Purchase Nikon's 70-300 mm lens?

NSXTypeR

I'm disappointed that this lens seems to be so promising but seems to be broken with the D7000, so it's a moot point anyway. Besides, F6.3 at the far end is kind of pushing it for me, I'd prefer something a little faster.

It's just annoying that Nikon doesn't have all that great firmware support for camera bodies that aren't even that old, even when the D7000 is considered to be a semi-pro DX body for a little while.

DaveyJ

Firmware upgrades should become available for the D7000. The D7100 and D7200 both do pretty well with the new 70-300 DX VR.

DaveyJ

Providing you don't mind not being able to turn off VR. I have found that on this lens and also the former 70-300 VR FX, which is now ten years old! The new 70-300 DX VR is quite good.
Still a fan of the 70-300 VR FX as it is quite good on my full frame Nikons. Problem is Nikon is NOT bundling this DX 70-300VR with anything! Bad,Bad, Bad, marketing!!! Nikon at it's usual marketing disarray!

NSXTypeR

Costco is bundling the new 70-300 DX.

http://www.costco.com/Nikon-D3400-DSLR-Camera-2-Lens-Bundle.product.100313565.html

B and H too.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1275034-REG/nikon_1573_d3400_dslr_camera_with.html

Looks like the Costco bundle is a better deal.

I thought AF-P lenses don't work on the D7000?

Ironheart

@NSXTypeR I think the only issue with the D7000 is that you can't turn the VR off, since there is no switch you need a firmware setting to turn it off/on. Otherwise it will work fine. Nikon will undoubtedly release a firmware update to add this functionality.

DaveyJ

I will be buying this lens. I did receive a price quote for 150 off and when I tried to close on the quote, the price went back to standard! Not very impressive!

DaveyJ

Looks like a Black Friday Nikon deal is coming? Hopefully it is true!

NSXTypeR

Ironheart said:

@NSXTypeR I think the only issue with the D7000 is that you can't turn the VR off, since there is no switch you need a firmware setting to turn it off/on. Otherwise it will work fine. Nikon will undoubtedly release a firmware update to add this functionality.

I may not go FX soon, but I want the option of being able to use a FX lens in the future. I know, it's crazy, but I like my lens purchases to make sense in the future.

The fact that they refreshed a useful focal length to be DX only lens is a bit annoying.

Speaking of firmware updates, it's been a long time since I've updated my D7000.

DaveyJ

The problem with FX capable lens is that they are bigger and heavier, and more expensive than they need to be compared to DX. Having gone the large format and medium format route and investing dollars beyond anything mentioned by any here.......and having tried the various FX Nikons and owned two......the only FX NikonI would personally buy is the D810. It does depend on what the BUYER wants! I completely agree with NSXTypeR, but like many have pointed out DX was trailing way behind in Nikon offerings, and now based on SALES they have got some DX lens out. I still own a D7000. I rarely use it. The D7100 was a lot better, the D7200 was better. The scare now is look what happened to the D3400! Snapbridge sharing is NOT a selling point like Nikon hoped! But this new 70-300 DX VR is very, very good!

egosbar

dam ive been tossing this one up for a while now

for a d500 and wildlife shots should i get the

70-300g vr fx lens or the new 70-300 dx lens

NSXTypeR

That's my dilemma too, although the new 70-300 DX is more likely to have 100% functionality with the D500 than the D7000, so it's probably more useful for you to get a new 70-300 DX VR.

BVS

Depends on how well the 70-300 DX performs at 300. I think I may need to rent one and give it a test.

If you can afford it, the 300 PF is very nice as well.

egosbar

im taking the dive and getting one as a kit with my new d500 , be here next week ill let you know what i think

DaveyJ

Let us know how you make out egosbar.......sounds good to me. According to Thom Hogan the new 70-300 DX VR was better at 300mm than the FX 70-300 lens ,which I own four of. Half the weight, half the price, pretty darn good performance. I am buying one and I may get two, on in VR and one without as it won't cost very much. Yes, the 300 Nikkor prime lens will outperform this lens. It is also too expensive and I have been in MANY places where the zoom being able to go down to 70mm was extremely important! I have owned more prime lens than anyone I know. Some were outrageously expensive, in retrospect they were a waste of money and too big.

egosbar

i ended up with the 70-300g vr fx 4.5-5.6 , just not enough info around on this lens and not being able to turn off vr may be a problem , who knows theres not a lot written about it so for 100 more (got 100 discount with the d500) I went the safer option and the advantage if i ever move to fx

WestEndFoto

DaveyJ said:

Let us know how you make out egosbar.......sounds good to me. According to Thom Hogan the new 70-300 DX VR was better at 300mm than the FX 70-300 lens ,which I own four of. Half the weight, half the price, pretty darn good performance. I am buying one and I may get two, on in VR and one without as it won't cost very much. Yes, the 300 Nikkor prime lens will outperform this lens. It is also too expensive and I have been in MANY places where the zoom being able to go down to 70mm was extremely important! I have owned more prime lens than anyone I know. Some were outrageously expensive, in retrospect they were a waste of money and too big.

