AF-S 300mm f/4.0 PF field experience

[Andy]

That's quite impressive as the previous 300mm F4 AFS was already quite reasonable (especially for the price difference between it and the f2.8 version).

Meanwhile, can you tells us a little more about those big earthmoving trucks in your earlier pictures? Was that at an industrial site or some exotic sporting event?

Colin,
I am indeed impressed with this little 300mm telelens, which was added as the most recent to my set of 300mm lenses (love this focal range)


The AFS 300mm/2.8 VR II (my previous "standard" 300mm lens) is optically the better lens of course, but the differences aren't always as large to justify the carrying weight and size. Instead, the 300mm PF is a lens about the same size as the AFS 24-70mm/2.8 which makes it a no-brainer to put in the bag. Additionally, the lens is much better for people shots as it isn't as "present" as the larger lenses.

wrt to the earthmoving trucks:
I attended the erzbergrodeo, which is the largest motocross event in central europe. The location is a iron ore mining site in Austria, which closes it's operation during this week - hence the trucks in line.

When registration for the event starts on the web, the 1500 participants slots are sold out within 10 minutes. Over the course of the 4 days, a series of races trim the starter field down to 500 starters for the main event on sunday. The ambition of the organizers is to get only 1 rider to the finish line in the 4 hrs the race is lasting. A feat, which has never succeeded :-) This year, out 500 starters, 8 managed to get to the goal in time. About 40.000 people are attending the spectacle, main sponsor is Red Bull.

http://www.erzbergrodeo.at/view/p48/the_myth

rgds,
Andy

[ColinM]

Action and birds are a completely new field for me. Steep learning curve.

I agree; it's a curve that I started a few years ago and am still on the lower end of!

It's times like this that, whether you like all sports of not, the images that you sometimes see make you realise the photo skills required. For example this one from The Australia-England rugby match on Saturday has come out pretty well.

Don't know the gear used, but these guys were travelling at speed and this was an evening game so despite floodlights, low light. Remember this is a low res copy from a website....

Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images

[ArendV]

No action here but great performance wide open


bee & lavender by Arend, on Flickr

[aerobat]

This is a very nice example of the macro capabilities of the 300mm PF.

[Frank Fremerey]

Yes. Macro capabilities too. Phantastic lens.

I take it to nearly every shoot. Great gun 300/4PF

Like the 35/1.4 Ai-S, 24/1.4G, 85/1.8G

I do not use my 50/1.8G or 60/2.8G anymore. Pity.

Nor any of the other stuff. Only for money shoots. Product. Corporate.

So I keep all of this too.

300PF ... a love affair ... another one!

[chambeshi]

Great photos, all! This convinces me the 300 f4 PF is a must have....

Thank you

[Frank Fremerey]

you can easily use the lens indoors for unintrusive moody portraits:

[John Koerner]

The AFS 300mm/2.8 VR II (my previous "standard" 300mm lens) is optically the better lens of course, but the differences aren't always as large to justify the carrying weight and size. Instead, the 300mm PF is a lens about the same size as the AFS 24-70mm/2.8 which makes it a no-brainer to put in the bag. Additionally, the lens is much better for people shots as it isn't as "present" as the larger lenses.

First of all, that is quite a collection of 300mms you have ... and great images displayed as well

I think what you said is an important distinction, above: with people (larger subjects/sports), the 300 f/4 PF is the lighter, better, more comfortable choice.

However, for birds and other wildlife, the extra-fine detail and resolution of the 300 f/2.8 II (plus the fact it works exceptionally-well with the 2x TC III converter, giving you 900mm on a DX) makes the 300 2.8 VR II the better option for wildlife.

[Frank Fremerey]

300PF on D600 wide open

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Very decorative and delicate depiction of the Lonicera, Frank ...

[Akira]

Recently I tried one with my D750.  The AF was great, the image quality was stunning and the hand-holdability was amazing.

That said, I was a bit frustrated by the way the VR works.  Whenever I pressed the shutter to release, the image jumped away from the framing I had liked.  I know that the VR element jumps back to the neutral position to maximize its effect at the moment of the image taking.  But it means that the precise framing is impossible when the rig is handheld.  It is fine for the moving subject because you can trim the image for the framing you like, but not really good for the landscapes.  Yes, I admit my unstable handhold technique, but I figured it is better to switch VR off for landscapes, even shot handheld.

[Frank Fremerey]

Bjørn: thank you

Akira: I gues your test sample was broken. Behaviour sounds just like that of the 105VR I once had as a loaner from NPS. Nearly unusable with VR.

[Akira]

Akira: I gues your test sample was broken. Behaviour sounds just like that of the 105VR I once had as a loaner from NPS. Nearly unusable with VR.

Frank, thanks for your input.  Actually I tried the sample at a Nikon showroom in Ginza, Tokyo.  Obviously it is not good to let the people try defect samples at such an official facility.

[Frank Fremerey]

Frank, thanks for your input.  Actually I tried the sample at a Nikon showroom in Ginza, Tokyo.  Obviously it is not good to let the people try defect samples at such an official facility.

I guess switching off VR the lens behaved as expected?

[Akira]

I guess switching off VR the lens behaved as expected?

Frank, I just tried it with the VR on.  Just prior to that I had read the reviews of 70-300/4.5-5.6 zooms of Tamron and Nikon at lenstip.com or photozone.de.  I was interested in the different behaviors of these two very similar lenses.  According to the review, the VR of Nikon (probably in normal mode) goes back to the neutral position when you release the shutter for the image taking to maximize its effect, whereas Tamron zoom always compensates for the blur at its full potential.  It is thus a bit frustrating when you fine-tune the framing with Tamron, because it tries to counter-act your movement by thinking that it is a camera blur.

At the Nikon showroom, I thought the behavior of the VR of 300PF was just as described in the reviews but felt it a bit too abrupt.  Your input helped me realize that the lens seems to have been a defect sample.

Thank you again.