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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ม.ค. 2018
- Cant afford the awesome new Nikon 180-400 FL... You're not alone...
In this video I'm out on the coast photographing Grey seals and due to the fact my gear is in for a service with NPS It was a great opportunity to pick up and share my thoughts on what I feel is one BEST VALUE lenses for Nikon wildlife photographers. The 300 f4 AF-s.
I know that there is a new one out... The 300 f4 PF that's lighter and has VR, but it is £1400... and that for many is far from budget!
That's why the older 300 f4 AF-s model, that can easily be found secondhand for around £400 is a top quality consideration for those on a budget, especially as it will pair nicely with both DX and FX cameras, making it a perfect investment lens!
This is the lens I used for my first few years as a pro. Today, even with the latest cameras and sensors I still rate it as a top value bit of glass!
You can pick up a pretty good deal here, often in the £400-500 range : tidd.ly/d0d9d455
You can get them here :
UK
Wex Used : tidd.ly/431e2893
MPB : tidd.ly/d0d9d455
US
MPB : tidd.ly/2bab4b9
I'f you've got any questions about the 300 F4 or anything else wildlife photography related drop it in the comments and I'll get back to you!
Thanks for watching and join me again soon for more wildlife photography content!
You can check out more of my work on my website : www.tommasonphoto.com/
or over on Instagram + Twitter -- @TomMasonPhoto
My gear (Amazon Affiliate Links - 3% of purchase goes to me - you pay nothing extra)
Nikon D500 : amzn.to/2udpstT
Nikon D810 : amzn.to/2v6nFWi
Nikon 300 2.8 VR II : amzn.to/2wuIrwO
Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR II : amzn.to/2wuoENJ
Nikon 24-70mm (Upgrade) : amzn.to/2wuFpIG
Nikon 20mm 1.8 G : amzn.to/2wukHsy
Nikon 105mm Macro : amzn.to/2v8hvmP
Nikon Sb-700 : amzn.to/2wut47j
Go Pro (upgrade) : amzn.to/2wgXMBM
Peli Card Case : amzn.to/2wu3AqS
Rocket Blower : amzn.to/2wgRaTX
Manfrotto Pixi Mini : amzn.to/2fhnlhX
Bag - Manfrotto Pro Light 230 : amzn.to/2wuLMMa
Ronin m : amzn.to/2AHGkfu
Music - Epidemic Sound.
So glad I found this channel!
Thank you so much for taking time out to reply to my question
3 minutes in and sorry to distract from from the essence of the blog (i.e. the Nikon lens) but had to say well done on your care and consideration of the environment and wildlife.
What you did was absolutely right. Good work. And nice pics with the lens too 😅
Great video, very nice to see this lens in action. I've just bought one along with the TC14E version I, due to be delivered, tomorrow. Looking forward to getting out and about with it!
Good video, nicely done. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoyed your presentation; it was very useful. Of particular note, was your enthusiasm for your subject and your love of nature - 4 hours in a biting wind is compelling evidence of that fact!! Thank you!
Really nice pictures
Very good video. Lovely images for sure.
Indeed I have seen in this video-1.Use of Plastic in seashore 2.your dedication--pl keep it up!Looks like Nikon D750!
Amazing video.
Amazing shots.
But most important, amazing message.
Greetings from Mexico.
Nice work, glad to see you taking care of the environment, especially since you are showing all of us the sad state we are leaving our planet in.
Hey Tom, I just happened across your channel not to long ago. Unfortunately I've already binge watched your entire feed. Keep up the awesome work, looking forward to your future content! Tuning in from Tampa, FL.
So glad im "Binge worthy"! I've got lots of new content in the works and planned for the new year so I'll try and get your wildlife photography fix covered!
Tom Mason Glad to hear, can't wait to see them! Also, personally (and I'm sure many others feel the same) I am drawn to channels where you can see the persons passion and excitement for their craft. That is genuinely refreshing and it gets us, the viewer, excited about your adventures. Not to mention the work you show and what's on your website is phenomenal! So yes, very binge worthy! You and Mark Smith (also here on TH-cam) have been inspiring me to get out and shoot some of the local wildlife.
I can definitely relate to having to brave the British winter in order to get the shot. Great to see your highlighting issues like plastic, something needs to be done :)
nice video, thanks!
Awesome vid mate!! Happy new year! Chat soon
Looks like I'm getting this bad boy used to pair with my d500!
Whilst I'd love the idea of the 200-500 zoom, I'm leaning more towards the primes (my 105mm macro is amazing with the d500).
Thanks for the great video and conservation.
The 300mm is a great choice especially if you enjoy using primes (the 105mm macro lens is epic) the 300mm f4 will pair fantastically with your D500! Enjoy!
Great video
Fantastic video Tom I have this lens but have problems with it , it. Disconnects from the auto focus and I have to take lens off camera and reconnect it does this quite often.
