For any photographer, having a zoom lens is a must if you’re looking to build a good photography kit. You should always conduct thorough research on the kind of lens you are thinking to buy. If it is for recording videos then ensure that it has smooth transitions and if it is for wildlife or sports photography, make sure that it has the right motors to give you sharp pictures even at high focal lengths. Once you identify the need, you should also check for the glasses used in the lens and the aperture values it gives. If you are looking to buy a zoom lens in the coming weeks, here are four of them that are available on Amazon. Do note that the products in this list have been selected based on the features on offer.
The Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G AF-S VR DX IF-ED Telephoto Zoom Lens is one of the most widely popular telephoto lenses available in the market. It is compatible with all DX Nikon camera bodies. With this versatile lens, you get a maximum aperture f/4.0 and f/5.6 at either end of the focal length, which is ideal for shooting subjects at a distance. Thanks to the image stabilisation motor in it, you should be able to capture far-off objects without any shake even without the use of a tripod in most cases. The extra-low dispersion glass enables you to capture pictures with correct colour brightness, good contrast levels and minimal optical aberrations. The super integrated coating on the lens helps you capture pictures without any ghosting or effects of flares. At just 339g, it is one of the lightest telephoto lenses in this segment, which makes it easy to carry around.
If you are looking for a zoom lens to record videos, then the Canon EF-S 18-135mm lens should be an ideal choice as it comes with a 4-stop image stabilisation system. This helps you in recording your videos without a lot of shakes, even while you are walking. Since it is an STM (Stepping Motor) lens, it allows you to focus on objects much more smoothly and faster than a regular IS lens. This is perfect for video recording and serves the same purpose as a 29-216mm lens would in a full-frame camera body. Of course, all these features do not mean that it should only be used for video recording as it helps you capture stunning pictures of far-off subjects without any aberration. The fast-focusing system in the lens helps you capture even the moving objects well.
If you are on a tight budget and want a premium zoom lens with a large focal length for your Nikon camera, then the Tamron A035N 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens should be an ideal choice for you. It comes with an exclusive USD (Ultrasonic Silent Driver) motor that should let you focus quickly and smoothly even while changing the focal length. This in itself makes it a pretty neat lens. However, what makes it a good option is the fact that it gives you more power as a photographer through its 4-stop handling advantage, enabling you to capture sharp pictures even when clicked under slow shutter speeds. Another really cool and useful feature of this lens is that it has a water-resistant coating on it making it ideal for outdoor shoots. With such a lens in hand, you can use it for both wildlife and sports photography.
Sony is famous for providing lightweight lenses to their customers and they have done the same with the Sony DT 55-200mm F/4-5.6 Telephoto Zoom Lens. The lens weighs 308g, which is pretty light when compared to the competition. Moreover, it comes with a range of features like the ED (Extra low-dispersion) glass to reduce chromatic aberrations and a 9-blade circular aperture for smooth defocusing.