Nikon DX lens for wildlife: Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking around with the D7200 and the 16-80 and loving life, almost. I've been thinking about maybe trying a little...

streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking around with the D7200 and the 16-80 and loving life, almost. I've been thinking about maybe trying a little bird photography. The only birds I ever shot were a couple on my bird feeder. So my Nikon DX options are 70-300 $399, 55-300 $399, 55-200 VRII $149, which I have covered with my current lens and not long enough. I thinking my budget is around a grand, a little more if need be, so the big monsters are out. Other than Fuji I know nothing about the other lens companies. What do you suggest? Thanks for the help...Marty

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

streetmarty wrote:

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking aro... (show quote)

You can use a FX lens on a DX camera. You will be using the sweet spot of the lens. For birds I would suggest the Nikon 200-500. I use that for birds. Do not know your budget?
http://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2017/12/14/410328-2c_43ce_bee7_5998cb818117.jpeg

Kfallsfotoman

Getting long glass on a budget is always a challenge.
For me minimum lens is a 300mm.
If you want to stay DX (no reason to do that) you might look at the nikon 18-300 -this would be especially good of you're Applying street technique to birding (keeping small and unnoticed).
If that doesn't matter look at sigma 150-600.
In either case check the used &ebay markets too.
Last if you're unsure look into rental market - small cost to avoid $1k mistake

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Tamron has a 150-600mm zoom that is in your budget.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Look at a used Sigma 50-500mm.

ggttc Loc: TN

Nikon 200-500 is a great lens. My wife shoots one. If you want to save a few bucks and still get some good reach I just received the Tamron 100-400 and it is incredibly sharp right out of the box.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

streetmarty wrote:

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking aro... (show quote)

I have used the Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR on my D7200 with wonderful results. It is light and easy to handhold. The only reason I switched to a FX lens is so I can use it on both my FX Df and my DX D7200.

JPL

streetmarty wrote:

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking aro... (show quote)

There are basically 3 lenses to choose from, if you can get a refurb one you will get it for somewhat less.
The leses are.
Nikon 200-500
Sigma 150-600
Tamron 150-600

Those are the best bang for the buck in the bird lens category.

3dees

Tamron or Sigma 100-400 are both within your price range. I have the Sigma and love it. I don't miss the tri pod collar as the lens is light enough to hand hold which I do most of the time anyway. the Tamron is 100.00 more and an extra 129.00 for the tri pod collar. on your dx camera you have a 150-600 and if you decide on going fx you don't have to sell the lens.

Jim Bob

PixelStan77 wrote:

You can use a FX lens on a DX camera. You will be using the sweet spot of the lens. For birds I would suggest the Nikon 200-500. I use that for birds. Do not know your budget?
http://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2017/12/14/410328-2c_43ce_bee7_5998cb818117.jpeg

"I thinking my budget is around a grand, a little more if need be," Whether $400 is a little more only the OP can decide.

streetmarty Loc: Brockton, Ma

Jim Bob wrote:

"I thinking my budget is around a grand, a little more if need be," Whether $400 is a little more only the OP can decide.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

streetmarty wrote:

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking aro... (show quote)

I suggest that you rent any lens you are considering buying. If you buy a lens based on your current budget of around "$1000" and the realize that the shots you are getting do not please you then you will have wasted your money on a lens that does not meet your needs. When shooting wildlife you need to get a quality lens in order to get a really good shot. Birds in flight can be difficult to get anyway and using the best possible lens will allow you to get, hopefully, the best possible shot. I use a Nikon D500 and two lenses, both Nikon, the 80-400 and the 200-500. I like the results better with the 200-500, although the 80-400 allows me to handhold and still does a pretty good job. I can recommend either of these lenses. I also have a Tamron 150-600 and used it for awhile, but twice it did not work, once fogged up and the other time auto focus went out; I no longer use it and it sits in a drawer. If you rent now, you can continue to save until you get the money together to buy a quality lens. Just my thought on it.

Bill_de Loc: US

JPL wrote:

There are basically 3 lenses to choose from, if you can get a refurb one you will get it for somewhat less.
The leses are.
Nikon 200-500
Sigma 150-600
Tamron 150-600

Those are the best bang for the buck in the bird lens category.

I have the Nikkor. It's not built like a $10,000 500mm F/4.0
But the results are pretty darn close. It is reasonably light and the VR makes it hand holdable. I don't know the others first hand, but believe you would be happy with the 200-500

--

skywolf

I absolutely love the Tamron 150-600 with my Nikon D7100. It's kind of heavy, but if you train with it, you can get amazing shots.

Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

streetmarty wrote:

Hello all, I am a street guy currently walking aro... (show quote)

I own a Nikon D500 and use a Nikkor 200 - 500mm f5.6 and a Nikkor 300mm f4 PF VR (+/- a Nikkor TC14EIII) for birds in flight. The 300mm PF VR is beautifully lightweight and produces excellent images both with and without the 1.4 TC. My 200 - 500mm is, however, my favourite lens - despite it's weight. In my hands it just seems to grab birds out of the sky without any effort, though the 300mm f4 PF VR is a marvellous lens for BIF and easier to hold for long periods. Neither lens is cheap, unfortunately. These days, I use my 300mm f4 in conjunction with my Olympus EM1 mark II and Oly 300mm f4, due to the latter being a bit hefty.