The fisheye camera lens was originally developed so that the whole sky could be captured in one single image to help meteorologists study cloud formations. However, the extravagant 180-degree angle of view soon found favour with photographers.

One thing that sets fisheye lenses apart from regular ultra-wide lenses is their curvilinear rather than rectilinear optics. This means that rather than aiming to keep straight lines straight, they exhibit extreme barrel distortion, bowing parallel lines – which you can use to creative effect. But what is it that makes the new Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM so special?

Conventionally, you have to choose between two types of fisheye lens.

A circular fisheye produces a circular image that only covers the central portion of the sensor, leaving the remainder of the frame black.

The other option is a diagonal fisheye, which produces a larger image that covers the whole sensor, resulting in a more typical, full-sized rectangular picture. The unique thing about the Canon 8-15mm fisheye is that it produces a circular fisheye image at 8mm, stretching to a diagonal fisheye image at 15mm. Essentially, you get two lenses in one.

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM at 8mm - see full resolution image

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM at 15mm - see full resolution image

There's a catch, though – the EF 8-15mm is designed for full-frame cameras like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and you don't get the dual circular and diagonal fisheye options on cameras with smaller sensors. With Canon's APS-C cameras, such as the EOS 50D and 550D, you get full sensor coverage at 10-15mm focal lengths, and on APS-H cameras such as the EOS-1D Mark IV, which have slightly larger but not full-frame sensors, it's 12-15mm.

At 8mm focal lengths on APS-C D-SLRs, you'll merely get extreme vignetting (cropping of the corners) instead of a circular image. To help avoid this, there are C and H markings next to the zoom ring, as well as a zoom limit switch for APS-C cameras, locking the zoom range at 10-15mm. Another disappointment is that, at the 15mm end on APS-C cameras, the bowed fisheye distortion effect is rather minimised.

As an L-series (Luxury) lens, the EF 8-15mm boasts fully professional, robust build quality. Features include a constant f/4 maximum aperture that's available throughout the zoom range, environmental seals to guard against moisture and dust and fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements to enable easy cleaning.

That's a bonus, because the protruding, dome-shaped front element is very exposed to the weather. Plus, the supplied lens hood can only be used at 15mm, otherwise it cuts into the corners of the image.

Ring-type USM (Ultrasonic motor) autofocus is super-fast and practically silent, complete with full-time manual override. Measuring 78.5x83mm and weighing 540g, it's rather larger and heavier than Canon's now obsolete EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye prime lens, but still smaller and lighter than the regular EF 16-35mm f/2.8L ultra-wide full-frame lens.

In our tests, sharpness proved very impressive, especially between f/5.6 and f/11. The lens is also remarkably resistant to ghosting and flare, helped by the use of Canon's Subwavelength structure coating (SWC). That's good news, because you often capture a vast expanse of bright sky when using a fisheye lens outdoors.

As with other circular fisheye lenses, we often got a blue edge around the circumference of the image in circular fisheye mode, but it's quite easy to apply a circular crop in Photoshop to fix this. Colour fringing around high-contrast edges was also quite noticeable, but you can shoot in RAW and tune these out in the Digital Photo Professional software supplied with your Canon camera.

Verdict

On a full-frame camera such as the EOS Canon 5D Mark II, the EF 8-15mm Fisheye is a wonderfully versatile lens that enables you to switch between circular and diagonal fisheye effects with a twist of the zoom ring. Image quality is very good in terms of sharpness, contrast and resistance to ghosting and flare, although colour fringing can be quite noticeable.

For APS-C cameras, the lens is relatively poor value. Image quality is retained but versatility is lost.

It merely becomes a diagonal fisheye lens with reduced zoom range, and the heavily distorted fisheye effect is largely lost at the long end of the zoom range on an APS-C camera.

Ultimately, if you're shooting with a camera such as the Canon EOS 1100D, Canon EOS 600D, Canon EOS 60D or Canon EOS 7D, you're better off with either the Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM circular fisheye or the Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM diagonal fisheye, both of which are designed specifically for APS-C cameras and only cost about half the price.

Overview

Wouldn't it be great to get some serious telephoto zoom reach without filling up most of your gadget bag with a big clunky lens? The Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED fits the bill with a remarkably compact design, and it's less than half the weight of its big brother, the Nikon 70-300mm VR. A major factor in its downsizing is that, unlike the 70-300mm, this is a 'DX' lens, designed specifically for Nikon DSLRs based on APS-C (rather than full-frame) sensors.

