Nikon AF-S VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

Features

• Telezoomobjektiv

Reviews

VR is a revelation

by D. Palmer from glasgow on 2008-01-19
I have traded in my D version 70-300 for the new VR and so far I don't regret it. The optical quality is very good, probably slightly sharper and higher contrast than its predecessor. The VR capability is extraordinary. It becomes possible to take handheld telephoto shots that previously could only work on a tripod. For instance, today I shot waves breaking on rocks at 300mm (450mm equivalent) at 1/30 second, with amazingly sharp rocks and lots of water movement. The build quality of this lens is similar to the 18-70mm DX Nikon, which it complements beautifully. The major differences with the older 70-300mm Nikon lens are in size and weight. It's much bulkier and about 40% heavier, which becomes very noticable with one of the lighter budget Nikon DSLRs. Also the zoom ring is much tighter; Nikon have possibly responded to earlier complaints about zoom creep on the old D lens (but have maybe slightly overcompensated).

Very sharp lens and VR works a treat

by I. B. Harvey from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on 2007-02-19
After owning the G and DX 70 300 lenses I have found this one to be very slightly sharper. The fringing is less on this lens than the other two. The 70 - 300 G lens is incredible value and mine was just as good image quality as the DX version. The focusing on this VR version is faster and quieter than the previous versions. VR works great but noticed a strange anomaly with the VR. If you sit down or rest against any fixed object then this reduces the effectiveness of the VR system. Also a useful tip is if you take many consecutive shots standing up you may find one of them very sharp. In fact using this technique I have taken a 300mm shot at 1/4 sec shutter speed tack sharp. I have proved that you must switch off VR when taking pictures (and the 18-200mm) at normal to high shutter speeds as VR takes the edge off of the picture when it is not needed. This lens is great. Stop it down one stop and the whole 70 - 300 is very sharp. I have taken a hand held shot of the moon with VR enabled and got a very nice picture showing the craters and scars across the moons surface. Very pleased with it.

Nikon 70-300 AF-S VR - Cracker of a lens

by R. Lisle from Oxford on 2008-08-17
I'm very impressed with this lens. Before I bought it, I read reviews on various websites, some saying it was brilliant, some saying it wasn't very sharp, too big, too heavy etc.I took the plunge and bought one and haven't regretted it. I've used this on d40 and d300 bodies and it works superbly on both. The autofocus is very fast, quiet and accurate. The VRII system is also very impressive allowing very slow shutter speeds - I've had sharp, handheld images at 1/30 sec at 300mm which would be completely impossible without it. As for the size and weight, for a lens with a maximum focal length of 300mm with a built in focusing motor and an optical stabilisation system it's not really a problem (the canon equivalent is the same size but 100g lighter). The build is also fairly solid with smooth zoom and focus rings. Mine has had it's share of knocks and bumps as well as being caught in rain and has carried on unaffected (note that the lens mount has a seal round it, helping to stop rain from seeping between camera and lens). I can't really complain about sharpness either, the only times I think the image is a bit soft is at the longer focal lengths which could as easily be due to bad panning technique, relying on the autofocus too much in poor light etc.... For a 300 mm lens at this price, it's got genuinely useful features, it's compact, not too heavy and impressively sharp - Fantastic value!

Great lens - superb sharp results

by Daniel O'DONOGHUE from Essex, UK on 2009-08-11
I have owned this lens for over a year now, and have used it in a wide variety of different situations: sports photography, wildlife, candid photographs of people, etc. Paired with my D80, results have generally been superb - very sharp, even at 300mm, and with the aperture wide open. The quality of the images, both in terms of sharpness and contrast, is notably better than those from the 18-135mm kit lens which came with the camera. The VR works a treat - I hand-held some shots of a christening service in a church (albeit at the bottom end of the focal length range) at 1/8 second, and the results were fine. The only occasional minor problem I have noticed is the lens hunting for the correct focus - but usually this sorts itself out fairly quickly. Overall, I have been very happy, and if you can afford it I recommend spending the extra money on this Nikon lens, rather than on one of the lower-cost alternatives.

Superb value and sharpness

by Darius Zdanauskas from London on 2009-12-17
This lense is an absolute bargain, being almost five times (!) less expensive than the newest 70-200mm lense from Nikon. Okay, being much cheaper also means it's a daylight lense, apertures are quite slow. But the sheer quality of the image is why many amateurs are equiped with this. Also, if you have a D700 or D3 where high ISO hardly produces any visible noise, you can safely use it at any aperture (from 4.5) you want, even in a dim light. Simply put, this is probably best value lens ever.