p.1 #1 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Yesterday was my first outing with this brand new lens. I'd previously tried the lens bare and also with the TC14EII and also TC20EIII, both in my garden and in the local park, I had been delighted with the performance, the lens delivering both superb AF and wonderful IQ, so I was raring to go on my next birding trip.
There however seems to be a few issues.
#1 was the AF was far from silent and seemed to be far noisier than I expected, with intermittently what I'd call a low grinding sound. Also some clicking (I guess that is the VR) after each focus attempt ?
#2, and most seriously, BIF was impossible with either TC or even just the bare lens. The bird would be in the centre of the frame and the AF tried to focus, but failed every time (I thought I must have a focus limiter on but realised this lens isn't like the Sigma and doesn't limit infinity in either setting) ! Each time when the lens failed to find focus on the first attempt the AF froze and I'd have to point it at a subject near MFD to pull the AF out of it's reverie, and often even this did not work until after a few attempts, the AF was just frozen. This happened on all BIF and even sometimes when trying to find a bird in the deep bush (so very low contrast situations).
Of course my other birding lenses (Sigma 120-300 with 1.4 & 2.0 TCs and Sigma 500) I've used have never had this BIF focusing issue (failing to find focus and then freezing). All have been used on the D800.
Have I inadvertently pushed one of the action buttons on the front of the lens and done something to restrict infinity focusing ? Have I somehow set up the lens wrong for birding (A/M, VR On Normal, Focus limiter on Full, Memory Recall on AF-L) ? Or is the AF on this lens seriously flawed and it needs to be returned for repair ?
Note I am in China so no return for exchange or refund, just a one year guarantee to fix issues.
p.1 #2 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
I'm sorry to hear you have problems with the lens.
AF should be super fast and silence (from my experience we 300VRI, 500VR and 600VR).
VR makes a quiet rattling sound but not much and a "click" when it starts.
It sounds to me there's something seriously wrong with your lens.
Test with VR off, perhaps it works better, but it shouldn't.
Good luck.
A few remarks on your settings:
VR off above 1/500 (it takes a little to kick in and above it's counter productive / useless).
Focus limiter not on Full (it takes longer to focus, especially on the close side)
D800 needs one stop shutter speed more than you're used to.
p.1 #3 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Thanks Chris. I've finished testing in the garden (birds and then switching quickly to overhead aircraft - there is an airport nearby so no lack of planes) !
With or without TCs it's the same. Watching the distance indicator the lens comes into MFD and then gets stuck there. There is no issue though if the new target is under infinity. Even 90 degrees perpendicular isn't an issue.
Going in for repairs tomorrow. Such a PITA with a brand new $5k+ lens !
BTW why do you say the D800 needs one stop faster than I'm used to ?
Focus limiter - unfortunately not an option not to use it on full as one of the reasons I bought the 300 + TCs was for the MFD as warblers etc. often come within 5 / 3 / 2 metres ! So sometimes I'll be shooting a bird at 5m and then suddenly need to swing up to shoot a raptor / heron / egret flying overhead, for example.
p.1 #4 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Frogfish wrote:
BTW why do you say the D800 needs one stop faster than I'm used to ?
Number of pixels on the sensor. The slightest failure to be perfect with the D800 will result in motion blur. I learned that one this week, too. And, it's not an issue with just the D800 - the 7d is the same way and adds needing perfect exposure.
Sorry about the 300 problems. Mine is silent and the AF is spot on and quick. I did have the same problem you are talking about with the Sigma 120-300, which apparently yours doesn't have.
p.1 #6 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Frogfish wrote:
Yesterday was my first outing with this brand new lens. I'd previously tried the lens bare and also with the TC14EII and also TC20EIII, both in my garden and in the local park, I had been delighted with the performance, the lens delivering both superb AF and wonderful IQ, so I was raring to go on my next birding trip.
There however seems to be a few issues.
#1 was the AF was far from silent and seemed to be far noisier than I expected, with intermittently what I'd call a low grinding sound. Also some clicking (I guess that is the VR) after each focus attempt ?
#2, and most seriously, BIF was impossible with either TC or even just the bare lens. The bird would be in the centre of the frame and the AF tried to focus, but failed every time (I thought I must have a focus limiter on but realised this lens isn't like the Sigma and doesn't limit infinity in either setting) ! Each time when the lens failed to find focus on the first attempt the AF froze and I'd have to point it at a subject near MFD to pull the AF out of it's reverie, and often even this did not work until after a few attempts, the AF was just frozen. This happened on all BIF and even sometimes when trying to find a bird in the deep bush (so very low contrast situations).
Of course my other birding lenses (Sigma 120-300 with 1.4 & 2.0 TCs and Sigma 500) I've used have never had this BIF focusing issue (failing to find focus and then freezing). All have been used on the D800.
Have I inadvertently pushed one of the action buttons on the front of the lens and done something to restrict infinity focusing ? Have I somehow set up the lens wrong for birding (A/M, VR On Normal, Focus limiter on Full, Memory Recall on AF-L) ? Or is the AF on this lens seriously flawed and it needs to be returned for repair ?
Note I am in China so no return for exchange or refund, just a one year guarantee to fix issues....Show more →
Sounds like you have a faulty AF-S motor.
I bought a 300/2.8 VR a couple years ago new and only had it 6 months and the AF-S motor started making noise and I could just not get any sharp pic's from it. Thought it was me at first, but after sending to Nikon they found the AF-S was bad and replaced it. Got it back and it was razor sharp.
p.1 #7 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
bipock wrote:
Number of pixels on the sensor. The slightest failure to be perfect with the D800 will result in motion blur. I learned that one this week, too. And, it's not an issue with just the D800 - the 7d is the same way and adds needing perfect exposure.
