Advice on a Nikkor 300mm f/4D AF-S IF-ED Lens

blackwolf

blackwolf

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Ann
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Hi just wanting to know if any bird or wildlife photographer uses this lens and what are your thoughts on it i have just had the sigma 150-500 but after three different lens none worked properly i have now decided to have a refund very dissapointed i am looking to use a converter with it 1.4 anyway any feedback would be appreciated
 
Superb lens, sharp and very light. Handles TCs pretty well.



 
I have found it to be a really sharp lens that works well with the TC1.4 and OK with the TC 1.7. It also works well with close up lens to make a good macro lens. The lack of VR means I always use try to use with a monopod or bean bag.
 
Mine is sharp wide open even with a TC on, as said works with the 1.4 and 1.7 TC ... lovely lens.
 
With the 1.7TC @ f7.1 and 3200 ISO

161_120.jpg
 
Lack of vr is not a hindrance
 
Thank you for your quick reply fracster the pic that you put up i take it that was taken with the 300 only it say's on the info 450 anyway that pic is excellent if i could be getting that quality i would certainly go with it despite not getting the focal length of the sigma
 
Yes, the bumf around the shot takes into account the 1.5 crop. To clarify, it was taken with a D300 and the 300 F4.







 
While more reach is always beneficial the 300mm is fantastic, coupled with your D90 and 1.4/1.7 tc's should be more than enough in a lot of cases.
 
Agree with the others, it`s a great lens, that you can use long and short.

Hand held at f5.6

Hummingbird 2 by Paulie W, on Flickr
 
Good choice, sir! AF still works well with 1.4 ot 1.7TC and AF-S is a much nicer beast than the (only slightly cheaper) AF-D. Light enough to hand hold and take out for a day's birding. Still my main lens of choice as the 500 really needs to be "set up" and is more suited to hide work rather than walking in the field.

Enjoy!
 
This is a wonderful lens,great with the 1.4 tc and D90.Here are 2 pics taken at 420mm and cropped just to show you how sharp it is.

SedgeWarbler4.jpg


GannetPortrait2.jpg
 
It's an excellent piece of kit with the 1.4 tc isn't it...
 
I've been using the 300 f4 for wildlife photography for a year now and I must say, I'm very pleased with it. I sometimes find that it's a little slow to focus and on occasion I think it's not as sharp as it could/should be, but the latter can be attributed to my tendency to forget to keep an eye on the shutter speed rather than the lens itself.

When I was shopping for a long telephoto the price tag was a big concern. I've worked with both the 300 and 400 f2.8's and knew the amazing images they were able to produce, but being an amateur, they were way out of my price range. After having read a lot of reviews I settled on the f4. I've never regretted that decision. It's light enough to hand hold, meaning there is rarely a need to lug a tripod around and for me this is huge. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get my hands on a f2.8, but the f4 is a very good compromise.
 
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The 2.8s are very good, but the large diameter of the front element can lead to disadvantages when using hides with smaller windows. Also, as you quite rightly point out, the weight saving between the two is significant.

Not to mention the cost saving...................:D
 
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