Digital SLR Reviews Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Maximum Aperture’

Sigma 70 200mm f 2 8 DG HSM II Macro Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Enjoy improved optical performance while retaining close-up ability with the large aperture Sigma 70-200mm macro zoom lens. The lens–which offers a minimum focusing distance of 39.4 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.5–is suitable for a variety of subjects, including portraits, landscape shots, and macro photos. The lens offers two special low-dispersion (SLD) and three extraordinary low-dispersion (ELD) glass elements, providing excellent correction for all types of aberrations and creating high-quality images throughout the entire zoom range. The super multi-layer coating, meanwhile, reduces flare and ghosting. Finally, the lens incorporates a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM), which ensures a quiet and high-speed autofocus (AF) as well as full-time manual focusing ability. Other features include inner focusing and inner zooming systems, a removable tripod collar, and a 77mm filter size.

Specifications

• Focal length: 70-200mm
• Maximum aperture: f/2.8
• Lens construction: 18 elements in 15 groups
• Angle of view: 34.3 to 12.3 degrees
• Number of diaphragm blades: 9
• Minimum aperture: f/22
• Minimum focusing distance: 39.4 inches
• Filter size: 77mm
• Hood: Petal type
• Corresponding AF mounts: Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony/Minolta, Pentax, Four Thirds
• Dimensions: 3.4 inches in diameter and 7.3 inches long
• Weight: 48.3 ounces
• Warranty: 1 year

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Better than Sony on Sony
I have owned this lens for a year now, wanted to wait to give it a review until I got through all the sport seasons. This lens has really delivered. I didn’t like it on my Sony a200 because, quite frankly, the lens was too good for the 200. I use it on my a700 and wow….. the extra megapixels coupled with the abilities of this lens is remarkable. I had purchased the Sony 70-200mm at a significantly higher price and was less impressed. I didn’t do all my homework before purchaseing that lens and found that the Sony version did not have the seals (for dust, weather, moisture) that the Sigma has. It was a no-brainer…. the sigma is far better for the money. If you have an a200, it still is a great lens but I feel that camera can not take full advantage of the features of this lens, otherwise, get this lens, it will be the last telephoto you purchase at this range.

1 Star Back focus is an issue!
I purchased this lens after having owned the Tamron. This is a great lens except that I received mine with a significant back focus issue. I’ve read others complaining about this as well on the Nikon mount. I just don’t believe this is acceptable in a lens at this price point.

1 Star Nice while it still worked …
I have had the lens for slightly over one year – just long enough for the warranty to have expired – and the auto-focus no longer functions. When I took the lens to the local camera shop, I was told that I was the second person that day with this lens who experienced the failure of the auto focus function. When the auto focus did function, the lense was great for action (sports, etc.) shots. I’m going to use the lens with the manual focus for now – and consider buying Canon in the future. I really had not used the lens that much – and had always taken care when handling the lens (e.g. removal, storage, etc. were “by the book”). Very disappointing.

5 Stars One amazinf lens
Amazing performance, I am using this lens with Nikon D300 and love everything about it – boken, fast AF, solid feel, etc.

You have to hold this lens steady or use a tripod, but the results are very sharp and contrasty, colors are very natural.

Did I say I just love the boken

Quite impressive lens!

4 Stars Used for first wedding…very happy with it!
Overall I was very happy with this lens for my first wedding shoot. The focal length worked fine…did not need any extra zoom that I thought I might need. The wedding hall was very dark and I was a little worried but on the aperature setting with the lens wide open I got some great shots. The lens had a little bit of a problem during the dancing…especially if they were moving fast…but for slow dances worked fine. I would say about 80% of my images came out very sharp, which I thought was pretty good given such low lighting. Any outside photos I took were fantastic.

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Nikon 85mm f 1 4D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

85mm focal length is considered the optimal choice for portrait work using a 35mm SLR camera. It can be used with D-Series for Nikon mount cameras. Focus type is Autofocus. Maximum focal length: 85 millimeters. Minimum focal length: 85 millimeters. Maximum aperture range: F/1.4. Camera Magnify Power: 0.11. Real Angle Of View: 28.5.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Rarely taking it off!
I have been shooting with this lens for 5 months now and find this is my new favorite lens to shoot with. The 85mm is a little bit too long for me at one point or another when trying to frame my kid in tight area. I have been doing a lot of foot works since I got this lens. Just be prepare to do some exercises when you decided to purchase one if not shooting in a portrait studio.

