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  1. #1
    Junior Member Thurisaz's Avatar
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    Wildlife safari zoom lens solution for D200

    Need help on what solution to get for my D200.

    I'm travelling to Africa next year, for a 10-14 day private custom made photo safari (wildlife). I'm not a rich man, actually quite poor, working for a well know environmental organization, and I have been saving for a couple of years now. Point is, no luxury solutions please, no matter what reasons.

    I will be carrying with me my new D200 and a Nikkor 18-200 lens (damn waiting line ) as primary equipment. I will also be taking with me an ancient Nikon FE2 film camera as a backup (w Tokina 50-250).

    I want a digital zoom range of at least 400mm. My primary choice atm is, after many hours of or reading reviews and forums, the Tokina 80-400, which has mixed reviews, mostly at forums, on it not being sharp at ALL at f5.6 to F8 or at 300-400mm. Others are saying it is quite sharp at these settings and has very good sharpness at all other ranges. The issue with this lens has been it's AF being very slow. The lens has gradually been getting better in both image quality and in AF. The latest one that got released just a couple of days ago has a completely new AF system and is now supposed to be very good.

    -So, a solution giving me something in the range of 50-500 zoom, digital and under US$ 1000, preferable way under that sum.
    -Pros and cons for the Tokina 80-400 ($650), Sigma 80-400($1000), Sigma 50-500 ($1000), or any other alternatives like a TC ring on a 300mm zoom or something (heard many saying this is never as good as having one larger singel zoom lens !! ? !).
    I've also read that the Nikkor 80-400 ($1300) is not worth twice as much as the Tokina 80-400 and is not even better than Sigmas 80-400.

    Of the two Sigmas, it seems as only the 80-400 has image stabilizing technology, resulting in the same prize as the 50-500 one.

    -Is it really dumb to buy a big zoom lens without stabilizing technology for wildlife photography? Can't a bean bag compensate for this loss somewhat or is it an impossible task to take a 400mm shot, at sunset or sunrise, at a big cat chasing it's prey? without setting the ISO to above 400 preferably?


    Thanks for any and all help on this!
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  2. #2
    Member photofun's Avatar
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    Re: Wildlife safari zoom lens solution for D200

    Quote Originally Posted by Thurisaz
    Need help on what solution to get for my D200.

    I'm travelling to Africa next year, for a 10-14 day private custom made photo safari (wildlife). I'm not a rich man, actually quite poor, working for a well know environmental organization, and I have been saving for a couple of years now. Point is, no luxury solutions please, no matter what reasons.

    I will be carrying with me my new D200 and a Nikkor 18-200 lens (damn waiting line ) as primary equipment. I will also be taking with me an ancient Nikon FE2 film camera as a backup (w Tokina 50-250).

    I want a digital zoom range of at least 400mm. My primary choice atm is, after many hours of or reading reviews and forums, the Tokina 80-400, which has mixed reviews, mostly at forums, on it not being sharp at ALL at f5.6 to F8 or at 300-400mm. Others are saying it is quite sharp at these settings and has very good sharpness at all other ranges. The issue with this lens has been it's AF being very slow. The lens has gradually been getting better in both image quality and in AF. The latest one that got released just a couple of days ago has a completely new AF system and is now supposed to be very good.

    -So, a solution giving me something in the range of 50-500 zoom, digital and under US$ 1000, preferable way under that sum.
    -Pros and cons for the Tokina 80-400 ($650), Sigma 80-400($1000), Sigma 50-500 ($1000), or any other alternatives like a TC ring on a 300mm zoom or something (heard many saying this is never as good as having one larger singel zoom lens !! ? !).
    I've also read that the Nikkor 80-400 ($1300) is not worth twice as much as the Tokina 80-400 and is not even better than Sigmas 80-400.

    Of the two Sigmas, it seems as only the 80-400 has image stabilizing technology, resulting in the same prize as the 50-500 one.

