Nikon 300mm AFS 2.8 w/ TC1.7 or 500MM MF f4 P (1 Viewer)

[RWC32]

Need a little help with a lens selection. My current setup is a D300 and a Nikon 70-200 VR + a TC1.7IIe. I get good results with this combo but not a lot of reach. About 510mm with the tc & crop factor.

I currently have my hands on a 500mm f/4 P manual focus lens which I am considering BUT the MF does concern me. I love the reach, (About a 750mm with the crop factor) feel and quality and I am decent at manual focus.

I really love tack sharp pics and would like to capture birds in flight. So here is my AF alternative.

300 mm AFS 2.8 with a TC1.7IIe. This alternative cost twice as much as the MF setup for about the same reach about 765mm with TC & Crop factor. I am considering the AFS version to leverage the TC1.7 that I already have.

I might consider a 300mm AF if I knew there was a decent TC that provides AF operation.

How important is AF for birding vs. reach and is the extra cost really worth it . . .?

 

[Highcountry]

I had a 500mm P and it was a brilliant lens, but not being AF or VR requires excellent long lens technique to get a decent keeper percentage. Also, birds in flight shots are going to be very difficult. Telephotos have such narrow DOF that focusing precision is tantamount to good photos. The 500mm will require some type of Wimberley head setup to attempt BIF shots. The 300mm AFS would be a brilliant lens with great potential. BTW, Kenko makes teleconverters that work with AFD lenses and I had good success with the copy that I had. Happy shopping.

 

[Gentoo]

I had a 500mm P and it was a brilliant lens, but not being AF or VR requires excellent long lens technique to get a decent keeper percentage. Also, birds in flight shots are going to be very difficult. Telephotos have such narrow DOF that focusing precision is tantamount to good photos. The 500mm will require some type of Wimberley head setup to attempt BIF shots. The 300mm AFS would be a brilliant lens with great potential. BTW, Kenko makes teleconverters that work with AFD lenses and I had good success with the copy that I had. Happy shopping.

Would you mind sending me a PM and tell me how to get good shots with the Kenko and non AF-S version of the 300 f/4? My results just aren't good at all and the exposure often goes all over the place.

 

[ikw101]

Would you mind sending me a PM and tell me how to get good shots with the Kenko and non AF-S version of the 300 f/4? My results just aren't good at all and the exposure often goes all over the place.

Totally agree the Kenko 1.4tc and older Nikon 300/4 is a poor combination.

Fortunately the lens itself is superb and 100% crops are sharp enough handheld at a rate of 60% keepers at 1/500 second and 90% keepers at 1/800 second. With a monopod you can gain approx another 1 stop advantage. Unlike it's more modern AF-S relative when mounted on a tripod it remains rock solid at slow speeds however its also more susceptible to flare.

Interestingly I was up to 90% keepers at 1/500 on an old D50. Unfortunately the larger sensor of the D300 is a bit less forgiving - perhaps one to bear in mind before rushing out to buy a 15/20 Mpix D400.

Personally I'd prefer Nikon to release a VR enabled version of the 300/4 rather than a D400 but I doubt it's going to happen any time soon. We've been waiting 20 years for an AF version of the 400/5.6 :eek!:

If it's any consolation the AF-S version of the 300/4 and Nikon TC-14E has a reputation for being an excellent combination.

Normally there's a bit of debate on here regarding the 300/4 vs the 80-400mm. When you nail a shot with the 300/4 it's got that wow factor you can only achieve with the very best prime lenses.

 

[Highcountry]

Would you mind sending me a PM and tell me how to get good shots with the Kenko and non AF-S version of the 300 f/4? My results just aren't good at all and the exposure often goes all over the place.

I had a Kenko Pro 300 and used it on a Nikkor 80-400mm which proved to be a good combination for me. I live in Colorado so light is rarely an issue, unless it is too much. |=)| I have since switched to Canon which eliminates the incompatibilities that Nikon has between teleconverters and different AF systems.

 

[Duke Leto]

Would you mind sending me a PM and tell me how to get good shots with the Kenko and non AF-S version of the 300 f/4? My results just aren't good at all and the exposure often goes all over the place.

