Advice on getting a 400mm for Sports?

PatrickK

PatrickK

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Hi all, was wondering if some on here could give me a bit of advice as I'm quite inexperienced when it comes to buying new/used kit.

I've been saving up and got a job coming up that'll fund a big upgrade in kit, so this weekend I'll be picking up a Nikon D3s. :)

Basically, I'd like a 400mm 2.8 to go with it, which doesn't exactly come cheap (to say the least!). I was wondering if anyone here has bought such an expensive bit of glass second hand and if it's worth doing so? Any horror stories about buying second hand and the focusing turning soft within months or things like that?

Actually, I can't seem to find any used 400mm at the moment but I did find a new one on ebay for 6 grand. Would ebay be a safe choice for a lens (obviously depending on user feedback etc)?

Any thoughts or tips on buying would be helpful, cheers. (y)
 
I would speak to Nikon NPS, i know they deal in refurbs, not sure who is running the department now though as Jakki Moores has left.

Other than that try Greys of Westminster, Ffordes or Mifsuds
 
PatrickK said:
Actually, I can't seem to find any used 400mm at the moment but I did find a new one on ebay for 6 grand. Would ebay be a safe choice for a lens (obviously depending on user feedback etc)?
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I'm in the same boat at the moment, there simply aren't any about. If you go down the ebay route, I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but be very careful. Ask yourself why it's £700 cheaper than anywhere else?

A few weeks ago, Miffsuds had one showing as 'due in soon', they had 35 offers to buy it, as soon as it came in, without even seeing it!

Good luck, if I find one, I won't tell you :naughty:
 
Patrick, i bought a 400mm f/2.8 to go with my Nikon D3S and its truly staggering, my only concern is the weight, i have mild joint pains in both elbow joints and 1 shoulder (shoulder pain from a car crash) and at times i wish i still used the 300mm but other than that its something which is worth every penny.
 
Hi Paddy,
I just watched and waited - I got mine with a very tasty discount boxed new from MBP Photographic (who advertise on here). You could always try Fixation and Grays of Westminster. I found those two seem to have a steady stream of used big lenses.

I wouldn't go anywhere near the likes of ebay for such an expensive purchase.

It will be in action this afternoon at Welford Road:)
 
Sometimes buying new is a better option, especially when it comes to the price of the thing. I always compare prices of new and 2nd hand and keep my eyes open to whats about. I was offered a pro used 300mm 2.8 that was imaculate but the sale fell through at the last minute while it was being serviced at canon the guy needed to keep it. I continued looking and found another in as new condition for even less then I was paying for the other one bought via ebay and went to collect it checked it out while there while he counted the money and if it had the box you would have thought it was new. So there can be bargains found buying 2nd hand but finding a good one can take a little time.

I had also looked at a friend who was traveling round europe at the moment picking me a new one up in the US and meeting her this weekend in Berlin to pick it up and that would have saved me about £600 even with the weekend in Berlin taken in to account or a weekend trip to the US and buying it myself.
 
I got mine (canon 400mm) off kerso and saved a thousand pounds off UK prices. checked first with canon who said they would honor the warranty here so no problems having it imported and no extra payments as its already in the country when you buy it from kerso
 
I got a Nikon 400 2.8 recently and picked up a second hand D3s...what a combo! Weigh a ton but the image quality is outstandingly good, the pictures really do leap off the screen/paper. I am blown away by mine. Warehouse Express is another option but I believe the 400 is very rare in the UK new as they cost a bit and shops don't stock too many. I also believe that with the problems in Japan, not many 400's etc will be shipped or possibly even made for a while. So good luck finding one. I must have been one of the 35 interested in the Mifsud second hand one but then I found one and could not afford to miss it as it was barely used...bought on a whim by a man who on discovering exactly what 4000g feels like wanted to get rid. I am a very happy bunny but you need two bodies and a 70-200 to shoot the close stuff.
 
Thanks for the tips everyone, very helpful and I've got a good list of places to check up on every so often to see if they're getting any in. Didn't realise the 2nd hand ones were so rare :(

Gary/bluesnappa, great to hear the positive reaction of the 400mm. I've loved it the 3-4 times I've managed to use one with a D3. As you both mention the weight is a bit of an issue, especially coming from a 300mm that's so easy to carry and hand-hold, but shouldn't be a problem and could use the exercise of lugging it around anyway ;)

D300 + 70-200 is next on the list of purchases. It'll be a treat having a second body for once.
 
