Recommended Zoom Lenses for Nikon D300

Being relatively new here, please accept my thanks to all for a wonderfully informative and friendly site : I've learned a great deal, but obviously have a long way to go.

I recently purchased a Nikon D300, Sea and Sea housing with a Tokina 12-24 and dual Sea and Sea 110a strobes. Photographing has been a great experience.

However, a friend was using a sigma zoom lens on a D90 with Ikelite housing, and I realized that it would be very useful to bring the larger, and sometimes rather shy bigger fish in closer.

Can I ask what you guys recommend?

Many thanks!

Being relatively new here, please accept my thanks to all for a wonderfully informative and friendly site : I've learned a great deal, but obviously have a long way to go.

I recently purchased a Nikon D300, Sea and Sea housing with a Tokina 12-24 and dual Sea and Sea 110a strobes. Photographing has been a great experience.

However, a friend was using a sigma zoom lens on a D90 with Ikelite housing, and I realized that it would be very useful to bring the larger, and sometimes rather shy bigger fish in closer.

Can I ask what you guys recommend?

Many thanks!

hey Max - congrats on your new purchase. I think you will find that most people recommend the Sigma 17-70mm

hope this helps!

Scott

I think you will find that most people recommend the Sigma 17-70mm

Second that.

Being relatively new here, please accept my thanks to all for a wonderfully informative and friendly site : I've learned a great deal, but obviously have a long way to go.

I recently purchased a Nikon D300, Sea and Sea housing with a Tokina 12-24 and dual Sea and Sea 110a strobes. Photographing has been a great experience.

However, a friend was using a sigma zoom lens on a D90 with Ikelite housing, and I realized that it would be very useful to bring the larger, and sometimes rather shy bigger fish in closer.

Can I ask what you guys recommend?

Many thanks!

Hi,

I generally prefer to use prime lenses (the Tokina 10-17 zoom being an exception to that rule), but I just bought the Sigma 17-70 based on the recommendations of others using that lens. I'm not familiar with the Sea and Sea housing and ports, but sometimes it's necessary to use the older non-HSM Sigma 17-70 rather than the newer HSM version due to the size of the lens. In my case, I bought the older version of the Sigma 17-70 but your situation may be different.

Ellen

I am using the Sigma HSM 17-70 lens with my D300 / Ikelite setup in the 8 inch dome port.

As mentioned below and on the Ikelite web site, the HSM lens (the only one now being sold) is supposed to be too big. However it works just fine if you use zelcro strips instead of the normal plastic spring straps to mate with the zoom collar. I really like this lens and have had good results with it.

If you don't already have a Nikon 60mm lens and flat port, I would buy that first however. You have got wide covered with your 12-24 and the 17-70 is NOT a substitue for a good macro lens. The 60mm is the real work horse lens for your rig.

Dave

Hi,

 

I generally prefer to use prime lenses (the Tokina 10-17 zoom being an exception to that rule), but I just bought the Sigma 17-70 based on the recommendations of others using that lens. I'm not familiar with the Sea and Sea housing and ports, but sometimes it's necessary to use the older non-HSM Sigma 17-70 rather than the newer HSM version due to the size of the lens. In my case, I bought the older version of the Sigma 17-70 but your situation may be different.

 

Ellen

For wide angle go with the Tokina 10-17, and or the Nikon 12-24.

Don't go any longer. Not of much value UW. Be careful about 3rd party lenses. Make sure you can get a zoom ring for them and a proper domeport and ext. ring combo. I have seen a lot of jury rigged setups that tend to produce soft images, especially in the corners.

I have the Nikon 17-55 and proper setup for it. Produces good images, but of limited use because it is not wide enough at the wide end and not macro at the long end. Beware of lenses that say they are macro at the long end. If they don't go to at least 1:2 then they are not useful macro lenses UW.

Get a macro lens. The 60 mm is a good choice.

For wide angle go with the Tokina 10-17, and or the Nikon 12-24.

 

Don't go any longer. Not of much value UW. Be careful about 3rd party lenses. Make sure you can get a zoom ring for them and a proper domeport and ext. ring combo. I have seen a lot of jury rigged setups that tend to produce soft images, especially in the corners.

 

I have the Nikon 17-55 and proper setup for it. Produces good images, but of limited use because it is not wide enough at the wide end and not macro at the long end. Beware of lenses that say they are macro at the long end. If they don't go to at least 1:2 then they are not useful macro lenses UW.

