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Author
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skin_2
New here
Registered: March 2007
Location: Oxford
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Tue April 10, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £379.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Good sharp images, VR works very well
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Cons:
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not a very fast lens, but yoh have to pay a lot more for a couple of stops faster
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I bought this lens to go with my D80 to extend the focal length from the 18-135mm kit lens that came with the camera. The 70-300mm VR lens is well made, with a proper metal lens mount. It's not a DX lens, so it has the coverage for use on a film camera or one with a full size sensor. The camera feels well balanced with the lens fitted and so is easy to hold reasonably steady. I used it at the Orchid Festival at Kew earlier this year and even at its maximum focal length, I was easily able to get pin sharp shots inside the Princess of Wales conservatory, so the VR does work well. I found it slightly disconcerting to use as while holding the camera I could feel the VR 'clunking' about as it was stabilising the image, but once I'd got used to that it was fine.
I'd recommend it as being good value for money, the only downside being the speed of the lens but you have to pay a lot more for a faster one.
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RichB
Quite Chatty
Registered: August 2006
Posts: 60
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Review Date: Sun April 15, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £332.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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very sharp pictures even at max zoom, with the VR.
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Cons:
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struggling to think of any, for the money paid.
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Had this lens for a couple of months now, and all results are incredible compared with another 2 lenses I tried, even given that they were only about a third the retail price of this one, it does go to show that you get what you pay for.
The other lenses were the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro DG http://www.pixalo.com/reviews/showpr...uct/133/cat/14
which was a lot better than the Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 G http://www.pixalo.com/reviews/showpr...duct/152/cat/9
The VR negates the lack of a fast aperture, for my usage, given the focal length range of the lens; and don't forget it more likely to be used at the longer focal lengths, else you wouldn't have taken the kit lens off, would you?!!
Construction is very good, only niggle I suppose I could mention that has caught me out, is that there are 3 switches on the lens, for the VR and autofocus and I managed to move the one putting it out of auto focus mode  ; then spent a minute trying to figure out why it wouldn't focus. Ok, so I'm also relatively new still to the D80, and all its functions  ; and yes, I'll own up to still having to refer back to the camera manual frequently!!
The Sigma has macro mode, but as noted elsewhere, it only works between focal lengths of 200 and 300 mm, still a useful function not found on the Nikon; but then you can't have everything at this price!
Anyway, back to this lens, solidly built, the expected Nikon quality in terms of smoothness and lens definition, metal mount, and with the VR function will probably be the only long focal lens you'll need, unless you're into seriously long distance photographs involving extreme focal lengths, oh, and a sturdy tripod  . Lens also exhibits good bokeh, and comes with bag, and hood.
Got mine from the cameras2u website, not one of their stock items, or wasn't when I ordered it; but even so, delivered within the 10 working days stated; worth the wait for a lens that is so new, and was surprisingly discounted.
Highly recommended.
Now the April round of the monthly competition is over, I can reveal that this is an example of the picture quality achievable with the lens (no post processing apart from cropping the right hand edge): http://www.pixalo.com/gallery/data/822/reach.jpg
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VinnyP
Forum Regular
Registered: February 2006
Location: Surbiton Surrey
Posts: 842
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Review Date: Tue March 4, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £260.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp especially up to 200mm Excellent VR
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Cons:
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Image quality falls off slightly at the longest end. No tripod mount
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This lens impressed me far more than I expected. I originally I bought the 18-200 VR to leave in the car on a D200 and was left wanting, this with a Tamron 17-50 makes a really good and pretty lightweight 2 lens set.
It's never going to replace a 70-200 2.8 or 300 2.8 but it isn't designed to and is a real bargain. Optically it is really very good especially up to 200mm even wide open, above that out to 300 it softens up noticably but it's still pretty good and remains ahead of the 18-200 at pretty much any focal length. At 300mm it helps a lot to stop it down a stop or 2 but at 300mm that's the last thing you are going to want to do. Luckily the VR does a pretty good job, of course VR doesn't help with moving subjects.
The other optical qualities are also very good, CA is not really an issue and easily controlled. I like the contrast and the distortion is never too much of an issue but it does go in a funny cycle barrel to pincushion to almost none at 300mm. I haven't seen any flare but probably haven't tried it in any sitiuations where it might be an issue. For a bargain lens the Bokeh is not bad at all.
Whilst not a pro lens it is pretty well made, has a nice heft and is well balanced on the D200. Handling is good and focusing from the AF-S is responsive but obviously when at 5.6 it can hunt slightly but nothing to cause any concern.
In conclusion if you have a Nikon Camera and the lens meets your focal length needs and suits your budget then it can't be beat. Even if you have more expensive glass in this focal length the portability of this might still make it attractive.
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Dutchie
Forum Regular
Registered: October 2006
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 945
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Review Date: Wed April 30, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £280.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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VR is excellent. Nice clear pictures when at 300mm
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Cons:
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Could be heavy in the hand
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I've had this lens for a year now and it has been good to me. I am an amateur who gets the odd chance to go out and shoot some nice pictures.
I'm very satisfied with the quality of the photo's. The vr is doing a good job, as my hand is not stable at times. Especially at 300mm I think the quality is fab. But I don't have much experience with other lenses. This lens is my best lens uptill now.
The only but for me is that it is heavy. And when you have to run after your kids, it can be heavy around the neck. I then prefer my allround lens which is going to be the 18-200mm this week 
I did compare this lens with the sigma. But I'd rather pay more and know that I'm getting a good lens for my money. I would never buy a lens for cheap just because I want to have a new lens. And for me the reviews of sigma lenses are not good enough to convince me to buy one.
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Dave
Pixalo Crew
Registered: July 2005
Posts: 16483
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Review Date: Sun June 8, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £280.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great value for money, VR, Good bokeh, well made
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Cons:
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Nothing at the price point
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After getting frustrated at lack of extra reach from Sigma 70-200 f/2.8, I sold it. I then went 6 months with nothing greater than 55mm focal length
I had always hankered after the Nikon 80-400mm VR lens, but was put off by reports of slow AF , plus the inevitable "is a MKII lens on the way" 
Anyway as an interim I decided to give the Nikon 70-300 VR lens a go. I wasn't expecting much at the price, but I have to say I am very impressed with the lens. Well built, the VR works well, focuses relatively quickly & quietly & today I even found how good the bokeh is 
Example shots taken with Nikon 70-300 VR Lens
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