PatrickK said:
D300 + 70-200 is next on the list of purchases. It'll be a treat having a second body for once.
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Hi Patrick, if funds allow go for the D700 and 70-200mm as a second body option, i did and its brilliant, i bought a £45 grip from Ebay which is made in the same factory as the Nikon one and is superb (8fps with ther grip)
 
PatrickK said:
Thanks for the tip Gary, to be honest funds are already stretched to breaking point getting a D300 + 70-200, I'm not sure they'll stretch an extra grand! Will see how it goes
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Then think about getting a cheaper 70-200, lets say a sigma and put the difference towards a D700, the D700 is far better gripped than a D300 will ever be
 
SuperAP said:
Supertele's are gold dust at the moment, new and used.
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Indeed they are...it's a sellers market. As the old saying goes, the quickest way to make money from photography is to sell your cameras.
 
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jamesb84 said:
Indeed they are...it's a sellers market. As the old saying goes, the quickest way to make money from photography is to sell your cameras.
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Oh, if only there was a like button on TP!

I've just spent the money I earned in the last few weeks on fixing my computer which I need to earn money. Them's the breaks!
 
hjwatso1 said:
Oh, if only there was a like button on TP!

I've just spent the money I earned in the last few weeks on fixing my computer which I need to earn money. Them's the breaks!
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There is a 'Like' button Helen.. It's at the bottom Left of each page.
 
Gary Coyle said:
Then think about getting a cheaper 70-200, lets say a sigma and put the difference towards a D700, the D700 is far better gripped than a D300 will ever be
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Can;t comment on the D700 as I haven;t owned one yet but the D300 is perfect in my eyes when on the 70-200 VR

I personally after using all three 70-200's would only use the Nikon for sports, I;m not saying the sigma is a poor lens but the Nikon is brilliant at what it does. I found the image quality much much better from Nikon to Sigma lenses
 
whitey said:
Can;t comment on the D700 as I haven;t owned one yet but the D300 is perfect in my eyes when on the 70-200 VR
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I had the D300 and Nikon 70-200mm and sold it, i then had the D300s with the 70-200mm and sold it, i then bought the D700 and use it with the 70-200mm and im not going to ever sell it, it's really a D3 in disguise, the high ISO is worth it alone for me as i do loads of night games and being full frame theres also the much shallower depth of field which crop cameras dont have, add a grip to it and it's basically a D3, lose the grip and you have a very nice compact sized camera for day to day use which means i dont have to lug the D3S with me.
 
Fair enough Gary, but I'm not sure a Sigma is the way to go, so if I had the money I'd definitely follow your suggestion and get a Nikon lens + a D700, but just not sure I can stretch that far sadly
 
I would always choose lens first then camera and lens wise the Nikon is the right way to go first, upgrade body next

If I was to try out a D700 then i may think differently

For arguments sake though, cost of a S/H D700, cost of a grip, Cost of a S/H D3 that has been listed on here of late isn;t that much more money, if any. so we are arguing the case you may aswell save an extra few quid and go straight to D3
 
whitey said:
I would always choose lens first then camera and lens wise the Nikon is the right way to go first, upgrade body next

If I was to try out a D700 then i may think differently

For arguments sake though, cost of a S/H D700, cost of a grip, Cost of a S/H D3 that has been listed on here of late isn;t that much more money, if any. so we are arguing the case you may aswell save an extra few quid and go straight to D3
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Ah but to me the flexibility of a smaller body is as important, if i had 2 D3 sized cameras i wouldn't ever take one out with me on day trips etc, etc, the D700 is just perfectly practical for that.

I know what you mean about glass over body but i had the glass first so a no brainer for me.
 
PatrickK said:
Fair enough Gary, but I'm not sure a Sigma is the way to go, so if I had the money I'd definitely follow your suggestion and get a Nikon lens + a D700, but just not sure I can stretch that far sadly
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Agree with you but it was just a suggestion, im not in your shoes so dont know whats most important to you.
 
hjwatso1 said:
I've just spent the money I earned in the last few weeks on fixing my computer which I need to earn money. Them's the breaks!
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I think a lot of people who buy our photos (i.e. not commissions) think they are expensive. They don't take in to account that you computers, software & all the other bits that aren't stuck on the camera.

I also want to upgrade my PC but am having to hold off until later in the year.

The new Intel i7 Sandy Bridge CPUs start at £225. :crying: but I look forward to getting one and sticking it on a new motherboard with 16Gb of RAM. It'll be faster than ***** off a shovel as they say.

Whether the software is optimised for quad core is another matter..
 
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