nullphotography's reviews

  • Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED AF Nikkor

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    long focal length, ED glass, low weight, compact
    no IF or SWM, hence noisy

    Great starter telephoto lens. The long focal length is what I wanted for capturing birds and animals at a distance. At the time I really wanted IF and SWM but they were not available on a zoom of this length or price range. But now that the 70-300mm VR is out, I am upgrading.
    The lens is nice and compact and light. It's ver y easy to carry this around your neck all day. The f/4-5.6 is fast enough especially considering the price jump to faster lenses. Picture quality is great, I consider it on par with my 18-70mm kit. Only problem is slight softness on the 300mm range but this could also be contributed to lens shake.
    I would not recommend using a polarizing filter on this due to the fact that the barrel rotates as it focuses thus causing you to readjust the filter constantly.
    I would recommend this to amateur photographers just starting out and want to try their hand with a telephoto lens.

    reviewed December 5th, 2006 (purchased for $350)

  • Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF DX AF-S Nikkor

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    cheap, light, picture quality
    slow lens

    Received this as a kit lens with my d70s and it has been an excellent performer. It's a great kit lens and excellent for beginners just entering into slr cameras. It's a very light and compact lens. Not as well constructed as a pro lens but pretty good for being plastic. Only con is the slow f/3.5, pros would prefer a faster f/2.8 lens. The 18-70mm focal length is a great zoom and has lots of reach for a small zoom. Couple this with a 70-300mm telephoto and you have a great set for everyday use.

    reviewed December 10th, 2006

  • Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    small, light, sharp, fast
    noisy af

    picked this lens up for low light situations and found a great lens with excellent dof. I originally wanted something for indoor and lowlight use but I know finding myself using this alot when i want alot of dof which is provided by the f/1.8 The only con I see in this lens is that the af is noisy but that isn't that much of a problem. The lens is very sharp throughout and is a must for any photographer just starting out. Pros may wish to look into the f/1.4 or the old f/1.2 for faster lenses and higher quality construction.

    reviewed December 10th, 2006 (purchased for $145)

  • Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S VR Micro Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    quality construction, fast, sharp, VR
    none

    have tried this out on many occasions by borrowing it from my dad. I could not think of any better lens for macro use. It is a very fast f/2.8 and the VR helps alot with handholding for close shots. I have very rarely used a tripod when using this lens because of this. Image quality is very sharp. Focusing is very fast and noise free. The focus limiter helps alot when shooting farther objects or portraits. Has a great reach when used on a dslr. Quality metal construction which gives it weight but not enough to make handholding a chore. If you want a macro lens, this is the one to choose without a doubt, you will not be disappointed.

    reviewed December 10th, 2006

  • Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR AF-S Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    VR SWM IF, Sharper at 300mm
    slower f/5.6

    finally, everything I wanted when I purchased the 70-300mm ED lens. I really wanted the SWM and IF when I purchased the ED version over a year ago and when I heard that this one was coming out with VR, I made sure I would upgrade. I am really happy with this lens, it's a stronger build than the old ED and the SWM IF make it focus much faster and smoother. The VR is a blessing, I am able to handhold shots at 300mm @ 1/80s and still get crisp shots. This new lens is alot sharper at 300mm vs the old ED also. I would highly recommend this to any amateur looking for a zoom tele lens. But the f/5.6 will be too slow for most pros.

    reviewed January 27th, 2007 (purchased for $560)