New Lenses for the New Year....

[Furgus]

And my 30th Birthday. The wife ok'ed me to get some new lenses this year and I am torn between 3 Sigmas. I am going to be getting them from Dell as I have a pretty good card through them. The lenses I am contemplating are the 50-500mm "Bigma", the 70-200 F/2.8 (constant, and if I get this one I am also going to get the 1.4x TC or a 2.0x TC) and the 105 Macro. One I am def getting is the 10-20mm Wide. Now I guess my question to you folks is, which other lens would you get? I really take a lot of different types of photos but I really want to get into landscapes and wildlife, but I also like Macros. Do any of you have samples from these lenses or a good case as why one would be better then the other one? Thanks a lot, I really value your opinion.

BTW, I have a Nikon D50.

[0bli0]

here are some Bigma samples:

rugby league games from 2006. this was my primary sports and still gets quite a bit of usage. i picked up a 120-300 2.8 EX which works very well with teleconverters and for evening games. the bigma likes light but the AF is nice and fast. i won't be getting rid of it.
http://homepage.mac.com/imagetechphoto/2006/2006__T2A5507.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/imagetechphoto/rugby/_T2A2967.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/imagetechphoto/rugby/_T2A0974_1.jpg

and some photos from my african safari in 2005. the lens is sharpest at 417mm, but still nice out to 500. it's also nice closer when you need.
http://www.pbase.com/iagrafx/image/45407410.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/iagrafx/image/45407964.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/iagrafx/image/45408003.jpg

[handicap18]

I also have a D50 and I just ordered the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro. It is possibly Tamron's best lens and according to many reviews I've read everywhere including nikonians.org, it is just as good if not better then Nikon's 60mm f/2.8 macro and just as good as Nikons 105mm f/2.8 macro and a lot less money. I ordered used at keh.com who are a very reputable on-line store in the used lens department. I should have it by the end of the week.

I also like the Sigma 10-20mm, I've seen some EXCELLENT pictures over at flicker.com. That lens is on my short list. As is the Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 (just about the same price as Sigma's 70-200, but is better optically). I haven't looked into the 50-500mm but 0bli0's pics look like it might be something to put on my list.

As for TC's, keep in mind that with a 2x TC you also lose 2 f/stops, so on the f/2.8 with a 2xTC it becomes an f/5.6. With the 1.4x you only lose 1 stop which still gives you f/4.

Another lens to consider is the new Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S VR. I got one last week and it is really nice. Pictures are very sharp and the VR works as advertised. I got some decent hand held shots at 1/6th at the 300mm end. Put a 1.4xTC on that bad boy and when you factor in the crop factor you looking at a 640mm f/8 lens on the long end.

I'm also thinking of getting a Sigma 24 or 28mm f/1.8 to have a prime lens thats more like the 50mm f/1.8 was on film. I"ve tried both an like the 24mm better as it focused faster, but its also more money, so I'm hoping for a used one to show up somewhere. Both are also macro and focus up to about 4 or 5 inches

Good luck with your search.