    -Is it really dumb to buy a big zoom lens without stabilizing technology for wildlife photography? Can't a bean bag compensate for this loss somewhat or is it an impossible task to take a 400mm shot, at sunset or sunrise, at a big cat chasing it's prey? without setting the ISO to above 400 preferably?


    Thanks for any and all help on this!
    I am looking for a zoom for pretty much the same reason.....(Going to Denali National Park) I have been looking and researching as well. The NIkon 80-400 seems to be a good choice but a relatively slow lens.

    Let's see what kind of recommendations yuou get.

    Good luck and sounds like a great trip.:thumbsup:

  3. #3
    nature/wildlife co-moderator paulnj's Avatar
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    Re: Wildlife safari zoom lens solution for D200

    A few budget lenses I would suggest would be....

    ...A straight 400F5.6 tokina or sigma lens(USED as they are replaced by zooms which sell better), they sell used at $200-300 average and my tokina got me years of quality images.

    .... Sigma 170-500 or 50-500 will give you GREAT images if you properly support it(heavy tripod/ beanbag ) Both lenses are capable of great salable images! I got a 170-500 7 years ago? and it served me well until switching to canon a few years back

    .... 300F4 lens with a matching 1.4 TC.

    And the last option.... RENT a 200-400 f4, 500f4 . That will be costly though.

    I have seen images from both 80-400's you mention and they seem to be no sharper than my 400f5.6 images or 170-500 images VR/OS will help steady you gear in lower light situations, but will not stop subject movement.
    CAMERA BIRD NERD #1




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  4. #4
    Fluorite Toothpaste poker's Avatar
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    Re: Wildlife safari zoom lens solution for D200

    Quote Originally Posted by paulnj
    A few budget lenses I would suggest would be....

    ...A straight 400F5.6 tokina or sigma lens(USED as they are replaced by zooms which sell better), they sell used at $200-300 average and my tokina got me years of quality images.

    .... Sigma 170-500 or 50-500 will give you GREAT images if you properly support it(heavy tripod/ beanbag ) Both lenses are capable of great salable images! I got a 170-500 7 years ago? and it served me well until switching to canon a few years back

    .... 300F4 lens with a matching 1.4 TC.

    And the last option.... RENT a 200-400 f4, 500f4 . That will be costly though.

    I have seen images from both 80-400's you mention and they seem to be no sharper than my 400f5.6 images or 170-500 images VR/OS will help steady you gear in lower light situations, but will not stop subject movement.
    Paul this post is very insteresting to me right now. Do you think with much practice and planning for the shoot properly one can get away with shooting heavy long focal length lenses WITHOUT some form of image stabilization in the context of wildlife/nature photography. I'm trying not to spend extra on the IS version of the Canon 70-200 L f/2.8.

    Maybe you've read my rant in other threads

    As to not highjack the thead...here's my .02.

    Another alternative using Sigma gear is the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 with 2x TC. If you can get the older non macro, you'll save over $100 from the newer one (B&H). The new version with macro doesn't really get you very close IMO. The Sigma 70-200 has received very good reviews and it's an EX version meaning the build is pro. Although, you can't beat the price on that Sigma 170-500.

    Good luck and I hope you post those photos when you get back.
    Canon 5D MKII & Canon 7D

  5. #5
    nature/wildlife co-moderator paulnj's Avatar
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    Re: Wildlife safari zoom lens solution for D200

    my question to you is this....

    were all the images made prior to IS/VR/OS blurry?

    Yes, I made sharp images at 1/125 at 400mm plenty of times. I made plenty of 8x10's from them. I have an 11x17 from a tripod mounted shot at 1/20th with a 170-500

    Btw, If a 80-200f2.8 is your goal and you shoot nikon...... Get a 80-200 F2.8 AR-D for the same as a sigma, I own it and it rocks!
    CAMERA BIRD NERD #1




    BIRD NERD O'CANON

    "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" - Benjamin Franklin

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