Macro filters

No direct experience of it but it looks weighty and expensive! Have you looked at sigma equivalent? https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...vtargid=kwd-5064899568&ref=pd_sl_10rqdmyz9s_b

If in doubt take your camera body into a camera shop and have a play with some different lenses. It's a costly experience getting it wrong!

 

To be honest, Martin, when you weigh the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5 - f5.6 AF-S DX against the Sigma18-300mm f3.5mm-f6.3 Macro OS HSM C Lens, or the Tamron 16mm--300mm f3.5-f6.3Di II VC PZD lens I don't believe you'll see any difference in the quality of the images or the build of the lens glass or bodies. Well, I may qualify that by saying perhaps the Tamron is more solid. What you will see is the difference in the prices.......

Nikon 18-300mm AF-S DX VR - £579
Sigma 18-300mm Macro f3.5-f6.3 - £328 [Park Cameras}
Tamron 16-300mm Macro f3.5- f5.6 - £389

I have 22 Pentax, Sigma and Tamron lens of different varieties, and use all three brands, but I do like, for some reason [maybe the feel of it in my hands], the Tamron's for macro work although unless you put them all in the Lab for testing you, personally, would never know the difference. I know it's nice to have a prestigious name on the lens but Sigma and Tamron are more well known as first class independent lens manufacturers who match, if not beat, Pentax, Canon, and Nikon in their standards. Also, despite having the Nikon name on the lens, Nikon only make their own "glass" for their high end cameras, which means that the Nikon 1800-300mm [not being a high end lens] is made by another lens manufacturer Canon and Pentax do the same, although the Pentax lenses from the early lenses to the 1990's were made by Pentax. So, unless you're determined to pay for the feeling of confidence and satisfaction of being able to say you've got a Nikon lens I would give the Sigma and Tamron a realistic thought. I promise the only difference you'll see is what's left in your Bank Account after.

 

I can only second that! Haven't had the chance to try out a Tamron lens but the new Sigma lenses are something else. Consistently good reviews and updated tech. Sigma also have released a 'dock' that you can use to update the firmware in the lens and make other alterations to suit your personal tastes.

 

There is also another thing to consider, Martin, in that, depending on the size of your camera's sensor, you will get an actual increase in the size of your lens magnifying power. I have the Sigma 500mm lens which with the combination of the size of my Pentax K5 sensor actually increases it to the equivalent of a 750mm lens.

 

I think the majority of my lenses are second hand, Martin, and bought from e-Bay or "ffordes" and I've been really pleased with all of them.

 

I think Loofah's already used to the fact that GC Threads tend to go off topic for a while and then return to the original theme!!

 

Aye, we're a meandering bunch! Discussion of a lens could have been put in the Nikon discussion thread but it's all relative and helpful stuff so really not important

And it's got me thinking about the 18-300mm lens and should I buy one... If I do and the wife gets narky about it then I'm putting her onto you lol

 

Good morning @Loofah my friend i have in the past had Nikon,Canon,Sigma and Tamron 18/300 lens with Nikon and Canon dslr's IMHO and this is only my own personal view that the Tamron was far the best,I have now got the Panasonic FZ1000 which does everything for me ,it is a bridge camera but it has a APS-C 20 megapixel 1 inch sensor and goes down to F2.8 throughout the range ,and no dust can get inside the camera when you have to keep changing the lens,I find it the best camera I have ever used and I still write reviews on all new and old camera/lens for my local magazine,yes it was £600 but well worth it,it saves me carrying multiple lenses

 

Oi! Someone's mind is not where it should be !