I shoot with a Nikon D40 and im looking for the best telephoto lense to buy. I shoot many animal picks. Any recomendations that wont break the bank? I currnetly borrow my aunts Nikkor 75-300mm 1:4.5 - 5.6 constantly! (issued to her by the FBI, what a great lense!). Its time I get my own. I want a 300mm - 400mm. Please help! Also, anyone one shoot landscape photography? I find myself shooting it more and more. Whats the most recomended lense?
You have already hit upon one of the best choices in the 75-300mm lens. With a little shopping, it can be had for a very reasonable price ($140.00 to $170.00). If the lack of auto focus on your D40 is no problem for you, go for it. I have one and use it all the time with the digital bodies, where it’s a 105-450mm. It’s great for photographing wild life in the nearby wetlands and my grandson’s soccer games.
Check out: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/AF75300mm/index.htm and http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/75300.htm
As to suggestions for landscape photography, can you describe, in more detail, what kind of pictures you want to make. It has a great effect on the choice of equipment.
Hi. The D40 has no AF motor drive built into it so in order to have auto focus you need to have an S type lens. If you want to manually focus the lens than any D type lens will meter well with the camera. As far as landscape go's the 300-400mm will only be good for shooting something in another state or looking at a piece of bark a mile away lol. A variety of focal lenghts can be used for landscape. It depends on what you want to see (clear) in the picture. Remenber that unless you are looking for a special effect, depth of field is very important for any landscape or scenic photos. Good luck and enjoy Joe
If you want sharp focus of landscape (say of wildflowers on a hill) you need 50MM fixed lens f11, f22 , (not a zoom lense) set on infinity. I have a manual minolta X700 (before digital cameras came into being) Photographers who have been shooting for years prefer the manual focus, fixed lens minoltas, nikons, etc. I'm just now getting a digital camera to sell stuff on ebay. As the other replier said if you want something closer in use 300-400, but it won't be sharp.
Sell all that other stuff and get a P90. Or the Canon equivalent. These cameras have 10 or 12 MP, optical zooms equal to 600mm or greater, vibration control, and are rather noise free up to 800 iso. Unless you plan on selling your shot to NatGeo, spend the 5 or 6 hundred on a really nice "pro-sumer" model and start amazing your friends. Get a nice monopod, because no one with a pulse can hand hold a tiny camera at 600mm, even with VR. A collegue of mine went to Africa with her husband last month. He's like me; gotta have the latest, longest, best bag on the safari. She went with her Canon power-something with a 650mm+ lense and I.S. She made a "cheapie" coffee table book of about 35 of her best shots that looked like it came from Barnes and Noble and cost $200. It's all about the light and sharpness and what's in the frame.
Sigma motor lens 75-300 is about $150 in Ebay New. AF on the D40-60 is good. Mine wouldn't work when I got it and the seller's tech folks told me to treat the contacts in camera and on lens with alcohol. Fixed the problem and it is living on my D60. FWIW I bought a backup camera for my D50 and it's another D50. My D60 is for sale.
Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
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