Tom, I have watched this vid several times and I love the way that you promote older model lenses. I am going to be in England with my wife and son in February of 2020. Seals and birds are my interests and probably hard to come by at that time of year........but have you got any suggestions about where best I could spend some time with my camera in February? We will be starting out in London and then going to......? Thanks.
Am thinking about getting this lens for my first wild life lens
Great shots. Wow. I am amazed. It's like. Ha, let's go out on the beach and take some photos. The light isn't good but I might get some photos. And then he takes like award winning portraits of seals and like photos I dream of taking one day. But one day I will take images like that too. I learn so much from your videos. They are great and worth every second of my time.
Glad you like the images and find the videos helpful! Cheers, Tom
Great video! I’ve been wanting to buy this lens to pair with my D600. Hopefully by summer I’ll have saved up enough to buy one used.
Its a great lens and will perform fantastically with the D600 as a lightweight wildlife set up, Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the great video. I am about to buy this 300mm Nikon lens but on another Nikon 300mm video, the man said that I have to set the aperture at F32 in order for the autofocus to work.
I was under the impression that with my Nikon F4 body having autofocus, that in the P mode, the camera would automatically correct the aperture and shutter speed.
Is that correct or, do I have to LOCK the aperture on the lens always in F32 as he said when shooting in autofocus which I always want to do?
Only the newer digital Nikons can readjust the aperture on the camera body.
Hi Tom. Great videos and information. I want to ask you something. How do you recommend using the Nikon Tc-17e ii with this lens? Have you used it?? If yes, then can you please share your experiences and thoughts. Regards
Great video again Tom , one of my biggest hates is Litter its blighting our planet anyway back to your video I had the 300 f4 and like a fool sold it when I got the nikon 200-500 let me know where they are going for £400 and I`ll have it , keep up the great wildlife work Tom
Hi Tom, was thinking of photographing some seals at Horsey Beach with this lens and the trusty old Nikon F4. Would it be too late to photograph the seals? I know that early to mid winter is best
Nice video Tom, still turning out some great content! Keep it up!
Cheers Luke, I'm only just getting started it feels like, loads to cover this year, excited for 2018!
Tom Mason can’t wait to see what you’ve got lined up!
Do you ever do any workshops or talks?
I do talks and workshops - I’m currently working on a few that will hopefully run early this year as well as I’ll be speaking at the Photography show in March!
Elvis Costello is a heck of a photographer !!! :-). Great review.
Awesome shots❤️🙏, what do you think about the older Af 300 f4 Nikon lens?
Fantastic video! So sad to see the seals playing with plastic
but something which people need to know is happening so thanks for sharing.
Beautiful seal portraits- so crisp and emotive!
Thanks Sarah, It was a real shame too see, I just hope that people start making an effort to pick up more plastic when they see it to help do a little to reduce the problem, but bigger changes need to happen to stop the surge of single use plastics on our shelves! Thanks for watching!
A very upsetting but real video Tom, and I think it was important for you highlight the problem of plastics. At £400 the lens sounds a bargain, there can’t be that many larger primes at that price.
Best bargain is the 300mm f4.5 ED IF Gold Ring … $110.00 usd for one spectacular performer. Leaves my 300 f2.8 crying for sympathy
Awesome video, I'm about to get the some lens so thanks for sharing.
Quick question about your photos. I live the colour schemes, is this done post production? Or do you have certain settings? Thanks in advance.
Hello Tom.
Thanks for your really nice video .
I have nikon d7000 with nikkor 70-210 4-5.6 . I want something longer for wild life photography .
Don't you think buying this 300mm lens is a waste of money?
Another question is that what is the best tc for this lens ?
Thanks .
Where exactly was this in the UK ? Looks amazing
Hi Tom, does that lens drive from the cameras inbuilt motor. Also is lack of vr much of a problem. Thanks
I had the Nikkor 300mm F4D and sold it years ago.. silly mistake so I'm planning to get another because after 10ish years with Nikon lenses it is IMO the sharpest and more importantly the best contrast rendering lens I have ever owned. Because we now have the 300 F4 PF it has been hard to decide but I think I'm going to go with the superior contrast over the smaller PF. VR is also a big consideration but I can work around not having it. I do have a Sigma 150-600 C to fall back on.
I'm also planning to buy that lens. But i need range as I want to visit national parks and click wild animals. Is it a good choice or should I go with tamron 600?
Someone said VR is only for things that stand still. It was probably Ken Rockwell, in one of his reviews.
Hi Tom thanks for great videos.
One thing i not hear you mention is the differens in percieved less short depth of field with a crop body like D500.
If you use 300 prime with big aperture like 2.8 it might not be the big deal.
But if you consider a 300 f4 turns to percieved DOF of f6 eqiuvalent full frame sensor with D500
Or the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E that is often mentioned will turn in to f8.4 percieved DOF
Then there is not possible to have short DOF that is a key to beautifull wildlife portraits in my opinion.
