I'm so tempted to buy this right now

[iPhoto17]

Nikon Zoom 70 300mm F 4 5 6g AF Nikkor 70 300 Lens New 0018208019472 | eBay

2 problems though, it only does 3 f stops and no vibration reduction, but I do need a 300mm, I don't NEED one but it'd be really nice to have one since I do like to do nature and I come across some animals I can't get too close or they run away...

 

[Mach0]

I wouldn't bother.

 

[iPhoto17]

Wouldn't bother with this one and get the one with VR? Or just none at all?

 

[pixmedic]

the 70-300 VRII is a great lens.
well built, and good image quality.
if you are going to get a 70-300 lens, get the nikon VRII version.
its not very expensive used on ebay.

 

[sm4him]

The VRII version may be a great price for the quality, but that's a pretty big jump in cost, from $139 to something around $500.
I don't know, I think if I were going to spend $500 on a lens for wildlife, I'd just work on saving up a little more and get something longer.

I have the 70-300 VR version, not the VRII, but I've always thought it was a pretty decent lens. Before I bought my Sigma 150-500 back in March, that 70-300 was all I used for birds and other wildlife and the only time I ever had issues with image quality was when I was just too far away and had to crop too much.

You can find the VR version for about $100 more than that non-VR one you listed, if you keep an eye out.

 

[goodguy]

The VRII version may be a great price for the quality, but that's a pretty big jump in cost, from $139 to something around $500.
I don't know, I think if I were going to spend $500 on a lens for wildlife, I'd just work on saving up a little more and get something longer.

I have the 70-300 VR version, not the VRII, but I've always thought it was a pretty decent lens. Before I bought my Sigma 150-500 back in March, that 70-300 was all I used for birds and other wildlife and the only time I ever had issues with image quality was when I was just too far away and had to crop too much.

You can find the VR version for about $100 more than that non-VR one you listed, if you keep an eye out.

500$ ?

Even new its always on sale for around 440$

Bought mine used for 280$, best buy I ever made Amazing lens!!!

 

[Derrel]

Nikon Zoom 70 300mm F 4 5 6g AF Nikkor 70 300 Lens New 0018208019472 | eBay

2 problems though, it only does 3 f stops and no vibration reduction, but I do need a 300mm, I don't NEED one but it'd be really nice to have one since I do like to do nature and I come across some animals I can't get too close or they run away...

This lens is not very good once zoomed past 200mm.I gives a lot of purple color fringing at the longer end--and when I was using it, that was not easily softeware-correctable. I have one I got for $99 as a refurb almost 10 years ago. What do I use it for? It's nice as a lens to use with a Cokin diffuser filter for soft-focus shots. Seriously. It gives a wonderful, "misty look" when paired with the Cokin diffuser.

 

[radiorickm]

Nikon Zoom 70 300mm F 4 5 6g AF Nikkor 70 300 Lens New 0018208019472 | eBay

2 problems though, it only does 3 f stops

I think you misunderstood something. It does not ONLY do 3 f-stop. The f4-5.6 is the minimum aperture. When you have the lens set to 70mm, the aperture will be f4 at it's widest. If you zoom to 300mm, the aperture will be f5.6 at it's widest. That's not the 'functioning' range, just the minimum at the min/max focal length. You can, or the camera can, set it to other smaller f-stops probably down to at least f-32.


Good luck and happy shooting.

 

[iPhoto17]

The VR ones are a bit too much at the moment, I got a 35mm prime with no VR and works just fine but I hear these zoom lenses pretty much NEED VR if shooting at 300mm

 

[Dao]

Do you have a tripod? The tripod may help in shooting at 300mm.

Also according to your sig, you mentioned "i have a nikon d3000 with 18-55 kit lens and 70-200", since you already have the 70-200mm lens, is that a 70-200mm f/2.8 type lens? If yes, a good quality 1.4x teleconverter maybe useful for that lens.