Out in the world today

[coastalconn]

I finally got a chance to shoot some more with the Nikon 300 F4. I think it is a good lens, but I'm not convinced it is the right lens for me. So I'm in a bit of a conundrum. As strange as it sounds, I think it is too light for me.. It seems plenty sharp. Focus is pretty good. I think it is hard for me loosing the stop from the F2.8 and I'm still kind of drooling over the Sigma 100-300 F2.8 OS... I still have time to make up my mind. I think the images look fine, but I just have that nagging voice in the back of my head that I can't shake.. Would love to hear your thoughts.. Call me crazy or whatever.. Anyways I think these were all shot with a kenko 1.4x TC which should reflect in the exif info...

1 I know, I know... clipped the tail

Sparrow by krisinct, on Flickr

2

Kingfisher in Flight by krisinct, on Flickr

3

Great Egret Flight by krisinct, on Flickr

4

Snowy Egret Reflections by krisinct, on Flickr

5 The cormorant is actually looking at "Duck Island" in Westbrook. I guess you need that tidbit to see the irony...

Cormorant at sunset by krisinct, on Flickr

 

[shefjr]

I think you're crazy! These are excellent shots and you are now just being a show off! lol. I do understand the desire to have fast glass though.

 

[DarkShadow]

Great shots! You have a Nice Nikon Prime lens that looks to have great optical quality and Other then zoom and fast glass of the sigma and excessive weight would it offer you better optics then a Prime Nikon. Also f4 is pretty respectable Imo and you certainly now how to work with low light. It's all up to you and what makes you happy though. Its really to bad you could not test run the bigma or could you and see if you really like it.

 

[sleist]

I like #1 the best. Feather detail is spot on, but the composition is not as tight as the focus.
If this wasn't a crop, I wonder if you miss the flexibility of a zoom (since you mention the 100-300 envy)

 

[Aloicious]

I like #1 too.

So since you asked for opinions, here's my take on the 300f4 for wildlife. take this with a grain of salt as I do not own a 300f4, but I did research it quite a bit when I was looking for a something in that rane....the 300f4 is an excellent lens, sharp, relatively inexpensive when compared to it's newer 2.8 couterparts, and its light weight and smaller size can be a real bonus too. I think its a best suited for backpacking or hiking around for general wildlife (not necessarily strictly birds) where weight and size are a real major issue...personally the loss of a full stop of light is what detoured me from it. although it takes a 1.4x reasonably well, going beyond that your AF performance will suffer, as well as being able to keep your shutter speed up, and plus at the 1.7x range, that you're just back in the realm (in terms of light gathering) of the slow zoom superteles like your old tamron or the bigma.

as far as faster zooms like the 100-300f2.8 siggy or the 200-400f4 nikon...for birding, most people I see who use them are at the far end of the zoom WITH a TC 99% of the time. for me I don't see the zoom as a benefit in most scenarios with wildlife...now where the zoom really comes in handy is with sports, especially field sports. that's where I'd be looking at a fast zoom over a prime, but for wildlife, personally, I just don't see a whole bunch of benefit. But to each their own. I know plenty of people who use the fast zooms and love them, but for me I'm more than satisfied with my 300 2.8, it's really never left me wanting. granted I do have a 600, but I'm still grabbing the 300 and a TC probably 60-70% of the time I go out looking for wildlife (of course depending on the situation).

so in the end, its really just different strokes for different folks, but I'd strongly recommend trying (i.e renting) your various options and see what works best for you, and although you may have to defer your purchase slightly, I would recommend not settling for something that isn't exactly what you want. take some time, save up, and get what feels, performs, and functions where you need it, regardless of what that ends up being.

 

[coastalconn]

I've spent a lot of time pondering this. It's one of those things where I think the 300 F4 is a great lens, however for how I shoot, ultimately have a 300 F2.8 available to me will be much better. I am kind of spoiled by the Tokina, having that F2.8 available. The Tokina is much better stopped down obviously. Side by side the Nikon was sharper, but it wan't really night and day. The Tokina focused slower but it seemed to track better (tortoise and the hare syndrome I guess). The thing that made my decision easier is that I think Cameta had the Nikon graded too high and even at e++, I think it showed some signs of abuse.

