New Nikon 300mm f/4 VR (1 Viewer)

[micloi]

same distance away or did you move slightly closer for 300 ?

Exactly the same distance.

Measuring the distance in pixels between the 2 toes of the left feet and dividing I find that the 300mm + 1.7x is 85% as long as the 600mm which is exactly how it should be.

 

[capdegat]

Glad 150-600s are too heavy ! my 300 looks identical to my eyes anyway.

 

[micloi]

A few more shots from my trip in Cyprus, most with the 1.7x:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8856/18251052726_c55e64661a_o.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7733/18088883698_704813c9aa_h.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7748/18121118460_930cef90a9_o.jpg

 

[micloi]

Also my photo 'Ladybug in spring' was also taken with the 300mm pf and 1.7x !

https://inframe.nikoncompetition.co.uk/Vote.aspx?id=02&country=uk

 

[capdegat]

Love the bug

 

[capdegat]

Sedgie with attitude - 300 and 1.7x

 

[capdegat]

Been out testing today. First three with d7200 and 1.7x . I'm also trying out a j5 so 4th shot j5 + 1.7x and last shot with bare 300. J5 not bad but not sure about no evf ( been looking through viewfinders for 40 years ).

 

[micloi]

One with the TC-20e at 600mm f9

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u... 150-600mm/4 way comparison/720_0339 copy.jpg

 

[micloi]

I like this one although it is a large crop so not as sharp as I would have liked.

D7200
300mm pf + 1.7x
510mm, f8, 1/1250, ISO800

 

[Neil]

The 300 mm is so easy to handle and will fit in small bags so you can always have it with you. I've been photographing more egrets around the harbour on Lamma Island with good morning light.
Neil.

 

[micloi]

Same bird with the 300mm pf + 2x and the Sigma 150-600mm contemporary
Both at f8

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/300mm pf at 600mm.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/150-600mm c.jpg

 

[gandytron]

Same bird with the 300mm pf + 2x and the Sigma 150-600mm contemporary
Both at f8

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/300mm pf at 600mm.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/150-600mm c.jpg

It seems that the DOF is better on the Nikon with TC than on the Sigma C. Would you agree Micloi?

How do the two compare in the hand? How is the AF speed/accuracy?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[micloi]

Sigma AF speed is as good as the Nikon with the 1.7x, but faster than the Nikon with the 2x

 

[Vespobuteo]

Same bird with the 300mm pf + 2x and the Sigma 150-600mm contemporary
Both at f8

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/300mm pf at 600mm.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Nikon 300mm pf/D7200 and 2x/150-600mm c.jpg

the TC-photo looks very sharp,
but I'm not sure the bird's eye is in complete focus with the sigma zoom,
the DOF should be a bit shallower, with less fall-off,

The bokeh looks a bit better with the sigma,
my experience is that a TC often degrades the bokeh slightly, and it tend to look a bit more nervous,
It's because a TC doesn't give the true focal length I guess, i.e., it's more or less like cropping,

 

[gandytron]

I have now purchased a copy of the 300mm f4 PF.

I have not as yet had time to use it, so cannot make any useful comments about its performance, other than that it seems to have very fast and accurate AF when matched to my D7100 in low light inside my house!

What I will say is that the size and weight saving of this lens compared with it predecessor are pretty amazing, and I will be very pleased if the reported benefits of VR and some improvement in image quality prove to be true.

A couple of bits of information that I found hard to come by when reading reviews on-line:
1) The body of the lens is made from a plastic/polycarbonate, rather than from metal. I presume this is a material similar to that used in the Nikon 80-400mm vr af-s. I hope Nikon did their homework in this regard - its predecessor was metal, and very hard wearing.
2) The 300mm PF is made in China. Its predecessor was made in Japan.

I bought the lens in Bangkok (with a Nikon Worldwide warranty) for TBH 59,900 (equivalent to USD 1,775 or GBP1,125) which is a substantial saving on the prices quoted by leading retailers in the USA and the UK.

I will be shooting the lens in the next few days in the UK and in the USA, so will post a review once I feel I have had enough time to develop an opinion on its performance.

 

[Neil]

I'm still having fun with the 300/4 PF over on Lamma Island most mornings. I like the egg muffins and coffee.
Neil.

 

[DJ ODonnell]

After I ordered the lens and a 1.4 and 1.7 TC, I checked the specs on my D5300 and found that it is not f/8 supported (i.e., it will auto focus only on lenses f/5.6 or faster). So I was able to cancel the 1.7TC, but then I chatted online with Nikon and they said that the lens would not autofocus with the TC-14E III!! They directed me to this chart:
https://www.nikonusa.com/en_INC/IMG...eleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html
Considering the posts here, I figure this is a lot of bunk but I thought I'd check with those of you that have used this combination. Any thoughts?

 

[micloi]

I used the pf with both the 1.4x and the 1.7x on the D5300 and it autofocused very well

 

[flanken]

I can also confirm the 300mm f/4 PF that I rented autofocused without any issues with the TC-14E and TC-17E, on both my D5500 (same AF system as a D5300) and my D810.

 

[DJ ODonnell]

I used the pf with both the 1.4x and the 1.7x on the D5300 and it autofocused very well

Well, crap! I'll see if I can add the 1.7TC on the order. It's not like it's going to ship any time soon! Thanks for the help!