170-500mm or 300mm f4 ???

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astroeddie

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Guys,

My camera is the Nikon D200, and currently I use a Sigma 170-500mm f5-6.3.
I'm pondering upon selling this lens and getting a Nikon 300mmf4 with a x2 converter.
The lens will be mainly used for bird watching and general wildlife.

Am I better off getting the 300mm or sticking with the 500mm zoom ??

Cheers for any info received.

Eddie
 
An f4 lens with a 2X is going to take you to f8 for a start, plus it's usual to stop down to try and get back some IQ so you are on the back foot already, plus will your camera AF at f8, most stop around f5.6
 
A 1.4x converter gives you a 420mm f/5.6, and from what I hear of the nikkor 300f/4, it's supposed to still give excellent IQ with the 1.4x
 
I have a Sigma 50-500mm and a 300mm f4.5 with 1.7x teleconverter.

The 300mm combo gives superior IQ but obviously you lose the flexibility of the zoom.

That's why I keep both ..if I had to it would be hard to choose between them.
 
Many thanks for all the above.

I'm not bothered at losing the zoom flexibility. Picture sharpness is my main query. At the moment, using the 500mm, whilst capturing birds, the pictures are turning out "soft" looking at distance. Close up they look ok. Camera shake is slowly getting sorted when hand held.
I'm very new to this photo-thingy. Hence the questions.
I thought the 300mm would be lighter and crisper. All the books, blogs etc. say that telephoto lenses are better than the zoom.

Cheers again.

Eddie
 
I believe the newer 150-500 is sharper than the old 170-500 and also has the benfit of OS it certainly can produce decent images.

IMG_4317.jpg
 
Ermm,

Cracker of a pic Ken.

Was just going to post that next.

If I get the 150 - 500 IS, would that better the equation. Converter or no. 1.4x ?

I know lads who stack 3 converters on Canon 7D's for birds. I have a cracker of an Egret in flight, from Marchwood where I'm at this moment, but slight blurring due to too long an exposure I think, 1/800th in flight ??

As I said earlier, should have a police cordon stating "BEWARE NEWBIE".

Cheers for advice and putting up with me
 
I wouldn't put a 1.4x on a 150-500

You end up with it being f/9 at the long end and probably still needing to be stopped down for decent quality. Might get decent pictures if you spend a lot of time trying, but I wouldn't think it's of much use most of the time.
 
Adding either a 1.4 or a 2X converter takes me down to Manual focus and at 2X the viewfinder is getting dim so really a tripod only job to be honest.

This was a crop (fullframe shown) with the 1.4
Img_0166c.jpg


and even with both stacked, focus on the text on the blue box, apologies for the cobwebs in the garage :D

Img_2122.jpg


and the same shot at 500mm
Img_2138.jpg
 
Last edited:
The 300mm x1.4 would be sharper.
But the 150-500 has OS, so it's more versatile for handheld shooting.
 
I have the 300 f4 AF-S and use it with the 1.4 or 1.7TC giving either a 420mm f5.6, or a 510mm f6.7, auto focus is fine on my D300, image quality is superb.

On it's own razor sharp wide open, and with a minimum focus distance of 5 ft a cracking butterfly / dragonfly lens in the summer.

With the 1.7 @ f7.1 ISO3200
158_063.jpg


Bare 300mm @ f4
107--07b.jpg
 
Martyn,

Excellent shots. Love the Tree Sparrow shot.
In reference to a post above, I scanned the net and cannot come across what the maximum AF is for the D200.
That was my aim. IQ with the same FL or there abouts.

Cheers
 
astroeddie said:
Martyn,

Excellent shots. Love the Tree Sparrow shot.
In reference to a post above, I scanned the net and cannot come across what the maximum AF is for the D200.
That was my aim. IQ with the same FL or there abouts.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Cannot help on the D200 AF question, Nikon will suggest that certain lenses will not AF with the 1.7TC, they say this with all my long glass, but I have no issues with the 300, 200-400 or 500.

It all depends how capable the focus computer is in the D200.
 
I've just emailed Warehouse express to see if the 300mm/1.4,1.7x/D200 set up is compatible.

I'll keep posted incase anyone else is interested in this thread.

Eddie
 
Martyn,

95% of my shots turn out like the TS's right wing

:bonk: :bang:
 
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