Lens question

[steviem]

So I have a few lenses for my a300:

-18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Macro Sony kit lens
-28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Sigma lens - I bought second hand on a complete whim but for about £20 on eBay.
-50mm f/1.7 Minolta prime lens - bought second hand from Adorama. Easily my favourite lens and stays on there near permanently.
-55-200 f/4-5.6 Macro Tamron

Now, the last time I visited NY (will be moving there in May), I found myself needing to drop down and go up from my 50mm when taking photos of buildings/landmarks and for street photos. Also I took the 18-70 into a Mets game with me, which struggled when shooting players, but was ok for the stadium shots.

With the lenses I am moving between, I figure that I definitely need the width of the Sony and the reach of the Tamron.

I noticed that there is a Tamron 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 (new) for around £160. Should I try to sell the 3 zooms for this?

I would love to have something really wide, but they are just way out of my price range.

The 50 is wonderful for portraits and for photos of my nieces and nephew so is going to remain a fixture. Just a superzoom seems better for me as a walkabout lens. Any opinion?

 

[Ruahrc]

Well the superzooms are great for the versatility, but you will pay for it in some optical compromises. Usually sharpness and distortion suffer a little due to the extreme zoom range, but with your current glass as listed, there probably won't be an appreciable difference in IQ between what you have and the 18-200.

Notice that f6.3 on the long end is pretty slow, even worse than the usual value of f5.6 on the "dark" end of vari-aperture zooms. Your AF system might have trouble with good focus at the long end. Most AF typically is only rated to work at up to f5.6, it may work beyond that but only in good light and easy AF targets.

What you're buying here is convenience and a little compactness. What you're giving up is possibly a little IQ, and some speed at the tele end.

Ruahrc

 

[El Cabong]

Would personally go for the superzoom, especially in NYC, where it's not always convenient to change lenses. Image quality matters less than flexibility for me when I'm just walking around, and you won't lose that much of that with the Tamron.

On a related note, I once saw a guy drop his 70-200 f/4 L on the sidewalk in Little Italy while fumbling around in his bag. Not pretty.

 

[steviem]

Thanks!

I think I will try to get a Tamron 18-200, I understand that I'll be sacrificing a stop of light and some IQ at the extremes, but the main idea with it for me is that I have missed some good shots by needing to switch lenses. So the 18-200 could be a good compromise for me.

I'm also contemplating hiring a really wide lens for a few days and go up to the top of the rock, the Empire State Building and over Brooklyn Bridge to get some nice printable shots.

 

[ChrisA]

So I have a few lenses for my a300:

-18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Macro Sony kit lens
-28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Sigma lens - I bought second hand on a complete whim but for about £20 on eBay.
-50mm f/1.7 Minolta prime lens - bought second hand from Adorama. Easily my favourite lens and stays on there near permanently.
-55-200 f/4-5.6 Macro Tamron

The LAST thing you need is another ultra slow zoom f/5.6 lens. Notice how you say your f/1.7 is "Easily my favourite"

Buy a zoom but nothing under f/4.0 and f/2.8 if you can afford it. each f-stop click allows you to cut the ISO or shutter sped in half. So even if going from 5.6 to 4.0 does not seem like much it is. Going from 5.6 to 2.8 is HUGE

Sell the 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Sigma lens and the 55-200 f/4-5.6

 

[ChrisA]

Buy a tripod. And a bubble level and use panorama software. You can get very good result and even a 360 degree field if you want

 

[steviem]

Thanks for the input.

I have a tripod already. I suppose another route I could take is getting a 70-210 Beercan. They have constant f/4 maximum aperture. The only problem with this is the size of the lens as it may be hard to get into sports arenas...

 

[MattSepeta]

Thanks for the input.

I have a tripod already. I suppose another route I could take is getting a 70-210 Beercan. They have constant f/4 maximum aperture. The only problem with this is the size of the lens as it may be hard to get into sports arenas...

Here in Minneapolis, I always get into arenas (New twins stadium, gopher football stadium) with my entire gear backpack, including a "big white" 70-200.

 

[flosseR]

Here in Minneapolis, I always get into arenas (New twins stadium, gopher football stadium) with my entire gear backpack, including a "big white" 70-200.

Agreed with Matt here. I have also been in the Twins Stadium with my complete gear. Also on this side of the continent. noone has ever said anything negative or stopped me . As a matter of fact I have had the guy that checks the bags once ask me if he could have a go with my camera and lens after the event.

I think the whole "they won't let me in" is an attitude problem. If you are open of what you are carrying with you and have nothing to hide or are rude to them, they have no beef. Of course if you are trying to take a dslr with you to a venue that is "no cameras allowed" you might have an issue

 

[steviem]

Yeah, I went to Wembley Stadium for a rugby game and they didn't let me take my sister's Nikon D40 with a 70-200 lens in. I was all polite to them, but the security guard had none of it - and then I saw some guy 10 seats away with a big Canon... I think the problem is probably having the 'wrong' guard having a bad day check your bag.

I haven't had trouble in Citi Field before, I had my camera around my neck walking into Citi Field and he was perfectly happy - even let my fiancée's 7 year old cousin in with her mom without a ticket... (I bought 3 tickets and then my fiancée's older cousin decided to join us).

All in all, my experience with pro sport events in the US have been more positive than in the UK.

I'm hoping to take my camera to some Mets and Red Bulls games and if the lockout is resolved, some Giants games.

 

[MattSepeta]

Agreed with Matt here. I have also been in the Twins Stadium with my complete gear. Also on this side of the continent. noone has ever said anything negative or stopped me . As a matter of fact I have had the guy that checks the bags once ask me if he could have a go with my camera and lens after the event.

I think the whole "they won't let me in" is an attitude problem. If you are open of what you are carrying with you and have nothing to hide or are rude to them, they have no beef. Of course if you are trying to take a dslr with you to a venue that is "no cameras allowed" you might have an issue

Yep. Everytime they ask what is in the bag, then look to verify it's not a bomb or guns or something, then let me in. Now I imagine if I was trying to get a 600 f/4L IS through there WOULD be some issues