70-200 2.8 alternatives...

punchdrunk

so i'm looking for a mid range telephoto for my D300,i don't really fancy the weight of a 70-200 nor need the range

seems like the sigma 50-150 2.8 and the tokina 50-135 2.8 are the two options i have,anybody done a side by side?
am i missing any other lenses that fit the bill?

Borderfox

Other alternatives are primes? on pure specs the Tokina should resolve better as it has less zoom range to cover but you never know with third party manufacturers

pete4130

I had the Sigma 50-150 on my D200 and it was a fantastic lens. Small enough, light enough and fast. I loved it! I've got the Nikon 80-200 2.8 (twin ring AF-D version) on my D3 and it's fantastic. It's bigger and heavier than the Sigma 50-150 but its amazingly sharp. Another guy in work bought a Nikon 80-200 that was well used (battered!!!!), had dents all over the body of the lens, it had obviously been dropped as there filter threads at the end of the lens weren't round so a filter couldn't be mounted.....we did a quick sharpness test at 200mm 2.8 and closest focus distance....and his was marginally sharper than my MINT condition version....basically the 80-200 2.8 is built to last!

This shot was with the Sigma 50-150 on the D200 @ 5.6, ISO 400, 150mm 1/3200th second:





This was with the 80-200 on the D3 @ 145mm, 2.8 @ 3200 ISO and 1/250th second:

Ballyman

That B&W portrait is a great shot.

Reoil

The 80-200mm is a decent comprimise.