If you substitute "modest" for "expensive" and "zoom" for "prime lens" you and I think the same way. Therefore, you and I can be friends because we will never fight over a lens.

DaveyJ

I sure have a fleet of that exact lens! It is my most used telephoto. However my upcoming purchase,of,the 70-300VR DX is based on my need for light field lens and again the reviews are very good for that lens. Not being able to turn off VR on my D7200 though is not appreciated. Nikon better get on this. I will deal with the new lens. Much of the "fight" over lens is within each photographer......Nikon Rumors does a great service to us by careful and friendly investigation of lens and their attributes. My days of big income are past tense! So like others, I have to pick and chose carefully!

WestEndFoto

This lens sounds like a good one. It would be interesting to sap it on my wife's D5500 and compare it to my old 28-200 on my D800 - at an equivalent focal length of course. I suspect it would be significantly better.

NSXTypeR

You're so enthusiastic about it that I might try the new 70-300 and the older 70-300 back to back on a D7000 just to see if it works well.

egosbar

NSXTypeR said:

You're so enthusiastic about it that I might try the new 70-300 and the older 70-300 back to back on a D7000 just to see if it works well.

id like to see the results

heartyfisher

Does anyone know if the new AFP 70-300 DX works with the TC17 ? what about with the Nikon1 ?
PS: just found .. the nikon site says no TC compatibility.

DaveyJ

I will own a 70-300mm DX VR in a few days. It will,take a while to get here. I will try a direct comparison with the FX 70-300VR. There is no TC compatibility with either lens. I may even get a non VR version also as it will cost me $150. I might get a D3400 to try that as well, sometimes I prefer to,travel as light as possible. I use a D3200 for,that right now, and it will,be interesting to see how those tow cameras compare. I already pretty much know the D3200 won't work with the new 70-300 DX VR lens, but will find out by trying it on that camera.

egosbar

the 70-300 g vr fx is a great lens imo only had it a week , even a little better then what i thought it would be , on the d500 its very good and value imo for 600 australian, not sure about the dx version nearly went that but for a couple of hundred extra i went the fx as there was bugger all reviews on the dx , be interested to see your thoughts

one happy camper d500 and 70-300 fx , cant wait to put a 200-500 on it , my nephew will be up thursday he has a 80-400 so ill whack that on for some birding

NSXTypeR

egosbar said:

NSXTypeR said:

You're so enthusiastic about it that I might try the new 70-300 and the older 70-300 back to back on a D7000 just to see if it works well.

id like to see the results

I honestly haven't had the time to go out to B and H to try it, I'll see if they can do that sort of combo for me if and when I find the time to go.

On the main blog there was a deal to be had with the D3400 with the AF-P 70-300 I believe non VR version. So I guess if you don't care for VR it's not a bad deal for around $400 with the 18-55 VR.

DaveyJ

Having tried the new 70-300mm DX VR AF-P lens I can report compared to five of my 70-300 Nikon lens t is the same length as the old D lens, a little thinner at mid barrel. It will not work on MANY Nikon DSLR cameras at all. Only the D3400, D5300, D3300, D5500, and if you are willing to use the VR lens without being able to turn of VR then it works with the D7100, D7200, D500. In terms of performance it is about like the Nikon 55-300..... on the above listed cameras it works on. I tried them on all all of them as I own them. I think the non engraved data on the new lens except for focal length was a cost saving measure as was the stepper motor. In low light the VR 70-300 is probably inferior to the older 70-300mm Nikkor FX which I think is the best of all of these lens. In bright light the new DX version is good, but pretty much the same as the 55-300 at given focal lengths, maybe a shade better at 300, but then it can't zoom down to 55mm. The close focus distance of gen new lens is pretty good, about 3.6 ft.

In low light even bumping up to 3200 ISO seemed to accomplish little. The non VR version. I did not test. I personally believe that the stepper motor focus "improvement" is strictly related to cost! On a D3300, or D3400, or a D5300, or D5500 it is a good lens. All of the others I would say proceed with caution. There are one heck of a lot of D3200s out there and this lens will not work on that camera. I think Nikon had a lot of nerve to go this route. What this in effect did was say a Sigma or any other after market lens might work better on more Nikon cameras than new Nikon lens! Add to that the price point if the D3300 which is better from many standpoints than the D3400, and the two price points with the 18-55kit lens are too close together......there are D3200 owners who would buy a D3300 body at a real sale price........
What if the upcoming D7300 takes a similar nose dive? SnapBridge is NOT very seductive to new entrants!!!