Need input on 100mm and 300mm manual primes

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
I've still got the 300 f4.5 I bought 30+ years ago, and even though I also own an AF-S 300 f2.8, I'm not getting rid of the 300 f 4.5. Does that say enough?

WM
 

gustafson

Senior Member
@Whiskeyman, that's great to hear. Do you have a preferred range (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) where you feel it performs best? Any other tips on shooting with it?


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hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
@480sparky might also be able to offer you additional info. I think he has some of the Series E lenses if I am not mistaken.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Both should give decent results,i used the 300mm for hide feeding station work on film but needed a small ext tube in for close work,you may have to adjust your PP style to get the best.
 

gustafson

Senior Member
@mikew that's my use scenario. I plan to mount the 300mm on a tripod and use it to shoot photos of critters in the backyard.


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gustafson

Senior Member
Dont be surprised if you need to put a ext tube in the 300mm didnt focus very close by todays standards

Good point! Do you recall which ext tube? Also, re: the extra PP required, is there a specific item that needed correcting? I'm guessing CA based on what I've read, but wondering if there are other issues.


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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Cant remember now which one but we used to work very close to the birds,as far as PP goes i just feel you may see a difference with this old style glass coatings and no ED elements.
 

salukfan111

Senior Member
pn11 is the extension tube you want for the 300mm f/4.5 edif works great turns into a decent lens for macro. I think you'll it. It's got a long focus adjustment so practice turning it left until sharp, turning right to get sharp and then splitting the difference it does well at f/8 too. The lens supposedly is capable of shooting a license plate at 800 yards and let you read the registration sticker zooming in with your computer (hint your eyes aren't good enough for this lens - why I like the tc 1.6a and there really isn't a true infinity focus adjustment). Most of those jaw dropping telephotos you saw in nat geo and other places year ago was this lens. Go to the library and check out a book called "nature photographer's complete guide to professional field techniques" and bring a hankerchef to wipe the drool off your face when you see the output of the lens (keep in mind no Lightroom or Photoshop for film back then). If you like this lens and are fine with MF telephoto look into getting a 600mm f/5.6 (the old 200 f/2, 300 f/2.8, 400 f/3.5, and 600 f/5.6 all basically the same setup similiar element count same objective) because the 400 f/3.5 or 300 f/2.8 isn't enough improvement for the added weight (I own both and regret not going right for the 600mm and will be swapping 400 for 600). All of these 122mm objective lens are similar weight and similar element count so go right for the big one.

I was looking at the 600mm f/4 but it is really too heavy to handhold and shoot all day - although shooting any of the 122mm objective sized lens for a morning is like going to the gym. IF you decide to stick with MF do some research into the TC-1.6a (be sure and get a modified one though) as it will give a 1.6x boost with very few elements and does the autofocusing right in the unit if you're using a screwdrive camera (set focus to infinity and it will AF like a dream beyond 40 yards). Please look into a refurbed D7000 or 7100 because the screw drive will allow you to use a ton of older pro screw drive glass available on ebay. The 7000 or 7100 will save you a fortune in the long run by allowing you access to Nikons that aren't made out of plastic from China and over priced. Some people like the 7200 but the 7200 drove the 7100 prices into the dirt so take advantage of this.
 

gustafson

Senior Member
@salukfan111, thanks for the great advice. Got the lenses a couple of days ago and turns out the 100mm was in great condition and I'm blown away by how light it is. The 300mm seemed in poor condition with a tight aperture ring and focus ring, among other things. And while it's built like a tank, it felt like it weighed like one too after handling the 100mm. Heck, it made my 200 f4 Nikkor-QC feel like a lightweight . So sadly, I ended up sending it back.

Thanks for the tip on the 7100, I'm seriously considering it and have also just mailed my D3300 kit in for a quote with the intent of trading it in! Fingers crossed


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salukfan111

Senior Member
@salukfan111, thanks for the great advice. Got the lenses a couple of days ago and turns out the 100mm was in great condition and I'm blown away by how light it is. The 300mm seemed in poor condition with a tight aperture ring and focus ring, among other things. And while it's built like a tank, it felt like it weighed like one too after handling the 100mm. Heck, it made my 200 f4 Nikkor-QC feel like a lightweight . So sadly, I ended up sending it back.

