400mm f/3.5 AI-s on modern DSLRs

I don't think I'd registered that people had been posting updates to my old thread! Interesting; thank you all. For history reasons, I got a 500 f/4 AI-P, but the quality the TC16 gave me and the trouble I had with manual focus on wildlife (and inability to hand hold) meant it got traded when I picked up a 200-500. The zoom isn't perfect, but it's worlds better than my old 150-500 Sigma.

Still nice to see what premium glass can do, and I still lust after a 400 f/2.8 - although now the current one!

MF on modern DSLR screens is not at all easy with long lenses....:(

Even with LV, the refresh rate in poor light seems slow and to even touch the focus ring means everything moves just a tad.

When I've modded my TC-16B I'll have another try...:)

Andrew, I still have this lens from bought new in 1988 and it has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my Photographic experience. In those days it was shore birds, hawks, ducks, and outings at the zoo making any evidence of enclosures disappear utilizing its razor thin focus. I have thousands of Kodachrome slides banged out via the F3, FA, the TC-14B teleconverter and the TC-300, both converters excellent optics on their own especially the TC-14B. One image taken right outside of my Condo patio back in '93 in a situation with a lot of light loss, way after sunset with shutter speeds of 1/4, 1/2, 1/8, on a tripod of course. The Owl image look a little soft after reducing its size for this purpose, but I assure you the Tiff is blistering sharp and I don't know how I missed this thread because I'm interested myself as to how it would render with a DSLR, but hopefully Nikon will release a camera soon to make it all interesting as It's about time Nikon released something here soon. This image taken with the FA, Nikkor 400mm 3.5, TC-14B Teleconverter, Kodachrome 64, Gitzo Studex Metal Tripod, Arca Swiss Monoball

Just because I cannot afford the nice 'n new 200-500 .. or perhaps even nicer 'n newer 500/5.6 right now, I took my old, trusted, good, (, too heavy, too bulky, too manual focus..) to the Danube Delta this summer and used it. Again.

Below: flying pelican shot from a moving little boat, hand-held, manually focused (obviously), @f/8.0 on D800.

And.. it worked! I can still do it! And also the lens.