So a D750 or D800/810 can give possibillity to. more creative dof portraits than a D7500 or D500 with moderate big aperture.
I got my af-s 300mm f4 ed from CEX online for £490, and yes I know they can have some dodgy stuff but if you don't like what comes they will happily refund it but the big plus point is a 2 YEAR warranty for second-hand gear. A lot of my gear was got from them and i got a few real gems e.g. my D810 "A" condition advertised but better than that it was like new boxed with everything and a shutter count of ........ 374 !! £1150 less £800 in vouchers for a load of old stuff, not just dx lenses, phones, dvd's ect. Or a one on my sb700 flash guns £130 bought in store and it also was like new in fact I don't think it was ever used there wasn't any marks on it, even the hot shoe was unmarked. BUT it was 3rd time lucky before I got a good 70-200 f2.8 vr, the first one was rough and had fungus, the second one had a vr problem both where mk1 and both refunded, but the 3rd was a vrii and in good condition, I checked out the serial number and it was probably made within the last 2 years of production. So there is plenty of good kit out there second-hand and good condition it you don't need/want or like me afford the latest pro products but still want a good upgrade from the consumer range.
Thanks for great video. I have purchase this lens for my D300. I want to take some wildlife shots in Africa. Do you think this lens will be good enough without the tele converter?
Have you had any issues with the mount not being sealed? I've had the sigma 150-600 c and the Nikon 200-500 and sold all my Nikon stuff when I switched to micro 4/3. I am back shooting Nikon and a new 200-500 is double what a good used 300mm f4 runs. Not sure if it's enough focal length for me and the mount lacking the rubber seal makes me nervous about dust accumulating inside my camera.
I'm thinking of splashing out on the 300mm PF, but dang, this thing makes beautiful images for under half the price.
You have to be sure you’ll have a camera that works with it fully, the more top end cameras have the right coupling where as I have been informed some of the newer cheaper cams won’t work (D3400 etc) but if it works on your camera it’s a stunning lens, perfect for those who won’t really benefit massively from the VR
Hey
i want to buy a Nikon D7200 + Tamron SP AF 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD is there anything you would recommend for a Beginner/ intermediate (my budget is around 800 - 900 Pounds.
Thanks
Good on you Tom for removing the plastic, great example! Please don't put your camera in the sand, lol. Enjoying your videos very much indeed.
cheers
tony
Hey Tony, Sadly the camera is a tool... So it sometimes has to deal with the sand! That's why I tend to go for the top spec weather sealed stuff...DW I've cleaned it all off now! Really glad you are enjoying the videos - any topics you'd like to see me cover?
Greta vlog Tom been following you for some time abd find your work both insping and informative. I do have a nikon d7100, due to budgetary constraints more than anything else and a 70 - 200 f2.8 but cannot get the sharpness that your pictures have. Would your advice be to perservere in perfecting my skills set or perhaps seek to change the camera to a 'better' camera and if so which once would you advise. Thanks for both the advice and superb vlogs. Happy New Year to you all.
Bit late answering this comment. A D7100 and 70-20p f2.8 should be razor sharp. If you’re still using it and have an issue, I would suggest stopping down a little (maybe f4-f5.6) and increasing shutter speed. Aim for as fast as you can. At least 1/500 of a second but better at 1/1000. Even if you introduce some noise to you images. Better to be sharp with a bit of noise than soft without noise.
Great video! Really like it if you could make a video about how to create a boke effect and explain what f means
I can do that indeed!
Tom Mason great, thanks!
I have the 300mm f4 nikon lens and use it on its own and with the 1.4 nikon te. I bought them both and an old d300s all for under £800
Yup, the secondhand deals that are around are just awesome for this lens, I have personally rated it for years and for those staring out it really cant be faulted for its sharpness and quality at the price!
Just found this. Love your work! The pollution is disheartening to see. I’ve canoed well over a thousand miles and even 30 years ago I took a large bag with me just to collect trash. Never came back empty and normally filled to the brim. Absolutely disgusting.
It is indeed so sad to see all the pollution in our natural world, more and more wild places finding rubbish within them! Sound like you had some epic canoe adventures, I can’t wait to do more on the water in the future!
Just came across your channel while trying to find out which tele lens to add to go beyond my 70-200. Was considering Nikon 200-500 or Sigma 150-600 Sport or maybe Tamron 150-600 G2, but not sure the 5.6/6.3 aperture is fast enough, so was starting to look at Nikon's 300 f/4 with VR.. You mentioned it doesn't work with teleconverters?
Anyways, watched a few videos and really enjoy your content, so you just got yourself another subscriber. Keep up the good work!
