sigma 70-300
 

I just want to know if this lens is a recommended for general purpose use. I want a lens where i can use for close shots and at the same time use it for distance like sports or wildlife. Please advice. I have a nikon d5100.

i don't know about the nikon version of the sigma 70 - 300mm apo dg macro lens as the one i owned was the canon version but from what i can gather it is the same apart from the mount

the one i had was pin sharp at 70mm and kept sharp up until 200mm but after that it would soften off quite considerably and at 300mm it was pretty much useless

for wildlife small birds 300mm is not really enough and considering that this particular lens softens quite dramatically at 300mm i would say you would struggle at best

saying ALL that for the price it's ok but don't expect great results above 200mm

Thanks for replying.....so what do you suggest I get as a beginner......I see you took close up shot of birds.....I took birds shots too with 55-200 but was not able to get that close without disturbing them

are you looking for a one lens to do everything

it depends on your budget

the lens i use is a canon 300mm F4 L and a 1.4x teleconverter but get beyond the typical garden variety species that can be enticed closer with seed it's still a struggle

sigma have a 150 - 500mm that gets good things said about it and on the cheaper end a second hand sigma 170 - 500mm ( no longer in production ) can be had for not a lot of money and stays sharp up to around 400mm
i have owned the canon version of this lens and had some nice results with it but it did lose some sharpness above 420mm

it's all about the depth of your pocket

an example photo at 400mm with the sigma 170 - 500mm
[URL=http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2125067140056509299IdEOFp][IMG]http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/50289/2125067140056509299S600x600Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

an example photo at 500mm with sigma 170 - 500mm
[URL=http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2198781150056509299HOcDQu][IMG]http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/44372/2198781150056509299S600x600Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[I]if you click on the images you can navigate to full screen images[/I]

both acceptable images but as you can see the 400mm photo is noticeably sharper

good luck in your quest...

[QUOTE=wave01;80162]are you looking for a one lens to do everything[/QUOTE]

Yes...for now while i hone my skills, then somewhere in the future maybe go for more specific lenses.......thanks

@ cosmicma ....... Thanks for your advice, I'll definitely consider purchasing one.....by the way those are awesome shots you've got...

hi i am not a fan of one lens does all but i would look at a tamron 18-270. do you have a lens at the moment