I have a Nikon D50 DSLR - Which FAST zoom lens will you recommend?

Question

I need to have a fast lens that arrests speed and should take great pictures, something in the order of f2.5 or lower but with a zoom of upto 400 mm. Is there such an item? I looked all over, can't come up with one. Do you know of any?

Answer 1

If you use the AF Nikkor 80 - 200 f2.8 on a digital camera it becomes a 120-300 f 2.8.

Answer 2

I don't know if you are looking for an ACTUAL 400 mm lens or a 35 mm equivalent of 400 mm, which would be 266 mm for the D50 1.5 focal length factor. If you are looking for an equivalent of 400 mm, consider the Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 zoom with VR.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=12041&A=details&Q=&sku=449088&is=USA&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Nikon claims an improvement comparable to gaining up to 4 stops. This would mean the lens is also the equivalent of about an f/1.4-2.0. I don't think you will REALLY gain this much, but it does make it worth looking at. I have the 18-200 VR lens and I can tell you that the VR works.

Rockwell says he can't get one yet, but here are a few comments nonetheless...

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70-300-vr.htm

Answer 3

It doesn't exist.
The Nikon 200-400mm f/4 comes closest ($5000).
On a 'budget', the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 or the older 80-200mm f/2.8 with a tele-converter would also be f/4 ($900 to $2000).
Third party brands also have 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms, but nothing faster.
And if you absolutely, positively need 400mm at around f/2.5, Nikon does have a fixed focal length 400mm f/2.8 ($7400)
These are all professional lenses, hence the stratospheric prices.
Would a slower lens work if you cranked up the ISO? Here's a list of options starting at just $190 (although I wouldn't recommend that Phoenix lens)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=productlist.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=nikon+400mm
You'll get a ton of other options in the 70-300mm range. For $1000, the Sigma 50-500mm is pretty decent, too. It's just that none of these lenses are what you'd call fast.

Answer 4

Dagnabit, OMG beat me to the answer. I'm in a simiar situation. I have a D50 and I bought a used Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 because I needed the speed. I love the lens. I bought it used on ebay for less than $500. KEH (www.keh.com) is a reputable used equipment dealer and they frequently carry them for less than $600. You might also consider the better Sigma and Tokina f/2.8 zooms.

One thing I had to get used to was the weight. The kit lenses with the D50 (18-55 and 55-200) are almost weightless in comparison.

Answer 5

we adore our Nikon D50. we are not photographers and we adore the very undeniable truth that it has a collection of predefined settings in an common rotary wheel on correct. between the settings is "events" and we adore how quickly it takes images. In speedy hearth mode it ought to take 2-3 images per 2d. Get a equipment that has a 18-50 and a 50-2 hundred lens. i'm no longer constructive what the numbers propose although the first is for graphics and landscapes and the 2d is telephoto. Our equipment fee $1200 with a case, card, 2 lenses, spare battery and so on. after we requested the specialist on the keep they stated the D70 and D80 were higher mega pixels yet that it became way more desirable than even avid photographers mandatory. reliable success.