Hey Bob,
I've actually just been working on a review of the 200-500 so watch this space - Once I've got home and edited it I'll get it out! The 300 f4 VR certainly does work with TC's (I'm pretty sure I said it did!) but really only the 1.4. The 2.0 or 1.7 just make it too slow. With the 1.4 the optics are very good and the AF is still fast and precise. The 200-500 Ive really enjoyed using, its a compromise lens due to the aperture, but with modern SLRs I think its certainly a very good option! Any q's let me know! Cheers, Tom
Great video Tom...agree totally 100% with you on the 300mm f4..I bought one with my D200 years ago..it's still one of the sharpest lenses I've ever had..right up there with the 500mm f4 and 70-200 f2.8..and is a perfect walkaround lens and it is that rare thing that with a 1.4 convertor shows minimal fall off in quality..I keep saying I'll change mine with the new much lighter PF version just for weight but thats £1000 to save a few ounces !..IMHO easily the best lens any Nikon owning newcomer to wildlife (or other) genre can buy.....I've had many shots on this lens that I'd have missed with my 500mm on my gitzo as it's so flexible and light....
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the video and reminding us to help clean up while we are enjoying outdoors. What Nikon bodies are great value for wildlife? And yes I know great value has a big range, any advice welcome. Thanks again!
I shall be sure to cover this soon - Ill give a range of options for different budgets!
Question From Australia. Please If you could answer me today ( 06/12/20) as I'm just doing some research before buying this lens tomorrow. I've heard that the Image Fidelity is not great? Yes they say its sharp etc but some people says that it lacks that WOW that you get say with the Nikon 180mm f/2.8 D which I have. Appreciate mate
...hallo tom...!
...beside my 200-500...i use the 300f4...afs...on my d850 and z6...
...it not works with the tc 14eiii...as you said...will it work with the tc 17eii...?
...thanks for your answer...;)
...good wishes from germany...chris
I absolutely agree to what you said about how conservation is linked with wildlife photography, so many peoples today don't really understand that, they would not hesitate to hurt, or even kill an animals just to get THE PERFECT SHOOT they said. Which I am absolutely disgested by their act. Btw, I am studying in Southampton and would really like to know is there anywhere nearby I can shoot some marine mammals? Unfortunately all I have is a tamron 150-600 lens and a D700, which are rather old gears for wildlife...Would be great if I can get a decent prime telelens
Sadly I don't know the Southampton area very well so I cant help you out to much, however its worth touching base with a local wildlife trust RSPB to find some good local nature reserves. The D700 is still an epic camera and one that now being so available on the secondhand market makes a fantastic viable option for those wanting to go full frame early. I used and shot with a D700 for years, Love that camera!
Hello Tom. Another great informative video. I have a Nikon d500 and a sigma 150-600mm contemporary lens. I mainly do wildlife and sports and only started last year. Would this lens be a good edition or should I stick with what I have?. Thanks
If you’re having no problems with your current gear that certainly stick with it. The 300 f4 would see a benefit in terms of the sharpness and f4 aperture, but if the reach and performance of your current gear is providing you with what you need then just get it and shoot more! Cheers, Tom
Tom Mason thanks for the advice and quick response. Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing more of your videos!
Is there an amazon link or something for that lens you're using?
Wow just found your series of videos, love your tips, eco issues. I am about to buy a DSLR still uncertain if D500 or a used full frame, but was going or the Nikon 150mm to 500mm, you think the f4 300mm is better? Also my budget for body is around 2k, I have my eyes on a used D4s only 25k actuation £2400 or save and get D500 and use spare cash for more glass. All wildlife stuff, live in Cornwall, so otters, seals, Choughs, beavers.... will all be targets for small portfolio series, just not sure go DX or Full Frame....what you reckon?
Hey Peter, so this can be a hard one because it all depends on your style/wants. if you want reach for getting close to wildlife the Nikon D500 and NIkon 200-500 f5.6 is a great option, and maybe just about the best value Nikon wildlife set up around. Top class AF performance, great sensor and ISO quality paired with an excellent lens that is sharp, pretty snappy to focus and perfect range for wildlife.
That said, if you also love shooting landscape, love the depth of field effects of FX then the other options like a used D4s/D810 can look tempting - the latter especially for cropping ability etc. Personally I'm always recommending the D500 and 200-500 to people and they have come back and said they love it. Its a great compromise between cost/weight and features and really is an all round top class lens for wildlife shooters on a mid range budget. Hope that helps, any more q's let me know! Cheers, Tom
Went for a new D500 and a 2nd hand 300mm F4 + 1.4 mark II TC - Saving for the 200to 500mm at moment. Got some great seal shots with the 300mm instagram.com/peterhaken/
Great vid Tom! Subscribed! I have an interest in wildlife though I mainly do landscape. Thanks to this video, I'll be considering of getting that lens until I can afford a 200-500. I have the Tamron SP 500mm f8 55BB lens, why not review it as a budget lens for wildlife photography?
