Camera Lens

[Kel]

I am look at getting a bigger Lens for my Nikon 3100 (300mm)that I can use for sport photography I was just wondering weather the Tamron are any good or you get what you pay for and what I should have on the lens Like VR, Auto focus ect. As I am new to photography and still learning. Any helpful hits would be great.

Thanks

Kel

[ricktas]

As with all brands the quality varies between lens models. Tell us exactly which lenses you are considering and we can advise. Tamron, Sigma etc make some damn great lenses (the Tamron 90mm macro lens was voted the best macro lens for years). Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax all make great lenses as well, but across the brands there are some lenses that are better than others, in the same categories.

So tell us exactly which lenses you are considering and you will get feedback on which on is better.

[KeeFy]

The only issue with 3rd party lenses is Quality Control and Auto Focus and EXIF.

QC: They make fantastic lenses but it seems the % of front focusing and backfocusing lenses is a little more than the OEs. If you buy local you can send it back to the agent for calibration and you'll be all good! So not that big of an issue. Grey imports obviously you need to cover the cost of shipping unless they have a local agent such as DWI.

AF: As the AF is reverse engineered it has been noted that the keeper rates are slightly lower than the OE item. I reckon it's because the coding is 99% of the OE item and that 1% accounts for the increased misses.

EXIF: As exif data is "proprietery" they tag on other OE lens exif data.

I personally prefer OE items but they have a hefty premium vs 3rd party. The same Canon lens of 70-200 vs a Sigma/Tamron is double the price or slightly more than double.

At the end of the day the 3rd party lenses perform great as well for a great price so do not dismiss these brands.

[Kel]

The ones that I Have been looking at are : -

AF28-300mm F/3.5–6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO or
SP AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD or
AF-S DX Nikkor 55mm - 300mm f/4.5- 5.6G ED VR

As I don't mine spending the money for a good one in steady of taking the cheap way out any hits would be great. As I want a bigger lens to take photo of our sport that we do on the weekend (campdrafting). As reading all the specifications they all read well or too a very new beginning who is learning as she goes.

Thanks a lot

Kel

[Kel]

Thanks a lot for all the help yours have given me so far

[kiwi]

If you want a sport lens get a sigma 70-200 2.8 and when you can add a 1.4 sigma tc

[camerasnoop]

Kel, you'll see a lot of 70-300 lenses about at campdrafts. I'm not a nikonian, so I can't really comment on their version of this focal length lens. It depends a bit on what you mean when you say you don't mind spending the money. You could get yourself a 70-200 f2.8 nikkor and then put a 1.4TC on it. That would give you a 280 f4 lens which would help with the reach problems.
Or, you could buy a Sigma 120-300 F2.8 OS DG (around $2200). You'll want a monopod to shoot from as well. Most of the stuff you shoot will be at f5.6 anyway or you won't get the rider and the best in focus at the same time.

If you're really loaded, you could look at Nikon's 200-400 f4 (around $7000)

Canon users have access to a 100-400 which is popular. I don't know if Nikon's 80-400 is equivalent in optical quality, but it is around the same price, so I suspect they're comparable.

You can get away with shooting at 200mm or less if you are shooting your own side of the centre of the arena. I have no idea why many who shoot campdrafting think it's a good idea to shoot against the fence on the other side of the arena.

[Kel]

Yeah not sure if I could wait that long but I had seem a lot for sale arround the $200 and the same less for sale at $1500 but just a different brand.

[Kel]

Thank very much for all the help

[camerasnoop]

but I had seem a lot for sale arround the $200 and the same less for sale at $1500 but just a different brand.

Remember that you pretty much get what you pay for when buying a lens. "just a different brand" is actually no small difference which is why the price varies so much. Think of watches. Why does a Cartier cost more than a Citizen? The both tell the time.

[Allan Ryan]

one thing to consider is the focus speed
if the lens is hunting around trying to focus you will miss shots............
the speed that diffent lenses will obtain focus varies greatly - try them in a shop, if you can, before purchase.

[Redbaron]

Have been looking for a similar zoom lens in the Canon, and reading countless review sites. Despite people saying Sigmas and Tamerons are ok/good/great there seems to be a disturbing number of people having problems. Aa far as I can see (and I'm relatively new to all this), apart from some "specialist" lenses (eg the 90mm macro Tamron mentioned earlier) you can't go to far wrong with the brand name lenses (Canon/Nikkor).

As I said, I am new to all this though, and I'm sure others may disagree.

[KeeFy]

I agree, AF can be a hit and miss and QC is a little more slack for 3rd party brands. Reason why they are much cheaper. If you do get a sharp lens, you can slowly work out the quirks of the AF on the lens and use it to the full potential :)

[crf529]

The QC on the Sigma and Tamron line has been increasing substantially of late. Still not up there with Canon/Nikon/Pentax, but the lenses that never should have left the factory are much rarer now than they were even 2-3 years ago.