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Nikon D50 Lens Question???

Last post Sun, Nov 01 2009, 9:56 PM by maxsteam. 6 replies.
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  •  Mon, Oct 26 2009, 11:52 AM

    Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    Can any one tell me if they reccomend this lens to take to a football match..to be on the sidelines(not in stand) to take official photographs of the two teams i already have a Nikon 18-200VR lens and wondered what you thought the lens i was thinking of buying is...

    650-2600mm Tele Lens for Nikon D70 D60 D50 D40 D40X D3

    if this does not seem suitable then what would you recommend for fast moving action????many thanks John

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Tue, Oct 27 2009, 10:59 PM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    It sounds ok but you will need a fast shutter speed of 1/1000th or 1/2000th second and a steady hand. I would also recommend either a tripod or a monopod - whichever you find easiest to use. The quality will not be as good as a Nikon lens.

    I would also strongly recommend that you buy from a source other than the one linked above! I've always found Jessops to be good for this sort of thing.

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Wed, Oct 28 2009, 12:15 AM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    Hi Maxstream

    thankyou for replying to me so what nikon lens other then what i showed above do you think would be good for the sports soccer i could be taken how about this one if not a tamron sigma will await your reply

    Nikon AF-S VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

    thankyou John

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Wed, Oct 28 2009, 5:37 AM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    You need to decide the focal length first. You could carry a 70-300 mm lens round the pitch and you could use it for handheld pictures (a rough and ready rule is that the shutter speed should be faster than the focal length so, if the zoom is on 250mm, the shutter speed should be faster than 1/250th second to give a handheld picture a decent chance of coming out right) or with a monopod. A 650-2600 mm zoom is going to be too big to carry around following the action in my opinion and is more suited to being set up in one place so that the higher magnification, in effect, does the walking.

    Some pros will have several cameras with a range of lenses so that, as the action moves nearer or further away, they can simply put one down and pick another up without having to waste seconds swapping lenses. Pros will also spend more to get the best quality optics and the widest aperture to give themselves the best chance of not missing a picture. There is almost no limit to the amount of money that could be spent.

    As you've already got a 28-200mm lens, my advice would be to next get something that works mostly outside that range. Perhaps a 300mm telephoto or a 150-500mm zoom. I feel that there is too much overlap between a 28-200 lens and a 70-300 one unless you can justify the purchase on other grounds.

    There is nothing wrong with Sigma, Tamron and Vivitar lenses. They have all been around long enough to know how to make lenses. Unless you can see any obvious limitations with them, you should spend the money and give one a try. A Nikon made lens will be better quality but at a much higher price.

    It's not worth buying from an overseas seller though, in my view. At best you will get a VAT/duty/fees bill when it arrives if it is coming from outside the EU and returns will be difficult if there is a problem. Like any other expensive item, there are cheap imitations and fakes around.

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Wed, Oct 28 2009, 10:03 AM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    Hi Maxstream

    Thanks for taking the time to help me with what next lens to choose...i would be though in one position though by the side or back of the football pitch with a tripod as well though...think i may look round at a 150-500 lens if you spot a lens out there you believe suitable for the job can you put the link on here please....thankyou again John

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Wed, Oct 28 2009, 10:27 AM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    Have you tried walking into your local camera shop and asking them - they will be able to offer better advice than you'll get on a forum ? Jessops or any of the independents should be OK but you need a shop that sells mostly DSLRs and SLRs rather than point and clicks.

    For a 150 - 500 mm lens you'll definitely need a tripod if shooting at anywhere near the maximum zoom and also a fast shutter speed as maxstream says. If you don't want to pay for a Nikon one then Sigma, Tamron or Vivatar should be OK but make sure you get one that can cope with fast shutter speeds.

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Sun, Nov 01 2009, 9:56 PM

    Re: Nikon D50 Lens Question???

    Yes. To allow fast shutter speeds, you need to look at lenses with a small "f" number. An f2.8 lens, for example, will be able to have a shutter speed of half what you could use on a f5.6 lens with the same film. An f2.8 lens would also cost a lot more than a similar f5.6 lens. I feel that you need to dive in and buy what seems right to you. If you are unsure, just buy a 2x or 3x converter and put it with your 18-200mm lens. It wont cost much and it wont get great results but it will give you an idea about the sort of lens that will best suit what you want to do.
    • Post Points: 5