The 500m prime there is manual only and though I haven't had a chance to use it a lot for photographing, it's a phenomenal video lens for sure, very sharp
Cheers James, sounds like a great budget lens, personally I don't have much experience with Tamron lenses bar a 70-300mm that I go years ago as my first long lens! The 300 F4 has always been my Go to recordation for people looking for a budget option, its great because its reasonable small, has superb optics and will work both on FX and DX cams. The 200-500 looks really good, I've used one a few times but hope to get hold of one for a review on this channel in the new year! Thanks for Subbing, Looking forward to producing content through 2018!
Tom Mason ah but the Tamron 500mm is more compact than a Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 and weighs two thirds of it! It's a reflex lens so that's why it's so small
Hey Tom, one of your subscribers here from Slovakia, i have bought this lens on your recommendation and use it with and without a 1.4 TC II on my D7000 body. I am looking for a FX body for low light (probably itt will be a D3S). My question is: Will combo of D3S and this lens suit my needs for bigger (deer) and smaller mammals in low light? Thanks for answer and great vids.
Certainly, for larger deer and small mammals (I used to photographer hares with my 300 f4 all the time) the 300mm combo with the D3s will be class. Excellent AF, ISO and IQ paired with great optics, it will certainly do well!
Thanks a lot for that video! This help me so much to thinking what telephoto lens i got next, and now i want this because this is just perfect lens for my wildlife photography, thank you!
No problem!
Jayant Nautiyal hi i never tried the 300mm. I traded my Tamron 150-600mm in and bought the Nikon 200-500 and am happy with the change. The pros are-I can shoot at f5.6 and get great IQ and sharpness that I would have to shoot at F8 on the Tamron to achieve. This has been the main advantage that trumps everything. Cons are Nikor 200-500 is heavier, Tripod foot is not as good, Lens hood is not as good and you lose a bit of zoom range which is more noticeable at the wide end and Nikor 200-500 costs more. These are mere niggles though as my hit rate for shots has improved and I would say the change was well worth it. I hope this helps with your choice. Cheers Mike
Thanks Mike I’m sure that experience will be a great help for many looking to decide on this lens for their own kit! Cheers, Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto Thanks
I got a used one in great condition for $400. Lucky me! I find it isn't too heavy or awkward to walk around with.
No they are truly excellent lenses, awesome for the price as well!
does it worth to buy than tamron 70-200 f 2.8 g2?
Used 300 2.8 AF-S non VR, 300 f4 pf or a 200-500 5.6? I am jest getting back into wildlife photography, and can't decide which one to get lol. Any help would be appreciated.
Lovely video as always! Such a shame to see all the plastic on the beach :/ Right now I have the d7000 with the sigma 70-200 2.8. Would you recommend buying a 1.4 extender or this 300 mm to get more reach?
Hey Jonas, the 70-200 is certainly a very handy lens, but for the price of the TC being around £300, I do think the additional £150 ish for the prime will certainly be a better investment. The prime optics are far superior and even though it lacks VR, with good technique the results are excellent. Also with TC's if you are not using the utter best lenses, they do have quite a marked drop on the performance of the lens, not just optically but more from the Af side etc. I don't have personal knowledge of the sigma 70-200 but I know its the case for many of the 3rd party lenses. Thanks for watching, a anything else, let me know!
does this lense work with midrange just like d5300??
Great vid tom thanks for picking up plastic. I’m considering the 300 f4. With a tele converter will it be sharper than my tamron 150-600.? Thanks Mike
Hey Mark, I couldn't say categorically ( what camera are you using?) but the 300 f4 performs very very well with 1.4tc (version ii for best results as the new iii model wont work due to E contacts) I worked with this combo for years on a D200 then D300 and it was flawless. DX it will be stunning, on FX the sharpness with be equally good (with correct technique) but might have the very slightest fall off around the corners - but in real world use, its pretty perfect for the ££!
Hey Tom thanks for the reply, I'm using a Nikon D7200 DX.
I usually have my waterproof camera covers on my camera when at locations involving sand and water even if it was a blazingly hot day to minimise any grit getting into my camera.
Sand is certainly the biggest issue and if its windy the cover is certainly on, one of the largest problems is the reduction in ergonomics with the covers and so most of the time I like to work without them. Luckily with good weather sealing Ive never had a problem shooting in all kinds of conditions! Thanks for watching. Tom
Im glad it works out for you with regards to weather sealing. I stared out with film cameras in the 1980's so always wary of the any sand or debris getting into my camera. Just always wary the camera and lenses were protected under such weather conditions. Never fully accepted the promise by any of the camera manufacturers have fully worked out their weather sealing credentials were ever close to what the PR literature claimed. I just Err on the side of caution.
9:10 LOL Nice edit.