One small detail that I had noticed though is that the len is “Made In Japan” but the lens’ cap is “Made In Thailand.” Could this be right? Nikon uses lens’ cap from Thailand instead of manufacturing their own in order to save money?

4 Stars Great for portraits but quite old.
Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4 has been hailed as legendary lens for Nikon DSLR or film camera. I think it is because of its unique characteristic but also its age. This lens has been around for thirteen years.

Image Quality and characteristic

Mounted in Nikon full frame camera D700, the lens is sharp at maximum aperture of f/1.4D, which is excellent. Stopped down to f/2.8, the lens become very sharp. But extreme sharpness is not what this lens is made for. It is primarily made for its ability in low light condition, and its ability to create a beautiful out of focus effect in background or foreground.

Because of those characteristic and its fixed focal length, this lens is ideal for portrait. It is also good for candid portraiture such as in wedding. For Nikon pro wedding shooters, this lens is one of must have lens.

Unfortunately, this lens suffers a bit from purple fringing in high contrast area (see sample pic below), it is also susceptible to flare, but not as bad as other lenses.

Auto Focus operation

Because Nikon 85mm f/1.4D does not have built-in motor focus like modern lenses (AF-S) lens, it relies on camera body to focus. It speed will also depend on the camera body. The more higher-end model such as Nikon D700, D3 or D3X will focus faster than the entry-level camera.

When mounted in Nikon D700, the lens focus very fast. Unfortunately entry level user such as Nikon D40, D40X and D60 only can use manual focus because the camera body doesn’t have the capability to focus AF lenses. This lens also create some noise when focusing because lack of Silent Wave Motor.

In sport games such as basketball, the lens has difficulty in continuous tracking. It fails to lock on the object properly resulting in many blur image. I don’t recommend it for sports.

Build Quality

Built quality of this lens is awesome, it is average in size and weight and very nice to handle. The focus ring is smooth. Closest focusing is 85cm, make it not very ideal for macro / close-up photography.

It will come with “metal” lens hood. Unfortunately the lens hood it screw in type and you can’t reverse it for more compact storage. In spite of that, the lens hood is fully metal, so it is better than regular plastic type and a lot more durable.

Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D vso 85mm f/1.8D

Compare to f/1.8D version, This lens is 2.5 times more expensive, the cheaper lens is not as sharp as f/1.4D in its maximum aperture of f/1.8. At f/2.8, the sharpness is almost equal. The build quality is also a lot worse than the f/1.4D. But the 85mm f/1.8 is more compact and portable.

In Conclusion

You might want to get this lens because of several reasons:

* You frequently shoot at extremely low light condition which f/1.4D is often needed

* You are concern about artistic, especially smooth background blur.

* You are looking for the sharpest lens from edge to edge of the image. (The lens is designed to be sharp in the center “focus” and soft in the corner).

Don’t buy this lens for indoor sports, it is better to get either f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens or lighting equipment.

check out www.radiantlite.com for other reviews

5 Stars Expensive, but worth it since it’s versatile
I’ve had my eye on this lens for some time, but was very hesitant to spend the money on it. I bought it a couple of months ago and have used it almost exclusively on my D90 since then. This is a great lens, and I know it was the right lens for me to add to my photo gear right now.

I agree with previous reviewers, there are 2 main reasons to buy this lens. First, if you shoot in low light conditions this lens performs incredibly well. The other day I was at my kids’ school taking some musical photos for the yearbook. The auditorium manager was out for the day, so we couldn’t turn on the stage lights. We only used the house lights and a very small amount of background stage lights, so it was very dark and I wasn’t feeling optimistic about getting some decent shots. But wide open, the lens was capable of producing sharp, clear, decently exposed images.

The other main reason to buy this lens is the bokeh, of course. It is very smooth and beautiful. However, this lens does take some practice and skill when shooting wide open. It is a very sharp lens even at 1.4, but there is no room for error with focus since the depth of field is so narrow.