 

Get a macro lens. The 60 mm is a good choice.

I' ve bought an Acquatica housingfor Nikon D200, so now I'mbidding for a used D200 with 18-200 Nikon lens, would that be allright? Is the 18 mmwide enough for underwater use? What 35 mm focal length that is? aLike a 35 mm 28?

Thanks

Fabio

Thanks guys. These are all great suggestions!

You can't use the 18-200 in a housing. As mentioned earlier, start with a 60mm macro lens and move on from there.

I' ve bought an Acquatica housingfor Nikon D200, so now I'mbidding for a used D200 with 18-200 Nikon lens, would that be allright? Is the 18 mmwide enough for underwater use? What 35 mm focal length that is? aLike a 35 mm 28?

Thanks

Fabio

18-200 is useless UW.

On the DX format you want a lens that is at least 14 or 15 mm at the wide end.

Longer lens are okay for medium size fish shots. What you really want in a longer lens is 1:1 macro. Hence the reason that most people love the 60 mm micro lens.

Most has been covered here but I shoot the D200, like you just a happy amatuer. My line up of lenses is:

Tokina 10-17mm. Love this lens since I love WA on the camera 50% of the time

Sigma 17-70mm. Good "don't know what you will see" lens. Can do pseudo macro.

Nikon 60mm & 105. Fantastic macro lenses. 60 more flexible, 105 good for shy creatures, clear water, super macro.

Nikon 17-55mm great fish portrait or "shark" lens but tend to use the Sigma 17-70mm due to mentioned pseudo macro.

Have owned Nikon 10.5 which I never use now.

For dryland Nikon 18-200mm, 17-200mm 2.8, and the 200-400mm 4.0. Plus Nikon 1.4 teleconverter.

I am sure others can contribute lenses they love, so many choices

Most has been covered here but I shoot the D200, like you just a happy amatuer. My line up of lenses is:

 

Tokina 10-17mm. Love this lens since I love WA on the camera 50% of the time

Sigma 17-70mm. Good "don't know what you will see" lens. Can do pseudo macro.

Nikon 60mm & 105. Fantastic macro lenses. 60 more flexible, 105 good for shy creatures, clear water, super macro.

Nikon 17-55mm great fish portrait or "shark" lens but tend to use the Sigma 17-70mm due to mentioned pseudo macro.

Have owned Nikon 10.5 which I never use now.

For dryland Nikon 18-200mm, 17-200mm 2.8, and the 200-400mm 4.0. Plus Nikon 1.4 teleconverter.

 

I am sure others can contribute lenses they love, so many choices

Very nice lens selection.

Ditto on the Sigma 17-70 (the 18-50 may also be good), and the 105. Santa just left me a Tokina 10-17 and a Kenko 1.4 pro TC - sweet! I am waiting for a custom "Bare" port for the Tonk w & w/o the TC. I like the Sigma 17-70 topside also. I use the Nikkor 12-24 & 18-200 on land as well as the 105. Looking for the 80-400 replacement (100-500 VRII ???). Otherwise I rent a 300 f/2.8 VR + TC or a 80-400 VR. The new 70-200 f/2.8 VR should be really sweet on a DX and with 1.4 & 2 TCs. Hell, it's only money.

Bob

What's your experience with the Nikon 18-55 lens?

Oops, make that 17-55 lens.

Well as mentioned above I started with the 17-55mm as my "all around" lens. It is an excellent lens, sharp, fast and good in low light. But it is weak on the "macro" end of the spectrum. Once I picked up the Sigma 17-70mm I started using the Nikon less and don't even pack it for trips anymore. I am going to keep it because I think it is a great Shark and Fish Portrait lens. Perfect lens for places like Cocos, the Galapagos, or as mentioned where you want to shoot fish, fish behavior. IMHO. Yes the Tokina 10-17mm is more of a Home Run lens for the same creatures if you can get close enough.

Well as mentioned above I started with the 17-55mm as my "all around" lens. It is an excellent lens, sharp, fast and good in low light. But it is weak on the "macro" end of the spectrum. Once I picked up the Sigma 17-70mm I started using the Nikon less and don't even pack it for trips anymore.

Ditto!! Once I started using the Sigma 17-70mm I do not pack the Nikkor 17-55mm either. My all around fish lens is a Nikkor 24-85mm f 2.8-4.