I am shopping for a telephoto I can afford, f2.8, obviously. I have tried a friend's Sigma f2.8 50-150mm, which seems to be a neat lens, but on my camera, a Nikon D70s, it seems slow to focus in low-light environments. It was suggested to me on another forum that there could be a different "focus mechanism" in my D70s that makes the camera able to accept the lens, but unable to focus it at speed. Anyone know anything about this? I could use some enlightenment, since everywhere I look, I can't really find anything relevant about this.
Also, your telephoto lens suggestions for a D70s would be helpful. I'm currently shooting a Tamron 28-75mm zoom, and I love it, but I am coming across more and more situations where I need a telephoto.
thank you.
~Lynn.
Popular Photography
You might search the archives at Popular Photography. They review a lot of lenses and might have some info on this.
Walter Rowe - Rowe Images
Professional Photographer
Columbia, Maryland - USA
Thank you. I'll check it
Thank you. I'll check it out. Nice site, btw. :)
~Lynn.
I use the Sigma 70-200mm
I use the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 and I am not happy with it. I am much happier using the prime Nikon 85mm f1.8 and it is half the price. I put the Sigma 18-55mm f2.8 on my D50 body and the 85mm on my D70s and it works pretty well. This setup wouldn't work if I was a great distance from the stage.
Why do you not like your
Why do you not like your Sigma 70-200?
Are you getting good enough speed of focus with it when you do use it on your D70s?
~Lynn.
The low light images are
The low light images are never sharp. I have even used it on a tripod with hot lights (we weren't allowed to use strobes for this assignment) in the studio and the images were soft.
Here's a pic I took of my daughter for my assignment. I had to heavily sharpen her eye in order for the pic to work.
Sigma 70-200 Review
Here is a review of this lens on the Fred Miranda site. If you search Google, you will find others. I recall reading reviews stating what Stacey experienced .. softness, especially at the edges, and at the extreme apertures (wide open and stopped all the way down). It seemed somewhat better in the f/8 to f/16 range, which is just not acceptable for live performance photography. It would even be difficult in the studio. I have the Nikon 70-200 and it is tack sharp from f/4 to f/16. It is barely soft at f/2.8 and f/22. And I notice no softening at the edges.
Fred Miranda Review of Sigma 70-200 f/2.8
Hope that helps a little. Ya gotta love Google.
Walter Rowe - Rowe Images
Professional Photographer
Columbia, Maryland - USA
I do love Google. I spent 5
I do love Google. I spent 5 hours on it today researching, and numerous hours this weekend, and many weekends before this, too. But I always think I am going to make the wrong decision, so I like to hear about things from people that are actually using them, rather than just from reviews.
In regard to the Sigma 50-150mm 2.8 however, there's a lot of stuff out there on that lens; a lot of people really like it. Then there seem to be some who are having focus issues that sound like what I experienced. What stinks is that all of these accounts are on other forums and it seems nobody else is getting an answer, either. There is something on the Sigma website that states that lens is not compatible with Nikon DX cameras, but then in another photog forum one of the knowledgeable moderators mentioned that it was old info and that Sigma had not updated their website, but that in fact the lens IS compatible with DX bodies. Went through checking into the sensor details, motor details, all kinds of stuff. Can't find anything. Guess I'll just keep looking for something else then, since I can't seem to find out why this Sigma seems to not want to work so well on my camera.
~Lynn.
dpreview
Doesn't www.dpreview.com compare lenses now? Check them out.
Daniel Knighton
Pixel Perfect Images
(760)730-3224/(858)335-4540 cell
Carlsbad, CA
www.PixelPerfectImages.net
www.MySpace.com/PixelPerfectImages
Thank you. I will check that
Thank you. I will check that site. I was more looking for opinions and first-hand experience from users here and what they are shooting, too.