100-400mm lense... help!

Runway28L · Sun Dec 03, 2017 9:05 pm

(I am aware that there is currently a separate thread up where that thread's OP is in the same scenario as me, but I decided to start a new thread since I have a different camera and my situation is more specific)

Ok so I have a Nikon D3300 and currently have the following:
18-55mm
75-200mm
70-300mm

I use the 70-300mm for nearly 90% of my photographs and just like the rest of my lenses it has always worked great. I went to two airshows this past summer and I found the 300 to not have enough range for quite a few of my shots and some of them left a lot to be desired. I also sometimes spot from remote locations due to circumstances, especially when I'm visiting different airports and the 300 has also sometimes struggled with range.

Both cases I've wondered how much a 100-400mm or even more would help. I recently looked at several of them on Amazon and was not satisfied with any of the prices (saw a few at over $2,000!).

So I'm wondering... which 100-40mm for my camera is the best and what is the best deal I can get for one? Could I even consider an even larger lense? Or is a 400mm not worth it and I should stick with my 300mm? (which I'd be totally fine with)

Any advice would be helpful!

Gasman · Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:50 pm

On your crop sensor, I would have thought the 70-300 would provide a near ideal range of focal lengths. 100-400 on a crop will give you more reach (of course) but you will regularly run into problems with it not being adequate at the wide end.

"Lens" doesn't have an e on the end by the way

Runway28L · Sun Dec 03, 2017 11:16 pm

Gasman wrote:
On your crop sensor, I would have thought the 70-300 would provide a near ideal range of focal lengths. 100-400 on a crop will give you more reach (of course) but you will regularly run into problems with it not being adequate at the wide end.

"Lens" doesn't have an e on the end by the way

That's probably my biggest worry about getting a 400mm. I also think long range shots with it would be more prone to variables such as heat haze.

Yeah I should've gone back and fixed those typos. AutoCorrcect on my iPhone can be very annoying sometimes

Gasman · Sun Dec 03, 2017 11:39 pm

Runway28L wrote:
I also think long range shots with it would be more prone to variables such as heat haze.

Well, yes and no.

Heat haze is proportional to the amount of air between you and the subject - ie. distance. The lens you use to record the image won't matter if you end up cropping the image to fill the frame (which you will). The closer you are to the subject, the better the image will be (regardless of lens being used). But if you want to record a distant subject, you'll generally be better off with a 400mm lens than you will with cropping the image obtained from a 300mm.

Cheers

petertenthije · Mon Dec 04, 2017 12:36 am

Rather then buying a new lens, you could look into buying a convertor. This should be a lot cheaper. A 1,5x will turn your lens into a 105-450 and a 2,0x will turn your lens into a 140-600.

Miguel1982 · Mon Dec 04, 2017 7:21 am

Or, if you are wanting more focal length, there is also a Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 that gets really good reviews. Maybe an option worth checking.

vikkyvik · Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:07 pm

All I'll say is that you should determine what focal lengths you really need, then look for lenses that fit those needs.

300 to 400 is not really a big gain. If an airplane is 1/2 a frame long at 300mm, it will be 2/3 of a frame long at 400mm.

For me, shooting full-frame, I'd love to have 800mm for airshows. Just can't afford it.

jelpee · Tue Dec 05, 2017 3:31 am

I use the Nikon 200-500 mm and it is a gem! Less expensive than the 80-400mm as well. A bit bulky but worth the weight.

Jehan

yerbol · Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:05 am

New Sigma Contemporary 100-400mm with more flexible focal range than Nikon 200-500mm can be a good option for cropped Nikon D3300 giving you that extra range you need for close-up shots, airshows, shots from the long distance with cool morning or evening air without heat haze. It is light, well built, has good optics, sharp accoring to reviews and unexpensive. I do not own one but I see that our fellow spotter friend Borut Smrdelj from Slovenia uses one. He is using this new Sigma on cropped Canon 80D and his photos looks good to me. Perhaps this is something for you to consider.

Borut · Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:28 pm

yerbol wrote:
New Sigma Contemporary 100-400mm with more flexible focal range than Nikon 200-500mm can be a good option for cropped Nikon D3300 giving you that extra range you need for close-up shots, airshows, shots from the long distance with cool morning or evening air without heat haze. It is light, well built, has good optics, sharp accoring to reviews and unexpensive. I do not own one but I see that our fellow spotter friend Borut Smrdelj from Slovenia uses one. He is using this new Sigma on cropped Canon 80D and his photos looks good to me. Perhaps this is something for you to consider.

I am very happy with the new Sigma 100-400 mentioned above. Optics are very good, the lens is very sharp. This means I am using it wide open and not stopped don to f8. There is some vignetting though if not stopped down. Autofocus on 80D works fine.

The new Tamron 100-400 should also be considered if 3rd party lenses are in play. According to reviews its optics are also excellent and focuses (tracking) better than Sigma (on Canon).

Borut

Schmave · Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:11 pm

yerbol wrote:
New Sigma Contemporary 100-400mm with more flexible focal range than Nikon 200-500mm can be a good option for cropped Nikon D3300 giving you that extra range you need for close-up shots, airshows, shots from the long distance with cool morning or evening air without heat haze. It is light, well built, has good optics, sharp accoring to reviews and unexpensive. I do not own one but I see that our fellow spotter friend Borut Smrdelj from Slovenia uses one. He is using this new Sigma on cropped Canon 80D and his photos looks good to me. Perhaps this is something for you to consider.

If I were in the market for a 100-400mm lens this is probably the one I'd get. It is supposed to be quite sharp and the price is right. And even though it is not the fastest lens ever it should be fine for most aircraft spotting (daylight, bright conditions).

dcaviation · Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:43 am

Past few days I've been looking for a lens between 300mm and 500mm (have that covered). I need something to travel with. It needs to be at 400mm and not as bulky as Nikon 80-400mm. I came across Sigma 100-400mm for a decent price and now I'm considering it.
I can't go to customer around ME with Sigma 150-500mm

And my 70-300mm lens is little too short for narrow bodies at DXB. So far only Sigma offers something compact with a reach.
As for the OP. I've been using Sigma 150-500mm for few years now and I really like it. It comes handy especially at air shows.

dcaviation · Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:45 am

Schmave wrote:

If I were in the market for a 100-400mm lens this is probably the one I'd get. It is supposed to be quite sharp and the price is right. And even though it is not the fastest lens ever it should be fine for most aircraft spotting (daylight, bright conditions).

What about overcast conditions?

Schmave · Wed Jan 03, 2018 8:34 pm

dcaviation wrote:
Schmave wrote:

If I were in the market for a 100-400mm lens this is probably the one I'd get. It is supposed to be quite sharp and the price is right. And even though it is not the fastest lens ever it should be fine for most aircraft spotting (daylight, bright conditions).

What about overcast conditions?

Well, you're probably going to have to push your ISO a little to maintain a fast shutter speed. Most newish camera bodies don't suffer too much noise at high ISOs though. Overcast vs. sunny probably requires 1-2 stops of higher ISO is my rough guess.

100-400mm lense... help!

100-400mm lense... help!

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Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

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Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

Re: 100-400mm lense... help!

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