Nikon AF 80-400mm for sports.

Treash

New member
Hey lads and ladies,
I currently have the option to pick up the older model, non-af-s 80-400mm vr lens for a great price, but am unsure whether it'll suit my needs. I will be shooting Australian Rules Football, which is a very fast paced game. The reach would be great, but the reviews that I have read indicate that it has a very slow autofocus and is no good for sports.

At the moment I shoot a 55-300, which also has a fairly slow focus speed. How would the focus speed of 80-400mm compare to this?

Would I just be better off getting a 70-300mm vr?

Opinions would be appreciated!
 

Treash

New member
Hey mate, thanks for the reply.
I would prefer to have a variable zoom - depending on the ground I can be shooting anywhere from 15-150 meters.
I know this will compromise the sharpness of my photos but I think this is how it'll have to be at this stage.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Treash - you are better off in following what the seller did by getting the latest version of the 80-400mm. Slow and not so sharp is a consistent report about the older lens.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I looked at a second hand one last night when looking at the sigma zooms,the dealer said he considered it slow to focus,he wanted more for it than the 120-400 i was looking at and probaly had more profit in it so i took his word for it,i have bought from him for over 40 years.
mike
 
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