One other thing that I really like about this lens is it’s size and weight. It’s hefty and well-built, but isn’t too heavy or cumbersome on my D90. I feel perfectly comfortable walking around with this lens. Sometimes people suggest getting a 70-200mm before or instead of the 85mm, but for me this lens is a much better fit and more versatile. Yes, the 70-200mm also has great bokeh, has a more versatile range, and can be better for indoor sports. But it’s size and weight are a major negative me. I wouldn’t use a 70-200mm for casual portraits, or as a walk around lens, or everyday casual shots. In my opinion, the 85mm is great in all of those situations.

There are some negatives to this lens – it is a little too long on a DX body at times and there are some chromatic aberration and flare issues when shooting wide open.

If you are thinking about getting this lens, do your homework and figure out of this is a right fit for you. For me, it is a very versatile lens and a great performer and I am completely satisfied with it.

5 Stars mfarwell
Ok, I just did it! Ive listed my nikon 80-200 2.8 on ebay. I ordered this lens with alot of anticipation!!!! Ive drooled over the idea way to long.

I feel like a 52 year old kid at christmas getting his first bike. Portraits are my number one addiction, my 2.8 was great in low-light doing stage work{live musicians}. If the 2.8 was what I thought was great I can only imagine what I’ll be able to pull off at 1.4-2.0!

5 Stars More Than Expected
I’ve bought this lens a month ago, and I’ve taken unforgettable photos …

This lens is a Bokeh factory … The portraits are amazing, so dreamy, so isolated.

The built quality is great, metallic. Many complain about the screw hood, I love it, plus it’s metallic too.

The focus is so fast.

I’ve bought a 77mm NC filter mainly to protect the lens …

I know some finds the 85mm in digital = 127.5mm is not easy to handle, specially shooting indoor and in small rooms, but this lens will make you overcome this issue … and if you cannot, then go for 50mm or less.

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Canon EF 24 70mm f 2 8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

The Canon EF 24-70mm standard zoom lens does what many pros thought couldn’t be done–it replaces the L-series 28-70mm f/2.8 lens with something even better. The lens offers extended coverage to an ultra-wide-angle 24mm, making it ideal for digital as well as film shooters. The new processing unit, meanwhile, makes the autofocus (AF) faster than ever. And thanks to the two aspherical elements and a totally new UD glass element, the optics are far superior to the earlier lens. Sealed and gasketed against dust and moisture, the EF 24-70mm lens carries a one-year warranty.

• Focal length: 24-70mm
• Maximum aperture: 1:2.8
• Lens construction: 16 elements in 13 groups
• Diagonal angle of view: 74 to 29 degrees
• Focus adjustment: Front-focusing method
• Closest focusing distance: 1.25 feet
• Zoom system: Rotating type
• Filter size: 77mm
• Dimensions: 3.3 inches in diameter, 4.9 inches long
• Weight: 2.1 pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Wonderful Lens
Pros:

- Solid construction

- Outstanding optics (sharpness, contrast, saturation)

- Complementary zoom range if you carry a telephoto lens like the 70-200.

- 2.8 aperture

- Focus is as expected on a USM 2.8, quick

- Lens hood & soft carrying case included*

Cons:

- Heavy, nicknamed “The Brick” (2-3 pounds) for a short lens

- Lack of IS

- Awkward lens hood*

I would like to first say that I recommend this lens – it is outstanding. I fancy this as a good walk-around lens. It is an excellent complement to a telephoto lens (such as a 70-200) which covers the my field needs – except macro and longer zoom.

Just understand what you are purchasing when you buy it. Quality is not a question in this lens and I will not discuss it. The decision is between the 27-70 F/2.8 and the 24-105 f/4 IS as they are very comparable (but not precisely identical in use) quality lenses.

Compare the 24-70 F2.8 and 24-105 F4.0 IS:

- The aperture difference means the 24-70 is superior in motion freezing and to an extent in lower light.

- Camera movement during longer exposures is less of a concern between the 24-70 and 24-105 as the IS and 2.8 tend to offset (remember that IS does NOT resolve subject movement)

- The 24-105 is more versatile by having 50% more zoom.

- I understand the 24-105 is significantly lighter. The 24-70 was disturbingly heavy for such a short lens having never held a 24-105.

- No comment between the 24-70 and 24-105 optics due to not personally encountering a 105. Ratings on the 105 are good, however.

