Initial Impressions: 1 NIKKOR VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 Lens

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
I received my lightly used copy of the 1 NIKKOR VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 on Friday. My initial impressions were holy cr*p is it big. Second reaction was a big freaking grin on my face when I mounted it on my wife's J4 and started focusing. Wow, wow, wow. What a focal range: 189-810mm FX equivalent!!! Build quality is amazing, focusing is quick. Other thoughts are that the lens hood is larger than expected which makes taking the lens cap on and off difficult (and maybe impossible). This lens doesn't ship with the TR-N100 Tripod Mount.

We headed to Delaware to visit a friend. Saturday night was a full moon, so I thought I'd try a moon shot using my V2 - handheld. This is a cropped 100% enlargement processed with Lightroom CC with additional CA removal.

I've seen amazing results with this lens by Phillydog1958 and when this fell into my lap I couldn't pass. I tend to shoot more wide then long so I'm really curious to see how having this lens in my bag will change my shot selection.

Nikon 1 70-300 Moon.jpg
 

Phillydog1958

Senior Member
Congrats on your pick up of the 70-300 CX, Eduard! That moon shot is very impressive. I'll have to try and shoot for the moon, because I've never actually taken a moon photo. You have inspired me. :D I love my 6.7-13mm UW. It's still my favorite and most versatile Nikon 1 lens, but I suddenly notice that I'm using the 70-300mm lens more and more, each day. :D
 

crisscross

Senior Member
It certainly is NOT big compared to anything else with anywhere like this range! I am 75 and was having to chose which lenses to take out walking with D7000 and decided to downsize to Nikon 1 v3 just over a year ago. The lens is not only extremely good quality, but very fast camera-autofocus. I was a bit pissed off it needed a special tripod mount, but then I am not the type to wait for hours for a bird to emerge and have never got one. The 30-100 lens is adequate for a detail high up in a church roof.

However the shutter went on the n1 v3 a week after warranty and they are taking an age to repair it, so I thought it a good time to give the bsi-CMOS sensor of the n1 j5 a try out. I find the 70-300 still usable without a viewfinder but using a $10 loupe.
_DSC0226_2_openWithFM.jpg

The n1 j5 is so small I may yet become one of the guys that carries 2 cameras (extra 230gr weight!!) so as to avoid changing lenses in the field....until Nikon do the honourable thing and put a decent sensor in a v4 body so those of us who invested in this lens and a clip-on viewfinder (£1000) are properly catered for.....it needs a HUGE petition to Nikon, which I will try to start here and at DP review
 
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