So, I’m a new owner of a Nikon D50, and am looking to purchase a nice zoom lense that would be suitable for getting some nice pictures at triathlons (well, in general, including other sporting events, wild life, etc).
I’ve been looking at Ken Rockwell’s site (www.kenrockwell.com), which has some great reviews. So, from that I’m thinking of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18 - 200 mm f/3.5-5.6G DX ED VR… I’m planning a trip to the states later in the summer, so I can pick it up for around $750.
Anybody have any suggestions? Is that enough zoom (the d50 has a 1.5x mag factor)? Is VR (image stabilization) needed?
a large photo database. you can search the photos by cameratype and look at the exif data to see lens type and settings. that should give you a good idea of lens capability
I shoot with Canon 20D and over the past weekend I got to use a 70-200mm. Very nice lens. Here’s a sample shot from the sidelines. Now obviously not Nikon but you get the idea.
I’m going to skip some races and see what kind of triathlon photography I can get with it.
nice picture. Is that a canon lens or some other brand? I’m trying to sift through all the prices out there, and find out what the difference in picture quality would be.
Don’t overlook the Sigma 80-200 EX. It’s only 2/3 the price of the Nikon or Canon top-line lenses, but does a fantastic job. VR is a great addition for sports photography, particularly in overcast/low-light.
With the 1.5x mag factor, a xx-135 zoom could work as well.
I don’t like the long zooms like you mention because the min aperature isn’t good for sports…particularly when you want to limit depth of field.
Thanks. That lens was a Canon. You can save a lot of money if you tried another brand like Sigma. I use a Sigma 24-70mm as my everyday lens. I saved @$400 on that lens. Only minor differences I think. As far as I’m concerned the picture quality is great.
This is a shot of “Texas” my new running partner. It was shot with a Sigma 24-70mm. Very nice lens.
I have the same lense and it’s on my camera (digital rebel xt) more than any other. It’s by far NOT the nicest lense you can use, but it sure is nice to have the range. It’s great for travel, sporting events, stills, etc… much easier than switching out lenses for different scenarios.
For the original poster - PM ‘glider’ about cameras - he’s an expert on all things camera related to say the least.
