Latest lens
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 AFS G VRII. Now there's some alphabet soup. Got the lens last week and have been putting it through its paces. So far, so good (understatement of the week!).
Got the lens used from KEH Camera in Georgia. When they described it as "LN-" (like new minus), they are weren't kidding. It came in the CT404 trunk case with all the accessories; the only things it did not come with was the original Nikon shipping box and the instruction book. It did come with the two tripod feet (more on this later), hangman's style hood (stealing the phrase from Thom Hogan), and two-part lens hood. Also included in their original wrapper were two Nikon branded straps - one for the lens itself, and one for the trunk case. The monopod foot was still in its foam wrapper; the lens hood pieces still had the plastic liner inside them. As KEH indicated with the LN- rating, this lens saw minimal, if any prior use.
So far, I have shot a couple of OMHS field hockey games. Here's one of my favorite shots so far:
My first observation is that the auto focus is very fast. My personal theory is that this lens has an enourmous internal focus motor. The D3 focuses this lens faster than my 70-200. And it tracks focus well. I am capturing longer sequences that are focus than I did with the 70-200, as long as I keep the camera AF indicator correctly positioned on the appropriate subject.
The next observation is still subjective because 400 mm is new to me and I am cropping a LOT less than previously - the lens appears sharper to my eye when I nail focus than when I nailed focus with the 70-200. It was rare that I got this kind of acuity in an image with the 70-200, even when I had focus locked in. I am not sure whether to attribute this increased acuity to the 400's optics, or to the fact that the lens provides double the reach of 70-200 and therefor I am cropping less. I suspect a combination of the two, with a tilt toward the latter.
Which leads me to this thought - the 400 is a precision instrument. It rewards proper shooting discipline and technique in spades with great images , and harshly punishes any lack of discipline or poor technique with lousy images. This lens relentlessly exposes any flaw in shooting technique. I won't post the lousy shots, but take my word for it - they are spectacularly lousy.
With halfway decent light, the 400 provides some great results. Like this shot:
While this is not an action shot, I do love the rim-lighting effect.
I also ordered the Really Right Stuff lens foot for certain Nikon 400mm and 600mm lens, as well as lever release clamp for my monopond. I will have more to say on these accessories in another post, but the RRS Arca Swiss style foot and clamp make attaching the lens to the monopod soooooooooo much easier!
Which gets to the physical attributes of the 400. This lens is massive, and needs significant support. I felt like I was starting to develop carpal tunnel syndrome just trying to hold the lens while screwing the monopod onto the foot before I got the RRS gear. The official specs state that the lens weighs 163 ounces. That's over 10 pounds of glass and metal! When one decides to deploy this lens, it requires a commitment on the part of the photog. One does not trot this lens out on a whim.
This is my first foray into photo gear of this caliber, and it has changed my perspective on Nikon Acquisition Syndrome. This lens's optics renders the camera body irrelevant. I conjecture that more recent camera bodies may focus a tad faster, but I question whether I would notice the difference in real life use.
My conclusion: OMG!!!!
Got the lens used from KEH Camera in Georgia. When they described it as "LN-" (like new minus), they are weren't kidding. It came in the CT404 trunk case with all the accessories; the only things it did not come with was the original Nikon shipping box and the instruction book. It did come with the two tripod feet (more on this later), hangman's style hood (stealing the phrase from Thom Hogan), and two-part lens hood. Also included in their original wrapper were two Nikon branded straps - one for the lens itself, and one for the trunk case. The monopod foot was still in its foam wrapper; the lens hood pieces still had the plastic liner inside them. As KEH indicated with the LN- rating, this lens saw minimal, if any prior use.
So far, I have shot a couple of OMHS field hockey games. Here's one of my favorite shots so far:
My first observation is that the auto focus is very fast. My personal theory is that this lens has an enourmous internal focus motor. The D3 focuses this lens faster than my 70-200. And it tracks focus well. I am capturing longer sequences that are focus than I did with the 70-200, as long as I keep the camera AF indicator correctly positioned on the appropriate subject.
The next observation is still subjective because 400 mm is new to me and I am cropping a LOT less than previously - the lens appears sharper to my eye when I nail focus than when I nailed focus with the 70-200. It was rare that I got this kind of acuity in an image with the 70-200, even when I had focus locked in. I am not sure whether to attribute this increased acuity to the 400's optics, or to the fact that the lens provides double the reach of 70-200 and therefor I am cropping less. I suspect a combination of the two, with a tilt toward the latter.
Which leads me to this thought - the 400 is a precision instrument. It rewards proper shooting discipline and technique in spades with great images , and harshly punishes any lack of discipline or poor technique with lousy images. This lens relentlessly exposes any flaw in shooting technique. I won't post the lousy shots, but take my word for it - they are spectacularly lousy.
With halfway decent light, the 400 provides some great results. Like this shot:
While this is not an action shot, I do love the rim-lighting effect.
I also ordered the Really Right Stuff lens foot for certain Nikon 400mm and 600mm lens, as well as lever release clamp for my monopond. I will have more to say on these accessories in another post, but the RRS Arca Swiss style foot and clamp make attaching the lens to the monopod soooooooooo much easier!
Which gets to the physical attributes of the 400. This lens is massive, and needs significant support. I felt like I was starting to develop carpal tunnel syndrome just trying to hold the lens while screwing the monopod onto the foot before I got the RRS gear. The official specs state that the lens weighs 163 ounces. That's over 10 pounds of glass and metal! When one decides to deploy this lens, it requires a commitment on the part of the photog. One does not trot this lens out on a whim.
This is my first foray into photo gear of this caliber, and it has changed my perspective on Nikon Acquisition Syndrome. This lens's optics renders the camera body irrelevant. I conjecture that more recent camera bodies may focus a tad faster, but I question whether I would notice the difference in real life use.
My conclusion: OMG!!!!
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