Love ebay - an 80-400!

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stmv

Senior Member
Sweet, I have been looking for a long reach zoom, my 80-200 2.8 runs out of steam, and my old 300 mm lens have never really been that great, so, I just won a 80-400 VR for under 700 dollars!

I am so excited, to try this lens, I ordered an Kirk Lens Collar based on my research, on my D7000, this will be a 600 MM! Most likely, I'll use the 7000 for this lens because I really want the reach.

Migrating Snow Geese here I come ( well, next year, but I am patient).

A new one cost 2100 dollars (but can be found at 1900), but 700 dollars is a lot easier on my wallet.

It is interesting, some lens I am forced to buy new. For example the 105 DC lens, nope had to buy new. Just depends on the difference in price between new and used, if it is within 30%, 40% it better be in perfect shape, 50% used, and when it is 33%,, USED!

I know there are better long zooms out there, but I don't have thousands and thousands of dollars, so this lens will be it. If I don't like it, can always sell it and get my money back.

anybody shoot with this lens?
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
Theoretically, wouldn't the equivalent crop on your D800 be better than the full cropped sensor on the D7000? If I'm doing the math right and when all things are accounted for, you'll get more bang from the D800 with this lens, right?
 
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stmv

Senior Member
laughs,, oh right, I keep forgetting the D800 is 2X,, so ok,, I'll keep it on D800,, and actually, thinking about, the D800 will balance better with that lens anyway.
 
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Maxie

Senior Member
Man, you guys just blew my mind here! Am I understanding you guys correctly? The D800 is 2X magnification over other cameras... Like the D3100, which is what I have? If so, is that because of the MP?
 
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Sambr

Senior Member
stmv said:
Sweet, I have been looking for a long reach zoom, my 80-200 2.8 runs out of steam, and my old 300 mm lens have never really been that great, so, I just won a 80-400 VR for under 700 dollars!

I am so excited, to try this lens, I ordered an Kirk Lens Collar based on my research, on my D7000, this will be a 600 MM! Most likely, I'll use the 7000 for this lens because I really want the reach.

Migrating Snow Geese here I come ( well, next year, but I am patient).

A new one cost 2100 dollars (but can be found at 1900), but 700 dollars is a lot easier on my wallet.

It is interesting, some lens I am forced to buy new. For example the 105 DC lens, nope had to buy new. Just depends on the difference in price between new and used, if it is within 30%, 40% it better be in perfect shape, 50% used, and when it is 33%,, USED!

I know there are better long zooms out there, but I don't have thousands and thousands of dollars, so this lens will be it. If I don't like it, can always sell it and get my money back.

anybody shoot with this lens?
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Congrats on the lens :) Up here in Canada brand new they cost $1495.00 CDN - I have shot with this lens I used to own one, it's a good lens nice reach etc. except it's slow needs lots of light, otherwise the IQ is good a tad soft at 400mm back of to 350-380 to get sharper images.
 
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stmv

Senior Member
salvatore said:
Congrats on the lens :) Up here in Canada brand new they cost $1495.00 CDN - I have shot with this lens I used to own one, it's a good lens nice reach etc. except it's slow needs lots of light, otherwise the IQ is good a tad soft at 400mm back of to 350-380 to get sharper images.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, I have read about the focus, but, I will often shoot manual mode anyway, which is what I do on so many of my lens. good idea of backing off a hair from 400, I can live with 350-380, and the D800 leaves room for sharpening if needed.

so,, what do you shoot now for long reach since you no longer have this?
 
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Sambr

Senior Member
stmv said:
Thanks for the info, I have read about the focus, but, I will often shoot manual mode anyway, which is what I do on so many of my lens. good idea of backing off a hair from 400, I can live with 350-380, and the D800 leaves room for sharpening if needed.

so,, what do you shoot now for long reach since you no longer have this?
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My current combo is the Nikon 300mm F4 with 1.4 TC on either my D4 or D800 awesome combo(s)
 
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stmv

Senior Member
ah yes, that is a nice lens,, it was my other consideration, but I wanted the flexibility of the zoom. I might still get the 300 F4, and sell my older manual 300 lens.
 
S

stmv

Senior Member
salvatore said:
My current combo is the Nikon 300mm F4 with 1.4 TC on either my D4 or D800 awesome combo(s)
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ok,, I could not resist a bargain version on ebay .. 350 dollars, which considering what a hunk of lens this is, is really a reasonable price. Now, I will be able to compare the 80-400 with the 300..

of course, going to sell now my two old manual primes, one a converted pre AI 4.5, and the other just a AI, both 300 mm.

Hopefully, I'll be able to sell both for around 250, and recoup most of my new 300 price.

I don't see any reason to keeping these old 300 mm lens, versus the newer 300 ED AFS lens.


I know that Thom H.. really went on and on about how awful was the tripod foot, but the pictures look really solid, so maybe I have am getting a newer verison, will have to try it on the tripos.

When I am not hand holding, I like tripod, mirror up, cable release.

I have to look into the 1.4 TC.
 
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Sambr

Senior Member
stmv said:
ok,, I could not resist a bargain version on ebay .. 350 dollars, which considering what a hunk of lens this is, is really a reasonable price. Now, I will be able to compare the 80-400 with the 300..

of course, going to sell now my two old manual primes, one a converted pre AI 4.5, and the other just a AI, both 300 mm.

Hopefully, I'll be able to sell both for around 250, and recoup most of my new 300 price.

I don't see any reason to keeping these old 300 mm lens, versus the newer 300 ED AFS lens.


I know that Thom H.. really went on and on about how awful was the tripod foot, but the pictures look really solid, so maybe I have am getting a newer verison, will have to try it on the tripos.

When I am not hand holding, I like tripod, mirror up, cable release.

I have to look into the 1.4 TC.
Click to expand...

Good find - you are going to love the results. Mine still amazes me everytime i use it.
 
Pierro

Pierro

Senior Member
Not sure If I read the posts wrong but, for birding lenses, surely the D7000 with its crop sensor will be the better camera for that, as the D800 is a 36mp full frame body, unless you go for the ability to use the crop in the D800 to 25mp and 1.2x crop. This still doesnt match the D7000's 1.5x crop though
 
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