Pay close attention to the fact that the 24-70 2.8 lacks IS and the 24-105 does have IS but at a cost of F/4 – a precarious trade-off situation. That trade-off decision likely determines what lens you should purchase unless low-weight is a major factor.

I chose the 24-70 because I preferred F/2.8 over the 105’s IS – I’ll suffer through my camera jitters as I have done in the past. The weight of the 24-70 was more of a surprise to me than an annoyance.

*: The lens hood functions adequately but attaches to the fixed portion of the barrel. The hood extends 70% of the total lens length when the lens is retracted. You can reverse the hood but it prevents use of the lens controls. This is why I call it “awkward”.

Now to save up for that 70-200 2.8…

4 Stars Great lens, but is it worth the premium?
I wanted this lens for a long time and finally bought it. Its a great lens and the other reviewers point out all the great attributes.

But to be honest, I also have a Sigma DC 17-85 F2.8 for my crop sensor 20D. That lens is nearly as sharp at all apertures. Sigma also makes a DG version for full frame cameras and is about $300 to $400 cheaper.

In the end, I’m not sure the Canon L’s price premium justified it because its performance in my experience isn’t that much better than the Sigma DG. Read up on the Amazon reviews on the DG and you will see that the Sigma is also a great lens but 30%+ cheaper.

No regrets, but my next lens may be a Sigma instead. Canon seems to keep increasing their prices with little improvement in product quality to justify those repeated increases.

5 Stars A must have lens for those who…
This is a must-have lens for those who appreciate great quality photos and the fixed f2.8. It could also be useful for photographers working on their biceps considering how heavy it is.

5 Stars A superb lens
I bought this lens to replace an old Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8 that I had been using since about 2001. The Tokina was a very good lens, but on digital cameras it had serious problems with ghosting whenever something like a light bulb or a flourescent tube was in the frame. It also had a very annoying mechanism for switching between auto-focus and manual focus that had to be worked just right or it wouldn’t let you switch.

The Canon EF 24-70mm L USM is even more of an improvement on that lens that I had expected. Not only does it extend down to 24mm, focus faster, control flare and ghosting much better, and implement manual-focus sensibly (including, like all ring-USM Canon lenses, the ability to adjust focus manually even in auto-focus mode), but it’s much sharper. I had no idea how sharp a zoom lens could be until I bought this lens! It is just a bit soft wide open at the long end of its range, but from 24-50mm or so it’s quite sharp even at f/2.8, improving to stunningly sharp by f/5.6. Softness creeps in again at about f/11 due to diffraction limiting, but that’s a natural optical restriction, not a flaw in the lens.

Ergonomically, the lens is excellent. The zoom and focus rings are well-placed and move easily, with a comfortable level of resistance. It is a fairly large, heavy lens, but typically so for Canon L-series lenses, and not much more so than the Tokina that it replaced in my setup. I don’t find it uncomfortable to hold, but I do tend to keep my left hand under it for extra support when in use.

Aside from the minor softness at the long end that I mentioned above, the only significant negative of this lens is the lack of image stabilization (IS), which would come in handy in low light situations.

One interesting property of the EF 24-70mm is that it reverse-extends when zooming — that is, the inner barrel is extended more at the shorter focal lengths, and fully retracted at 70mm. This seems counter-intuitive until you notice how this interacts with the lens hood, which is mounted on the outer barrel and so does not move with the inner barrel. The EF 24-70mm has a much deeper hood than I have seen on other standard-range zooms, and the extension of the barrel at shorter focal lengths means that the hood optimally covers the lens at all focal lengths. At 70mm, the lens is fully retracted, so the hood provides an appropriately narrow field of view; at 24mm, the lens is maximally extended, and the hood provides correspondingly less coverage.

To sum up, the EF 24-70mm L USM is an excellent lens, fully worthy of the L-series designation. The only improvements I would hope for in a future update would be IS and a little more sharpness at wide apertures near 70mm. Until that lens comes into being, I’ll happily continue using this one.

5 Stars Love this lens!
I had been looking for a fast lens in which to

use for photojournalism. I wanted a lens that

could handle low light situations. I rented

different lenses to see which would produce the

clarity, the color, etc. I was torn between

the Canon EF 24mm f 1.4L USM and the 24-70mm f2.8L.

