Need A New Lens For My Nikon D80

[Heidii]

I am after a lens for my Nikon D80 SLR. I am wanting something with a really good zoom, so if im far away i can still get close up shots. I am wanting it for nature shots etc, like when I go to the zoo.

Does anyone know a good lens that will suit and what size i would need. Is a 400mm lens too big or too small?

[Heidii]

have found out the 400mm is way out of my price range but the 300mm i can afford. anyone have experience with this size lens?

[Kirislin]

I can't help you with Nikon advice. I have a Canon 75-300 that I dont use now but the range was good. I used it alot until I got a better quality lens.

[Benji&Cuddles]

I can't help you with Nikon advice. I have a Canon 75-300 that I dont use now but the range was good. I used it alot until I got a better quality lens.

That's the lens that I am looking to buy.

[Kirislin]

Mine wasn't good quality and the photos were often not sharp or had purple "fringing" which is those purple outlines you sometimes see on photos, not good. If it was better quality I would have been happy with the focal range it had.

[rugerfly]

That zoom lens is not too bad, have you got a 18-200?

[SchnauzerBoy]

Sigma / Nikon 70-200 f2.8 depending on your budget- you won't go wrong

Then stick a 1.4 or 2x teleconverter on the end to get the 300 or 400mm

The 70-300 VR is also a good option but is really a consumer lens with a little bit added on.

Nikon 18-200 VR II is a good option, but AF could be an issue at the long end (not tried it on my D80)

Nikon 55-200 VR Kit lens is way too slow to AF.

There is an 80-400 VR too but it is very slow AF.

D80 (as I have one) needs all the help it can get to focus and the Sigma HSM or Nikon Pro AF-S in their 2.8 lenses were the only ones I really liked.