Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR F/4D IF-ED 300mm Fixed Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Previously I was using the capable consumer 55-300mm for telephoto. The 55-300mm gets soft at full tele, yet that's where I often found myself using the lens. After hitting the limits of what that lens can do, it made sense to get something better. I chose this 300mm f4 prime.I also considered a 70-200, but decided instead to get a dedicated telephoto instrument. I wanted a scalpel, not a Swiss Army knife.I am using this lens primarily for birding and wildlife photography, although with a focus distance of around 4 feet, it's surprisingly useful for flowers and the like. You might think that a 300mm prime is limited, but it's actually a versatile lens.The most obvious plus is that this lens is TACK SHARP. In fact, it's insanely sharp with no purple fringing. If you want to see fine feather detail when birding, this is your lens.Bokeh is GORGEOUS.I find the focusing to be quite speedy with my D7100. And by the way, I like the built-in lens hood very much.I sometimes pair this lens with a Nikon AF-S 1.4 Teleconverter. This extends the reach 40% (to 420mm, albeit at f5.6) with almost NO negative impact on image quality. You can (and should!) read about the 1.4 teleconverter here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBC1WUY/?tag=loloho-20If you come to this lens from any consumer telephoto lens, prepare for your first good shots to deliver some exciting "WOW" moments. As Oliver Wendell Holmes said about obscenity: you'll know it when you see it. This lens is incredibly sharp.The lens is a little on the heavy side for anyone coming from consumer lenses. Sure, compared to the bazooka f2.8 telephoto lenses it's rather svelte, but I find it at the limit of what I care to handhold on a walkabout. I usually use some form of support with this lens. You need a robust tripod for rock steady shots.Without VR, your handholding technique is critical. Of course you will have better results at higher shutter speeds. I usually shoot at 1/500 or faster when handholding the lens.Build quality is good. Unlike the older built-like-a-tank Nikkor lenses, this AF-S model is a little plasticky. It feels solid in the hands, but needless to say, I don't wanna drop it.I am very pleased with this purchase, and frankly wish I'd bought the lens years ago. If you are thinking about it, and you are ready for it in terms of your photographic skill, go ahead and get it! Life is too short for mediocre lenses.

I have a long history of Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses starting with an F3 I bought new back in 1983 and currently including a D800. I have not bought into too many A-FS VR lenses due to the cost and the fact that I own a long list of Manual Focus and AF-D Nikkor primes. I was using an 80-200 AF-D and a 400 f3.5 ED manual focus for my telephoto nature shots. I have got some incredible shots from those oldies but goodies, but the 400 f3.5 was hard to handle on a kayak and I wanted a new lens. I got a 70-300 AFS VR on discount with the D800, and it's ok up to about 240mm but soft at 300mm. My 80-200 outperforms it with a Kenko 1.4 teleconverter.Enter the 300 f4 AF-s. I researched it and was concerned about comments regarding slow focus and softness wide open. I bought it and my experience has no residual concerns in these areas. With shooting mode set to continuous high, I was able to pan on a speedboat on a pond about 150 yds away behind a barrier of bushes about 20 yds away from my position. . There was a break in the bushes about 4 ft across. Two sequential shots wide open with a shutter speed above 1/1000th (about 1/5 second apart) show the bushes in sharp focus (and the speed boat barely recognizable in out of focus blur) and subsequently with the speedboat in sharp focus. I was very impressed.A day out on the water in my Kayak yielded amazing close-ups with a large duck family as well as very good distant shots (about 60 yds) of a blue heron. I was shooting in both sunlight and in partly cloudy conditions but was able to shoot very well at about 1/500 shutter with prudent technique to prevent camera motion blur. I feel the lens has very useful sharpness wide open, even after pixel peeking later at home. A very slight benefit could be observed (at pixel peeking magnification) with any amount of stopping down - even 1/3rd stop.I was also able to see some very slight focus error on some of the closer pics but it seriously doesn't affect their printed output since all had adequate DOF, even wide open. I may or may not attempt to adjust.Bottom line - A KEEPER.

This is an awesome lens and, in my opinion, a great choice for wildlife photography on foot and from a kayak. I picked mine up used. It's quite an easy lens to carry around for hiking etc. It can be a challenge to use at times without the VR if your subject moves around a lot and you're free-handing it. However, when you get your subject in focus and in the right lighting this lens is very rewarding. I've found this lens has trained me a bit at keeping my hand still and using manual focus in the F/4 area with a fast shutter speed in order to get good results. It tends to lock focus onto birds in the sky quite well. It's as sharp as everyone says and I've had no issues with the tripod mount. There are definitely better, easier lenses out there at 300mm but not at this price. I've attached some photo's captured from my kayak for reference.