My last two posts were rants about my pictures not being what I want them to be. I was complaining about how flat or boring my pictures of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument were. Sure, I made up reasons to pacify myself but they didn't change the bottom line.
But now I've got the solution to my woes, possibly every photographers woes.
Buy another lens!
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| Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED AF-S VR |
Okay, perhaps I'm being facetious.
But I really did order a new lens just in case this plan works!
Nikon is having their annual instant rebate program and this year I took advantage of it. I ordered the Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED AF-S VR lens from Adorama.
I checked out Adorama, B&H, and Amazon. The prices were all about the same but Adorama includes an additional warranty and a filter package. Since this lens uses 67mm and I don't have any of that size I figure they'll get me going. By the way, that was one of the only complaints I saw many of - the filter size. Why couldn't it take the 77mm filters? Like others, when I decide to buy better filters I'll get a step up ring and get 77mm filters. Or, like I did for my 16-35mm wide angle, I'll get the Cokin ring and just get the Cokin filters.
I already have an old 70-210mm f/4-5.6 non-D lens. So why spend the money on a replacement that is even 10mm shorter at the long end? Well, there are a few reasons...
1. It is a newer lens. I have read a few places that for new cameras with higher pixel count sensors you need lenses made within the last 5 years or so to provide enough resolution for the sensor. If you look at DxO Labs reports you can find that information, at least if you read between the lines.
2. I wanted VR. My old lens doesn't have VR at all.
3. I wanted the improved communication between the lens and camera. My older non-D lens doesn't transmit distance information to the camera.
4. My old lens has a push-pull zoom and although it isn't horrible, I've had it creep when shooting a picture where the lens is pointed down. That is, if you put the zoom at half way, for example, and have the camera on a tripod, the lens will slowly extend the zoom. It's minor and manageable but at the same time I don't like it. And, any zoom that expands and collapses has to inhale and exhale to do it, and when inhaling it can cause dust to enter the lens.
5. The front element turns on my old lens when you focus it. That makes using a circular polarizer filter (CPF) less fun. Yeah, you just have to make sure you compose and then adjust the CPF but often I'll take a number of shots and adjust the zoom for each one. That means you have to adjust the CPF for each shot and they will likely have slightly different settings for the CPF.
So, the new lens address all of these issues and more. It is an "IF" lens meaning all of the zooming in and out causes elements to move internally - the size of the lens never changes. The front element doesn't turn while focusing. It has a constant aperture at all zoom levels (the old lens is f/4 at 70mm but only f/5.6 at 210mm). This new lens has ED and N element coatings which reduce flare. Most of all, the new lens has the GOLD BAND!
The new lens has great reviews, along with test results that it is sharper than my 16-35mm lens. I'm stoked! I can't find measurements for my old lens, but I will say that while it seems sharp it seems like the pictures don't have enough contrast. But, that could just be due to what I've shot with it.
So now I'll have two thirds of one of the Nikon lens trinities! I am excited! And, as Ken Rockwell suggests, I'm going to stick with these two and my 50mm prime for my kit. I do plan to upgrade my 50mm to the "G" version though - DxO Labs rates it a bit sharper.
My other thought, and one I almost followed through with last December, was to get the Tamron 150-600mm lens. However, a friend who has a friend that has the lens said it wasn't producing very well for his friend. Now I know that can be due to technique but I'd read reviews like that from others too. However, with Adorama's (or whoever I got it from) return policy I wasn't worried. If I didn't like it I'd return it.
The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized a lens like that is really made for wildlife shooting. I don't do much of that and am not really interested in it (at this point) so having a sharper lens that would work great for what I DO shoot ended up swaying me to this lens.
That desire, coupled with the $200 instant rebate, led me to placing my order. I can't wait until it's in my hands! I'll write some opinions about it when I get some use out of it...
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