughly equivalent to each other optically. Sigma also has a 2x element filter for their lens which i wasnt able to find. The advantages of the 500D is that they have 72mm and 77 mm versions whereas the 5/6T reaches only 62mm. However the price of the larger 500D filters is abt 3-4 times that of the nikon ones, so unless vignetting is a concern, i'd rather get the 5/6T.

[2100]

I think it really depends on what are you after. I just came back from Indonesia and i was shooting some real nice eagles (never came across such nice stuff here in silly singapore's Sungei Buloh). Basket, only had the Sigma 28-200 (ala quite lousy, but i got it 2nd hand to test test). 200 * 1.5 = 300mm is still insufficient, even though the eagles probably were only 50m away. It's either you decently fill up the frame with the eagle with enough reach, coz all consumer telephotos don't look decent enough at 100%. Or you get a real good quality lens (read heavy + expensive).

I was also using the tamron 28-70 2.8, insufficient reach for some stuff like sniper street photography stuff. The Indonesian Malays are pretty shy (some were naked kids). Then there are the rowdy ones, they see you shooting them and they will either ask for moolas or go "Oi Oi Oi" thus spoiling the shot.

Really depends on what are you after lor.