Thanks for the tip on the 7100, I'm seriously considering it and have also just mailed my D3300 kit in for a quote with the intent of trading it in! Fingers crossed


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You should be able to pick up a sweet 300mm f/4.5 edif for 150 if you're patient on ebay (I've never got screwed). "normal" for the edif would be turning the focus ring with your pinky nail. It should feel like friction free.

If the 300 is too heavy the 200mm f/4 is pretty sharp (if you get D7xxx you'll need an ai'd lens. Don't buy any more q's and get ai'd lens. The 200mm you have won't work on the D7xxx because it is not ai'd. This makes for a pretty decent macro might need to fix some CA in post though.

If you ever get a D7xxx pick up a 180mm f/2.8 for around 400 bucks ebay. Set up the camera for 1.3x and you're shooting around 350mm effective focal length. You could get by with this as a telephoto for a long while. This baby in manual with extension tube would be great macro and is probably near the top of sharpness for nikon lens ever made. This is screw drive and won't work on your current camera so wait unit D7xxx. This is a light lens (matter of perspective I hand hold a 400mm f/3.5 shooting an entire morning) and once installed you won't want to remove. There is no significant break on cost from AF to MF so get the AF.

I and everyone on this site has a 70-300 VRG and it is a really nice lens with fast focusing. If you're not shooting sports just get the 180mm f/2.8 and you'll be a happy man.
 
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gustafson

Senior Member
Thanks for the heads up! What about the aperture ring on the 300s? Are they typically difficult to turn? I'm a bit spoiled by the mechanical performance of my 200 f4 QC which is an even older lens than the 300 Ais and its silky smooth operation compensates for its supposed optical shortcomings (I've yet to observe any).


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salukfan111

Senior Member
Thanks for the heads up! What about the aperture ring on the 300s? Are they typically difficult to turn? I'm a bit spoiled by the mechanical performance of my 200 f4 QC which is an even older lens than the 300 Ais and its silky smooth operation compensates for its supposed optical shortcomings (I've yet to observe any).
Get the edif. .

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The aperture ring should be smooth with a click by each number. The focus should be smooth to the point where breathing on it can change the focus ring position. Please wait for a deal on edif version though. It is better than ai'd and much better than what was before ai'd.
 

gustafson

Senior Member
The focus should be smooth to the point where breathing on it can change the focus ring position.

This is a joke, right? My specimen required heavy breathing to move the focus ring and aperture ring! I could feel the clicks on the aperture ring, but it felt like the ring was grinding on something when I rotated it, not the precise and assured clicks of my 200 f4 QC.


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salukfan111

Senior Member
This is a joke, right? My specimen required heavy breathing to move the focus ring and aperture ring! I could feel the clicks on the aperture ring, but it felt like the ring was grinding on something when I rotated it, not the precise and assured clicks of my 200 f4 QC.

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No joke. There is a pound of glass that moves inside the 300 f/4.5 EDIF and it should focus with the tip of your pinky nail. Probably half the people here owned or have owned this lens and can confirm this for you. The ai'd version without IF is a whole nother story so avoid that lens unless you need a beater that can serve as a hammer if you're in a bind. I by these ai'd one and give them (along with a tc 1.6a or 200) to biologists I work with as an observation lens (200-300 dollars total and you're ready for 1000-1200mm FF equivalent shooting if you're shooting a screw drive crop sensor camera - hard to beat).

If you consider the mass of glass that is moving inside the camera it is one of the smoothest focusing rings ever. My 300 f/2.8 and 400 f/3.5 (probably 2 pounds of moving glass) are about the same.

I don't joke (I think I'm missing that gene).

Find yourself a camera buddy in your area and he'd/she'd probably loan you some of this stuff. I got a lot of stuff I didn't need at first but was careful and most of what I bought is stuff I'll resell or give away. I wasn't kidding about getting the D7xxx refurbed. A free D5200 is much more expensive in the long run than a D7100. You may save the cost of the refurb'd D7xxx on your first lens purchase. I wish more people here would try to guide new folks into cheaper (life cycle costs) more appropriate equipment.
 
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gustafson

Senior Member
I wasn't kidding about getting the D7xxx refurbed. A free D5200 is much more expensive in the long run than a D7100. You may save the cost of the refurb'd D7xxx on your first lens purchase. I wish more people here would try to guide new folks into cheaper (life cycle costs) more appropriate equipment.

I took your advice and have a refurbed D7100 on its way to me :eek: Now need to find a good buyer for my D3300.
 
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