» Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Super Sharp
Comment: The lens is a perfect compliment to my D80 with kit lens. VR is a great feature. I can take excellent pics at 1/8 sec with perfect sharpness. The distance scale is an added plus for determining depth of field calculations.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Superb Lens
Comment: I purchased this lens from Amazon in March 2008 and other then testing it quite favorably over about 30 shots to check optical quality, the VR especially and to assure it arrived in overall good shape , I had not used it aggressively until this last weekend of August 3rd/08. I participated as a volunteer photographer in the Dragonheart Boat Races here in Vermont (to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer Research and pay great tribute to the survivors). In providng my photography that day, I gave this lens a total workout in a short timeframe of only 2 1/2 hours and captured over 500 images on a rocking boat, in rain and on rough water as it followed each series of racers over the race course all morning. I used a Nikon D300, bumped up the ASA/ISO (800-1000) due to an overcast sky to allow very adequate shutter speeds and good depth of field during a lot of action and motion and held my breath and fired away all morning.

Bottom Line: I came home and immediately began to review images from my Nikon 70-300 VR. Image after image was sharp, perfectly focused and detailed. It was like, "WOW". I was amazed and very relieved that everything fell into place.
The lens had covered my butt and more! We all know the worries of painfully waiting to see images from new gear and hoping it all worked ok and the great exhilaration of confirming that all was ok!
It never let me down. Period. Nothing was out of focus or blurred. Of course I had adequate shutter speeds and depth of field, but, hand holding on a rocking boat at 300mm under a rainly sky still provided perfectly focused and crisp images. Everything was usable. I could keep any image I wanted to!!
The D300 certainly gets credit for the results as well (also purchased from Amazon!).....but......the AF-S 70-300 VR gets a blue ribbon overall. I can not believe how well VR works along with the quality of this lens and not just standing on solid ground. Rough weather boating goes well beyond that. If I can get great shot after shot when I am on a rocking boat, tracking paddling boaters on rough water, this lens is a keeper for sure in any other situation. Amazon, do you offer a 6 star rating?
I've owned and used Canon for years including the pro lenses (100-400 IS, etc), and am not at all dissappointed in coming over to the Nikon world after many years away on the Canon side. For the sub-$500 investment in this lens, you will not be disappointed at all.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent lens. Sharp and stable.
Comment: I am very happy with this lens. The images are very sharp and it is very stable, even at 300. This lens is definitely sharper and more stable than the 18-200 Nikkor VR lens.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great lens
Comment: So I was deciding between the 18-200mm and the 70-300mm lenses. I have a d40 which came with a great 18-55mm kit lens, so after much deliberation, I came to the conclusion to go with the 70-300mm. I reasoned that the gap from 50-70mm isn't a big deal for me (I have 2 perfectly functional feet, after all). The 70-300mm was also considerably cheaper.

After 1 month of the lens, all I can say is that I am extremely happy with my decision. I have taken it to the Outer Banks, the zoo, and the park, and I am happy with the extra "reach" I get with the 300mm. The VR works great, especially at the long end, allowing me to shoot at lower ISO settings and Bigger appertures than I would otherwise be able to use.

If you have any question whether this lens is worth it, the answer is yes...just get it and be prepared to be amazed.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Is that a Telephoto Lens in your Pocket or...
Comment: Before purchasing this lens, I had the Nikon 55 - 200mm zoom lens for my Nikon D50. It is a high quality and versatile lens, but there were times where I would have liked to have had greater magnification. When I looked at the 70- 300mm zoom, I thought, this is it... I've had the 70 -300 mm lens for two weeks and it is a great lens. It has taken me awhile to get used to its quirks. It isn't completely automatic like the 55 - 200 mm zoom. There is a manual focus ring that even in M/A mode needs to be set, so you need to compose a shot very carefully if the image isn't at infinity, but once mastered, the image quality is superb.

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