AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 D ED-IF lens?

[welly]

Hi,
would you recommend AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 D ED-IF lens with TC for birding? Can one use this lens with Nikon D200?
Regards,
welly

[yossi]

D200+TC14E+300mm f/4 AFS.

I also used the lens with longer TCs - TC-17EII and TC-20EII with good results.

[welly]

D200+TC14E+300mm f/4 AFS.

I also used the lens with longer TCs - TC-17EII and TC-20EII with good results.

Thank you, Yossi.

Regards,
welly

[BenBirding]

That picture alone speaks for its self. Great shot, yossi.

[mark_s]

D200+TC14E+300mm f/4 AFS.

I also used the lens with longer TCs - TC-17EII and TC-20EII with good results.

I've just ordered this lens with a TC-14EII, mainly because I was concerned about autofocus speed. I'd be interested to hear your experiences on AF speed with the 17 and 20. Is AF at all possible with the 20?

[avan]

I can't tell for the 2x, but with the 1.7x it's slower at f:6.7, in low light it can be hunt a lot and have no choice except the central AF sensor. If you prefocus and have good light it can be very fast. For a regular use you are better with a 1.4x that give you the equivalence of a 400mm f5.6
This is a shot of the 300mm f4 AF-S and Tc 17EII with a D100, I have good light and the AF work very fast that day. Usualy this kind of whale get out three time (unexpectly with no warning) before going deep in the water, so the AF was fast enough to take the 2 last.

[mark_s]

I can't tell for the 2x, but with the 1.7x it's slower at f:6.7, in low light it can be hunt a lot and have no choice except the central AF sensor.

Thanks for the info Avan, and for the great whale shot!

I picked up the 300 mm yesterday but am still awaiting delivery of the TC14EII so I haven't been able to try out the lens/converter combination yet.

The lighting for bird photography is often not very good (i.e. birds in trees and bushes) so I'm wondering whether a 1.7x converter is going to be feasible in the majority of conditions I photograph birds. Perhaps the 1.7x combination would be OK for shore birds on a sunny day.

[avan]

Usualy I use the 300mm alone when walking when i don''t want to carry a tripod or in the truck when in forest road and hope encounter big mammal (this is a very good lens for that). For birding I come from the digiscoping world so have to change my habit, working more from cache and or waiting in a good spot the bird come closer. I use mainly the 1.4 over the 1.7 for compromise between faster shutter speed and and relatively fast AF against longer reach. But you'r right the 1.7 is very good in good light and open area. But wow! those converter from nikon are really expensive