Nikon 80 - 400.

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Summerstar

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Derik
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Does anybody on here have a Nikon 80 - 400mm? I'm interested in buying one to use for nature photography on my D7000 but wondering how good a lens it is.
I recently changed my 'standard' lens from the 18 - 105mm to the 18 - 200mm and am amazed at the increase in optical quality. Nikon has always had a legendary reputation for its optics but it seems there is considerable variation in optical quality among its lenses these days.
 
I hired one a while ago and thought it was pretty mediocre to be honest. IQ is good and VR is handy but the AF was pretty crude. It badly needs an update in my opinion. I personally think that Sigma do this sort of thing a lot better at the moment.
 
Hi Derik,

the 80-400 lens is a very good performer when used correctly. It is very good optically but has needed updating to AFS for years now.

If you are shooting fairly static subjects it should be fine however for birds in flight or fast moving objects forget it. A lot of people take a picture hand held at 400mm and say 1/60 sec and then complain that its not sharp, unless you are a hand holding god its going to suffer from motion blur. It make no difference how good the VR is and its even worse if you are using a cropped sensor.

So to sum up my ramblings.

Its a good sharp lens if used within its limitations, a better option might be a Nikon 300mm f4 with a nikon 1.4TC.

HTH

Ian :)
 
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Thanks for the answers guys. I hadn't realised the AF limitations, and since I would primarily be using the lens for nature photography (probably including birds in flight) I think I'll pass on this lens. I'll rethink my my options, but I'd like to keep to Nikon lenses rather than go to independents.
 
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Summerstar said:
Thanks for the answers guys. I hadn't realised the AF limitations, and since I would primarily be using the lens for nature photography (probably including birds in flight) I think I'll pass on this lens. I'll rethink my my options, but I'd like to keep to Nikon lenses rather than go to independents.
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The 300 f/4 Afs is well worth a look. Maybe a 1.4 tc as well.
 
Hi Derik, I have had an 80-400 lens for just over 4 years now and was my first purchase beyond kit lenses, and I have been very happy with it.
Whilst it is well built as other have said I do find the focusing slow at times, and if the light is poor then it seems to take longer still. Mine also occasionally loses focus but that might be operator error
 
gad-westy said:
The 300 f/4 Afs is well worth a look. Maybe a 1.4 tc as well.
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I agree

I had the 80-400 and sold it after buying the 300 f4 AF-S, works a treat with either 1.4 or 1.7TC, and is sharp wide open even with the TC mounted.
 
Got to concur on the 300mm f4. Its a cracking lens and produces good results with the 1.4 TC.
 
Once again, thanks for the advice. Having slept on it, and looked at a few shop websites today (when I should have been working - sorry boss!) I've decided to go for the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 D IF ED. It will fill the bill very nicely, and in my opinion could only be bettered by the addition of VR (but we can't have everything, can we?)
 
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