That is very cool about them renting the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS. I wonder what the deposit is.
One of my pal's who is hunting for his own 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS was following one E-bay and it was going for $15,000 grand and some one made the reservation. And the lens was pretty beat up with no case and no matched converter.
I am lucky as I have the case matched 1.4 converter, supplemental hood and the lens it self is in eccelllent condition.
Iv been really busy working and when I am shooting I have been using my other gear but I did get a couple shots of my kitty
I was out the other day shooting and long story short, a sight super on a construction site wanted to try The 300 2.0. And having no other subjects to choose from, so I offered my modelling services after giving a newbe a short how to abour focusing on the eye's. I am not much of a model but he really nailed the focus on this portrait.
Hey Justine, I dont know about being better but the local bricks and M otor camera store had an extra large pair. And if the gloves fit...OO
Last year when I started carrying the Leica Film M's, my hand really began to suffer in the cold climate of Canadain winters with my lilly white flesh against the bare metal .
And as much as I am willing to suffer for my art of photography the pain and swelling in my hands was making it it hard to funtion.
Oh course yesterday, I am shooting in this car grave yard and I leave the glooves sitting on the seat. Today my hands and finger are swollen and full of misery.
After looking at a converted Duclos Nikon 70-200mm VR2 video, I browsed their used lens section and saw they had 3 converted 300mm f2 lenses for sale. I wonder if they can convert them back? http://ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/Used.html
Hey John , we must have been posting at same time. Thanks for the 00 reference, Im going take it as a compliment..
Dave, great link. you know I do know where there is a back portion of the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS so if somebody want to send me cash I tell them where.
It's a damn shame that so many of these Lenses where converted , however now that the video on the Nikon DSLR is so good, no reason not to change them back to ther right and proper F mount.
Looking forward to having some other folks post on this thread.
Thanks you guys. You shamed me into putting up some more images.
I have posted some of these in Curtis MF thread but some are new.
Hope you all like them.
NikkorAIS wrote:
Im with you on Nikon making a new Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AFS Nano VR2 .The introduction of the D3s (video) the Nikkor bevomes a powerfull tool for creative expression. For a time I had a Canon 5D2 and the a converter to fit on my Nikkor AIS glass. Very cool. But I got sick of the converter and .. even though the darkside has cookies, at my heart and soul, Im Nikon man.
I got to go back to work. Hope you guys are enjoying the images. And if you want to borrow the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF ED AIS it''s no problem , we both like to fly first class .
I just read this - and wanted to say thank you (or hate you for tempting me even more!) so so much for this thread and all these pictures! I'm in a position where I know where I could get a 300 f/2 in very decent condition, and am desperately on the fence about the cost, which is phenomenal. There is one key thing though - I shoot Canon and would be using it through a adapter. Did you have any problems, vignetting, mount damage, anything at all from using it on your 5D2? Also, what adapter did you use? I echo the others with calls for more pictures, they're great!
Thanks Daniel , If you can get a Nikkor 300 2.0 IF ED AIS in decent shape for nice price than jump all over it. If you pass please let me know the particaulars as I have several people that are really interested in getting there own.
As far as using it on the Canon 5D2 I had no problems what so ever.really nice camera.
I had a couple of differnt mounts I bought off Ebay and with the excepton of the scews that kept falling out, no problems at all.
Focusing with the live view during the day is a little tricky. You really need to get ahood over the live view in bright light. As as support just get a wimberly and be down with it. The Nikkor 300 2.0 just fits the mount. And once attached it's the cat meow. Good luck carring it around.
All the images you post are so sharp and clean - it's a really difficult decision for me! The price reflects the almost LN- condition it's in... and is not so nice to be frank . I found your thread by doing a quick google to try to find something to convince me not to buy it! This is an excellent write up of the history of the lens, if you've not come across it before.
Two further questions: When you say screws falling out... uh what did you mean? That doesn't sound so good! Also, how do you deal with the 7.5kg + camera weight when walking around all day? I've carried around a 400 2.8L IS around a few times, and that gets rather old quickly at 5.5kg.
A candid shot of my brother while he was looking on my computer. To me this is the kind of shot the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS is made for. I was in the other room and the light on him was just perfect. I was able hold the lens up long enought to squeeze off a couple of frames. While it's hard to tell from this image (perhaps Ill post a crop as well) the plane of focus is so thin but it right on his nose and chin.
I am sure my big brother will kick my ass if/ whe he finds out I posting crops of his face. And I forget the ISO and shutter speed but I know I shot wide open and it was hand held. But it shows what is possible. And this image is one of my favorites.
As far as weilding this heavy bastard around on daily bases. One must train the mind and body and and even than, be prepared to suffer. It's not an easy lens to use on any level. There is a reason people sell it and it's not the IQ. It the weight , pure and simple.
Even thinking about hand holding it makes my wrist and shoulder ache even that dosnt stop me. Carrying it on a monopod isnt much better and I hate not being able to look change my level, which will often change the back ground dramatically. The NIkkor 300 2.0 is easy to lust at at a distance but the reality will challenge even the most enthusiastic amoung us into submission.
Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS @ 2.0 ISO 500 1/200 on nikon D3 hand held.
Hi Gregory NikkorAIS,
as i early asked (18sept2010 @ second page of the topic), i still waiting for an astro test wide open, to see vignetting and coma. Few seconds exposure @ high ISO is sufficient, keeping in mind to not produce star trails.
Currently, also my local astro community is curious about astro behaviour of this lens.
Thanks in advance.
Sun Black, thanks for the reminder. I will see what I can do tonight.
Daniel thanks for posting that link. I have been going through it and have found it very informative and an interesting read. So did you pull the trigger on the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS? It would be great to you contibute to this thread and the one I have going on the Nikon Cafe
I have a day or two to make a decision on it - it's a little complicated for me. I have a 200 1.8L (3kg) already, and will almost certainly buy the much lighter new 400 2.8 IS II (3.8kg) when it comes out. The 300 would slot right between the two, and while I adore the quality of the images you're achieving with it (hey, and your skill too! ), I'm questioning how much I'd use it at that weight and lack of AF for tracking movement. Being grown-up about this is hard, there is a strong urge in me to just go for it
Thank you Gregory for all your advice and photos - much appreciated by me if not probably by my wallet! As a final question, could you put my mind to ease by explaining what you meant about "screws falling out"?
No problem Daniel. It's fun to spend other peoples money. As far as the screw falling off , what happen is that the six screws that kept the mount together kept falling out. After it happened the second time I simply crazy glued them in place. After that they never moved) And than soon after I caught the leica bug and traded my Canon 5D2 for a Leica M7. And just when I almost had enought for a D3s I bought a minty Leica MP. Damn Leica's.
Now I saving for a D3s as I really need a DSLR full frame video to finish a project I am working on. Anyways good luck with your decision. Here are a couple more that will hopefully push you over the edge.
All three above taken with Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS on Canon 5D2
good on 'ya
. 
for tempting me even more!) so so much for this thread and all these pictures! I'm in a position where I know where I could get a 300 f/2 in very decent condition, and am desperately on the fence about the cost, which is phenomenal. There is one key thing though - I shoot Canon and would be using it through a adapter. Did you have any problems, vignetting, mount damage, anything at all from using it on your 5D2? Also, what adapter did you use? I echo the others with calls for more pictures, they're great! 
