Wow it's a big one!

[IByte]

Holy jumping jelly beans, I finally picked up my 70-300mm lens from Best Buy, and wow it's huge. Reading the manual, unfortunately I wll not be able to use it now, any pointers besides what's on the internets thanks?

 

[SCraig]

If it's the f/4.5-5.6 VRII you'll enjoy it. I've had mine for several years and love it. Probably shot more through that lens than all my others combined.

It's only huge to you because you've been using shorter lenses. After a while it doesn't feel that way. In fact after using my 150-500 it feels positively small

Mine is sharpest around f/8 to f/11. Works fine all the way from 70 to 300. Small subjects at a distance that are cropped (i.e. ducks out in a lake) will start to lose sharpness though. The VR works very well but be sure to turn it off when using a tripod or the IQ will suffer. There are two positions for the VR, one is "Normal" and the other is "Active". Active is for use on a tripod when panning horizontally and supposedly doesn't cause as much loss of sharpness. I just turn VR off on mine when using a tripod.

Enjoy it. It's a very good lens.

 

[digital flower]

Use a tripod

If you got the VR version its a pretty decent lens but one that doesn't really liked to be pushed (use a lot of light).

 

[jake337]

Go rent any 300mm f2.8 or larger prime. You'll think it's light and small after you return the 300mm.

 

[IByte]

Yes I was able to get the VR version had my camera for little over a year, and thought I take my photography up a few f/stops. This is a very nice(expensive) hobby and gives me more excuses to be outdoors.

 

[jake337]

Yes I was able to get the VR version had my camera for little over a year, and thought I take my photography up a few f/stops. This is a very nice(expensive) hobby and gives me more excuses to be outdoors.

Yeah it may seem expensive but when you look at it in the long wrong it isn't too bad. Most of the glass we buy will still be worth similar amounts for some time to come. And what we get out of it(photographs) will last forever(depending) so it is well worth it in my opinion.

I used to be somewhat into modding imports. But when it came to big purchases(turbos, exhaust, internal engine parts, built trans, etc) I would never pull the trigger on items. I never felt the price was worth the gain in power, and for what, to drive a few milliseconds faster in a quarter mile or merge onto a highway faster. Also the parts would lose value pretty fast as newer, better parts are always being developed.

Not dogging anyone into cars but it just wasn't worth it for me.

 

[IByte]

Yeah I buy computer equipment vand try to be pratical. Invest"higher" quality on top of a warranty and I use it until it gives up working. Now that I have some real glass to work with, think I will look into some lighting equipment.