It's quite a basic zoom lens, a kind of telephoto version of the 18-55mm VR kit lens supplied with Nikon's budget DSLRs, such as the D3100 and D5100. With Nikon's 1.5x crop factor, the equivalent zoom range works out to 82.5-300mm.

By way of comparison, Canon's closest equivalent is the EF-S 55-250mm IS, which is a little larger and heavier. The Canon's extra telephoto reach and 1.6x crop factor give you a maximum effective range of 400mm, putting the Nikon in the shade a bit, but the little Nikon still has some smart features to offer.

Design is based on 15 elements in 11 groups, including one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element to improve resolution and contrast while reducing chromatic aberrations. The maximum aperture drops from f/4 to f/5.6 as you extend the focal length through the zoom range, and can be reduced to f/22-32 via the 7-blade diaphragm.

Autofocus is based on a Nikon AF-S (Silent Wave) ultrasonic motor, which is quiet and reasonably rapid, although not as fast or as near-silent as the more advanced ring-type AF-S fitted to lenses like the Nikon 70-300mm VR. The closest focus distance is 110cm, at which point the lens gives a maximum magnification factor of 0.23x at its longest zoom setting.

Vibration Reduction is of Nikon's now outdated first-generation design and offers a 3-stop benefit in avoiding camera shake, whereas the VR II system featured in newer lenses gives a 4-stop advantage.

In keeping with the small build, the filter thread is a mere 52mm. Featuring internal focusing, the front element neither extends nor rotates during focusing, which is a bonus when using rotation-specific filters such as a circular polariser. Extras include a lens hood and soft pouch.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

Shoehorned into a compact package, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED's diameter and minimum length are just 73 x 100mm, extending to a maximum length of 175mm complete with hood, at the longest telephoto zoom setting.

Weighing a mere 335g, the lens certainly isn't cumbersome, but build quality isn't particularly inspiring either.

Unusually in this class of lens, the mount for fixing it to a camera is made of plastic rather than metal, but it should still be quite durable. The rubberised and nicely textured zoom ring runs almost the full length of the body and operates quite smoothly, yet without any hint of zoom creep.

There's no focus distance scale and the manual focus ring itself is tiny and quite fiddly. At least it's placed at the forward end of the lens, so doesn't tend to get fouled by your fingers while rotating in autofocus mode.

Performance

At the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED's largest aperture settings of f/4-5.6, sharpness is merely adequate at short and medium focal lengths but it's impressive at the maximum telephoto length of 200mm.

This is quite unusual for a telephoto zoom lens, since sharpness normally drops off at the long end of the zoom range.

Vignetting is well controlled at all focal lengths, while autofocus is pretty rapid and very accurate. Like the larger Nikon 55-300mm VR, resistance to ghosting and flare is impressive.

Sample image:

Taken at 200mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

The main attraction of the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED is that it's very compact and lightweight, while still offering a decent zoom range, equivalent to 82.5-300mm.

We liked

It's sharp at 200mm, even at the maximum available aperture of f/5.6.

We disliked

Older generation 3-stop Vibration Reduction and the lens mount is made of plastic instead of metal.

Final verdict

Optical quality proved best at longer telephoto settings and, overall, it's a good buy at the price.

Canon's EF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens is the first to incorporate a new Hybrid IS system, which corrects for both rotational and linear camera shake. The new technology builds on the company's widely-employed Image Stabilizer, and is said to be particularly effective for subjects shot at close distances, which, according to Canon, is traditionally where standard image stabilisation systems struggle.

Its effectiveness is dependent on shooting distance, with a claimed two-stop improvement when the lens is used at its 1:1 magnification ratio, rising to four stops when used for more conventional photography. As with Canon's more standard stabilisation system, this is activated via a switch on the barrel, which sits above two further switches for autofocus/manual focus and limiting focus.

Sharpness test

See full-res image

See full-res image

Centre sharpness throughout the aperture range is high, with excellent results at f/2.8 and good results further down between f/8 and f/16.

Fringing test

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Fringing is low in the centre of the frame but poorly controlled the further you get towards the edges.

Distortion test

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Control over distortion is superb, with practically no distortion visible throughout images and only a negligible amount measured through lab testing.

The latter is notable for its three settings, which enable the user to specify focus between 0.3 and 0.5m or 0.5m and infinity, in addition to the entire range.

Canon has devoted a significant proportion of the outer barrel to a large focusing ring, which sits in the centre of the lens just ahead of the three switches.

