NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: ArthurDent on February 28, 2019, 20:44:22

Title: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: ArthurDent on February 28, 2019, 20:44:22
Just $8999 here:
https://www.adorama.com/us%20%20%201028862.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adl-gbase
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Birna Rørslett on February 28, 2019, 21:55:06
Still regret I sold off my copy of the 300/2 Nikkor :(
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: thedutchflyer on February 28, 2019, 22:01:17
an extremly rare lens and one of the top Nikkors (together with the special teleconverter)
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Birna Rørslett on February 28, 2019, 22:55:45
I did keep the TC-14C ....
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: bobfriedman on February 28, 2019, 23:19:34
I did keep the TC-14C ....

which only fits the 300/2 Ai correct?
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Birna Rørslett on February 28, 2019, 23:37:57
Can be used with other lenses as well. I've used it on the 200/2 (AIS) and 500/4P.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 13, 2020, 13:47:49
Hello! I just wanted to show you a picture made in November 2015 with the Nikon D3X and the "monster" Nikkor 300mm f/2 on a tripod. The aperture was f/4. The lens isn't easy to carry for å long time, but I have the car not far away. At that time I used the Manfrotto 058 Professional tripod with the Manfrotto Proball 469. I think this is an OK tripod/head combination to that heavy lens.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 13, 2020, 13:57:04
The picture herein is also from the same place, only turned some 90 degrees right. The gear used is the same (D3X/300mm f/2), only the aperture was changed to f/11.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Birna Rørslett on April 13, 2020, 14:07:04
I have a suspicion my erstwhile 300/2 wound up in your lens cupboards :) Can attest to the difficulty of hiking in terrain with that boat anchor of a lens. At the time, a major reason for me -- foolishly enough seen in retrospect -- selling off the monster Nikkor.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Fons Baerken on April 13, 2020, 14:23:28
With a lens like that i want to see f/2 or wide open ;)
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: MEPER on April 13, 2020, 14:42:46
I have an old AF 300/2.8 which has been in its flight case for many years now. It was really nice…..even at 2.8. But now we have the 300 PF and 500 PF version with very fast AF and VR. I think that would be the tele lenses for me for the future. Also now when ISO performance it quite good then the wide aperture is only needed for an "artistic look".....which of course is important. So I would not be too unhappy if I had sold a 300/2 and got a 300 and 500 PF instead and maybe also a 58/0.95 Z-mount :-)   …..it should do for "artistic look"....
The problem for me is that AF 300/2.8 now has a low 2nd hand value…..so therefor I will probably keep it just to have some fun now and then……I know 300/2 is in "another league".

I assume to get really nice "keeper" images it will take a lot of hard work with the 300/2 and carry it around rather than just some nice test images that shows sharpness, bokeh etc. But that is also an important part of being a "hoppy photographer". At least I like it. It is mental relaxing. I also found that pictures I took 20-30 years ago just to test a film or lens now has a kind of historical value as the city I live in has chanced a lot during the years. 
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 13, 2020, 15:32:02
Hello, Birna! In the 1990s I bought a 300mm f/2 from the newspaper Verdens Gang (VG). It was only the lens without anything else. I addition, in summer 2004, I bought an another from a person living in Sørum, north of Gardermoen. The lens was complete with the external hood, grey "box", front cover and the Teleconverter TC-14C. It was "nearlike" new. Only missing the instruction manual. I only use the first bought lens.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 13, 2020, 15:35:32
Fons, I would like to do some f/2s wide open later. At the moment it is "Coronatime". I'll be back!
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Roland Vink on April 13, 2020, 21:34:39
Let me know the serial numbers, especially if the number falls outside the known range listed here: http://photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#300
:)
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 18, 2020, 01:06:22
Hello, Roland! The Nikkor 300mm f/2 numbers are: 182173 and 182317. By the way, many years ago I think I have written you the numbers via your homepage.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 19, 2020, 14:17:50
Just wanted to see a picture of my two 300 f/2s. The one to the left is in mint condition (the extra lens hood inside the front lens cap), with the dedicated Nikon Teleconverter TC-14 C and original case. The only missing part is the Instruction Manual for the lens. The one to the right is the lens only, and the one i only use when this lens product is used.
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Erik Lund on April 20, 2020, 08:40:15
Nice set  ;D

Thank you for sharing! If  and when possible it would be a nice lens to bring to a Nikon Gear event, I'm sure a lot of us would like to see the 300mm f/2 up close  8) 
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: Imagelover on April 20, 2020, 08:58:48
No problem, Erik! We keep in touch! Best wishes!
Title: Re: Nikon 300mm f/2 Lens
Post by: MILLIREHM on April 26, 2020, 21:03:19
Thanks for the picture. Seeing two of these elusive lenses at once is a rare opportunity.

Hello! I just wanted to show you a picture made in November 2015 with the Nikon D3X and the "monster" Nikkor 300mm f/2 on a tripod. The aperture was f/4. The lens isn't easy to carry for å long time, but I have the car not far away. At that time I used the Manfrotto 058 Professional tripod with the Manfrotto Proball 469. I think this is an OK tripod/head combination to that heavy lens (only the 1200-1700 is even heavier).

Regarding the tripod support i would say - it works somehow. Used the Manfrotto 058 as my first truly usable tripod, it is designed for studio, and has got 5,5 kilograms so not easy to lug around (OK - just a few metres from the car in your case) stable enough (though not comparable to a sachtler) but somehow prone to (wind) vibrations. My first supertele (600/4) MF weighs 6,5 kilogramms  (the 300/2 is around 7) and i was having a hard time because of the ballhead i used then.

I would consider a Ballhead just as an emergency option for a (heavy) supertele (tilting issues) except the Burzynski ballhead (which is very stable but even with this head it is a nuissance to adjust).

my choice for this purpose:
#1  (by far) a fluid video head
or  #2 a gimbal (dont know if a Wimerley balances with a 300/2) or  Acratec long lens head