Tom,
Would you say that the 300mm f4 is comparable in terms of bokeh compared to say a Canon 100-400mm II at 300mm? On the zoom lens at 300mm it'd be f5, does that extra stop make that much of a difference in rendering the background more OOF ?
Largely it will depend on situation, for example how close you are to the subject, distance from the subject to background etc. These will all effect the look of the Bokeh. The F4 will certainly make it smoother and fall off moe neatly. In most cases the 100-400 bokeh will only ever be slightly worse, and of course the ability to zoom in to 350/375 will again totally change the look of the bokeh due to the higher magnification, meaning although the 300 f4 would look arguable better when compared at 300mm wide open, the difference largely will be so dependant on situation and subject that it would mainly depend on the situation of each shot. Also the Canon 300 f4 isnt noted for the same level of fantastic sharpness as the Nikon 300 f4 and yet the 100-400 MK II I know has excellent reviews and those who I know who have one, rave about it for flexibility and quality. Hope that helps, any more q's let me know!
Tom Mason excellent advice, thanks Tom.
2 years later. But could you advise if the 300mm f4 has still held up as a quality lens for wildlife? I am shooting with a 200-500. But hoping to get slightly sharper images. The 200-500 has brought much joy already. More curious as it’s affordable and would like to invest in a prime lens
prime is prime.
Great images. Did you need a special permit to walk or crawl over dune grass in the UK? Where I live in New England that’s normally not allowed.
Hey Stuart, you don’t need permission as there is a national footpath though the dunes, I always keep to the sand areas as much as I can to not cause any entrance erosion. There are a few areas roped off that of course you must avoid. Glad you liked the images and thanks for watching!
Wonderful video.
Which camera u used for this trip?
I was working with the Nikon D750 in this video, thanks for watching!
Good video, you mention that there are 3 versions of the nikon 300 at various levels can please expand your comments. what i would like to know is relavent serial number are and where can i purchase such lens. Particularly the £ 400 one.
Hey Colin, so the three types are all slightly different.
You have the AF-d Version that lacks the AF motor internally and uses a shaft drive to power AF. This is the oldest version - avoid this one.
Next up you have the AF-s variant - this has the aperture dial but also includes a AFS internal motor for the focus. Its super sharp, good focus and just an excellent lens - its the one I'm using here. You can get them used for £400-600 depending on the condition. Places like Wex or MPB often have stock with a warrantee for that extra guarantee. (this would be my budget recommendation).
The latest version its the AFS VR PF version - its brand new at around £1500 and is a lot smaller and lighter however costs more than the above.
The one you'll be after is the Nikon 300 f4 AF-s ED - with the retractable hood.
This is the product tidd.ly/9570abc3
Hope that helps, Cheers, Tom
Hello mate,
Would this lens fits onto the nikon d500?
Would like your thoughts as am looking to get one
The 300 f4 pf is way too expensive. And im starting to think that the lens you reviewed in this video would make a perfect replacement
The 300 F4 AF-s will certainly fit on the D500, the AF is good and consistent, the IQ beautiful, great to have the f4 aperture and ability to also work with TC's. Id highly recommend, if you cant afford the PF its a great alternative at less than half the price used. Cheers, Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto great. No second thoughts for me then. Ill go with ur words
Thanks mate❤️
But with the cropped sensor with the d500, using the TC will be advisable?
The TC will make little difference on the crop sensor, just remember to make sure your shutter speed is fast enough with the added magnification. Crop sensors shoot the centre of the optics so you'll get the best performance from the lens and converter on an APS-c sensor with less fall off. The D500 is a super camera for wildlife in general and will work great with the 300 f4
If you had a choice out of this lens and the 200-500mm f5.6 what would you go for Tom?
Thats a hard one as it depends on multiple factors - what do you shoot mainly, birds or mammals? Is the zoom flexibility important for your own style of photography? For myself I prefer prime lenses so the 300 f4 would be my pick, its also smaller and lighter and the f4 aperture I would rather have than the extra 200mm of reach - however my main focus is often a mixture of all kinds of nature from birds to insects, where for the "Look" I go for, the aperture flexibility counts for more than the focal length.
I was thinking of buying the 300mm f2.8. Is the extra stop over the f4 worth the huge premium?
Personally I love my 300 2.8 VR II. I certainly wouldn't change it for anything now. The 2.8 aperture gives a wonderful bright viewfinder experience and the AF speed is certainly far snappier. With TC's the 2.8 comes into its own, with super fast AF and excellent performance. Of course the 2.8 aperture also allows you the ability to be even more flexible and creative with depth of field as well as work in lower lighting conditions, but of course at the cost of price and weight. I think the price is certainly justified if you use it all the time and really pair it with the best cameras however I do think we might see a lightweight version in the next year or so that should help drop the price of the current model on the second hand market. If compact size and weight are more of your issue the new 300 f4 PF is a super lens for £1400 ish that is excellent for travel, but personally, other than for a lighter weight version, I don't think I could see myself getting rid of my 300 2.8! Thanks for watching, Tom
Thanks Tom I think I really want that extra stop. Although it's heavy, Its lighter than my 600mm f4, which is a tank!
