Just got a new toy today

STM

Senior Member
A 400mm f/2.8 ED-IF AIS Nikkor.

Man is it a beauty! Sharp as a freakin' razor and though it is no lightweight at almost 10lbs, it is light enough to be hand held, something I just cannot do with my 14lb+ 600mm f/4 ED-IF AIS BEAST which is just too heavy and bulky to be able to hand hold and focus reliably.

400 vs 600 comp.jpg

It is such a fantastic lens I may consider selling my 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF AIS as this one will bridge the gap perfectly between my 200mm f/2 ED-IF AIS and the 600mm f/4.................naaah! :)

Below is a series of shots taken off the back deck at a neighbors house using the D850. The railing has small light bulbs on it, which have a lot of detail. The first one is taken with a 50mm to give a sense of distance. The second one taken with the 400mm and the third with the 400mm and a 1.4x TC, giving and effective focal length of 560mm f/4

400 comp 1500.jpg

If you want to see a larger file go here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/185644121@N08/50126398851/in/photostream/

Below are 100% crops from both of the images:

400 100% crop comp.jpg
 

crycocyon

Senior Member
Once again congratulations, and I noticed the same thing with the 400mm and it shocked me frankly. And yes the TC-14B is remarkable in its ability to retain sharpness, while there will be much more loss with the TC-301. I agree it is in a different class than the 300mm f2.8 AI-S. Very nice demonstration of its resolving power.
 

crycocyon

Senior Member
So, how do you think Nikon's new glass (AF-S D, G, and FL) compare to these classics?

WM

Not based on experience but just from reading, that the newer lenses have much more complex optical designs and more advanced coatings so that they would be better able to correct for things like chromatic aberrations, flare, edge-to-edge sharpness, etc.. That being said, I think that the older lenses because of their more simple designs let maybe about 0.3 more stop of light through, and render colors a bit more naturally. That's purely anecdotal and I hope to be able to test that myself someday against my 400mm and 800mm. Still in terms of center sharpness, I think these old lenses hold up surprisingly well with the latest high res DSLRs.
 

STM

Senior Member
Not based on experience but just from reading, that the newer lenses have much more complex optical designs and more advanced coatings so that they would be better able to correct for things like chromatic aberrations, flare, edge-to-edge sharpness, etc.. That being said, I think that the older lenses because of their more simple designs let maybe about 0.3 more stop of light through, and render colors a bit more naturally. That's purely anecdotal and I hope to be able to test that myself someday against my 400mm and 800mm. Still in terms of center sharpness, I think these old lenses hold up surprisingly well with the latest high res DSLRs.

CA is very well controlled in the 200mm f/2. 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 ED IF AIS Nikkors. I cannot say how the old and new compare in sharpness, but when I can literally see the filaments in those bulbs under 300x crops from that distance, I am more than pleased with the results. All 4 produce razor sharp images with the D850. I use microprism/split image focusing screens in both my D850 and D500 and the focus is dead on. The depth of field is shallow enough wide open that focusing is very quick and definitive.

Below is a photo I took today with the 400mm f/2.8 @ f/5.6 and TC-14B on the D500:

STM_1516.jpg
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
... I use microprism/split image focusing screens in both my D850 and D500 and the focus is dead on. The depth of field is shallow enough wide open that focusing is very quick and definitive.

How did you go about getting those and installing them in your cameras?

WM
 

STM

Senior Member
How did you go about getting those and installing them in your cameras?

WM

I got them from Focusing Screen. They are easy to install, there are instructions included and video's that show you how. Each screen comes with the tools necessary to remove the old one and install the new one. Although I do not have any AF Nikkors, I have mounted one on both the D500 and D850 and it focuses with no problems.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
There is a little bit of a weird bokeh on the 400mm f2.8 with the TC-14 installed, but nothing that cannot be minimized in PS
I just read a discussion somewhere about unusual patterns in the background of zoom lenses. Something about 'Nissan bokeh'. I bookmarked it in case I needed to refer to it.
 

STM

Senior Member
A really great lens, but a little too heavy for these 81 year old arms. Enjoy.

At 62 I am often carrying about 45-50 pounds of gear around with me. It gets heavier every year. I ordered a collapsible cart the other day. At this point it is not so much about the weight, but the sheer volume of what I like to carry around; 3 bodies and my 200mm f/2, 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 Nikkors, plus the tripod with gimbal head and my exposure meter and color meter and a collapsible stool. Come deer season, add my blind!

cart.jpg
 
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