Nikon 300mm 2.8 VR II with TC (1 Viewer)

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Hio all,

I have ordered this lens and will be using it for birds with or without TC and also for sports and portrait when I'm not leading tours in my place.

My questions is :

Has anyone tested this with the TC2III ? Do you need to stop down at f8 to get the sharpness or at 600mm f5.6. is it sharp ? My current body is D300s and will be using the Velbon 830 carbon tripod and Manfrotto 502 video head for this combo

How about with TC1.7 ?

Advice and comments are appreciated :king:

 

[Pasquier]

Hi Horukuru
You will love this lens - and it is a perfect match with the TC20EIII, see:
http://mansurovs.com/nikon-300mm-f2-8-vr-ii-review
I use this combination at f5.6 quite a lot.
Stopping down does improve image quality a bit.
I have used the TC17EII, but the best is the TC14EII - 400mm f4.0 - with amazing quality.
Look forward to seeing pics on your blog.
Best, P

 

[Hor Kee]

Excellent choice of lens! Just wondering if you'll perhaps be better off with cropping from a picture taken with the upcoming D400 which would have twice the resolution of your D300s. That way, you'll be able to shoot with a bare lens at f/2.8 without any worries!

You might want to read on the true characteristics of the VRII system as to get the best results from its use as reviewed by Thom Hogan. http://www.bythom.com/nikon-vr.htm

However, ol' Thom obviously did not test the VRII system on a boat on the Kinabatangan River, although perhaps a situation like that will call for the use of the "Active" mode.

 

[RJM]

The 300mm VR w/2x TCIII is my primary kit. When using the tcIII, stop down to F6.3 for best results.

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Hi Horukuru
You will love this lens - and it is a perfect match with the TC20EIII, see:
http://mansurovs.com/nikon-300mm-f2-8-vr-ii-review
I use this combination at f5.6 quite a lot.
Stopping down does improve image quality a bit.
I have used the TC17EII, but the best is the TC14EII - 400mm f4.0 - with amazing quality.
Look forward to seeing pics on your blog.
Best, P

Thanks a lot !

Excellent choice of lens! Just wondering if you'll perhaps be better off with cropping from a picture taken with the upcoming D400 which would have twice the resolution of your D300s. That way, you'll be able to shoot with a bare lens at f/2.8 without any worries!

You might want to read on the true characteristics of the VRII system as to get the best results from its use as reviewed by Thom Hogan. http://www.bythom.com/nikon-vr.htm

However, ol' Thom obviously did not test the VRII system on a boat on the Kinabatangan River, although perhaps a situation like that will call for the use of the "Active" mode.

Hehehe will test this lens on the river this month if it arrives by this week

The 300mm VR w/2x TCIII is my primary kit. When using the tcIII, stop down to F6.3 for best results.

Ah when are you coming here Rick ?

 

[RJM]

which months are best Jason?

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

which months are best Jason?

Middle Feb till end of April then from June until middle of November

 

[thornlv]

I have the VR1 version, I hear its the same as the VR2 optically except (obviously) with VR version 1 (-1 stop), have used it with the TC14E and notice NO difference in quality, also used with the TC17E but need to stop down to at least F6.3 but F8 is best, if the subject is close enough detail is still amazing. Also used it with the new TC20E3 and it blew me away at f8.

great lens

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Hehehe received my dream lens today ! Totally different league than my 80-400mm VR I will be on tours soon and get the use of this lens for Pitta and Bornean Ground Cuckoo !

 

[Hor Kee]

Great! Looking forward to seeing some pics with your new lens!

 

[swainsons]

the upcoming D400....

Now thats a joke!!!!!

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

One of the test shot this morning

Eurasian Tree Sparrow :king:

 

[RMWD]

Congratulations on your new lens. Which TC's have you settled upon. I find all three TC's have their use but the lens handles the 2TCeIII well at 6.3 but best at f8 for critical sharpness. Have fun first with the lens "naked" , the sharpness is legendary.

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Chestnut-hooded Laughinghrush ~ Endemic to Borneo and found at the mountain



My question, when you used AF-C, do you set it to Focus or Release priority ? And what's the reason for using it in your setting ?

Thanks !

 

[gvca1]

Chestnut-hooded Laughinghrush ~ Endemic to Borneo and found at the mountain

View attachment 394660

My question, when you used AF-C, do you set it to Focus or Release priority ? And what's the reason for using it in your setting ?

Thanks !

Nice shot of a beautiful bird, Horukuru. Looks like the lens is going to work for you.

I'm not the person you asked the question of, but I'll throw in my response, for what it's worth: I generally use Release Priority when in AF-C mode, because I'd rather cull OOF shots back home than have the camera block and not take the exposure, because it thinks it's out of focus. I don't take a huge number of exposures, so storage space is not really an issue for me.

I'm not really sure, but I think the distinction only really applies in AF-S single mode-- when you're in AF-C, the camera is essentially in Release Mode all the time, anyway. Here's a link which suggest this:

http://dpanswers.com/content/nikon_af.php

Regards,

Jim

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

You might want to read on the true characteristics of the VRII system as to get the best results from its use as reviewed by Thom Hogan. http://www.bythom.com/nikon-vr.htm

However, ol' Thom obviously did not test the VRII system on a boat on the Kinabatangan River, although perhaps a situation like that will call for the use of the "Active" mode.

Hor Kee,

I have tested the VR II on Active mode while cruising at Kinabatangan River and the differences is big between Normal and Active Mode. Attached is the pics taken on moving boat with running engine because the current that time quite strong.

ISO 500, 1/200s VR On Active Mode ~ Rhinoceros Hornbill

 

[Hor Kee]

Smashing shot of a pair of Rhino Hornbills! It seems that Active mode is great for erratic movements of the photographer or photographic platform.

 

[jourdaj]

Opinion needed: I read that autofocus for birds in flight w/ this lens is slowed considerably when VR is 'on'. Apparently the autofocus is delayed while the VR steadies, which results in slower acquisition of subject. Has anyone noticed this? I've gone to turning VR off and I feel like the autofocus is now working like advertised.

Thoughts?

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Opinion needed: I read that autofocus for birds in flight w/ this lens is slowed considerably when VR is 'on'. Apparently the autofocus is delayed while the VR steadies, which results in slower acquisition of subject. Has anyone noticed this? I've gone to turning VR off and I feel like the autofocus is now working like advertised.

Thoughts?

I haven't noticed the drop in autofocus for in flight shot Jerry because so far my shutter speed pointing up to the sky is more than 1/1000s so I turned off VR. Will do more testing soon :king: