next lens upgrade help please

[GNJ]

Hello

I have the D50 and the 70-300mm lens can anyone tell me what the next good upgrade would be something that will give me much longer distance

Thanks

[buruburu]

O_o

something even longer?

Could always get a telescope and a mount adapter.

[jcon]

Anything over 300mm and your looking at fixed lenses, those arent cheap either, atleast a few grand(US Dollars).

There is the Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG HSM APO lens, and thats around $1500. US Dollars. I know nothing about that lens and cannot make any suggestions on it.

[coldrain]

The Sigma 50-500 (also known as Bigma) is a very good lens, sharp at 500mm too. Good suggestion.

[TNB]

What about the TC-17E II (1.7x) AF-S, AF-I Teleconverter? And yes, I realize it is not a lens but it will add a focal length 1.7x, still support VR, and the F-stop loss is not as high as the 2.0 teleconverter.

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5&productNr=2151

[coldrain]

It is not a very good plan to use a 1.7x TC on a 70-300 lens, since the 70-300 lenses are very NOT light sensitive at the 300mm end already in the first place. Adding another 1.5x f-sop decline to that does not make for a workable combination.

[eduardofrances]

It is not a very good plan to use a 1.7x TC on a 70-300 lens, since the 70-300 lenses are very NOT light sensitive at the 300mm end already in the first place. Adding another 1.5x f-sop decline to that does not make for a workable combination.


Also many TC soften the image, depending on the quality of the glass of the TC itself it may also help to produce CA's

[GNJ]

Thanks for the reply

How does the Nikon 80-400mm compare to the Nikon 70-300mm in terms of quality and distance

Thanks

[RichNY]

Thanks for the reply

How does the Nikon 80-400mm compare to the Nikon 70-300mm in terms of quality and distance

Thanks

The 400mm has greater distance ;)

[TNB]

It is not a very good plan to use a 1.7x TC on a 70-300 lens, since the 70-300 lenses are very NOT light sensitive at the 300mm end already in the first place. Adding another 1.5x f-sop decline to that does not make for a workable combination.
What about using the 1.7x on something like my Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom?

[coldrain]

What about using the 1.7x on something like my Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom?
That should work fine, because the aperture is big enough to endure the 1.7x f-stop loss of light due to the 1.7x cropping. The AF sensors should still get enough light to work. The turning point lays somewhere between f5.6 and f8.

[britkev]

Thanks for the reply

How does the Nikon 80-400mm compare to the Nikon 70-300mm in terms of quality and distance

Thanks

The 80-400mm has VR and is significantly better quality than the 70-300mm, which can reasonably be inferred from the fact that it is priced ten times higher. There is a VR version of the 70-300 coming out next month at the ~$500 price point


What about using the 1.7x on something like my Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom?

Should be fine, and coldrain says, but doesn't get you much more tele than the OP's 300mm - gives you a 340mm ~f/4.5 against the 300mm f/5.6, and probably significantly sharper given the 70-300's tendency towards softness.

[TNB]

Thanks for the replies guys.