Zoom in for less
Nuances can make or break tele-zooms, make sure you’re in the know
Other choices include telephoto zooms that are specifically designed for DX format DSLR and mirrorless cameras, which tend to be even lighter. Current favourites include the retractable Nikon AF-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6g ED VR II and the new Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR for mirrorless. Nikon also offers stabilized and non-stabilized versions of a DX format 70-300mm lens. All of these have plastic mounting plates, to keep the weight off.
Especially on DX cameras, where the telephoto power of these lenses is effectively boosted by 50 per cent, it can be hard to avoid camera-shake in handheld shooting. The rule of thumb is that you’ll need a shutter speed that’s at least the reciprocal of the ‘effective’ focal length for sharp shots. Shooting with a 300mm on a DX body (450mm effective), you’d therefore need a minimum shutter speed of about 1/500 sec. Image stabilization typically enables you to shoot at shutter speeds of around 4-stops slower, down to a shutter speed of 1/30 sec.
The steadying effect is further boosted in Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 cameras, in which highly effective 5-stop, 5-axis stabilization is built right into the camera, thanks to sensor-shift tech. The new Z DX 50-250mm VR also has an effective 5-stop stabilizer, which is more crucial as ‘IBIS’ isn’t featured on the Z 50. Even so, stabilization isn’t the whole story. Any movement on the part of the subject can also be critical when shooting with long telephotos, and no amount of stabilization can correct this. Ramping up your ISO can be required for faster shutter speeds.
So far there’s no budget telephoto zoom for full-frame Z series mirrorless cameras. The Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S is a fabulous lens, but its £2399/$2597 price takes it beyond budget territory. One of the FX format lenses in this group, coupled with an FTZ mount adapter is the best solution.
If you’re trading up from DX to FX, even a 70-300mm lens can leave you feeling a little short-changed in terms of telephoto reach. Appealing to those who are missing the crop factor, or just want even greater reach on their DX cameras, Sigma and Tamron offer well-priced 100-400mm telephoto zooms. Let’s see how they all compare.