Above it, there's a distance window that indicates distance in feet and metres, as well as the current magnification ratio. Usually this is found behind the focusing ring towards the rear of the lens, but by placing it here it's actually easier to view from behind the camera. The window itself is sufficiently large for all its information to be clearly laid out, which makes a refreshing change from countless other lenses whose poky distance windows make reading the information within them more difficult.

As with other Canon L-series lenses, a red ring encircles the top of the optic, and seals are in place to keep out any moisture and dirt. As its likely applications include nature photography, this is most welcome here, and means that the lens can be used with confidence with weather-resistant bodies such as the Canon EOS 5D Mk II and EOS 7D.

On the inside, a ring Ultrasonic Motor (USM) promises high-speed, near-silent autofocus, and focus may be manually overridden once the AF system has acquired a lock on a subject.

With an impressive nine diaphragm blades, the lens also looks well equipped for pleasing circular bokeh, while a single Ultra Low Dispersion (UD) element is also included to "effectively remove chromatic aberration". This is in addition to Canon's Super Spectra coatings, which are said to aid light transmission.

The focusing ring is perhaps a little stiffer than expected, but this doesn't make it particularly difficult to turn and it runs smoothly from one end to the other. Its positioning towards the front of the lens means that when shooting handheld it's difficult to use the palm of your hand to support the camera's base, although when autofocusing this is less of an issue (and when using a tripod, it isn't one at all).

When there's enough light, focusing speeds are about as fast as expected. On an EOS 600D body there's some slight hesitation as focus is confirmed, but this will vary between DSLRs and is partially dependent on the ambient light available.

Focusing speed is still fast overall, although in lower light there's a noticeable slowdown in focusing speed as the camera moves more cautiously through its range, much more so than with similar optics.

In terms of results, on an APS-C body, corner shading disappears by around f/4, although on a Canon EOS 5D Mk II some darkening remains until f/5.6. Centre sharpness throughout the range is high, with excellent results at f/2.8 and good results further down between f/8 and f/16.

The one area where the lens noticeably falls behind its competitors, however, is in its consistency across the frame – softness towards the edges of the frame is disappointing, particularly at wider apertures, but this does improve as the aperture gets smaller.

A similar performance is witnessed with chromatic aberrations, which are low in the centre of the frame but poorly controlled the further you get towards the edges. Conversely, control over distortion is superb, with practically no distortion visible throughout images and only a negligible amount measured through lab testing.

Thankfully, the Hybrid IS system works well, with an average benefit of between two and three EV stops. A handful of images shot at slower shutter speeds also resulted well, and no doubt these would be deemed usable for all but critical work, although this was only generally achievable in more controlled indoor conditions, such as when sitting down and not being subject to any wind or other environmental conditions.

Verdict

The CanonEF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM is a reasonably priced lens with sometimes excellent sharpness, an effective image stabilisation system and near-perfect control over distortion. It has all the features you could realistically want for a macro lens, and its only failings are slightly inconsistent sharpness across the frame and sub-standard control over chromatic aberrations.

Overview

Unlike the somewhat basic affair that is the Tamron AF 70-300mm Macro, the new Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD has all the latest bells and whistles, or at least their high-tech, optical equivalents.

Proudly sporting Tamron's Super Performance (SP) badge, the lens is available in Canon, Nikon and Sony fit options, although Vibration Correction is omitted on the Sony version, due to these cameras having built-in sensor-shift stabilisation. We'd have preferred VC to be included on the Sony version, to give a choice of stabilisation methods, as with the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS.

Unlike Tamron Di II lenses, which are specifically designed for APS-C cameras, this Digitally Integrated (Di) lens is full-frame compatible, although will usually find its home on an APS-C camera.

For Nikon and Sony camera users, the effective zoom range will be 105-450mm, and 112-480mm on a Canon body.

Based on 17 elements in 12 groups, the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD features both a Low Dispersion (LD) and Extra Low Dispersion (XLD) element to boost image quality and reduce chromatic aberrations, also known as colour fringing.

The nine-blade diaphragm stops down to f/32-45 as you go through the zoom range, whereas the largest available apertures range from f/4-5.6

Advanced features include ring-type ultrasonic autofocus. Like the similar system fitted in the Nikon Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED, it's fast, ultra-quiet and comes complete with full-time manual override in single or 'one-shot' autofocus mode.

Because the focus ring doesn't rotate during autofocus, Tamron has positioned it at the rear of the lens within easy reach, and there's a good focus distance scale positioned beneath a viewing window.

