 GREAT lens for the novice user (I have D50, the digital SLR) |
| Review Date: August 8, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Vincent Sellers, San Antonio, TX United States |
For the money, this lens is a GREAT deal in my opinion. I have taken some unbelievable photos with this camera, ranging from animals to motocross. Many of the photos look like they are magazine quality. If you aren't used to a pro-quality lens (which I am not), you'll think this lens is the greatest thing since sliced bread. In my amateur opinon, it seems to focus quickly (of course that depends on whether the item is close-up, lighting etc; can range from instant to a couple of seconds ... if you are trying to capture a fast-moving object, I DO recommend that you already have the focus in the approximate focus range, and then the lens will focus in about a 1/10th of a second). So don't take a picture of a flower that is 5 feet away, and expect to instantly snap a picture of an Indy car flying by 50 feet away at 200MPH ... be ready for the Indy car, focus on the track before the car comes by, and you'll probably get an awesome shot!
I'm not saying that every single shot turns out great - when zoomed to the max (especially if the conditions are cloudy or dark), a good number of my action shots were somewhat blurry. Since I have the new Nikon D50 (digital SLR), if I snap 5 pictures and 3 of them are blurry I can instantly delete them (or delete them when I get home). But if I had a film camera, I might not be quite as happy if I had to pay for developing some blurry pictures.
The actual zoom level is very good - I don't know the exact magnification level, but it is as much as you could want if you don't have the camera mounted on a tripod. The construction seems very sturdy and "professional" looking - included is a nice "hood" that goes over the end of the lens, and makes you feel like a pro!
If you are professional wildlife photographer, and are seeking out the perfect photo of the extremely rare and endangered African-duckbilled-yellow-breasted-warbler, then pay $1,000 for a true pro-quality lens that can stabilize images, etc. But if you are a weekend-warrior photographer who wants to be able to capture some pro-quality shots (but your income doesn't depend on it) at a fraction of the price, then this is THE lens for your Nikon camera. |
Very nice zoom lens, not for low light or dark indoor though
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| Review Date: September 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Sidarta Tanu, Richmond, VA USA |
First, I'm giving this 70-300mm lens a 5 stars rating partly because the price is inexpensive (which is good in my opinion). Usually you get what you paid for, however in this case you get much more than what you paid for.
If your primary objective is to take pictures in low light situation such as wedding and concert, then get the 80-200mm f/2.8 or the 70-200mm VR f/2.8 instead.
Get this lens by any means unless you already have those alternative and more expensive zoom lenses that I mentioned above.
Pros:
1. Inexpensive
2. You can get up close and personal (300mm which is equivalent to 450mm if you attach it to a DSLR)
3. Very sharp and fast in bright light situation (outdoor etc), though it gets a bit softer as you get closer to the 300mm
4. Very light
5. Bokeh is suprisingly good
6. Great for portrait
Cons:
1. Plasticy build and looks cheap (but I don't think you should care on this)
2. Very bad on low light situation especially if the object is moving/sports photography, but still works fine for long exposure with tripod like photographing fireworks or night light building/city/car lights.
3. Focus seems to be slower on low light situation (focus hunting a bit more)
Bottom line: this lens loves a lot of light.
If you give this lens a lot of light, it will take good care of you.
Last but not least, after you get this lens, go and buy the nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D prime lens for $100 or less (equivalent of 75mm if used with DSLR which is very good for portrait and semi-zoom). This is a very fast lens and works extremly well in low light situation even without using flash. This lens will complement your 70-300mm lens very very well.
Happy photographing!
Sidarta Tanu |
High Quality & easy to use
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| Review Date: October 28, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Tom Schwab, Seattle, WA |
I have used this lens for one year now and it has performed flawlessly. I have probably used it for 4-5k shots of my over 13,000 shots in my Nikon D70. It is lightweight and easy to wear on the camera for hours and hours without fatigue. I would agree with other reviewers that low light scenarios require more time to focus. This lense is great for portraits of active children. You can sit back and wait for good shots and then get a fast closeup with this lens. I have also used it at football games and gotten some great action shots. Although it is not silent when focusing, I don't notice it nor do any subjects usually hear it. The sound can be useful as you mini-depress the shutter so you know if the lens is getting ready if you happen to be looking away from the viewfinder. For the money, it works fantastically.
I also use a polarizer filter on this lens and would recommend the same to you.
New Jan 06
Just added the SB-600 Nikon flash and it helps with this lens considerably. It really helps a lot and I would recommend it too. |
Great quality at a low price!!!
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| Review Date: August 15, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Nikon Enthusiast, MN |
I am very impressed with this lens!! I was hesitant about buying this "G" lens because of the low price so I read tons of reviews before deciding to take a chance. Even with the low price, after I ordered it I was hoping I hadn't made a mistake but I've taken about 1,000 photos with it so far and I couldn't be happier with it!
You can read other reviews here for technical details so I won't go into that, but if you're a casual photographer like me and don't have hundreds or over a thousand dollars to spend, plus you don't want to lug around a long, heavy lens, this is the lens for you!!
I'm using it on a D50 and have only used it outdoors so far and the photos are very sharp. Of course, as with any long zoom lens, you have to steady it well or use a tripod. I've taken photos of plants, hummingbirds, loons, sunsets, etc. and I'm in love with the long reach, too.
Bottom line - if you want an inexpensive, lightweight, long zoom lens that takes excellent photos, buy this one!!! |
Great Value - FYI
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| Review Date: October 1, 2006 |
| Reviewer: iClaudio, Land of 10,000 Lakes |
| This lens is worth the few bucks it costs - no question about it - but it's true that it performs poorly in low light situations but for what it is supposed to do - it is a great value for a Nikon telephoto - I give it two thumbs up. There are many good tech specific reviews of this lens already posted here from those of us who use this lens and most of what was said, I agreed with. So the main reason I wanted to post my review was to give other future buyers of this lens a FYI. This very same lens is included in the "Nikon Zoom 300 SLR Digital Camera Accessory Kit 9983" -- which is what I purchased through Amazon. AND, if you can believe it, it costs about the same and you get more for your money. [a good nikon camera bag, an extended warranty for your camera as well as for the lens..] Anyway, I wouldn't have found this had another Nikon enthusiast not told me about it. So I wanted to pass on this tip -- in case anybody was interested in a few extra accessories with this lens. Hope the info helps. Yes, good lens and also the kit I mentioned is a fantastic buy. |
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