Nikon 80-400 VR lens

[Neil]

I'm thinking of getting this lens in the near future but I was wondering if the Vibration Reduction feature worked in the Manual focussing mode as I use this a lot when shooting into trees?

[juninho]

Yes,it does.I like the lens but it is relatively slow autofocusing(on a D-100).I find myself preferring the 70-200 f2.8 VR with a x2 t.c. alot of the time.Still,the 80-400 is a nice walk-around lens and I've never been disappointed with its' results.
Best wishes,Pete

[JonB]

I echo those comments. It's a good, sharp, lens, if a little slow to AF. It's my main lens. I use it 99% if the time.

[Phiggys]

Yes the same here aswell.
I also use a teleplus 2x 7 element AFD converter with good results.

[birder]

Hi there Phiggys

I am also considering buying this lens for my D100, with a 2x teleconverter. I looked at the Nikon website and it seems to suggest that (a) there are only two teleconverters you can use with it and (b) you do not get FULL funcionality of the lens with them either. Can you please comment on your system. Thanks, Kevin

Yes the same here aswell.
I also use a teleplus 2x 7 element AFD converter with good results.

[Andy Bright]

Interestingly Nikon have just announced a new 1.7x teleconverter (thanks for the info Doug) http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/showproduct.php?product=82 Lose 1.5 stops so it's unlikely you'd get AF with the 80-400. Personally I'd suggest the Kenko pro300 range of tc's, they are cheap (relatively),optically superb and are very lens-friendly.

[JonB]

I use the Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x from time to time also. Autofocus is slowed and it hunts more, but it still works. Image quality suffers, largely due to the VR not quite compensating fast enough for mirror slap in the vertical direction (IMHO). Good long lens technique, and a monopod or tripod is a must. I don't own one, but I've heard reports that the Kenko 2x AF works, but "creeps along".

Just out of curiosity, have you other guys noticed the same quality differences? I was surprised in my case how noticeable it was.

[Doug Greenberg]

The Kenko Teleplus Pro teleconverters are excellent, but it's absolutely true that they simply don't work as well with zoom lenses as they do with high-quality primes. I have no doubt that the VR function is compromised significantly, but I think it's more than that, i.e., that optically it simply isn't a great combination. Remember, zooms already have 20 or so elements, and you're adding seven more to the mix. This is a lot of glass and a lot of opportunity for various kinds of aberrations to become issues.

I use the 80-400mm. VR with the 1.4x on occasion, but I do so knowing full well that the results will in nearly all cases be noticeably degraded from those achieved with the zoom alone.

[JonB]

Glad someone else has noticed it. Before I got one, I basically heard "Kenko Pro 300's work fine" in the past - people mentioned the Autofocus, but I can't recall anyone ever mentioning reduced quality. I find it takes some Photoshop processing to minimize the problems. Thanks, Doug. For Birders' reference, the quality loss I refer to takes the form of a loss of contrast (fixable in post), and details that seem to take the form of a filled circle - almost like you'd very, very slightly rotated the lens in a vertical circle during the duration of the exposure. Tough to explain that part, so I hope it makes sense.

[birder]

Hi. My query is more to do with whether the Kenko teleconverter (2x) will affect the ability to use autofocus with the Nikon 80-400 VR. I'm not so much worried about the VR function when using a teleconverter, because by then I'll have the camera on a tripod. The combination of lens and teleconverter I currently use means no autofocus - and as my eyes are not as young as they used to be, I'm all for autofocus!
By the way, any recommendations as to where to buy a Kenko tc in the UK?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Andy Bright]

Hi. My query is more to do with whether the Kenko teleconverter (2x) will affect the ability to use autofocus with the Nikon 80-400 VR. I'm not so much worried about the VR function when using a teleconverter, because by then I'll have the camera on a tripod. The combination of lens and teleconverter I currently use means no autofocus - and as my eyes are not as young as they used to be, I'm all for autofocus!
By the way, any recommendations as to where to buy a Kenko tc in the UK?

Thanks,

Kevin
Hi Kevin... You have next to no chance of AF with a 2x tc with the 80-400VR You'll be struggling to get reliable AF even with a 1.4x tc.

Most cameras AF gives up when presented by a lens with greater than f5.6 (some better cameras f8)..... the 80-400 is f5.6 on it's own, but with a 2x tc it is two more stops and is effectively f11, with a 1.4x tc it will be f8

SRS microsystems (http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/) in watford, I bought my 1.4x here (very cheap but I had just done nearly £2k on a lens from this shop)
speedgraphic.co.uk (http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk) mail order
cameraworld (http://www.cameraworld.co.uk/DisplayProduct1.asp?Ty_TypeProduct=2&TypeID=96) bought a 2x from here ... about a cheap as you'll see.