Nikon 300mm f4.5 IF-ED AIS?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I'm interested in how to tell the difference between the nikon 300mm 4.5 ed and the nikon 300mm 4.5 ed if. Is there a marking on the lens somewhere? help thanks

These lenses are hugely different in their shape. Thus telling them apart is simplicity itself. See the relevant section and illustration on Roland Vink's Nikon site. http://photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/index.html

[Jack Dahlgren]

These lenses are hugely different in their shape. Thus telling them apart is simplicity itself. See the relevant section and illustration on Roland Vink's Nikon site. http://photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/index.html

Yes, their outline is distinctive. However, they are rarely seen! I've been scanning ebay for months for the non-IF version. Haven't seen any for sale or sold.
If someone has a spare, I'm in the market. Need something just a bit shorter than the 400 P.C 5.6 I have.

-Jack

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The 300/4.5 ED (non-IF) is among the rarer Nikkors. Less than 2000 units likely were made. Thus no wonder you won't see it for sale every day Patience or good connections are required for these uncommon models.

The 300/4.5 ED-IF is > 10X more common as around 35000 lenses left the factory in its time. Thus also much easier to find a nice sample of this lens than the previous non-IF ED model.

I own both models. The non-ED is the better optically speaking and the ED-IF way superior in handling. One cannot get it all in one.

[Roland Vink]

I bought a 300/4.5 ED once, lost in shipping, never found where it went. As least I got a refund 

I found my copy of the 300/4.5 ED-IF was just slightly better than my 70-300VR at the time hence I sold it.  Central sharpness was about the same as the 70-300VR, but it had better sharpness off into the edges and corners.  Both lenses are no longer with me.

The new AF-P 70-300VR is supposed to be better than the AF-S version if the reviews can be believed (it should be better since it is 10 years newer). If you can live with f/5.6 wide open (2/3 stop slower than f/4.5) it could be a useful option, as it is even lighter and more compact. It's light enough that a tripod mount is not needed, and it has VR as well, so for hand-held shooting you may well get more keepers in spite of the slower aperture. Build quality is not nearly the same level though...

[John Geerts]

Looked for years for the Non-IF version. Finally found one.  It's worth it.  The IF-ED Ai-S is already very good, but the non-IF beats it with a comfortable margin, because wide open it's already on a top-level, ideal 'sharpness', usable 'DOF', lovely bokeh, no LoCa.

[crazycaper2000]

Hi all found this listing on ebay.ca
eBay item number:
222927262268
I think it an ed if lens by looking at serial #thanks for all your input

[Jack Dahlgren]

Hi all found this listing on ebay.ca
eBay item number:
222927262268
I think it an ed if lens by looking at serial #thanks for all your input

Yes that is ED-IF. The gold ring signifies ED, and if you look closely you see ED written near the lens serial number. The shape of the lens hood is the easiest indication that it is IF.

[crazycaper2000]

there is no making on the lens "IF" ?? when you say hood do you mean it looks like a 2 piece hood? What about the gold color on the rim. Does that mean it an ED  If lens? thanks

[Bent Hjarbo]

See Bjørns link to Rolands Nikon pages, here you can see the differences.

[rosko]

Also the collar is different :

# ED IF version has a wider collar and is hinged, so you can open it to remove it.

# ED non IF isn't hinged and narrower.

However, the ED non IF version's drawback is the short course of its focus ring (less than 180° from infinity to 4 meters), hence impossibility to focus a moving subject accurately.
This is why I use a modified TC 16-A teleconverter to give AF mode to this lens and it works.


 

[crazycaper2000]

thanks for all the info still looking at the lens to purchase.