$2000 lens budget.. most/sharpest zoom???

DigiJay · Feb 26, 2009

Joves said:
Well I have the 80-400VR myself and lover it. Granted it is a bit slow due to not having its own AF motor. But I have learned to work around it too. I am fairly quick at going from manual focus and getting close then throwing it to AF. It is also soft wide open but gets good at f/8 and up. But it is a long range budget lens after all. It does the job though and isnt that what counts.
Here is a sample shot at ISO800 f/9 handheld. I could have esily shot at ISO400 and got the same results but, I was stalking something in the shadows, that got away and this was a target of opportuntiy.

Nice shot, and I checked out your smugmug.. you've got a lot of sweet shots with that lens..
I didn't even realize that it doesn't have it's own AF motor..
I'm still all over the board... I'm thinking I might get the 80-400 for now and then save for a sigma 300 2.8.. I keep my lenses in perfect condition so I shouldn't have a problem re-selling it down the road..

Joves · Feb 26, 2009

Thanks! I got this till I could afford something better or actually with more reach. Like the Sigma 300-800 which is one of the things Im saving for. Also Garbz made a point that the Kenko TCs work on the Nikons so I may try one of the Pro series and, see how well they work.