The internal focusing mechanism also means that the front element neither extends nor rotates throughout the focus range, which is a bonus when using rotation-specific filters such as a circular polariser or graduated neutral density filter.

The other standout feature is Tamron's Vibration Correction (VC) system - an optical stabiliser that offers 4-stop performance in fending off camera-shake.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

Build quality is a cut above most Tamron lenses, and the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD feels robust, sturdy and well finished. It's no lightweight at 765g and is actually one of the heaviest lenses in its class.

This is no bad thing because, along with the VR system, it helps to combat camera shake at long telephoto zoom settings, especially when panning. The lens is quite chunky too, measuring 82 x 143mm and extending in length to 280mm at its longest zoom setting, with the petal-shaped hood fitted.

The only slight letdown in handling is that the zoom ring of our review sample was slightly lacking in smoothness. However, the focus ring was silky smooth, both in manual focus mode and when using manual override in autofocus mode.

Performance

Things start off well at the 70mm end of the zoom range and good optical performance is maintained up to a focal length of around 250mm. At the maximum 300mm telephoto setting, however, sharpness takes a nosedive, and you really need to reduce the aperture from its maximum setting of f/5.6 to f/8 to get decent results. In fact, at 300mm, the lens is only really sharp between f/8 and f/16.

At least using the lens 'wide open' isn't as critical as it might be, due to the highly effective 4-stop stabiliser. Distortions and chromatic aberrations are well controlled, and the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD lens is notably better than Tamron's older 70-300mm Macro lens in these respects.

The ring-type Ultrasonic Drive (USD) autofocus is also massively quicker and much better suited to sports and wildlife photography.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

The first Tamron lens to feature ring-type, ultrasonic focus, the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD is a major step up from the company's older, non-stabilised 70-300mm Macro lens. Build quality is vastly superior, and Vibration Correction works extremely well. Sure, you lose the 0.5x macro facility offered by the older lens, but in every other respect, the VC USD is a much better choice.

We liked

Ring-type ultrasonic autofocus and Vibration Correction are well implemented and work very well.

We disliked

The lack of sharpness when shooting at 300mm with an aperture of f/5.6 is disappointing.

Final verdict

The only disappointment with the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD is a lack of sharpness at the longest telephoto zoom setting, at anything outside an aperture range of f/8-16.

Overview

One of Tamron's Digitally Integrated (Di) lenses, the AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro is designed for use on both full-frame and APS-C-sized cameras. It's available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony fit and, on APS-C bodies, the effective zoom range is 105-450mm or, for Canon cameras, a slightly longer 112-480mm.

For Nikon users, one point worth noting is that the original Nikon-fit version of this lens, made before February 2008, didn't feature a built-in autofocus motor, so can't autofocus on bodies such as the D3100 and D5100. Unlike Tamron's newer SP 70-300mm VC USD // lens, this one also lacks an optical stabiliser.

The optical design is based on 13 elements in nine groups, with a nine-blade diaphragm that enables an aperture range of f/4-5.6 to f/32-45. The smaller than usual minimum aperture is useful for extending depth of field in macro mode.

The macro facility is available in the 180-300mm focal length range, via a switch on the lens barrel, and offers a maximum 0.5x magnification when shooting at 300mm and the shortest focus distance of 95cm. It's a feature that's quite uncommon on telephoto zoom lenses but is shared by the Sigma 70-300mm APO Macro lens.

Autofocus is of the standard electric motor type, rather than Tamron's newer Piezo Drive (PZD) or Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) systems featured on some of its latest lenses, the latter being fitted to the Tamron SP 70-300mm VC USD.

The Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro lens also lacks internal focusing, so the front element extends and rotates during focusing.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

Surprisingly lightweight for a full-frame camera lens, the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro weighs just 435g. The downside is that it also feels a bit flimsy and plasticky.

At 77-117mm, it's also fairly compact, although the length stretches to 214mm with the lens hood fitted, at the closest normal focus setting and maximum telephoto zoom. The overall length extends further, to 237mm at the 0.5x macro setting.

Handling is hampered by a slightly stiff and jerky zoom ring, but at least there's no zoom creep. By contrast, the focus ring is very smooth and effective. There's also a handy focus distance scale printed around the rear edge of the focus ring, and a macro magnification scale at the front edge.

Performance

A capable performer throughout the 70-200mm zoom range, the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro loses the plot a bit as you get towards its maximum 300mm focal length. Sharpness drops off, compounded by a lack of stabilisation for handheld shooting.

