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.

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.

 

[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.