Should I go for the 28-300?

[paullgj]

Hi everyone,

Earlier I posted some images from a rented 28-300 lens taken with my D700.  I've been procrastinating whether to buy a new copy of the lens.  Then, I receive an e-mail from Best Buy - a 10% discount for a credit card promotion.  OK, here's the pertinent facts:  Main camera - D700; type of photography - street candid, back country travel, particularly Latin America, ethnographic documentation, and some landscape (New Mexico, northern Mexico) with lots of hiking.  I'm 71 years old, in reasonable shape, but I'm no longer keen on the "bag full of lenses" (in my case, AI & AIS primes).

I do print, as large as 12 x 18, for fine art shows here in South Texas.  So, basically, a 28-300 new for about $850, later to be complemented by an 18-35 for wide angle shots.  I'll basically be reduced to two lenses for travel.  I've seen lots of mixed opinions on this lens, some reviewers love it, some pan it.  My own experience is that it was magnitudes better in terms of color, clarity, and sharpness than my current 28-105 on the D700.

Thanks for comments and experiences with this lens.

[MFloyd]

Answer: YES. Otherwise, have a look HERE http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,3741.msg56290.html#msg56290
An excellent complement is the Nikkor 16-35mm f/4

[richardHaw]

it's a pretty good lens specially if you consider what it can do 

[Jan Anne]

Did YOU like the results?

If so then thats all that matters and just buy it

[Jan Anne]

And if it helps; I've seen Bjørn use it on multiple occasions so it can't be half bad 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

And if it helps; I've seen Bjørn use it on multiple occasions so it can't be half bad 

I'm using it mainly for IR. But your assertion holds true.

The longest end might not quite reach the performance deemed sufficient for a D8xx camera, otherwise, it is pretty capable. The VR for once works well, too.

[chambeshi]

OK, here's the pertinent facts:  Main camera - D700; type of photography - street candid, back country travel, particularly Latin America, ethnographic documentation, and some landscape (New Mexico, northern Mexico) with lots of hiking.  I'm 71 years old, in reasonable shape, but I'm no longer keen on the "bag full of lenses" (in my case, AI & AIS primes).

personally I prefer primes although I enjoy the 28-105 AFD... Legendary NY photographer Jay Maisel settled on the 28-300 as his single lens on a D3. He justifies why he chose a single zoom Nikkor in one his recent books 'Forget about the f-Stop'. And both his books are well worth getting. See the key pages here:

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2319595&seqNum=2

http://www.jaymaisel.com/2010/11/16/carry-less/

enjoy :-)

best

Woody
PS There's a whole long discussion on the 28-300
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3452110#forum-post-51149544

[Hugh_3170]

I am on my second copy of the 28-300mm lens and can strongly recommend it.  The first expired when I had a bad fall and the cost of fixing it came close to the price of a new lens, so I went down the replacement route.  It was attached to my D700 when I fell, but they make a great combination.  The D700 came through unscathed thank goodness.  Nor is it is too foul on the Df or the D810, so you have room to grow with it if you upgrade your D700.

Both the 16-35m and the 18-35mm are fine, but if it were me I would go for the 16-35mm, as the 2mm difference is pretty significant on a wide angle zoom.

Good luck.

[chambeshi]

I just revisited wise advice in an earlier thread. There, the superb photos by experienced users speak volumes, even in complementing the legendary 300 f2.8 Nikkor in tight situations:

Re: AF-S NIKKOR 28-300MM F/3.5-5.6G ED VR (field experience and more)
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2016, 15:55:35
There is no contradictions, MFloyd!  There were 4 different batches of this lens, made by Nikon. Batch-to-batch they improved this optical composition. LZ

After weighing the odds last year, and taking some tests too seriously, I held back. Now I re-read earlier posts, and reviews... So I think a new copy of the 28-300, presuming it's one of the latest factory batch; and I also will use it primarily when travelling with 2 or more lenses is inconvenient. I also tried the 28-200 G but my copy is now "loaned" to a dear friend who's become attached to its versatility and decent performance. Being so compact and light, the  the 28-200 is a great travel lens, which I is why I bought mine for fieldwork. It's best stopped down, preferably to f11. It seems the discontinued 28-200 G has become quite scarce (best to try www.KEH.com for a decent lens).
As users with direct experience testify, the 28-300 adds significantly more reach. Versatility is its great strength + the decent VR and AF, so obviously it's superior to older zooms, although the 28-105 AFD has its role in many places, being lighter and smaller, and I've found the macro facility of the 28-105 very useful.

enjoy the 28-300, and I'll be heading for one too :-)

[paullgj]

So I went to Best Buy yesterday morning (4/3/17) and the offer did not apply to lenses.  But they had a new 18-35 G lens on clearance for $299.  Grabbed it immediately.  Next month will get the 28-300 which should give me a complete travel kit.

[elsa hoffmann]

Great stuff and wishing you lots and lots of awesome photos.

[Arninetyes]

I have a 28-300. Well, it's more accurate to say "had". My wife liked it so much, I never got it back.

[Airy]

My son (23 years old), who inherited my D700, is fond of the 28-300. I used it on a trip in Venice and was never disappointed. I only had the 50/1.4 for night shots, period. VR was very effective for static subjects in low light, so the % of shots requiring the fifty was very low. IQ is remarkable, as long as distortion gets corrected (the pincushion distortion is very annoying at intermediate settings, around 100mm)

[brent_e]

I had this lens for a couple of years and liked it.  Ultimately I sold it and replaced it with a 70-200 2.8 VR1.  Not in the same class, obviously, but I wanted something a bit faster in the 200mm range.

[David H. Hartman]

Legendary NY photographer Jay Maisel settled on the 28-300 as his single lens on a D3. He justifies why he chose a single zoom Nikkor in one his recent books 'Forget about the f-Stop'. And both his books are well worth getting.

Is this the same Jay Maisel who used to break his back trucking about a Linhof Master Technika V? That would explain why he only carries one zoom today.

Dave Hartman who is normally more verbose.

Jay does beautiful work. I think he is the same Jay who has a son David Maisel. I hope David's back in still intact.