Which Lens...Nikon or Sigma???

Cuties02q · August 1, 2007

I have having a hard time deciding which one to get...Any avice???

I am between the Sigma 70-200 2.8 & the Nikon 80-200 2.8

NavyMoose · August 1, 2007

I have used Sigma ESX grade lenses for ten years now and have been very pleased with their fast lenses. I recently purchased my first Nikon lens, the 70 to 300mm VR lens and it is just wonderful.

Both are very good and their differences are hard to notice for the most part. The determining factor for me is financial. My next lens with be the 105mm f2.8mm Macro lens. I am going back and forth between Nikon and Sigma.....

Navy Moose

Cuties02q wrote:

I have having a hard time deciding which one to get...Any avice???

I am between the Sigma 70-200 2.8 & the Nikon 80-200 2.8

Harv · August 2, 2007

You can have a look at the following link as they have reviews on both lenses you mention...

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

It looks to me like the Nikkor has the edge in performance, particularly in resolving ability. However, the Sigma is not far behind and may not show up in real world use.

I'm a Canon guy so I can't comment on the Nikkor lens in question, although I have always heard great things about Nikon glass. I have owned a couple of Sigma EX DG lenses and they have been excellent, but Canon has been a bit better, particularly in contrast and colour rendition.

If and when you find you want to dispose of a lens, my guess would be that the Nikkor would hold the value better and be easier to sell. Just my opinion here.

I'm not a lens snob (well, maybe just a little) but if I have the $$$, I always go with the Canon lens. I recently acquired a 500 f/4L IS and could have saved a lot buying Sigma. I just waited until I could afford the Canon. I did the same thing with my 300 f/2.8L IS last year.

I don't think you'd ever take a financial beating with the Nikkor lens.

Again, this is all coming from a guy who shoots Canon so take it with a grain of salt.

Cuties02q · August 2, 2007

Thanks so much for the link

The strange thing is the Nikon is cheaper

Harv · August 2, 2007

I will be interested in seeing what you end up with and how you like it.

Cuties02q · August 2, 2007

I just looked at your site and your butterfly pics are really great as are the rest

What lens do you use for macro?

Harv · August 3, 2007

Cuties02q wrote:

I just looked at your site and your butterfly pics are really great as are the rest What lens do you use for macro?

I may or may not be correct but will assume you are asking me. If not, just ignore the reply and I will delete it.

Thanks for your kind words. The butterfly pics were taken on a day that two of my friends and I decided to go to the butterfly conservatory in Niagara on the Lake for a change of pace. I normally photograph birds and dogs. Other wildlife when I can find it.

I'm not really a macro person. At the moment, I don't even own a macro lens. I had borrowed my friend's Canon 100/2.8 macro that day.

In the past 1-1/2 years I have owned 3 macro lenses... Canon EF-S 60/2.8, Canon EF 100/2.8 and Sigma 150/2.8 EX DG. Of those 3, the Canon EF 100/2.8 was the best build quality of the lot. Image quality was great. I think the Sigma 150/2.8 EX DG probably had an edge in image quality and decent built quality.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a macro lens again but am having trouble justifying one on the basis of how little use I have for it. If I were to buy another, I think it would be a toss-up between the Sigma 150/2.8 and the Tamron 180/3.5 My present body is a 1D MkIIn and is a 1.3 crop sensor so the longer working distance would be an advantage. My previous macro lenses were used on a 30D which is a 1.6 crop sensor.

thegridrunner · August 3, 2007

well, I just picked up the sigma 70-200 f/2.8 AF EX HSM lens. I brought it based on the reviews from photozone. I also compared the stats from the old nikon and decided to go with the sigma. It really is a beautiful lens and feels real solid. I was also thinking seriously about the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR but it was too much money. I'll post some pictures on Sunday.

Cuties02q · August 3, 2007

Oh I am really excited to see pics thanks

thegridrunner · August 4, 2007

Okay, I took the lense with me to the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Races in NYC. It was overcast day and the weather was hot. I switched lenses to try out the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX APO. It worked great for the first hour and then the focus locked into infinity. I couldn't manually focus or auto focus at all. I had to switch lenses and finish the day with a short Nikon zoom. I am returning the lense tomorrow and picking up the Nikon lense. What a experience... I'd die if this happened on a contract job.

:

thegridrunner · August 4, 2007

Here are some pictures (These two shot with the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8

The rest shot with a Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

I tweaked the photos slightly to remove some haze...

It is a shame because I like the Sigma lense....

Cuties02q · August 4, 2007

The pictures look great!! What do think of the Sigma?

Cuties02q · August 4, 2007

Oh oops I just saw you other post. What a bummer =(

thegridrunner · August 4, 2007

The sad thing is that someone from another forum reported having the same problem. Either it is a design flaw or Sigma has a problem with quality control. Either way, I'm staying away from them from now on. I guess I will pony up the money for the Nikon 70-200 VR lense...no social life and ramen noodles and water for the rest of the month...

aldoc · August 8, 2007

Hi,
my choice was the AF-S 80-200 for its sharpness at open aperture and its autofocus speed, but in your field of photography the Sigma bonus of a much nearer minimal focus might be more important to you.
At the moment many 80-200s are available at 2nd hand places like KEH.com and the like.
Good luck and good light whatever you choose!
Alfred

NavyMoose · August 11, 2007

Your Dragon Boat Race photos are great! I did some shooting at the Boston Dragon Boat race in June. I'll have them on SmugMug at some point.

SciurusNiger · August 12, 2007

I had asked a similar question in another thread, and after doing a lot of research, am going to get the 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom-Nikkor. Of course I'd really, REALLY like the new 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, but 80-200mm has been used by many of the best professionals for years and at half the price of the 70-300mm, it's the more appropriate choice for where I'm at with my photography right now.

commiebiker · August 12, 2007

SciurusNiger wrote:

I had asked a similar question in another thread, and after doing a lot of research, am going to get the 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom-Nikkor. Of course I'd really, REALLY like the new 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, but 80-200mm has been used by many of the best professionals for years and at half the price of the 70-300mm, it's the more appropriate choice for where I'm at with my photography right now.

Get the Nikon. Get the Nikon Get the Nikon. You finally got that D200, why comprimise with the Sigma glass? D200 with an older 80-200 AFD

Which Lens...Nikon or Sigma???

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