I decided I could get better use of the 24-70mm

since it was zoom and it worked well in low lights.

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Sony 75 300mm f 4 5 5 6 Compact Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Get extremely close to your subjects from a relaxing distance with this Sony 75-300mm super telephoto zoom lens. Great for taking incredibly close-up portraits without making your subject nervous, the compact, lightweight 4x zoom lens is a terrific value and an ideal choice for covering outdoor activities and sports action, even in large stadium locations. The lens offers a wide zoom range of 112.5 to 450mm (35mm equivalent) that handles both middle-ground subjects and portraits from afar, while still capturing intimate details and natural wonders close at hand. In addition, the lens gives light sources a pleasing circular defocused effect in the background, making the subject stand out beautifully.

• Focal length: 75-300mm (112.5-450mm 35mm equivalent)
• Maximum aperture: f/4.5-5.6
• Minimum aperture: f/28-32
• Filter diameter: 55mm
• Minimum focus distance: 4 feet, 11 inches
• Magnification: 0.25x
• Lens group elements: 10 groups 13 elements
• Distance encoder: Yes
• Blades: 7 aperture blades
• Asperhic elements: No
• Lens type: Telephoto zoom
• Dimensions: 2.81 inches in diameter and 4.81 inches long
• Weight: 1 pound, 2 ounces

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Sony 75-300mm Telephoto zoomlens
There is no other place I was able to buy this lens for this price. The lens was never ushed and still in the box. It works very well. I enjoy it very much.

[[ASIN:B000DZH9H4 Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Compact Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

5 Stars Lens
I ordered the lens on Monday and it arrived on Thursday! I was very happy with how prompt the seller responded. The lens is all I expected.

5 Stars Great lens at good price
I tested this lens with 70-300mm beercan, sigma 75-200mm 2.8/3.5, Sony got very fast AF against all of them, you need this in sport mode. For pictures quality i’m very impress on how sharp it is, I read lot of reviewer and they complaint soft side, not sharp at 300mm and so forth….but I don’t know about that, I haven’t got any problem at all. Where the beer can got good reputation for been sharpness it not true, AF on beer can is slow..IQ is the same as Sony no difference.

5 Stars Great lens for the price
This is not the best 70-300mm lens you can buy but for the price you can’t beat it.

What I like.

- Size

- Build quality

- Zoom range (with the 1.5x crop factor with AF-S sensors (Anything but the A850 or A900) it is a 112.5-450mm 35mm equivalent

- Little lens creep

What I am not crazy about

- Plastic not metal

- a little slow at times with f/5.6 (but that is common for this class, my Nikons have the same issue)

- Wish it had a zoom lock like the new Nikon VRII 18-200mm

5 Stars Great Purchase!!
I purchase the Sony 75-300mm F/4.5-5.6 Compact Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for the Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera. The product was rated used but in good condition. When I received the product there was no indication it had ever been used and the box it came in was brand new. This product should have been classified as new because that’s how I received it.

I would definitely purchase from the seller again!

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Nikon 70 300mm f 4 5 5 6G ED IF AF S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

High-power 4.3x Telephoto Zoom-Nikkor lens (Approximates the picture angle performance of a 105-450mm lens on 35mm SLR) / Uses 67mm Filters Non-Rotating front element provides for convenient use of circular polarizing filters and the Nikon Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System A Silent Wave Motor (SWM) enables fast and quiet autofocusing, along with quick switching between autofocus and manual operation (M/A and M) A nine-blade rounded diaphragm opening, out-of-focus elements appear more natural Accepts 67mm filter attachment size Focal length – 70-300mm (Approximates the picture angle performance of a 105-450mm 35mm SLR) Maximum aperture – f/4.5-5.6 Lens construction – 17 elements in 12 groups (with 2 ED glass elements) Picture angle – 34 degrees 20 feet- 8 degrees 10 feet (22 degrees 50 feet – 5 degrees 20 feet with Nikon DX format digital SLR cameras) Focal length – scale 70, 100, 135, 200, 300mm Unit Dimensions – (approx.) 3.1 x 5.6 in. (80 x 143.5mm); Weight – (approx.) 26.3 oz (745g) Included accessories – LC-67 67mm snap-on front lens cap, LF-1 rear lens cap, HB-36 bayonet hood, CL-1022 flexible lens pouch

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Fantastic with Nikon D40
After owning a Nikon D40 with a 55-200mm lens, a larger lens was the next step.

