Need some advice...

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kayte

New member
Okay this maybe a silly thread but I'm just curious to see the responses.

I currently have an older Nikkor 70-210mm lense that I absolutely love- it takes great shot no matter, action, still, whatever. I will never let that lens go.

For that reason of not wanting to lose it, especially to wearing it out, I have been looking at new telephoto lenses that are of the same or 'one up' from the 210mm. I was on the b&H website and saw a 70-300mm lens- just curious how this compares to the 70-210mm? Is it pretty much the same but an upgrade from the one I have?

I've read that the autofocus can be a tad sluggish, which is fine with me-I do most of my work in manual anyways. Just want to hear what anyone has to say about that particular lens.

Thanks :)

Kayte
 
R

Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
Hi Kayte, I have a 70-300 ed lens that I like quite well, it is not VR but I've taken lots of hand held shots. I actually bought mine used off ebay and think it was around $150 USD, The newer 70-300 non vr is the G series, it has a plastic versus metal mount but the I'm told the same optics as I have. I am happy with mine and it is a great compliment to my 18-200 when a little more reach is called for. I have some Buck shots in my gallery I took with mine.
 
J

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Kayte, I have the 70-300mm VRII lens and it has worked great for me. I don't know about the non VR version but the VRII does have the metal mount. True the lens is a little slow focusing and a little soft at 300mm. To tell the truth I never noticed either of those problems until I started reading about them. It's a very good general all round use lens that takes good pictures.
 
Eduard

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Joseph Bautsch said:
Kayte, I have the 70-300mm VRII lens and it has worked great for me. I don't know about the non VR version but the VRII does have the metal mount. True the lens is a little slow focusing and a little soft at 300mm. To tell the truth I never noticed either of those problems until I started reading about them. It's a very good general all round use lens that takes good pictures.
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I can echo Joseph's comments and have the same experience. I combine this lens with the Sigma 10-20 and Nikkor 17-55 as my travel kit. For the results, size and weight it is a tough lens to beat. I honestly think this is one of Nikon's best priced lenses too at around $450 new or $375 used (Adorama has one now at that price).
 
K

kayte

New member
so would it be worth it to get it??? I found one while wandering the B&H site that was $150, figure that isn't a bad price to pay for a new lens.

and you take some lovely shots, Yibel
 
J

Joseph Bautsch

New member
kayte, I don't know if the lens you are looking at has the VR or VRII feature. I have owned the 70-300mm without the VR and replaced it with one that has it. The VR feature is one I would not do without. It allows you to hand hold shoot at much slower shutter speeds and still give you good sharp pictures. The VR can eliminate camera shake from hand holding by as much as two stops. It means more sharp pictures at lower light levels. If you can afford it you will be much happier with the VR.
 
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naja

Senior Member
If you can go for it then go for the AF-VR Nikkor 80-400 f4.5-5.6D.

The move from 70mm to 80mm is nothing, but the extra 100mm at the top end is so useful. As it also have VR it gives you one to two stops extra use in low light.

I use mine a lot for wildlife and I can get shots that many are not able to get, and also that extra from 210mm to 400mm will be so useful.

Why not see if you can hire the lenses over a weekend and see which one you like best.
 
F

fotojack

Senior Member
I have that exact same lens, Bill, and I love it. It's not really made for indoor shooting, but for outdoors in daylight situations, it's a great lens. Obviously, the VR version would be better, but for the money, the non VR version takes great pictures. I would use a tripod with it myself, but that's just me. :) Go for it, Kayte. Money well spent.
 
R

Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
fotojack said:
I have that exact same lens, Bill, and I love it. It's not really made for indoor shooting, but for outdoors in daylight situations, it's a great lens. Obviously, the VR version would be better, but for the money, the non VR version takes great pictures. I would use a tripod with it myself, but that's just me. :) Go for it, Kayte. Money well spent.
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I also like mine jack, not a lens I use frequently but for under $200 I don't need to justify it too much eith. I just want a lens with a little more reach than my 18-200 and it has served me well.
 
K

kayte

New member
I checked out the 80 to 400mm and it's a tad out of my price range right now. sadly, my price range at this current moment is the $200 range and, I know I know, I won't find much for telephoto. I was looking for something that would be good back up to my 70-210mm....

anyways, thanks for the advice guys- it's been interesting to hear what others had to say about this.
 
photobugjb

photobugjb

Senior Member
I use the 70-300mm VRII f/4.5-5.6G on the D7K and am very pleased with it. I find it a very sharp lens, if used right. Some other big names in photography also say it is one sharp lens, Moose Petreson and Scott Kelby are just a few. Your focusing technic has so much to do with how sharp a lens is. My 70~200 2.8 is also a great lens but heavy.

Jack
 
J

Joseph Bautsch

New member
As Bill points out there are any number of these lenses on EBay or Amazon you should be able to buy within your price range. The ones without the VR are very good. You just have to remember the hand held rule of shutter speed at least as fast as the focal length you are shooting with, (200mm = 1/200 sec.). Also a tripod or monopod work to stabilize the longer focal length at slower shutter speeds. And as Bill has also pointed out on the older ED models the mount is metal and on the G model it is plastic. I would prefer the ED metal mount. I would not trust a plastic mount, the G model, on a long lens.
 
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