The net result is that getting consistently sharp long shots is always a challenge. Sharp macro shots are equally tricky, because resolution drops massively if you choose a very small aperture to try to increase depth of field.

Based on a standard electric motor, autofocus proved painfully slow in our tests, especially at long focal lengths, where it was particularly ponderous as well as being prone to hunting back and forth when trying to lock onto targets. Colour fringing was also more noticeable than with many competing lenses, especially towards the edges and corners of the frame.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

One of the cheapest telephoto zoom lenses on the market, the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro feels like it's built down to a price, with a flimsy feel to it. Optical performance is pretty reasonable through most of the zoom range, but there's a lack of sharpness at 250-300mm.

We liked

It has a good telephoto zoom range and it's one of the cheapest lenses on the market.

We disliked

It comes with a basic feature set and low-budget build quality, along with unimpressive optics at the long end of the zoom range.

Final verdict

The Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro is quite an old design and is now outclassed and outdated by most of the newer competition. It may be cheap, but it's not a particularly good buy.

Overview

At a glance, it's easy to think that this is a newer version of Sigma's 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro lens, but with an optical stabiliser fitted (OS). Sure enough, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS is still a 'DG' lens designed for full-frame DSLRs and equally compatible with APS-C bodies that have smaller image sensors, but it's a completely different lens.

Available in various mount options for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony bodies, the effective zoom range is 112-480mm on Canon APS-C cameras and 105-450mm in all other fitments.

On current Pentax and Sony bodies, you get the choice of whether to use the Sigma's optical stabiliser or sensor-shift stabilisation featured in the camera. Using both stabilisers simultaneously can lead to problems and, in our tests, we've found the in-lens optical stabilisation works rather better, especially at long telephoto zoom settings.

There's no HyperSonic Motor (HSM) autofocus actuator, the lens relying instead on a standard electric motor. By contrast, the OS is relatively high-tech and delivers a 4-stop advantage in beating camera-shake.

Unlike the cheaper Sigma 70-300mm APO, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS lens features just one Special Low Dispersion (SLD) element rather than three.

Overall, there are 16 elements built into 11 groups and a 9-blade diaphragm which enables an aperture range of f/4-5.6 to f/22-32. Another crucial difference is that this lens lacks the APO version's macro facility, the maximum magnification factor being 0.25x instead of 0.5x.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

A little heavier than Sigma's 70-300mm APO lens, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS weighs 610g and is 4mm longer, at 77 x 117mm. Focusing isn't internal so the front element rotates and extends, the maximum length being 235mm at the longest zoom setting and closest focus distance, measured with the hood fitted.

Like Sigma's other 50-200mm OS and 70-300mm APO telephoto zooms, build quality is of a high standard and construction feels sturdy. There's no zoom creep but the zoom ring and manual focus ring operate smoothly and effectively.

The latter is fitted at the front of the lens barrel and, given the length of the lens, it's quite easy to avoid fouling its action in autofocus mode while it's rotating. The downside is that the front element also rotates during focusing, which can be a problem when using rotation-critical filters such as a circular polariser.

Performance

In our tests, the stabiliser in the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS lens lived up to its 4-stop claims and performed more consistently than the one in Sigma's smaller 50-200mm OS, which is designed only for APS-C cameras rather than also being full-frame compatible.

The lens is a worthy update to Sigma's older 70-300mm APO Macro model.

Despite lacking the earlier lens's Apochromatic (APO) badge, chromatic aberrations were actually slightly less noticeable in our tests, while sharpness was rather better when shooting at the longest telephoto setting of 300mm and the largest available aperture of f/5.6.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-size image

Verdict

Optical quality is good and the 4-stop optical stabiliser performs well, but it's a shame that Sigma didn't fit an HyperSonic Motor (HSM) autofocus system to the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS. As it is, the basic electric motor is quite noisy, but at least it's not too sluggish in operation.

We liked

The 4-stop optical stabiliser makes for consistently sharp handheld shots, and the build quality feels robust.

We disliked

It lacks HSM autofocus and the front element rotates and extends during focusing.

Final verdict

Overall, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS is a good buy at the price, but it's still outclassed by the more expensive Nikon 70-300mm VR and Tamron 70-300mm VC USD lenses.

Overview

In this day and age, it's easy to write off any 'slow' telephoto zoom lens with an f/4-5.6 maximum aperture that doesn't have optical stabilisation. However, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro still packs some impressive features at the price.

As a 'DG' lens, it's designed for digital full-frame DSLRs but is equally compatible with APS-C camera bodies that have smaller sensors.

