Telephoto zoom lens - Nikon D90

[piper85]

Hi all, I'm thinking of getting a telephoto zoom lens for my D90 for sports photography.

But have a few questions on the lens. If you guys could help me on this:

1) Deciding between "AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR" &
"AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR " . Any advice on this?

http://www.nikon.com.sg/productitem.php?pid=1383-42241b522c
http://imaging.nikon.com/products/i...m/af-s_nikkor55-300mmf_45-56g_ed_vr/index.htm

2) D90 is DX format dslr, does the lens have to be DX format as well?

3) Where can I get the above 2 lens and what is the estimated price range for them?

4) Is is advisable to get a telephoto (a fixed focal length) or a telephoto zoom lens?

Thanks

 

[kriegsketten]

Hi all, I'm thinking of getting a telephoto zoom lens for my D90 for sports photography.

But have a few questions on the lens. If you guys could help me on this:

1) Deciding between "AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR" &
"AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR " . Any advice on this?

http://www.nikon.com.sg/productitem.php?pid=1383-42241b522c
http://imaging.nikon.com/products/i...m/af-s_nikkor55-300mmf_45-56g_ed_vr/index.htm

2) D90 is DX format dslr, does the lens have to be DX format as well?

3) Where can I get the above 2 lens and what is the estimated price range for them?

4) Is is advisable to get a telephoto (a fixed focal length) or a telephoto zoom lens?

Thanks

DX bodies can use FX lenses - no problems with that! There is a Nikon price list maintained regularly on CS - go check it out.

Can't answer your 4) question - it depends on individual preferences - pros and cons to each. A warning, longer focal length telephoto lens (non zoom) can be very expensive especially current up-to-date Nikkors... Telephoto is telephoto, zoom is zoom...not to be mixed up.

Both lenses you've mentioned can do sports, but do note that they are not considered fast lenses due to aperture size, so images taken by them will depend on lighting conditions and how fast the subjects can be. The super fast lenses used by the professionals are generally f/2.8 types (zoom or telephoto) and they are not cheap, since they have a better chance of capturing superb images given their specs (skills pending of course).

 

[piper85]

Telephoto is telephoto, zoom is zoom...not to be mixed up.

What exactly is the difference if both function allows u to capture the close-up shots?

The super fast lenses used by the professionals are generally f/2.8 types

Is f/3.5 too slow for sports photography? What is the kind of speed (of the subjects) will f/3.5 be able to capture? Race cars? Boats? Runners in a marathon?

 

[Blur Shadow]

What exactly is the difference if both function allows u to capture the close-up shots?

A telephoto lens, in general, refers to lenses greater than 50mm in focal length.

A zoom lens refer to lenses which has a range of focal lengths, such as the 2 lenses you mentioned (55-300mm and the 28-300mm). It's opposite is the fixed-focal length lens or commonly referred to as prime lens.

It can be possible that a lens is a zoom but not a telephoto lens. The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is an example.

 

[Blur Shadow]

Is f/3.5 too slow for sports photography? What is the kind of speed (of the subjects) will f/3.5 be able to capture? Race cars? Boats? Runners in a marathon?

At the tele end (300mm end of both lenses), the largest aperture you can work with is f/5.6, not f/3.5.

 

[tormont]

Refer to this thread for 55-300mm

 

[papajanggo33]

What exactly is the difference if both function allows u to capture the close-up shots?



Is f/3.5 too slow for sports photography? What is the kind of speed (of the subjects) will f/3.5 be able to capture? Race cars? Boats? Runners in a marathon?

i've used nikkor 70-300mm ED(non VR) handheld @ 300mm f/5.6 shooting those wakeboarders @ ECP and bikers participating in NTU bike rally. Works well. Of course the lighting and technique works hand in hand. That's my experience

 

[Acolyte]

Is f/3.5 too slow for sports photography? What is the kind of speed (of the subjects) will f/3.5 be able to capture? Race cars? Boats? Runners in a marathon?

Ur f-stop depends on the avaliable ambient light. Had even went up to 1/500@f8 iso 200 shooting sports under hot sun and 1/250@f1.8 iso 2000 shooting hip-hop in a dark theater. f3.5 IMHO is good enough for all the above situations if 1) it is very bright and/or 2) you are willing to boost your iso. Hopes this helps.

 

[kriegsketten]

i've used nikkor 70-300mm ED(non VR) handheld @ 300mm f/5.6 shooting those wakeboarders @ ECP and bikers participating in NTU bike rally. Works well. Of course the lighting and technique works hand in hand. That's my experience

Have you tried against speed demons like F1 cars, street car races, Drift cars? Not the circuit corner shoots, but long passes for panning?

Edit: please don't misread me, I'm just asking if you've tried against the above subjects and what's your opinion?

 

[kriegsketten]

Ur f-stop depends on the avaliable ambient light. Had even went up to 1/500@f8 iso 200 shooting sports under hot sun and 1/250@f1.8 iso 2000 shooting hip-hop in a dark theater. f3.5 IMHO is good enough for all the above situations if 1) it is very bright and/or 2) you are willing to boost your iso. Hopes this helps.

Provided you're close enough to use 70mm otherwise, you'll have to zoom all the way to 300 where f/5.6 is all you'll get. And boosting ISO to 2000/3200 on a D90 is going to kill the image... :bsmilie: Which may be okay to you, but for me... I was like...:ipuke:

Edit: I'm hoping D7000 will change all this!

 

[papajanggo33]

Have you tried against speed demons like F1 cars, street car races, Drift cars? Not the circuit corner shoots, but long passes for panning?

Edit: please don't misread me, I'm just asking if you've tried against the above subjects and what's your opinion?

no,i've never tried it with ED lens,hence i never mention those type of high speed shooting in my reply. i understand where you coming from bro,no worries. but my principle remains unchanged. ie. you can have the fastest telephoto lens,but techniques and your cam set up also works optimally with such lens. otherwise, you gonna have loads of blurry shots

 

[kriegsketten]

no,i've never tried it with ED lens,hence i never mention those type of high speed shooting in my reply. i understand where you coming from bro,no worries. but my principle remains unchanged. ie. you can have the fastest telephoto lens,but techniques and your cam set up also works optimally with such lens. otherwise, you gonna have loads of blurry shots

Thanks for your advice bro! I'm going for the most optimum. I know my techniques may not be there yet, but I don't want to end up getting a lens that would ultimately limit my options. We can't always get the best light every time... If in such situations, are we going to NOT shoot, given that the lightings are going to majorly s-ucked? I often asked myself about these situations... Events will never always suit photographers, and neither will they postpone unless the weather conditions really hits rock bottom...and even if they postpone, will one be able to re-adjust their schedule too? Highly unlikely unless you're paid to do so...