Wanting to buy a tele lens for sports photo, eg. Tennis. Which lens is cheap and good

[just2design]

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone help me with this.
I am helping friend taking sports photo,eg tennis events. Currently i using Nikon D300S with kits lens 18-105mm.
I had problem with close up shoots. So i decided to buy a tele lens for close up and zoom shots.
But for me, I need a good and budgets (less than or $300) lens for it because I may shoot once or twice a month.
Below are the lens i research, wondering which of these lens fit nicely to my D300S (can auto quick forcus)
Is Nikon better than Tamron or Sigma lens?

Can any pro help me?

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens S$301.00

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Lens S$148.00

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens A17 (Nikon Mount) S$ 155.00

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Macro Lens A20 (Nikon Mount) S$800.00 (too ex)

Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Lens A005 (Nikon Mount) S$457.00 (quite ex)

Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Lens B008 (Nikon Mount) S$466.00 (too ex)

Sigma APO 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Lens (Nikon Mount) S$270.00

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Macro Lens (Nikon Mount) S$452.00 (quite ex)

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS Lens (Nikon Mount) S354.00 (abit ex)

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Lens (Nikon Mount) S$198.00

 

[zeehamzah]

Hey there!
May I suggest for you to rent those lenses (if any) since you mentioned you only shoot once/twice per month?

 

[JacePhoto]

You can look at old ais lens also. Cheap n usable. Use prefocus technique as there isn't AF.

 

[one eye jack]

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens S$301.00

Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Lens A005 (Nikon Mount) S$457.00 (quite ex)

The two lenses above are ones you can consider versus price and performance.

Tamron is the better option since it's sports action with faster auto focus in good lighting
and in lens stabilisation same with Nikkor 55-300 but slower which is critical for sports.Take note you have an older D300.SP range is Tamron's top performance lenses.Buy used?

55-300 ED VR is not produced anymore being replace by 70-300 VR but it is sharp only up to 200mm.
So older 55-300 have longer reach and good to 300mm.Think can still buy new online or used.

Read the review below:

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_p...ap-lenses-for-nikon-dx-part-2-tele-zooms.html

 

[Zeguang Dave Tan]

I would say for the price you pay, you'll get the quality you paid for. Although it's expensive, I rather you invest in a 70-200 f/4 fixed aperture one so that your shots will be tack sharp compared to a tamron 70-300 which i owned, it was fairly good but for fast sports at a distance? i'm not too sure :X

 

[Shizuma]

You can look at old ais lens also. Cheap n usable. Use prefocus technique as there isn't AF.

I'm with Jacephoto on this. Old Nikkor glass is very nice. I use it even though I'm a native Canon user. (ironically a Nikkor is my best lens now)