The lens is available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony mounts, and is an especially attractive option for Pentax and Sony users, since current ranges of these cameras feature built-in sensor-shift image stabilisation, bypassing the need for an optical stabiliser in the lens.

Effective focal lengths on most APS-C bodies are 105-450mm, and 112-480mm for Canons.

With 14 elements in 10 groups, three of the Sigma's elements are Special Low Dispersion (SLD) to help reduce chromatic aberrations, or colour fringing, and earning it an Apochromatic (APO) badge. The nine-blade diaphragm enables an aperture range of f/4-5.6 down to f/22-32.

Autofocus is based on a relatively old-fashioned and basic electric motor, rather than Sigma's HyperSonic Motor (HSM) system, but the lens focuses down to just 95cm, at least in the 200-300mm focal range.

At its longest telephoto setting, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro lens has a 0.5x macro facility, similar to the Tamron 70-300mm Di LD Macro lens. The Sigma comes complete with a lens hood and soft pouch.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

Despite being relatively inexpensive to buy, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro's build quality feels good and solid. The lens is reassuringly weighty at 550g and measures 77-119mm, extending to 249mm at its longest zoom setting and shortest normal focus setting, with the lens hood fitted.

Switch to Macro mode using the switch on the side of the lens barrel and it stretches even further to 264mm.

The autofocus motor is quite noisy, but it's reasonably quick. There's no internal focus, so the front element rotates and extends as you focus from infinity down to the closest focus distance but, on the plus side, this enables the printing of a magnification scale on the inner lens barrel, as well as the focus distance scale which is printed around the the focus ring. The focus and zoom rings both have a smooth action and the lens doesn't suffer from zoom creep.

Performance

Impressive throughout most of its zoom range, the Sigma's sharpness drops off at the long end of the zoom range, especially towards the edges and corners of the frame. Sharpness at 300mm is poor across the whole frame with small apertures of f/16-32, which you might want to use to increase depth of field in macro shooting.

Despite its APO badge, chromatic aberrations are quite noticeable. Sigma's newer, non-APO 70-300mm OS actually performs rather better in this respect. In some of our tests under dull lighting conditions, image contrast was also a bit lacking.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

One of the old school of telephoto zoom lenses, the Sigma 70-300mm APO Macro lacks an optical stabiliser, which is a big drawback for Canon and Nikon camera users.

We liked

Typically solid Sigma build quality and sharpness is good from 70mm up to about 250mm.

We disliked

Drop off in sharpness at 300mm, lack of image stabilisation and no HSM autofocus.

Final verdict

More than a one-trick pony, the Sigma doubles up as a 0.5x macro lens but, given its relatively poor resolution at the long end of the zoom range, it can't compete with a good macro prime lens. Overall, it's outclassed by Sigma's newer 70-300mm OS lens.

Overview

Most telephoto zoom lenses designed specifically for APS-C rather than full-frame DSLRs have a zoom range of about 50-200mm. This gives them an effective zoom range of 75-300mm on Nikon camera bodies such as the D3100 and D5100, very close to the classic telephoto zoom range of 70-300mm on full-frame cameras.

However, many photographers fit full-frame telephoto zooms to APS-C cameras, even though they're usually bigger and heavier, because this boosts the effective telephoto reach to 450mm. Launched in September 2010, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR aims to give you the best of both worlds, combining a compact and lightweight design optimised for APS-C cameras with extra telephoto reach.

Under the skin, the Nikon 55-300mm VR is based on 17 elements in 11 groups, including two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and one HRI (High Refractive Index) element to boost image quality.

An aperture range of f/4.5-5.6 to f/22-29 is enabled by a nine-blade diaphragm that has two more blades than the cheaper and smaller Nikon 55-200mm VR lens. The result is a smoother bokeh, or quality of defocused elements in an image.

Another major difference between the two lenses is that the 55-300mm boasts Nikon's newer VR II Vibration Reduction system, which gives 4-stop rather than 3-stop protection against camera-shake.

The AF-S (Silent Wave) autofocus actuator uses a small ultrasonic motor that's fairly quiet but not as fast or near-silent as Nikon's more advanced ring-type AF-S, and lacks full-time manual override in Single AF mode. For ring-type AF-S autofocus in a Nikon telephoto zoom, you need to trade up to the full-frame 70-300mm VR lens.