So I'm sending the Nikon back. The sigma 120-300 is pretty highly rated. The zoom will be handy occasionally, but it will pretty much live at 300. Most people say the 120-300 is actually sharper than the Sigma prime at 300. Have OS will be awesome for when I'm in shaded areas since I always shoot handheld. I'm sure I will have a 1.4x TC glued to it and I will have to see how a 2x does (I'm not expecting much)

I don't know how much faith to put into Imatest, but comparing Nasim Mansurov's reviews, here are some numbers I compiled...
Sigma at 300 F2.8 2180
F4 3089
with TC F4 2006
F5.6 2947
Nikon 300 F4 2747
with TC F5.6 2550

SO wide open I won't have as much sharpness, but by F3.5 it will be as sharp as the Nikon, and stopped down with TC it will be somewhat sharper than the Nikon...
Without cursing myself, I got a great deal on the OS non sport, brand new and I thought it was shipping today but it didn't...
so time will tell

 

[matthewo]

Take the money you would spend on the 120-300 and save a bit more for the nikon 300mm af-s ii

 

[coastalconn]

Take the money you would spend on the 120-300 and save a bit more for the nikon 300mm af-s ii

I got the Sigma 120-300 for 2k... it is brand new with warranty.. at that price point I think it will serve me very well.. I'm really looking forward to OS since I always shoot handheld.. since I'm still shooting the D300 I will gain the stop. I really like the Tokina so if I get a little more sharpness wide open and probably a lot more sharpness stopped down I will be very happy...

 

[Aloicious]

thats not too bad. I really like the new sport version's docking capabilities, but at almost double the cost of the older OS version I'm not sure it's worth it. congrats on the new lens, I'm intersted to hear how you like it.

 

[matthewo]

Can't wait to see your photos, i have heard good things, and it has intrigued me before. Sometimes i envy a friend that has a 100-400 cause he can zoom out, but for a few instances it is helpful.

I think if you get a good copy of the 120-300 then you should love it. If it is consistent with teleconverters you may never need anything different.

 

[wackii]

Take the money you would spend on the 120-300 and save a bit more for the nikon 300mm af-s ii

I got the Sigma 120-300 for 2k... it is brand new with warranty.. at that price point I think it will serve me very well.. I'm really looking forward to OS since I always shoot handheld.. since I'm still shooting the D300 I will gain the stop. I really like the Tokina so if I get a little more sharpness wide open and probably a lot more sharpness stopped down I will be very happy...

Mind sharing where you get it from? I am thinking of going for the F2.8 direction myself and have been reading about this sigma 120-300mm F2.8 OS (non-sport). It is $2,500 at B&H Photo. At $2k, I will pull the trigger given it's brand new with warranty.

 

[coastalconn]

Mind sharing where you get it from? I am thinking of going for the F2.8 direction myself and have been reading about this sigma 120-300mm F2.8 OS (non-sport). It is $2,500 at B&H Photo. At $2k, I will pull the trigger given it's brand new with warranty.

The answer is in this thread.. http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/nikon-lenses/340506-nikon-af-s-300mm-f4.html
I don't know if they have any left. They listed the last 2 on ebay at 2400 or best offer. I submitted an offer last week and then the listing disappeared. I called them and asked what had happened. I haggled a little and they gave it to me for 2K..

 

[wackii]

Mind sharing where you get it from? I am thinking of going for the F2.8 direction myself and have been reading about this sigma 120-300mm F2.8 OS (non-sport). It is $2,500 at B&H Photo. At $2k, I will pull the trigger given it's brand new with warranty.

The answer is in this thread.. http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/nikon-lenses/340506-nikon-af-s-300mm-f4.html
I don't know if they have any left. They listed the last 2 on ebay at 2400 or best offer. I submitted an offer last week and then the listing disappeared. I called them and asked what had happened. I haggled a little and they gave it to me for 2K..

Okay. Thanks. I will probably have no shot at that price. Thanks. Hope you get it. It's an awesome price and congrats on the new lens.

 

[coastalconn]

The only thing I messed up on was ups ground.. this feels like the slowest week of my life . Not scheduled for delivery until Wednesday and it shipped last Thursday.... painful..

You know I will give it a really good run. I have seen some pretty awesome images from it, but most people buy it for sports. As long as I get a good copy I'm sure it will exceed my expectations...

 

[wackii]

It will eventually arrive... For that price, you did real good. I might go for $2,500 at B&H Photo. I am so tempted to jump in as I will get that 5% from Discover and 2% rewards that helps bring down the price to $2,325. I want to wait some more to see if it will drop any lower but I doubt it. It will probably stay at $2.5K till they sold out. When I saw this thread that you mentioned about $2k. I am totally in it. I hope you get a good copy. I think some of the people that complain about the lens not sharp, etc... might be user errors.