Nikon lens

[Dane]

So I am in need of a lens that goes to 300. 200 Gets close but sometimes I need closer. I do NOT need VR as most of the pictures taken with the lens will be during daylight.

I found the nikon Nikon 55-300mm

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-55-300mm-4-5-5-6G-ED-VR/dp/B003ZSHNCC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1309955220&sr=8-3

$312

There is also a Sigma 70-300mm

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-70-300mm-Nikon-Digital-Cameras/dp/B0012X43P2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1309955220&sr=8-4

$162

And

Tamron AF 70-300mm

http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-70-300mm-4-0-5-6-Macro-Digital/dp/B0012UUP02/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1309955220&sr=8-7

$162

I know people say Sigma's are good and Tamron's I haven't really heard of. WHich will work with a Nikon D3100. The Nikon lens is a bit too much.

[richardsim7]

I do NOT need VR as most of the pictures taken with the lens will be during daylight.

Why would that make a difference? It's 300mm, you need VR unless you're using a tripod. Besides, you never use VR/IS with a tripod anyway

[Dane]

Why would that make a difference? It's 300mm, you need VR unless you're using a tripod. Besides, you never use VR/IS with a tripod anyway

I have a 200 now and it has VR and none of my pictures ever needed VR, they are all crisp and in focus. I use a tripod at night if I need anything but will use the 18-55.

Would I need a tripod at 300 during complete daylight? I don't at 200 though.

[richardsim7]

Fair enough, like I said though, don't mix VR with tripods ;)

[lawtai]

I would still recommend VR. Even if you don't use it, it's still there.

[Dane]

Does sigma make one with VR? Come to think of it I've never used VR with the 18-55 and I've taken night shots. Ahh I don't know. Will that sigma work with my Nikon?

[dancedar]

Just a fyi...300 is much harder to handhold without vr than 200mm. *Much* harder. Try it.

The prices with vr are perhaps way out of your range (70-300vr is about ?400 here, ~$800 I'm guessing) but it's so worth it. If you just want a 70-300 without vr I've 3 of them lying around. They don't get used as 300 is impossible to hold on a cropped sensor (~450mm) without blur or increasing iso.

[threetonesun]

At that price range, these lenses will all be similar. As long as they have an autofocus motor built in (as I believe they all do), they'll work.

As for VR on a 300, no you don't need it, just be prepared to miss a lot of good photos. In general that kind of range is required for things that move quickly, or things you can't get close to (wildlife, sports, etc).

[fuel925]

I have the sigma 70-300 and its my most used lens, I love it! Well worth the money imo.

[HawkMan]

Fair enough, like I said though, don't mix VR with tripods ;)

Well that was the rule on the original nikon lenses, on the new nikon lenses with VRII or whatever, they say you can use it on tripods and sometimes it's better to.