With its minimum focus distance of 140cm, the lens gives a maximum magnification factor of 0.22x at its longest telephoto setting, which is about average in this class of lens. The filter thread is 58mm and the lens comes complete with hood and soft pouch.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

Weighing 530g, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is noticeably heavier than the 335g Nikon 55-200mm VR, and it's 23mm longer, at 77 x 123mm. This extends to maximum length of 225mm with the hood fitted, at the longest zoom and closest focus settings.

Unlike the Nikon 55-200mm VR and 70-300mm VR, this lens doesn't have internal focusing, so the front element both extends and rotates during focusing. It's a bit of a pain when you're using filters such as a circular polariser, where rotation of the filter is critical.

Despite being longer than the Nikon 55-200mm VR, the zoom ring on the 55-300mm is actually a little shorter but still very comfortable in use. The action is smooth and there's no zoom creep even when using the lens vertically.

The manual focus ring is perched on the front of the lens, so doesn't get fouled by your fingers during autofocus. It's slightly larger than the focus ring on the 55-200mm VR and a little easier to use, but still doesn't have a focus distance scale.

Performance

Autofocus is as quick and quiet on the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR as with the Nikon 55-200mm VR throughout most of the zoom range, although it slows a bit at the maximum focal length of 300mm. Vibration Reduction gives rather more consistent results and lives up to its 4-stop claims.

Optically, the Nikon 55-300mm VR is impressively sharp throughout its entire zoom range, from the largest available apertures of f/4.5-5.6 down to f/16.

There's plenty of contrast too, and vignetting is well controlled, especially considering the big zoom range. Distortion is fairly minimal throughout the zoom range, and only really noticeable at around 135mm, where there's a little pincushion distortion.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

An ideal telephoto zoom for any Nikon APS-C camera, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR combines a reasonably compact build with an extra-large 5.5x zoom range.

We liked

Bigger than average zoom range without any sacrifice in image quality. It's a cracking lens at the price.

We disliked

It's a shame the lens doesn't have internal focusing. The rotating front element makes it a pain to use with rotation-sensitive filters such as a circular polariser.

Final verdict

The latest-generation 4-stop Vibration Reduction works a treat and build quality is a step up from Nikon's smaller 55-200mm VR lens, making the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR well worth the extra £60 outlay.

Overview

Designed specifically for APS-C cameras with smaller than full-frame sensors, as denoted by its 'DC' suffix, the Sigma 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DC OS HSM zoom lens is available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony mount options. Once you take the crop factor into account, the effective zoom range is 75-300mm in all versions apart from Canon-fit, where it's 80-320mm.

Apart from its extremely compact build, other headline attractions include Hypersonic Motor (HSM) autofocus and Sigma's optical stabiliser (OS) system. It's all good news, considering that this is one of the cheapest telephoto zoom lenses on the market.

Measuring just 74 x 99mm and weighing 420g, the Sigma 50-200mm OS takes up little room in your kit bag and, even at its maximum telephoto zoom setting, it only extends to 161mm with the lens hood fitted. The design is based on 14 elements in 10 groups, complete with one Special Low Dispersion (SLD) element and an eight-blade diaphragm.

The maximum aperture of f/4.5-5.6 through the zoom range can be reduced down to f/22-32.

Sigma claims a 4-stop advantage from the optical stabiliser in this DSLR zoom lens, and the HSM autofocus is fairly quick and quiet. However, it's not Sigma's more advanced ring-type HSM, so it's not massively rapid and lacks full-time manual override.

The closest focus distance is 110cm, which enables a maximum magnification factor of 0.22x at the 200mm zoom setting. Focusing is internal, so the front element neither extends nor rotates, making it ideal for use with a circular polariser or other rotation-sensitive filter. The lens has a relatively small 55mm filter thread and comes complete with lens hood.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

For such a small and lightweight lens, the build quality of the Sigma 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DC OS HSM feels quite robust and, unlike the Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED, the mounting plate is metal rather than plastic. There's no hint of zoom creep, and the zoom ring has a smooth action throughout its entire range.

The focus ring is quite large, which is a bonus for manual focusing, but it rotates in autofocus mode. The upshot is that, when holding the camera and lens naturally, it's easy to foul the action of the focus ring with your fingers. At least there's a focus distance scale printed on the front edge of the focus ring, which is often lacking in budget lenses.

Performance

Optical quality in terms of sharpness is the opposite of Nikon's competing 55-200mm VR lens. The Sigma 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DC OS HSM is more typical of telephoto zooms, delivering sharper images at its shorter and mid-range focal lengths. At the maximum telephoto setting, sharpness drops off noticeably, especially at larger apertures of f/5.6 to f/8.