How far where you from the subejcts ? ( Yeah I'm asking 2 years later haha )
Just wondering what is the reach of a 300 mm in the field.
Depends on the subject but for seals as they are pretty large like 15m or so for a full body portrait, headshot more like 8-10m , environmental images often more like 20m. You have to use field craft to feet close with the 300mm, certainly can be trickier at times than a 500mm but for me I find it a great length for environment portraits. Often worth deals I’ve used 20mm / 85mm so 300 is easily enough for the bigger stuff!
@@TomMasonPhoto Thanks a lot for your detailed and quick response :D
Can't wait to see your next video !
I bought this lens i love it i've paired with my nikon 7200 whats the best 1.4 teleconverter to accompany it?
You need the 1.4 TC II - the Version III isn’t worth the extra for the 300 F4 Afs and I’ve heard reports it’s non functioning
@@TomMasonPhoto i've just found 1.7 TC II would that be to much for my set up or would everything work well? I don't want to lose any image or function quality.
@@leebaker2316 The 1.7 II will have reduce IQ to the 1.4, the aperture will also suffer dropping to 5.7 thats OK ish in some situations but you'll want to drop down really. With you D7200, the 1.4 II is a much better bet and the IQ will be superior with much faster focus as well
@@TomMasonPhoto Thanks for taking the time to reply tom and keep up the good work i really like your channel
Can you confirm for me ive been told if I add a teleconverter to this lens it will increase max f stop but wont change depth of field (ie: I still get f4 equivalent bokeh)
In a way yes, the added TC makes it’s a 420mm f5.6, the added apparent compression of the magnified focal length will give very similar bokeh fall off to that of 300mm f4. I used for a long time and it works and looks great. Cheers, Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto Thank you Tom.
does this lens work well with the nikon d7200
Thanks Tom. Subscribed. Excellent video and links. I am a long time sea kayaker and photographing local seals from a kayak. I want to keep my distance. Do you think this lens will work with the motion on a kayak? It sounds like a perfect budget lens. I am looking for a used body too. What would you recommend with this lens.
It will certainly perform if your working at higher shutter speeds as I guess you will Be for action and movement. Body wise any FX or DX camera will work however what sort of budget would you be working with?
@@TomMasonPhoto - as it will be an additional camera and an experiment to see how I can get it to work on a kayak, I was thinking around 1k.
Id go for a used Nikon D500, might be a little but more than that but the performance, speed etc will work great the the D500/300 f4 combo. Cheers, Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto - Thanks Tom
Hey Tom, which location in this?
which camera will be better for wildlife? Nikon d500 or the d810
Personally it depend how you shoot, If you focus on tele work and mainly shoot birds the D500 is a great way to go, updated AF, extra controls and great speed performance. However If you like to mix things up, with environmental shots, landscapes etc, the D810 would be a better allrounder, offering great res, excellent image quality with still excellent AF and pro spec performance, Cheers, Tom
Would one of these with 2x teleconverter be sharper than say tamron 150-600 at 600mm?
Personally I'd not use a 2.0 on anything other than a 2.8 lens. the 1.4tc + cropping however would likely be very sharp, especially on a more modern high res sensor. Cheers, Tom
Thanks Tom.
I am torn between this lens and the new 300mm. The only thing I'm worried about the version you are using is the lack of weather sealing at the mount, have you found this to be a problem in a light shower?
If you have the budget personally I’d got for the new one, because it’s smaller, lighter and better sealed with VR, in my time using the older version in never had a problem but you do have to be more careful especially as the rear of the lens doesn’t have an element before the blades if I remember rightly meaning dust can get in a little more easily when swapping lenses. But as a budget option it’s truly a pro bit of kit at a great price!
@@TomMasonPhoto Thank you for the reply. I didn't know it didn't have a rear element; that has changed my mind, the new one it is. Thanks for the information.
Mike.
How would this compare to a 70-200 2.8 with a 1.4 teleconverter?
Personally I think you will find the 300 F4 has better sharpness and performance than the 70-200 with the TC however it does lack the flexibility of the zoom and the VR, but of course does mean with a TC you can have 420mm f5.6 that is a large advantage for wildlife shooting over the 70-200. Cheers, Tom
How does this lens compare with the new 200-500mm f5.6E vr?