Gentoo, i used the Sigma 1.4 with that superb 300/4 AF-D and had some excellent results

 

[Gentoo]

Gentoo, i used the Sigma 1.4 with that superb 300/4 AF-D and had some excellent results

Thanks Steve, my next question was going to be which TC would be good with my current lens.

 

[ikw101]

Thanks Steve, my next question was going to be which TC would be good with my current lens.

Sadly if you want to retain autofocus none. I believe the Sigma 1.4 Ex APO TC will only autofocus on the 300/4 AF-S.

Looks like a light weight route to a 420mm manual focus option.

 

[Gentoo]

Sadly if you want to retain autofocus none. I believe the Sigma 1.4 Ex APO TC will only autofocus on the 300/4 AF-S.

Looks like a light weight route to a 420mm manual focus option.

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of. Looks like at some point I will be getting the AF-S version in the future.

 

[Duke Leto]

No (unless I am very much mistaken), I used a Sigma TC and the 300/4 AF-D quite happily, full AF etc. The Nikon TC won't work with non AF-S lenses, that is why I bought the 300/4 AF-S as I had to have 2 TC's in the bag.

 

[Gentoo]

No (unless I am very much mistaken), I used a Sigma TC and the 300/4 AF-D quite happily, full AF etc. The Nikon TC won't work with non AF-S lenses, that is why I bought the 300/4 AF-S as I had to have 2 TC's in the bag.

So the Sigma will work with mine including AF?

 

[Duke Leto]

Gentoo I might be having a senior moment so would like others to agree but I am more than positive that I used my 300/4 AF-D lens with a Sigma 1.4tc unfortunately the exif data didn't register the tc so no point in looking back. The sigma TC has a screw drive pass through which is the vital bit
I'm 99.999999% sure

 

[ikw101]

Gentoo

Please see Nikonians TC chart :t:

Unfortunately Sigma's own advice doesn't list the 300mm F4 AF-D. :C

On this occasion I'm happy to be put £130 on Steve being correct. On the 0.000001% chance he's wrong I reckon I'll get my money back on Ebay.

Cheers Steve B

 

[Duke Leto]

Steve that was the chart I was looking for, the sigma website only lists sigma lenses so is of little use.
Gentoo the nikonians list is correct

 

[Gentoo]

Kenko Pro 300 1.4x AF (1), D (a) AF (1), D (b)

Kenko Pro 300 DG 1.4x AF (1), D (a) AF (1), D (b)

The Nikonian chart list the Kenkos. The ones that don't work well as far as quality goes.

 

[Duke Leto]

Its a chart on compatibility not quality, I'm surprised though as I have seen many examples on this website where a Kenko TC is used and the results have been excellent. do you want to post a couple of poor examples?

 

[Gentoo]

Its a chart on compatibility not quality, I'm surprised though as I have seen many examples on this website where a Kenko TC is used and the results have been excellent. do you want to post a couple of poor examples?

I think I got rid of most of them but I'll try again and post some.

 

[Neil]

I couldn't go back to Manual Focus lenses. My lens of choice for hand holding and walking around is the Nikon 300/4 AFS plus Nikon 1.4x. I took this combo on my last trip to Florida with the D2x and was very happy with the reach there. It's not often long enough in Hong Kong or Australia ( Florida is very special ). Here are some photos and most were taken without the 1.4x. Neil.

 

[Gentoo]

I couldn't go back to Manual Focus lenses. My lens of choice for hand holding and walking around is the Nikon 300/4 AFS plus Nikon 1.4x. I took this combo on my last trip to Florida with the D2x and was very happy with the reach there. It's not often long enough in Hong Kong or Australia ( Florida is very special ). Here are some photos and most were taken without the 1.4x. Neil.

Very nice shots! Yeah Florida is good and most of California is too so this combo might work for me one day.

 

[Gentoo]

I think I got rid of most of them but I'll try again and post some.

Ok, I experimented a little more with the Kenko TC and found out that because less light was getting through, the D300 would compensate by overexposing the image. After stopping the exposure comp down one stop, I got better results. Here are a couple:

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/109402926

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/109402930

It doesn't show the true focal length in the EXIF but it's works all the same