Well, FINALLY we get an updated 80-400

TaoTeJared

@Squoop or anyone else with the lens - I'm not seeing any CAs - are you doing a bit of post/auto removal or just shooting jpegs and is the camera correcting them?

Looks nice and sharp for sure!

Msmoto

@PB_PM

Watch those cat comments....Grace my cat was reaching for the delete button.., )

squoop

@TaoTeJared - I'm not seeing CA with this lens, part of the reason I like it so much. I shoot in raw and did no PP other than the default settings in ACR which apply some minor sharpening & NR.

autofocus

Had to try the new 80-400mm with my TC17. It will hunt on autofocus but I had better results using the A/M mode. Mounted on a tripod and 10 feet from the bird feeder. Overcast day so very little light, bump ISO to keep the shutter speed up. Just thought some might like to see it with a TC.

adamz

I just started to save cash for this lens... really good performance with TC in this class. lovely bokeh.

Golf007sd

@autofocus: Very nicely done.
@adamz: Agreed....very lovely bokeh!

squoop

@autofocus: I'm not normally a fan of teleconverters as the couple of times I've tried one in the past were not great, which is why I've been holding out on trying my tc14 with this lens. But that is clearly sharp.... and +3 on the bokeh. It's amazing you were able to get AF at all with 1.7 in low light, i think it only supports up to 1.4. Am now inspired to finally check it out, thanks!

autofocus

Well, I have the TC17 and thought, why not give it a try. I tried it on my 70-200 and didn't like the results but it seems to be ok on the new 80-400. I will say this new lens handles CA extremely well so that helps. The autofocus did hunt continuously most of the time. I meant to say the MA mode earlier. I had best results manually focusing as you might imagine. I didn't expect it to autofocus at f9.5 and thats what's displayed zoomed out and wide open. To be fair, the background is probably 30 feet from the bird feeder. That said, I found this thing has a very shallow DOF until you stop down to f13 or more. Especially with the TC attached. I found a tripod is a must for me at that focal length. With the TC17 max focal length is 640mm. Anyway, happy I could provide some info. I'm no expert so my test is just me having fun.

haroldp

Anyway, happy I could provide some info. I'm no expert so my test is just me having fun.

Your tests and those of others on this forum have been very helpful to me and I am sure others as well, and I appreciate the thought and effort you have put into this.

Regards ... Harold

Beso

Anyway, happy I could provide some info. I'm no expert so my test is just me having fun.

Your tests and those of others on this forum have been very helpful to me and I am sure others as well, and I appreciate the thought and effort you have put into this.
Regards ... Harold

@haroldp - +1
@autofocus - In the final analysis it will be the real world application of the lens and/or TC that determines its value and appropriateness for application, not some laboratory test conducted under ideal conditions or even location setting with controlled conditions. I also appreciate your posts and those others who have chosen to share their experiences.

sideways

Can anyone tell me if the barrel of this lens is plastic, metal or a combination like the 24-70 f/2.8 ?

I have not found any review that mentions this, nor spotted any reference to it on Nikon's English language websites.

Thanks

Msmoto

It appears to be both composite and metal like the 24-70 f/2.8. Much larger and heavier than the original version.

sideways

Thanks ! That's what I was hoping for :-)
I'll be waiting for the price to fall first but I think this could be a very useful long reach travel lens...

Msmoto

Having used one in a test, alongside of my old version, I was very impressed. It is tempting but I think I might look at a Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 if it is any good.

sevencrossing

I am about to hit the button on this ( much cheaper than the 200- 400 I was thinking about ) and by all account better than my 70 -200 + TC2 about £2,500 in the UK. given the weak state of the £ it might go up in price rather than down

sevencrossing

A link from the main blog

http://aboutphography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/nikon-80-400mm-f4.html
I very pleased I did not buy the 200-400

Yetibuddha

I think I need to start saving my pennies!

autofocus

I concur with the review posted by seven crossing. This is one of the photos I took over the weekend. The lens performed great. Focus was as fast as my 70-200. Think this is a keeper.

shawnino

I am most interested in comps with the Sigma 120-300 2.8 (newest gen of the Sigma, last gen, don't really mind...)

Godless

Having used one in a test, alongside of my old version, I was very impressed. It is tempting but I think I might look at a Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 if it is any good.

I found the earlier version really sharp. And the bokeh @f/2.8 was orgastic.

PeterPhamWesley

Well looks like this lens will be one of the lens I will be looking for in the future to replace my 10 year old
80 - 400 mm version.

Hopefully the price will come down a little bit because 2,600 is a little steep for me. Not that I could not afford it, but the idea of paying that much for a lens for a pro hobbyist such as myself (well you get the picture)

Msmoto

@PeterPhamWesley

Yeah, what do we do with the original version? LOL )

adamz

one more review, this time against N300+TC14 and N70-200/2.8 + TC20
http://www.backcountrygallery.com/photography_tips/nikon-under-3k-tele-comparison/

adamz

some more comparison examples between N80-400 af, N80-400 af-s, N400/3+TC
http://www.cjcphoto.net/lenstests/80-400afs/all.html

Msmoto

OK, OK, the new one is great..... On one of the examples he stated there were some testing issues....oh how easy this to pop up. I think in these tests one has to use AF Fine tune with each combo to have the very best results. And, I hope to try this soon.......if it stops raining...