This lens is much larger and heavier than the 55-200mm Nikkor. I had read the

reviews on the lens and was aware of the near 300mm difficulties. By compensating

for these issues the lens can be a remarkable instrument. Once in focus,

photos taken at 300mm can show excellent resolution and color. I’ve found best

results with the autofocus when the focus is close to the optimum setting before using

autofocus. The magnification is astounding, as much as I would want. The vibration

reduction is very effective. A tripod hasn’t been needed for daylight photos. When carrying

the pair, I cradle the lens instead of holding by the camera. The lens was a demo from

Cameta Camera for $379 with free shipping. It was indistinguishable from new and has

given no problems. A great bargain for its capability. Always get a UV filter!

It’s cheap insurance.

4 Stars Good compromise between performances, weight and costs
I had to do a long travel and I didn’t want to bring my Nikkor 80-200 AF-s 2.8 because of too heavy and too big size.

From Italy I ordered the 70-300 AF-s VR, asking the delivery to the hotel where I stayed in San Francisco. Perfect delivery and delivery time, so I have been able to enjoy the object.

Light tool, with good performances, above all if compared to his big brother 80-200 AF-s 2.8

The stabilizer, combined to the high Iso of my Nikon D700, helped me in a lot of critical situations so I have been able to catch good pictures.

5 Stars Glad I went for the 300
This is for my new D700. I will spare the technical jargon. Was thinking of the 70-200 f/2.8 but that thing is very huge and heavy. This seems like the perfect lens for the beach. Went there for a couple of hours with the dog and snapped about 200 pictures. Even though this is the first day using it, the 300mm really came in handy. I took many shots at 300mm and they came out great! It’s plastic but still feels substantial in your hand. Quality feels better that I expected. Focus is almost instant. I was concerned about the max 4.5 aperture but had no problems, had to turn down the ISO down to 400 as I had the aperture wide open most of the shots. I made full use of the 70-300 range as the dogs come and go very quickly. Took some pics of a friends dogs as well and they are tiny dogs. At 300mm I was able to get some good distance from the small dog, get an interesting perspective and background, shallow depth of field and sharp focus and filling the frame. Also got some good pics at 70mm for close ups. Point is that the 70-300 seems the perfect range when your going for casual wildlife photos.

This lens fits perfect in the Tamrac MX5378 lens case as long as you don’t have the hood on the lens. I shot many pictures into the sun had no flare at all. I guess the coatings really work so I don’t think I will carry the lens hood as I like to travel light. On the other hand…I just tried putting the lens in the case with the lens hood attached (reversed) and it still fits but is tight. Tamrac recommends the Pro100 lens case for this lens and that will be better if you like a loose fit. Problem is those cases are a lot larger and if you are using the Tamrac modular belt, then smaller is better I think.

My opinion, if you have an FX format camera you can’t go wrong with this lens. My three lenses I will most often use are:

70-300 (this lens) Hiking, beach, etc.

24-70 f/2.8 Walk around, candid, indoors without flash.

50 f/1.4G Indoors low light with no flash.

5 Stars Great lens; Great price.
Some of the reviews I’ve read about this lens say it doesn’t autofocus well, but I have not found that is a problem at all. This lens has worked great for me so far. The vibration reduction is definitely worth it. On my 18-105mm I couldn’t see the difference, but on this lens the difference is very obvious. It is definitely worth the extra money.

5 Stars Pro quality for bargain price…
This lens is tack sharp on my D90 all the way out to the corners at all aperature settings and focal lengths. On the D700 it’s a little soft zoomed all the way out to 300mm and @ f/5.6 but stop it down one stop and sharp all the way out to the corners. This lens isn’t meant to be a low light lens anyway so stopping it down shouldn’t be a problem. For the price this is one incredible lens. If you want pro performance and sharpness in low light situations pay the big bucks and get either the (now old) 70-200 f/2.8 or wait a couple months and get the brand new 70-200 f/2.8 with VRII. I will tell you in decent light or tripod situations this lens is just as sharp as the 70-200 f/2.8 (stopped down one stop from wide open) on my D700 and just as sharp at all aperatures on my D90. Pro quality for a bargain price for sure!

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