Review of Nikon AF-S 300/2.8

Nikon AF-S 300/2.8 G ED VR II is probably the fastest super-telephoto lens on the market. The lens is very fast, accurate and as sharp as the 600/4. With the Nano Crystal Coat, updated VR and weather sealing this is a quality lens that I really love to use in the field. Its weight, nearly 3 kg, makes it a bit heavy for hours of handheld shooting. The lens received an EISA product award in 2010 as the best professional lens!

So, why didn´t this lens get a 5 star rating? The main reason is that the focal length of 300mm is often too short when shooting birds and animals. If I use a 1.4X or 2.0X extension to increase the focal length I lose some of the AF speed and sharpness. The 300mm is more like an all-rounder, suitable for many situations (also detailed landscape pictures), but there can be other lenses that might be better. If I have weight problems when travelling, I prefer to leave the 300mm lens at home in favour of my 600mm lens. By all means, this is a high quality telephoto lens, but for me, I usually choose the "big brother" or the 70-200/2.8 when I'm out in the field.

NB: other photographers would have given this 300mm lens five stars, while the 600mm lens would have been the second choice because of its weight and price.

Norway, July 2010

Norway, March 2010

Svalbard, July 2010

Svalbard, July 2010

Svalbard, September 2010

Svalbard, August 2010

• TC-14E II Teleconverter - Increases the focal length by 40%, i.e. 300mm becomes an 420mm. The aperture is reduced from f/2.8 to f/4.0. Auto-focus speed and image sharpness are slightly affected.
• TC-20E III Teleconverter - Increases the focal length by 100%, i.e. 300mm becomes a 600mm. The aperture is reduced from f/2.8 to f/5.6. Autofocus speed is reduced considerably, but the sharpness is still good (but not great). This is the first 2X teleconverter I have used with satisfactory image quality which I can also recommend. But, I recommend you to stop down the lens to f/10 or f/11 to get good sharpness.
• 52mm slip-in Circular Polarizing Filter – This filter work as other polar filters by reducing reflections from shiny surfaces like water surface and glass. The filter has the best effect when the sun is 90 degrees to the side. I do not use this filter very much, since the AF system is slowed down.