On the plus side, vignetting is kept well under control, and the lens produces plenty of contrast even in dull lighting conditions. Barrel distortion is a little noticeable at the 50mm end of the zoom range, as is pincushion distortion between 135-200mm.

The optical stabiliser is well worth having, although it only gave a 3-stop advantage in our tests, falling a little short of Sigma's 4-stop claim.

Sample image:

Taken at 200mm, f/5.6

See full-res image

Verdict

The Sigma 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DC OS HSM is a very compact telephoto zoom lens with some nice features, including optical stabilisation, reasonably rapid and quiet HSM autofocus, and internal focusing. Even so, the stabiliser only consistently gave a 3-stop benefit in our tests, and handling can be a little awkward, since it's easy to foul the rotating focus ring during autofocus.

We liked

There's an impressive range of features packed into a very compact package.

We disliked

The 50-200mm zoom range is relatively modest and sharpness isn't particularly good at the telephoto end.

Final verdict

Overall, the Sigma 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DC OS HSM is a decent buy at the price.

Overview

The biggest attraction of this full-frame zoom lens for the vast majority of us who use APS-C Nikon cameras is that the 1.5x crop factor gives a mighty effective telephoto reach of 450mm at the long end of the zoom range. As such, we have to ask if the newer, smaller and lighter Nikon 55-300mm VR has made its heavyweight cousin redundant?

There's actually a lot to be said for using a heavier telephoto lens, because the extra weight makes it more stable when handholding and camera-shake is less of a problem. This is especially true when panning for action shots. On an APS-C camera, you'll also only be using the central region of the image circle produced by the lens, where image quality is at its greatest. On top of that, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED has a more refined feature set and better build quality.

More than twice the weight of the Nikon 55-200mm VR, this one tips the scales at 745g and is also nearly 1.5x the length at 80x144mm, extending to a maximum of 258mm at it's longest telephoto setting, complete with attached hood. The lens hood itself is petal-shaped for maximum performance, enabled by the fact that the lens has internal focus, so the front element neither extends nor rotates during focusing.

Advanced, ring-type AF-S (Silent Wave) autofocus is very fast and practically silent. It's a big step up from the more humble AF-S system fitted to the 55-200mm VR and 55-300mm VR lenses, and also features full-time manual override in Single (rather than continuous) AF mode.

Like the 55-300mm VR lens, this 70-300mm one features Nikon's new generation VR II Vibration Reduction which offers a 4-stop anti-shake benefit. This time, however, it's a dual mode stabiliser that has Normal and Active options, the latter working better if you're shooting from an unsteady platform.

Build quality, handling and performance

Build quality and handling

The build quality of the Nikon Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED feels more robust and rugged than in either of Nikon's cheaper 55-200mm VR and 55-300mm VR telephoto zooms. Inside, there are 12 groups containing 17 elements, of which two are ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. The aperture range of f/4.5-5.6 to f/32-40 is controlled by a 9-blade diaphragm.

The oversized zoom ring is particularly smooth in operation and there's no zoom creep. Unlike Nikon's cheaper telephoto zooms, the manual focus ring is fitted towards the rear, within easier reach. Because of the way ring-type AF-S works, the focus ring doesn't rotate during autofocus, so there's no problem with fouling its action while holding the lens in a natural grip.

There's also a neat distance scale positioned beneath a clear viewing panel. A petal-shaped hood and soft carrying pouch are included in the price.

Performance

In our tests, sharpness proved very good throughout most of the zoom range, although it dropped off a bit at the maximum telephoto zoom setting. Even so, when shooting handheld at 300mm, it consistently gave very sharp results with great contrast.

Resistance to ghosting and flare is particularly good and the super-fast autofocus is excellent for action sports photography. Distortions are low throughout the entire zoom range.

Sample image:

Taken at 300mm, f/5.6

See full-size image

Verdict

Short of spending big money on a professional telephoto zoom, the Nikon Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is as good as it gets for both Nikon full-frame and APS-C cameras. Upmarket, ring-type AF-S autofocus and dual mode Vibration Reduction are matched by excellent overall build quality.

We liked

Fast, practically silent autofocus complete with full-time manual override, along with excellent performance of Vibration Reduction system.

We disliked

Expensive for a 'budget' telephoto zoom and sharpness could be a little better at the longest 300mm focal length.

Final verdict

The Nikon Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is more expensive than most budget telephoto zooms but worth every penny.