Hi.
I've wanted a telephoto for a long long time. A trip to South Africa towards the end of the month seems like a perfect excuse to go buy one.
I've done some research and have shortlisted the following:
Nikon 55-300mm: This is an entry level lens known to have slow AF. It's relatively new.
Nikon 70-300mm: Relatively older, but supposedly has faster AF.
Tamron 70-300mm VC: Reviews seem good online.
Now, I have used the Nikons - 55-300mm and 70-300m to get some shots of the moon. My cousin and a friend have them. I was not particularly pleased with the sharpness of the 70-300mm at 300mm. It was quite soft. The 55-300mm was MUCH sharper. This goes against any review I have read online. I researched a bit more and found that some 70-300mm stock does seem to be soft beyond 200mm. This makes me a little skeptical. However, I'm still leaning towards the 70-300mm, hoping that I get a good piece since the slow AF on the 55-300mm is a no go.
I also read a bit on the Tamron 70-300mm VC, and it's seems alright. It's listed at 26k odd on Flipkart and the Nikon variant will cost me around 27k with bill.
I was actually eagerly waiting for the new 80-400mm and was willing to pay upto 70k for it, but at $2700, it's rather steep, no matter how good it is!
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.
I've wanted a telephoto for a long long time. A trip to South Africa towards the end of the month seems like a perfect excuse to go buy one.
I've done some research and have shortlisted the following:
Nikon 55-300mm: This is an entry level lens known to have slow AF. It's relatively new.
Nikon 70-300mm: Relatively older, but supposedly has faster AF.
Tamron 70-300mm VC: Reviews seem good online.
Now, I have used the Nikons - 55-300mm and 70-300m to get some shots of the moon. My cousin and a friend have them. I was not particularly pleased with the sharpness of the 70-300mm at 300mm. It was quite soft. The 55-300mm was MUCH sharper. This goes against any review I have read online. I researched a bit more and found that some 70-300mm stock does seem to be soft beyond 200mm. This makes me a little skeptical. However, I'm still leaning towards the 70-300mm, hoping that I get a good piece since the slow AF on the 55-300mm is a no go.
I also read a bit on the Tamron 70-300mm VC, and it's seems alright. It's listed at 26k odd on Flipkart and the Nikon variant will cost me around 27k with bill.
I was actually eagerly waiting for the new 80-400mm and was willing to pay upto 70k for it, but at $2700, it's rather steep, no matter how good it is!
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.