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Archive 2013 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400

  
 
MitchSC
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


Two23 wrote:
The original 80-400mm will not AF on the d5100, but the new one will. The difference in AF performance with the original 80-400mm from the D80 (which I had) and the D7100 (which I have) is quite noticeable. I do intend to buy the new version, when they have a rebate or price drop.

Kent in SD


Yes I know the old 80- 400 does not af on the d5100. I got the D5100 for my wife to use with 18-70vr and 70-300vr due to its size and ease of operation (she uses it in auto mode). During a trip to the Everglades we were attempting to get photos of colored snails at dusk in the forest. The 80-400 on the D80 would not focus but the 70-300 on the D5100 captured some great photos. Prior to that we had come across Swallow Tail Kites feeding on Grasshoppers under similar lighting conditions. Using the 80-400 on the D80 (didn’t occur to me to try the 70-300 d5100 combo) I was only able to get silhouettes with no detail. These experiences convinced me it was time for an upgrade in camera or lens or both. That was before the introduction of the D7100. This one time where procrastination has paid off because the D7100 seems to be a much better camera for me than the D7000.
Mitch in SC



Sep 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
MitchSC
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


Frogfish wrote:
I have both and not for one moment do I feel the 80-400G (and I feel I have a very good copy) is as sharp as the 300/2.8 VRII, how could it be ? Nikon ultra prime vs zoom ? So I checked Nikon's own MTF charts (below) and even Nikon don't claim that. If your 80-400 is as sharp as your 300 then your 300 is not as sharp as it should be and you may need to check your fine tuning.

I agree the 80-400G AF is surprisingly fast .... though considering it has to move a lot less
...Show more

I don’t own either of these lenses and don’t consider myself to be that knowledgeable or have a real discerning eye when it comes to fine details in IQ. But over the years I have read many posts about equipment I own or would like to own. You always see comments about sample variations or bad copies. It tends to make one very leery of spending the amount of cash a quality lens cost. Is there really that much variation in copies or could it be the expectations of the consumer. I have used what many consider to be the worst equipment available for the past eight years and it has served me well. Maybe I just have good copies. My uneducated guess is that a prime lens with a 2 stop light advantage at twice the cost would take sharper pictures under certain circumstances than a quality zoom lens and probably close to equal under other circumstances. Otherwise what would be the market for either? Maybe from now on when I buy a piece of equipment I should take it to a professional to make sure it’s a good copy. Just kidding.



Sep 12, 2013 at 12:45 PM
ffstory
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


colincarter46 wrote:
Well... I'm not interpreting charts. I actually own both lenses and have shot with them both.

You are comparing two lens samples then. It is always tricky. True, MTF charts are not perfect, but they are usually correct, especially when comparing manufacturer's data and the results are backed by imatest reviews.

colincarter46 wrote:
the 80-400 has better lens coatings than the old 300 f4, which is in need of a serious update (probably before christmas)


Well, better coatings are always good. However, they can't really improve sharpness, they can only help optical surfaces to distort less light or improve flare resistance.

The 300mm is indeed due to upgrade, but primarily to add VR. I am sure Nikon's engineers need to think hard how to do that without compromising the performance of the current lens.

An in case of multiple-element zooms, these exotic coatings have to compensate loss of light that inevitably happen on every of its many glass/air surfaces.

The 80-400G is a very good lens, but a very complex optical design. It has twice as many elements as the 300mm prime (10/6 vs 20/12). It is well corrected for various off-axis aberrations, but I don' believe it can really match the Nikon primes as far as sharpness is concerned and MTF charts and reviews clearly show that. It is fighting against law of physics, which is always hard On the other hand, it is true that the 80-400 is the best zoom yet.



Sep 12, 2013 at 01:46 PM
ronan_M
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


playerofwar wrote:
Low lighting conditions with the D80 is nowhere close to what the D7100 will give you.
Focusing in low light is very good (almost as good as my D800e that can focus 100% accurately with candlelight and f/1.4 lenses). The motor inside the D7100 for focusing with af-d lenses is also waaay more powerfull.


Hi (all). Sorry to dig out an "old" thread but I'm trying to look for info on the D7100's focus drive and this is the ONLY post I've been able to find yet.
Do you know how to the D7100's focus drive motor compares against the likes of D300s ? Trying to decide the purchase of a 80-200 D (2 ring version) and I keep hearing that focus speed depends greatly on the body used, but I cant find anything beyond this.

Thanks!



Nov 17, 2013 at 10:29 PM
OccAeon
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


ronan_M wrote:
Hi (all). Sorry to dig out an "old" thread but I'm trying to look for info on the D7100's focus drive and this is the ONLY post I've been able to find yet.
Do you know how to the D7100's focus drive motor compares against the likes of D300s ? Trying to decide the purchase of a 80-200 D (2 ring version) and I keep hearing that focus speed depends greatly on the body used, but I cant find anything beyond this.

Thanks!


For what it's worth, I noticed that the D600 focused my motor-drive lens (Sigma 105mm macro) more quickly, and much more quietly, than my D7100 does.



Nov 17, 2013 at 10:38 PM
ronan_M
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


Thanks for that. That's intriguing. If any, I would have expected "Pro" bodies (D3/4, D300/700/800) to have an advantage -in focus motor speed- over consumer-level bodies (D7x00, D600).


Nov 17, 2013 at 10:59 PM
Slug69
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · D7100 with Af VR 80-400


D600 genuinely replaced the D700 with pro level features but in an arguably weaker body. I would expect its focus motor to be as strong or stronger than d700.


Nov 19, 2013 at 01:07 AM
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