Nikon D5000 - Nikon Lenses or Sigma or Tamron

[Warren]

I am looking at purchasing a faster zoom lens, and my question is whether I should stick with the Nikon 70-200 F2.8 or try using a different manufacturer? The Nikon lens seem to be much more expensive. What am I getting for the money, just the name, or is there something tangible?

Where would you guys recommend I go and do some research???

Warren

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Warren,

I started off with an 18 - 250mm from Sigma and eventually returned to shop to swap (and pay difference) for a Nikon 18 - 200mm.

Tangible benefits?
It focuses where it should
It is slightly more contrasty (so less PP needs applying)
It is a bit better built
It is probably a bit sharper

If it hadn't had the AF problem, I wouldn't have been disappointed with the Sigma, but the Nikon is better and now I'm spoilt, I find it difficult to buy anything else.

At least all my AF-S Nikon lenses work the same way, if you know what I mean - there's a consistency of controls which means you don't twist things the wrong way in the heat of the moment.

Cheers,

[PopsPhotos]

Here is a thought. Nikon and Canon are primarily lens manufacturers. Their speciality are the fantastic multi-thousand-dollar lenses used in science and industry. The lenses the make for us are an offshoot of the techniques and skills they have developed for that side of things. I and many other users of their camera lenses have found that the general quality of image and lens is higher on Nikon and Canon than with their lesser competitors.

That said, the Sigma and Tamron lenses (and others) can be very good and often fill a slot in budget and quality requirements of many photographers. That statement takes us back to what was said in another thread: The lens should be chosen by the demands of YOUR photography. Read the reviews of those lenses, handle as many of them as you can and base your decision on what works for you, your chosen photography and your budget.

Not much help, was I?

Pops

[Warren]

Not much help, was I?

Pops

I guess not (just kidding), really then what I should do, and keep in mind, I do not make any money from my pictures, so I wonder if I would be keen enough to notice the differences in the lenses, would be to see if the differences are worth the monetary difference. I will certainly look for some reviews and try to base it on them, although based on what has been said, the quality is the difference, and I probably would be disappointed if I bought a cheaper quality lens to try and save a few hundred bucks just to find out it really is not that great to begin with, and then be stuck with it.

[speedneeder]

Just because it doens't say Nikon or Canon on it doesn't mean it is not a good lens. You can buy as much quality as you want. From what I have read, at the higher end of quality, Canon and Nikon are hard to beat. In the low to mid level priced lens though, brand X can and does compete. I certainly wouldn't mind to have the new Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 lens

[PopsPhotos]

I have a 400mm Soligar f:6 prime lens. That is 600mm equivalent with my D40 and D70. At 100% and above, it sucks for clarity, distortion and corona. For what I use it, and for what I bought it for, it is just fine.

I don't use it for fine art, but for documenting events at a distance. The photographs will be clean and crisp at 8x10". That is usually the largest size needed for court and the newspapers rarely print that large.

That is an example of buying within budget for a specific purpose.

Pops

[Nuno]

There are several places where you can go and see reviews that might help you: (http://www.dpreview.com/).
Depending what you are looking for in a lens (image quality, fast zoom, focusing, speed) most of the time the original manufacturer can provide you better lenses. If image quality is your goal, then I would recommend to go to Nikon.

I recently bought an ultra-wide and decided to give some extra 200€ for a Nikon 10-24 relativelly to Sigma or Tokina, because, without a doubt, the Nikon is a better performer than all other third party lenses.
It is more money, of course, but at the end you can be a lot more satisfied with your investment.

But, hey, please take your time to study what you are really looking for, and if possible try them (not easy) and don´t rush into the first deal you find. All the other brands like Tamron, Sigma or Tokina are great manufacturers too, and they all have special features to offer.