Hey, I have just decided to make the switch from Canon to Nikon to purchase the D300s. I already have the 50mm f/1.8 and plan on getting a mid-range zoom to go along with that. I have been looking at a 300mm f/4 ED AF for $560. This length is about what I am looking for after the sensor multiplier. Are there any other lenses that are as good of a deal? Thanks.
bsear wrote:
Hey, I have just decided to make the switch from Canon to Nikon to purchase the D300s. I already have the 50mm f/1.8 and plan on getting a mid-range zoom to go along with that. I have been looking at a 300mm f/4 ED AF for $560. This length is about what I am looking for after the sensor multiplier. Are there any other lenses that are as good of a deal? Thanks.
Brent
I'd go for the 300mm f/4 AF-S and later get the 1.4 TC and 1.7 TC.
I would like to get into wildlife photography and do landscapes. Would the f4 be fast enough for wildlife near dawn? And what landscape lens would you recommend?
Anyways, the 300mm f/4 AF is a great lens if you can deal with the focus speed. It's ridiculously sharp even wide open. I used to have one but found it not really long enough for doing birds and I just don't use just a tele lens that often.
Bah, I can't really find any of the shots I took with it other than this one.
For landscape work I am very happy with Nikon 10-24. It's a really great lens.
You can pick as well Tokina 10-16 / 2.8 which is faster but more limited in focals. But it can helps for low light photography like indoor events, etc.
There are other options as well but these are my first two suggestions.
Hi,
This was taken with the 300mm F/4, this lens is also good with the 1.7TC, so that's a great value 510mm! Not good for action with TC but great for macro and bird on the stick work.
I second the praises for the 300F4 AF lens. I have owned two in my lifetime, and recently purchased one on B/S for the same price, as your looking at. Lens works well with Kenko 1.4 converter. Slow AF on the gear driven lens, but very sharp optics.
I think the 300 F4 is probably one of the best values around. Faster than the 70-300 5.6 (which I just got and seems really sharp) by a stop. Super sharp, takes TCs REALLY well too.
If it only had VR, it would be one the best deal going for a budget wildlife lens. Still pretty good as is though.
300/4 plus a Kenko 1.4x TC is a LOT of lens for the money (users readily available for $500, or sometimes less for one with more wear). I've owned both versions. The AF-S is faster and focuses closer, but the earlier version is still excellent (and a bit more compact).
The 70-300VR is a great lens -- but it's more of a mid-range zoom that can reach out to 300mm in a pinch. The 300/4 is a step above in image quality at 300 and beyond.
bsear wrote:
Hey, I have just decided to make the switch from Canon to Nikon to purchase the D300s. I already have the 50mm f/1.8 and plan on getting a mid-range zoom to go along with that. I have been looking at a 300mm f/4 ED AF for $560. This length is about what I am looking for after the sensor multiplier. Are there any other lenses that are as good of a deal? Thanks.
Brent
That's a bit pricey for an old 300 f4 ED-AF - you should be able to find these for under $400 if you look around. They all eventually succumb to a lack of lubrication in the really long "screwdriver" AF drive shaft, so make sure you can check the lens before buying - and avoid any copies that squeal. Also, this lens won't work with any of the current Nikon teleconverters, unless you modify them.
The current AF-S model is much better optically, but not quite in the same league as the Canon EF 300mm f4L or the EF 300 f4L IS.