Sorry about the 300 problems. Mine is silent and the AF is spot on and quick. I did have the same problem you are talking about with the Sigma 120-300, which apparently yours doesn't have.
Thanks Chris. Actually I have also read that this only really applies if you are cropping deeply into a shot (which often happens with birds anyway !) and that if you are downsampling (which most shots also are) then the extra MP actually hides errors. I'm still confused on this point since there is no clear consensus just multiple opinions. Maybe everything from s/s, the lens used and user technique all influence the result.
p.1 #9 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
davidnholtjr wroteSounds like you have a faulty AF-S motor.
I bought a 300/2.8 VR a couple years ago new and only had it 6 months and the AF-S motor started making noise and I could just not get any sharp pic's from it. Thought it was me at first, but after sending to Nikon they found the AF-S was bad and replaced it. Got it back and it was razor sharp.
Unfortunately I have now resolved myself to being without the lens for the next month or so until they have fixed the issue (and during migration too - I'm really pissed off !). It sounds an awful lot like your problem David.
p.1 #12 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Frogfish wrote:
Thanks Chris. Actually I have also read that this only really applies if you are cropping deeply into a shot (which often happens with birds anyway !) and that if you are downsampling (which most shots also are) then the extra MP actually hides errors. I'm still confused on this point since there is no clear consensus just multiple opinions. Maybe everything from s/s, the lens used and user technique all influence the result.
Well... there are a lot of opinions, but only one that is accurate.
At the same output size, you do not need better technique on the D800. The only time you need better technique is if you want to take advantage of the higher resolution and create a larger output (either bigger final size, or cropping more).
p.1 #13 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Thanks BV. Pretty much what I expected.
To anyone who has the 300/2.8 VRII !!
Does your's behave like this ?!
I have sent this message to Nikon so hoping to get a response which tells me definitively one way or another :
I have just bought a new 300/2.8 VRII (and Nikon x1.4 and x2.0 TCs) for birding (on a D800 and a D600).
Optically, the lens is perfect, but, I have some strange autofocus issues. Before focus is acquired if the lens is initially focused farther than the subject, the focus locks perfectly. However when the lens is initially focused closer it's much less reliable, or usually impossible, to find focus, as the lens usually starts it's 'focus cycle' by moving focus to the MFD and thereafter will not attempt to focus on the subject at infinity at all, being in all regards 'frozen' at MFD.
My subjects in the above scenario are usually small birds close-in and then on seeing a bird flying above swinging the lens up to try to shoot BIF, or when testing aircraft flying overhead. The lens refuses to acknowledge or 'see' both the small and large subjects at infinity.
When focusing commences the lens first returns to MFD .... and stays there, so it has not even attempted to focus to infinity.
Please advise.
Thank you
Kevin
I took it back to the retailer yesterday, they tested it on a D90 and it had the same issues I had in the field. Next day I get a call and it seems to be working fine on a D3 and D800, I go back there and it's working OK but there are no birds/aircraft to test it out on. Get it home and practice on aircraft again and the issues are back as described above.
p.1 #14 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Frogfish wrote: I have just bought a new 300/2.8 VRII (and Nikon x1.4 and x2.0 TCs) for birding (on a D800 and a D600).
Optically, the lens is perfect, but, I have some strange autofocus issues. Before focus is acquired if the lens is initially focused farther than the subject, the focus locks perfectly. However when the lens is initially focused closer it's much less reliable, or usually impossible, to find focus, as the lens usually starts it's 'focus cycle' by moving focus to the MFD and thereafter will not attempt to focus on the subject at infinity at all, being in all regards 'frozen' at MFD.
As much as I hate to say this, these were the precise symptoms on my 70-200 II. I sent it to APS, who replaced a number of autofocus parts. Problem solved.
Good luck! I have the 300mm/2.8 VR I, and it is a spectacular piece of glass.
p.1 #15 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
awacs wrote:
Kevin,
As much as I hate to say this, these were the precise symptoms on my 70-200 II. I sent it to APS, who replaced a number of autofocus parts. Problem solved.
Good luck! I have the 300mm/2.8 VR I, and it is a spectacular piece of glass.
Aram
Thanks Aram. Yes it is spectacular when it works (most of the time) ...it's virtually only for BIF that it freezes. Monday I'll take it in and demand an exchange (they prefer to do that than have it repaired since it's a 'grey' import).
p.1 #16 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Conclusion - I hope.
Today I stumped up another US$500 to exchange my faulty 'grey import' (from HK) for an 'official import' (into China) 300/2.8. They are identical of course (and probably come from the same supplier !). I expect to receive it this weekend. Fingers crossed that the AF works perfectly this time !
p.1 #17 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
I have exchanged the 300/2.8 VRII for a new one .... only to find that indeed the issue is not a lens problem but a camera problem as the lens functions perfectly on the D600 just not on the D800. I should have thought about it being a camera issue earlier. My apologies. I have edited the title so this does not show up as a 300/2.8 issue in search engines.
p.1 #18 · 1st Outing with new 300/2.8 VRII - Problem was NOT a lens issue !
Frogfish wrote:
I have exchanged the 300/2.8 VRII for a new one .... only to find that indeed the issue is not a lens problem but a camera problem as the lens functions perfectly on the D600 just not on the D800. I should have thought about it being a camera issue earlier. My apologies. I have edited the title so this does not show up as a 300/2.8 issue in search engines.
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