The lens compares very well for the price, however it depends on your specific requirements. The 200-500 is more flexible for birds and general wildlife, but the prime performance is sharper when you are at the perfect distance for working with your subject. The 300mm is truly stunning, with great bokeh and depth of field, and is perfect wide open, but of course requires you to get closer, add a TC for more reach and lacks VR (not a massive issue). The 200-500 is more flexible for composition from a single point, is a all in one solution and still offers excellent performance. The prime will make you work harder, but does have better IQ and will reward you when you nail it. Personally I love 300mm primes, but if you shoot tiny birds or work from hides and static positions often, the 200-500 might be a better bet. Hope that helps, Cheers, Tom
Tom Mason thank you very much. I have a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6g. This lens is not very sharp at 300mm. Also at 300mm I find it difficult to get sharp pictures of small birds, like sparrow, sunbird, etc, although I have no complaints about its focusing.
What do you think 300mm is not enough for small animals? I use D3300.
Personally I've used a 300mm from years and find it great, but I do like to often have a little more space around my subjects. On DX you're getting 450 EQV so its more than enough as long as you work with good field craft when stalking. If really small birds are a focus then a 500mm might help, but if you're struggling to get things sharp possibly due to a shutter speed thats too slow, the wider f4 aperture will help you let in more light to keep that shutter speed up. Cheers, Tom
How the 300 mm f4 deals with dust from the rear?I suppose the tc is desirable to keep on the lens all the time..
There's no VR in this 300mm prime lense. Isn't that an issue during wildlife photography??
Well said about taking pictures showing pollution.
It's not all about getting pretty pictures
Is this lens screw drive or does it work with the Z-cameras.
As I don’t own one anymore to test I couldn’t say definitively - it’s an AFS lens so it should work via and FTZ but without testing I couldn’t be sure.
Thanks for picking up the plastic!
Cool video!! Thanks!!
Sad to see more damage our plastic pollution is doing!! It seems to be everywhere!! Great you removed it and got the important photo of it too!!
i know what you mean about hilarious seal noises!! They sometimes remind me of stereotypical zombie noises you get in movies!!! 😂
Hi I am a Nikon man too and I am off to Africa on safari, I have the 70-200 but I am also looking for longer reach i am. thinking on getting the tamron 150-600 about £600 or would you recommend something else, my camera body is D750
Hey there, personally I'm not a big fan of Tamron lenses, with the 70-200 already in your kit bag for low light performance id personally be looking at the 200-500 5.6 form Nikon. The 200-500 would give you a perfect extension of your current reach and has great performance on FX bodies. The 5.6 aperture is decent for the range and the AF and quality of the optics is top notch. The downside is that its around £1200, but secondhand they can be found for £800/900 and I really feel the stretch to get the Nikon will long term be a better investment. Quite a few people have noted a large difference in quality when jumping up to the Nikon 200-500 from 3rd party superzooms.
What's NPS? Also where was this coastline?
Nikon Pro Services - They sort out repairs, cleans etc for UK Nikon Pro's etc. -
The Coast is up in Norfolk , I don't like to give out specifics due to animal welfare etc.
Thanks! Yeah that's very true. Have a great day!
I have a correction. The lens does work with the TC-14E III, not just the I and II. I have that combination and it works.
Sidenote: I've done sharpness tests with both the version II and version III of the tc with this lens. The tcs are identical in image quality, and both give me a *worse* quality end result on my D850 than cropping in post. On my D500, there's a slight edge in sharpness with the tc versus cropping, but it's so minor that the loss of one stop won't be worth it. I believe the pixel density on both cameras is too high for a tc to make sense. It's probably best to use with lower resolution full frame bodies like the D750.
Thanks for the update, I was sure it was the E version that didn't work on some older cameras due to the transmission change, but very happy to be wrong! Cheers Tom
@@TomMasonPhoto No worries.
I'd encourage you to look into the benefit of using a TC with high pixel density bodies again and maybe re-evaluate your recommendation.
I've run extensive tests in a controlled environment since my last comment, and I found that adding neither the TC-14 II nor the version III to the D500 + 300 PF or D850 + 300 PF created results any better than cropping in post. In fact, in all cases adding either TC actually *reduced* sharpness and contrast compared to cropping.
My best guess regarding the reasons would be that the high pixel density of the D500/D850 already pushes the lens to its limits. Other people have observed the same thing with aps-c and high res full frame cameras . It's counterintuitive, but the results I got were very consistent throughout very extensive testing.
My conclusion would be that TCs make sense when used with lower pixel density cameras and very fast lenses, like a D5 + 400 f/2.8, but don't seem to work great with high pixel density cameras.
great vid Tom, just recently came across your stuff, good contents! which beach was it on?
Is this the 300 f4D lens?
Nikon 300 f4 AF-S version
Hi. Some good pics. But I'm guessing that whoever lent you their lens wasn't expecting you to keep dipping it into the sand.
For this money you can get a used Nikkor 300mm 2.8 AF-S I. And this lens is brutally sharp. It’s without VR but who cares as for wildlife the shutter speed is typically at 1/1000s?
The shutter speed is far lower when you are photographing in lowlight, even with the 2.8 aperture.
But not moving subjects and especially not Wildlife. Only if you want to blur everything :)