Any input on this lens?

[Spinning]

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor Lens


I am getting ready to step into DSLR world. I have decided on the Nikon D90. I plan to just get the kit lens from my every day use. I would also like to purchase a zoom lens. I might not do it at the same time but I am gathering info.

What I will need the zoom lens for is out door spring board diving and swimming. But also indoor. I don't think I will have issues out door. But what about indoor? Some pools are very well lit and some not so good. Also I will be far away from the boards indoors. (parents need to be in the stands not on the deck. So I am up above the 1 meter level and almost level to the 3 meter board.)

I just want to make sure I can get the most for my money and be happy for a long long time!

I might wait to buy the lens after summer since summer time I can get very close to the boards. But always good to know how much to save.

 

[Steve's Girl]

That lens will be great for outdoors, but probably not fast enough for indoors. You almost have to have a constant 2.8 lens (or a faster prime) to photograph indoor sporting events, particularly diving where you will need a pretty fast shutter speed. An option may be to use the 70-300 for outdoors and pick up a prime for the indoor sports. The 70-200 2.8 would handle both remarkably well, but it is also waaaayyyyyy more expensive.

 

[YesDear]

In the Nikon line of lenses it is considered a good to better than average lens. Tom Hogan has written a very good review.

The one caveot I would point out is that this is not a fast lens. At 300mm it will be a 5.6 lens. With the D90 you get good lack of noise at higher ISO's but you may not be able to get the shots you want in a darker arena. You could always get the 70-200 2.8 for about 3 times the cost, but that is probably not what you want to do.

Great lens at a great price but is does have it's speed limitations.

In case you did not know, the lower that number the more light is allowed into the camera and the lens is considered faster. Each number on the lens is a halfing or doubling of the amount of ligt. At 4 and at 5.6, 5.6 lets in half the light then at 4. So a 2.8 would let in 4 times more light than 5.6 and soforth.

 

[YesDear]

Sorry duplicate!

 

[Spinning]

With the lens that I am looking at would it be much better than this?
No looking at the zoom length but lighting

These were taken with my current camera, Fuji s6000, hand held full zoom (10x)
That may be a really stupid question....but this is what I am able to get now. I want something better. The pictures are for me, I scrap book.

 

[YesDear]

The answer is a definite maybe. If you are trying to freeze action taken from the side you will probably need at least a 1/250th of a second to do so.

Your first picture was taken at 1/75 of a second at 4.8 fstop and ISO 800. The second one was 1/125 at 3.8 and ISO 800. Your D90 will go to an ISO speed easily of 6400 so at 5.6 you might be able to get a cleaner shot. I would really have to be there to tell.

The scariest part for you is to get that you would probably have to turn the camera off of auto. For that picture to frezze it you should use shutter priority. That means you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the fstop.

If you wonder how I knew how you took the picture, every picture has that information stored on the image. I have a program that can read that info. I read what settings your camera was set on in the image.

 

[Spinning]

Thanks I had the camera on P I have tried the Shutter speed and it produces horrible pictures. Makes them almost totally white. Not sure if it is me or the camera.

I know once I go the DSLR I will have to take a class. Our local college offers some great evening classes. Sad thing, about 30 years ago I only used SLR camera and did all my own settings...now my head is a total blank sheet! So I hope it will come back to me.

I just would really like some pretty dive pictures. I am not looking to get sports illustrated
Just some nice dive pictures of my daughter. showing her progress catching maybe a nice twist down the road etc....

 

[My2Girls66]

I have that lens and I love it! I have never used it indoors without a flash so I can't say how your photos will come out in an indoor pool. Outdoors it is a great lens. Indoors for my DD's cheerleading I've been using my 50mm 1.8 with decent results on both a D50 and a D80. I don't know how close you can to the pool get but the 50mm 1.8 is like $125- well worth it and very good indoors. I used it up in the top of the stands at a cheer competition and did ok. Some needed some cropping but with a 10-12mp camera you can crop quite a bit.

 

[Softrider]

Another option would be to look for a used 80-200 f2.8 lens. These lenses are about $900 new, but can be had for approx. $500 used. A fast lens is a must for any indoor sporting activity.

There are several vintages of this lens around, and all are very good quality.