D40 lens ?

[Todd]

Recantly bought a d40 what would be a good mid range (expense wise) lens to shoot fast action sports IE kids soccer games ect... I dont want to spend 7 or 8 hundred dollars but have read that siome brands other than Nikon have issues with the d40. Any Ideas please.

[ELAY]

For action, you need a lens that will autofocus with your D40, which limits you pretty much to Nikon AF-S lenses, and to some Sigmas.

If you are shooting outdoor sports, where you have access to the sideline, you could probably get away with the 55-200 VR (vibration reduction). It isn't fast (in other words, the minimum aperture opening is relatively small, which means it is lousy in low light) but it works fine outdoors in decent light. These are fairly cheap, going for around $250 or so. It's what I use for my kids' games.

Moving up, there is the 70-300 VR. No faster, but for around $475 it gives you more reach (magnification), and some people say it is a better built lens.

Another option that bears mentioning is the Nikon 18-200 VR. It is in the $800 or so range, but it covers so much focal length that it might be worth the extra investment,

I think anything else, including the Sigma lineup of comparable telephotos, is probably out of your stated budget range. You have many more options if you are prepared to buy a lens that doesn't autofocus with a D40, but that sounds like a recipe for massive frustration if you are shooting sports.

EL

[jdepould]

I like the 70-300, just stop it down to f/8-f/11 and you'll be golden. Just be sure to keep your shutter speeds up, 1/250 at the minimum. Of course, same advice goes with the 55-200.