Which tele? 55-300 Nikkor or pop for the 70-300 Nikkor...

[AMDnut]

I have my D40 for sale and also my Nikkor 55-200VR lens so I hope to have some cash pretty soon. I will be replacing the 55-200VR with one of the lenses listed in the title, just not sure which one. So, tell me what you think and why should I spend the extra $100+ on the 70-300.

This lens will mainly be used on my D90 but will bounce to my D3100 back up cam occasionally. Shots will be all types...

Thanks guys!

[umijin]

I had to make this choice for my D90 last September - ended up getting the 70-300 VR.

Why? I didn't like the feel of the 55-300 when I compared it side-by-side in the camera store. The autofocus seemed slower and the lens wasn't as solid as the 70-300VR. It's also a DX only lens - not useful if I was to move up to an FX body (not that I have any plans to right now).

I don't regret purchasing the 70-300 VR at all. Though a bit slow with a f/4.5 starting point, the lens takes awesome shots, particularly outdoors during daylight. The optics are fantastic - and I sheepishly admit to using it for close up shots (though I pooh-poohed that idea in a discussion of telephoto lenses somewhere in this discussion group).

[K1W1]

I suspect that the 55-300 will replace the 55-200. I can't see any reason why they would have both lenses in the line up.

[umijin]

I suspect that the 55-300 will replace the 55-200. I can't see any reason why they would have both lenses in the line up.

To get rid of a backlog of 55-200 lenses. :-D

[AMDnut]

I am 99.9% sure I will go with the 70-300. I think I will be happier with that than the 55-300.

[umijin]

Another incentive for the 70-300 is that in some places these were discounted by ~$50 by Nikon. Not sure if this is still the case in the US, but I notice that in Japan the 70-300 and some other lenses have a ¥5,000 discount.

[Myboostedgst]

I havent read any reviews recently of the 55-300, but when it first came out I remember people saying it was almost exactly like the 55-200 in build quality and optical quality. As I said, that was the initial reviews of it, and since then people may have changed their mind.

I'd suspect that you would be dissapointed in the 55-300 and would regret not getting the 70-300.