"Looks very promising, even if it's exactly the same in all areas as the outgoing model, the size/weight reduction + VR is mostly what people are after anyway."
Absolutely correct...the IQ etc of the current version is excellent...I have placed my pre-order assuming the new version will be its equal, at least, but certainly much easier and facile to carry about, and use HH.
New Nikon 300mm f4 VR looks very great lens! Fine pictures!
What you think about the bokeh quality of this lens? If you compare for example older 300mm f4 version or 300mm f2.8 VR II lenses?
Thank you very much for your lovely comments, gobba!
It's hard to tell definitively about the bokeh as I haven't tried the 300 f4 VR in enough varied conditions to make a complete judgement, especially with highlights in the background, but so far, I think the 300 f2.8 VRII is still one of Nikon's best in this regard. This is not to say the 300 f4 VR seems bad so far, it actually looks quite good considering.
I bought this lens last Saturday and up to this point I'm happy with it. I've owned but sold the older 300mm F4/D AFS and also the newest 300mm F2.8 and 80-400 AFS.
The weight and size of the new lens is really great and the main reasons why I bought it. In March I'll be going on a trip to Cuba and I wanted a small telelens for some landscape and nature/wildlife work besides all the other stuff I'll be taking with me.
One thing I noticed though while testing the lens for around 2 hours in a local zoo is that I cannot seem to get pixel sharp results when using shutter speeds below around 1/300. So if I want pixel sharp results I cannot really rely on the VR. I will post some example images when I get home tonight.
robbertvw wrote:
I bought this lens last Saturday and up to this point I'm happy with it. I've owned but sold the older 300mm F4/D AFS and also the newest 300mm F2.8 and 80-400 AFS.
The weight and size of the new lens is really great and the main reasons why I bought it. In March I'll be going on a trip to Cuba and I wanted a small telelens for some landscape and nature/wildlife work besides all the other stuff I'll be taking with me.
One thing I noticed though while testing the lens for around 2 hours in a local zoo is that I cannot seem to get pixel sharp results when using shutter speeds below around 1/300. So if I want pixel sharp results I cannot really rely on the VR. I will post some example images when I get home tonight.
Some people having the lens report that the VR is not consistent. It doesnt work well at 1/160 shutter speed at all but it works very well at 1/20 shutter speed. At 1/160 pictures are very unsharp for unknown reasons. This has been tested with the D810 and the D4. But even with the D810 which has less mirror slap it were very noticeable. Could this be confirmed?
robbertvw wrote:
I bought this lens last Saturday and up to this point I'm happy with it. I've owned but sold the older 300mm F4/D AFS and also the newest 300mm F2.8 and 80-400 AFS.
The weight and size of the new lens is really great and the main reasons why I bought it. In March I'll be going on a trip to Cuba and I wanted a small telelens for some landscape and nature/wildlife work besides all the other stuff I'll be taking with me.
One thing I noticed though while testing the lens for around 2 hours in a local zoo is that I cannot seem to get pixel sharp results when using shutter speeds below around 1/300. So if I want pixel sharp results I cannot really rely on the VR. I will post some example images when I get home tonight.
That's plenty of examples. I stopped at leafs02. The slower shutter speeds do look like hand shake.
2 questions:
1) What VR mode are you using and did you try both VR modes?
2) Put your ear up to the lens, can you hear VR turning on when focusing?
I don't know your experience level but make sure you are still using proper technique when holding the camera (elbows in, left hand under the lens for support).
VinnieJ wrote:
That's plenty of examples. I stopped at leafs02. The slower shutter speeds do look like hand shake.
2 questions:
1) What VR mode are you using and did you try both VR modes?
2) Put your ear up to the lens, can you hear VR turning on when focusing?
I don't know your experience level but make sure you are still using proper technique when holding the camera (elbows in, left hand under the lens for support).
I used the normal VR mode for these shots but also tried the sports mode which made no difference.
I can hear the VR get active very clearly. It's actually a bit louder than my 70-200 f4.
Ofc I'm using proper technique. That's why I was pretty disappointed that at 1/200s I could not get sharp results.
Assuming equal technique, everyone's still a little different in how much they move/shake, and VR can only do so much. I know my hands are shakier than average, I have to work harder to get great handhelds with any lens, even with good technique.
CanadaMark wrote:
Assuming equal technique, everyone's still a little different in how much they move/shake, and VR can only do so much. I know my hands are shakier than average, I have to work harder to get great handhelds with any lens, even with good technique.
Sure. But with my 70-200 f4 @200mm I can get sharp results down to 1/8s. So I'm really questioning if the VR in my new 300mm is not working as it should.
robbertvw wrote:
Sure. But with my 70-200 f4 @200mm I can get sharp results down to 1/8s. So I'm really questioning if the VR in my new 300mm is not working as it should.
What about longer than 200? Do you have any other lens you can try besides the new 300?
Been testing some more. At 1/160s I'm getting about a 75% sharp hit rate with the VR set to Off. When set to on it goes to maybe around 5%. At 1/20s I'm getting around 50% sharp hit rate with VR On.
I'm really suspecting my lens has a defective VR unit.
robbertvw wrote:
Been testing some more. At 1/160s I'm getting about a 75% sharp hit rate with the VR set to Off. When set to on it goes to maybe around 5%. At 1/20s I'm getting around 50% sharp hit rate with VR On.
I'm really suspecting my lens has a defective VR unit.
You are not the only one. Pls have a look at the other thread were I have reported some similar issues which several users of the 300 PF in Germany experienced.
Please have a look at the (shutter speed / sharpness% table) provided out of 600 pics taken. There seems to be a reasonable drop in sharpness below 1/160 with AF ON but at lower shutter speeds like 1/20 sharpness increases.
As it actually looks it could not be a user fault. And there is no logical explanation as well.
