400mm for Nikon D700 - Advice sought

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Peter
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Hi,
I am in need of a 400mm f5.6 (or better) lens for my D700 and have identified a number of options to achieve this. I want to use the lens for shooting wildlife, motor sport and low flying military jets.

Does anyone have any experience of any of the following combinations? If so, I would really appreciate your advice, especially regarding AF speed and sharpness:

OK - I have the following options (in order of increasing cost):

1. I already have an 80-200 f2.8 AF IF-ED (non-AFs) lens, to which I could add a Kenko Pro 300 DG 2x teleconverter, which would give me f5.6 at 400mm and would retain AF. Not sure about AF speed though. Cost approx £150.

2. Purchase a Nikon 80-400 VR and sell my 80-200. I have read the reviews which talk about slow AF, but I have also read the AF speed on the D700 is OK. In most circumstances I would use the focus limiter to (hopefully) improve AF speed. Cost Approx £700 (assuming I sell the 80-200 for a reasonable price)

3. Purchase a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR + TC-20E teleconverter and sell my 80-200. Cost approx £1300 assuming sale of 80-200.

I know there are other options (Sigma?) and if anyone has experience of them, or other suggestions, I would be very pleased to hear them.

Many thanks.
 
THe options that involve adding a 2x to the 70/80-200mm should be discounted for anything more than occasional use. THis is due to loss of AF speed in some cases and almost certain significant loss in sharpness/contrast. For some reason 70-200mm F2.8 lenses really don't take a 2x well.

Your options are:-
The 80-400 you mentioned
300mm F4 + 1.4x convertor
Sigma 100-300F4 + 1.4x convertor
Sigma 120-300 F2.8 + 1.4x convertor
 
Joe T said:
400 2.8 VR :D
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I'll give you £1300 for yours.
I'd offer more but you never know how the pink club treat their gear and the pinkness may rub off on the lens. Gotta devalue stuff that has.
 
Just use your 80-200 and learn "Fieldcraft". Some people think that is sufficient...........:shrug:
 
Sorry, but what is "fieldcraft" :shrug: :thinking: ?!?
 
Wail said:
Sorry, but what is "fieldcraft" :shrug: :thinking: ?!?
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It is the "Holy Grail" according to some members.............:D
 
That was like explaining water to be wet, transparent liquid!

My mum always told me to not trust wiki, but had to resort to it :razz:
 
Serious answer then...........:D

Creeping up,hiding from and getting intimate with critters is regarded as fieldcraft by some.

I prefer staying away and using a long lens.

Neither one is totally correct nor totally wrong,a bit of both is required for wildlife,amongst other stuff.
 
Thanks for the input......
Think I'm going to try out an 80-400 - seems the most sensible (i.e bang for buck) solution.

I wonder how fieldcraft relates to shooting low flying jets :thinking: :lol:
 
Nikon 300f4 and Kenko Pro 1.4x TC.

420mm though... did I bust by going over?
 
Plenty of options, I hear that the Nikkor 300 F/2.8 VR + Nikkor 1.4TC is a very nice combination with the TC having a negligible effect on IQ.

Starting off with F/2.8 means the TC would take you up to somewhere around F/4 giving you some room to stop down to F/5.6 where I doubt you'd know that a TC had been used at all.

I'd take the 80-400 off the list though, optically the lens is ok but the focus is slow won't be much use for low flying jets.
 
hyakuhei said:
Plenty of options, I hear that the Nikkor 300 F/2.8 VR + Nikkor 1.4TC is a very nice combination with a negligible effect from the TC.
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Probably my holy grail of a lens, even works well with 2x converter, but costs in the region of £4500.
 
Start off with the 300 F/4 AF-S + a decent TC then. They are hard to come by but if your persistent then you can usually find one for a good price. I have one on its way to me at the moment, they have a very good reputation and will take a 1.4TC with no problem.
 
Mine too :'(

It'd be a great setup on a D700 though, only a stop slower than the 600/4 with a 2x converter fitted, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem with the 700's high ISO performance.
 
hyakuhei said:
Start off with the 300 F/4 AF-S + a decent TC then.
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I think I am still going to have a look at the 80-400 (might hire one for a week) but the 300 f4 + 1.4x TC sounds a possibility.

Does anyone have any views on the Sigma 100-300 F4 + 1.4x ? AF speed and sharpness at 300mm (420 with TC)?
 
I would agree with the 300mm and converter. Not tried the f4 but the 2.8 and 1.4 or 1.7 are superb.
Some get on really well with the Bigma. Needs good light though. I just couldnt get on with it.

Kev.
 
Obviously the 300 2.8 and TC's is the next thing up on the scale from the 300 f4 and TCs... after that its the Nikon 200-400 f4 and then the straight 400 2.8...

The 200-400 is supposed to be a really damned fine lens actually... about 4.5k at the moment...
 
500 f4 is not to be overlooked either...lighter than the 400 f2.8. I have never missed my 400 f2.8 since it went to the bottom of Lake Windermere (together with an F5)...courtesy of a bloody arse at the wheel of the waterski boat I was shooting from. Thought it would be fuinny to suddenly stick the wheelover full lck at about 32 knots (36mph)...threw me right across the boat, broke 3 ribs on the gunwale coaming and lost the outfit overboarsd because i just couldn't hold onto it at the force....glad it wan't on a strap round my neck, it would have broken it.

I replaced the 400 2.8 with a 500 f4 AFS....still got it, works beautifully on the 3. 300 2.8 and 1.4 is the rest of my length reaching...that 1.4 works well on the 500 to give 700 f5.6. Works OK, better 2/3rds stop down, but thats all you need. See the individual stiches in cricket gloves from the boundary....sharp enough for me.
 
bigbigblue said:
Does anyone have any views on the Sigma 100-300 F4 + 1.4x ? AF speed and sharpness at 300mm (420 with TC)?
Click to expand...

I have expeirence with the Canon version
Awesome lens for the money, AF speed was good and although it slowed a bit with a 1.4 it was not that noticable.
 
bigbigblue said:
Does anyone have any views on the Sigma 100-300 F4 + 1.4x ? AF speed and sharpness at 300mm (420 with TC)?
Click to expand...

I have this combo at the moment, for a TC + Zoom I've been very impressed, up to about 390mm the IQ is very good, 390-420 is a bit of a stretch but still rather good wide open, stopped down its good.
 
I'm using the 300mm f/4 and 1.7x TC and the image quality holds up very well. AF slows a little but is still very usable.
 
Well, I have decided to purchase (used) a Sigma 100-300 F4 + Sigma 1.4x TC, which I am collecting on Wednesday. Thanks for everyone for the advise and suggestions.
I'll let you know how I get on with the new acquisitions :D
 
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