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Choices Anonymous
I'm choosing a zoom lens to be used for macro close-ups, portraits, and medium-range shots. I have a choice between two reasonably priced name-brand lenses, which I'm told do not create distortion at their maximum settings. The lenses are:

50-200mm (f4.5-5.6)
or
70-300mm (don't remember aperture)

I'm not asking you to make the decision for me, but I would like to hear from an experienced photographer the pros and cons of both types of lenses. Is there any reason to get one instead of the other?
>> Anonymous
Also note that the lens will be attached to a Digital SLR
>> Anonymous
the 70-300 is soft from 200-300 wide open, Also its autofocus is pretty slow, And the macro isn't really "Macro" If i remember right its only 1:3.9

IF you want Macro for bugs and skittish things, Bet the 60, 90 or 105mm Macro's out there (some range up into the 800$ range, but there is some decent 350$ ones)

50-200mm f4 is very dark considering the other sub 200$ lenses in that range.. so i'm guessing whoever makes that isn't putting too much stock into it...

Aka if you want a good portrait lens, I think your best bet would be the Nikon Canon, OR Sigma 70-200mm f2.8, Its wide open enough that if you want the extra mm, you could by a teleconvertor, Also its a little bit (but not much better) MAcro performer than the other 2 lenses.

Its not cheap, 800$-1200-1800$ (Sigma - Nikon - Canon) But its a keeper.
>> Anonymous
>>31450

>>I'm choosing a zoom lens to be used for macro close-ups, portraits, and medium-range shots


lol, good luck.

How about someone tell you that one lense wont do all of these things for you.

these "do it all" lenses tend to just do everything shitter than a dedicated lense.

>>I'm told do not create distortion at their maximum settings.

lol again.
>> Anonymous
Check the reviews on fredmiranda.com
>> thefamilyman
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there is one lens that can fit all those area's you want,
Mirco-Nikkro 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6

i own one of these, its a great versatile lense, a little slow AF but it does have a limit lock that helps a lot and its not exactly the fastest lens at f/4.5-5.6, but thats what high ISO and a tripod is fore in low light conditions, in daylight, there is no issue about speed at all. its a very sharp lens even at 180mm, but not quite as sharp as a 70-200mm VR f/2.8 at the same focal length, but trust me, you will never notice.

this lens is a macro lens with near 1:1 (1:1.33 to be exact and can be easily fixed to 1:1 with a close up lens filter), it also performs as a telephoto lens quite respectively.

http://www.bythom.com/70180Macrolens.htm
>> thefamilyman
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sample pic i took from that lens

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D70Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/5.7Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern822Focal Length (35mm Equiv)270 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2006:09:29 19:10:10Exposure Time1/750 secF-Numberf/6.7Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramExposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length180.00 mmCommentCopyright 2006 Patrick BridgmanColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width1024Image Height681RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlNoneContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Anonymous
>>31471

that pic is just proof that a lens cant be good at all things.
>> Anonymous
Well I consulted a more experienced friend and I like what he's told me about the Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor. When searching online, though, I found another one: Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D AF Zoom-Nikkor, which is $200 cheaper. Are all the bells and whistles worth shelling out an extra $200 for?