Help Needed! Nikkor AF 80-200mm f2.8D or AF-S 300mm f4D?

[Tan Jyh Hern]

Hi, been considering these two lenses for my setup for quite a while, gimme so much headache...
(a) My camera is a D5100, meaning it doesn't have a in-built focus motor. So, the 80-200mm is now a manual focus lens while the 300mm f4 is an autofocus lens. Does autofocus matter that much?
(b) Aperture size. f2.8 vs f4, which is better for birding, wildlife etc? How much in difference of performance?
(c) Zoom distortion affects image quality much?
(d) Overall which is better with my current camera body?
Thanks in advance for replies!

 

[avsquare]

Is your MF skills that good that you can get precise focus when snapping flying and moving birds?

Or do you think, 200mm X 1.5 crop factor is enough for your birding needed?

It's quite clear that 300mm is the choice.

 

[ExplorerZ]

go with 300mm, otherwise look for 3rd party alternative. Sigma 70-200 HSM will work with AF

 

[asphire]

Just get the 300mm.

 

[lenslust]

There's the AF-S 55-200.

 

[crazypaladin]

Why not the 28-300? Cheap and good for practice and then upgrade when required...

 

[ameh11]

Hi, been considering these two lenses for my setup for quite a while, gimme so much headache...
(a) My camera is a D5100, meaning it doesn't have a in-built focus motor. So, the 80-200mm is now a manual focus lens while the 300mm f4 is an autofocus lens. Does autofocus matter that much?
(b) Aperture size. f2.8 vs f4, which is better for birding, wildlife etc? How much in difference of performance?
(c) Zoom distortion affects image quality much?
(d) Overall which is better with my current camera body?
Thanks in advance for replies!

Hi, I do have both 80-200 and 300 F4. If you want to buy a lens, i say go for 300mm F4. it is a good lens. if you want another lens you can consider 70-200 F4. 300mm plus 1.5 crop will give you 450mm, good for birding.

 

[lenslust]

Hi, I do have both 80-200 and 300 F4. If you want to buy a lens, i say go for 300mm F4. it is a good lens. if you want another lens you can consider 70-200 F4. 300mm plus 1.5 crop will give you 450mm, good for birding.

300 f/4 for birding is hardly sufficient (except maybe Fraser or Panthi), you will need to stack a TC. Using 2X TC, depending on the camera you use, you might have very bad IQ or totally no IQ from the lens at all. That said, the 300/f4 is a beauty on it's own.

 

[Tan Jyh Hern]

Why not the 28-300? Cheap and good for practice and then upgrade when required...

Already got the 55-300mm f4.5-5.6 DX, not satisfied at all...

 

[PowerS]

Already got the 55-300mm f4.5-5.6 DX, not satisfied at all...

What is causing your dissatisfaction? Sharpness, Vignetting, slow AF or shadow depth of field?

 

[Tan Jyh Hern]

What is causing your dissatisfaction? Sharpness, Vignetting, slow AF or shadow depth of field?

Slow AF, can't get a lock on the bird lots of times, then have to switch to MF and by the time everything done, bird is gone...

 

[archon75]

I think it depends on your needs
For street photography, 80-200mm is more flexible and it is a f2.8 LenNikon Nikonas.
For wild life, 300mm f4 coupled with Nikon latest versionTC 2x

 

[daredevil123]

For birding, sometimes even 300mm also not enough. And most people will use TC. Problem is, with a F4 lens, if you use a 2x TC, it is F8m and with entry level camera like D5100, you will not be able to acquire focus. With a 1.4xTC you will drop to F5.6, still bearable. With a 1.7x TC, max aperture drop to F6.8, very very slow. Not only will focus acquisition be tougher and slower, you will struggle to get a fast enough shutter speed if the light becomes slightly challenging.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

For birding, sometimes even 300mm also not enough. And most people will use TC. Problem is, with a F4 lens, if you use a 2x TC, it is F8m and with entry level camera like D5100, you will not be able to acquire focus. With a 1.4xTC you will drop to F5.6, still bearable. With a 1.7x TC, max aperture drop to F6.8, very very slow. Not only will focus acquisition be tougher and slower, you will struggle to get a fast enough shutter speed if the light becomes slightly challenging.

Make that all the time. Few weeks back I was out at SBNP with a friend's 80-400VR and long came these 3 guys (2 Nikons 1 Canon) with 600mm f/4 with 2x TC. Suddenly my camera and lens got that inferiority complex...

 

[N-user]

Make that all the time. Few weeks back I was out at SBNP with a friend's 80-400VR and long came these 3 guys (2 Nikons 1 Canon) with 600mm f/4 with 2x TC. Suddenly my camera and lens got that inferiority complex...

U very good already.... I went bird shooting with a 17-55...... The rest all bring their bazooka..... Think there is only 1 bird I know that I can shoot with the lens I have...

 

[atvinyl]

U very good already.... I went bird shooting with a 17-55...... The rest all bring their bazooka..... Think there is only 1 bird I know that I can shoot with the lens I have...

Which bird? Let me guess - Emu? Ostrich? Oh that bird!!