Nikon 300mm f4.5 AIS - your opinions please

[mike_willis1]

For my manual focus rig, which right now maxs out with a 180mm f2.8 I

was contemplating a 300mm f4.5 AIS, I know about the 300mm f2.8 and

f2.0 but those are a little much for this set up which is my keep in

the car for those "that would look great on film" moments. Let me

know your opinions.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[hugh_jaramillo]

Mike,

 

I have both the 300 2.8, which is much to large for hiking so I purchase the 300 4.5 for that purpose, is very light in relation to the other one and if you coupled with a TC you get incredible reach.

 

Is a good lens, I do recommend however that you use it along with a tripod, and a cable release.

 

Regards

 

Hugh

[leicaglow]

Mike, I owned a 300mm f/4.5 and never used it or kept it long because it was not very sharp in my opinion. I recently bought a newer f/4 ED version and it is like night and day difference. I bought it on ebay for less than $400. I would try to get an ED version, or you will probably be disappointed that it is not nearly the same quality as your 180mm f/2.8.

[steve_daggs]

I agree with Michael. I had one some time ago and it was way too soft to suite me. I would look for a 300mm f/2.8 MF. They are incredibly sharp and the wider aperture lets you get those soft backgrounds and subjects that just pop off the page. I sold my MF 300 2.8 with a TC-14b converter for $800 about three years ago. I'd guess you could find the lens alone for $500-600. Try KEH.

 

Steve

[Steve Beyer]

I have a 300 4.5 wasting away here. If you would like it let me know and it is yours for the

shipping cost.

[peter_a__nyc_]

Mike, there is the 300 4.5 and then there is the 300 4.5 ED. The ED is a much better lens.

Way smaller than the modern 300 4.0 AF. I have used it hand-held.

[2yellowdogs]

Here's <a href="http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/300EDIF.htm">Ken Rockwellﾒs opinion</a> for whatever <i>that's</i> worth.

[jwcounts]

Steve B I'll take that lens!

[steve_muntz]

The 300 f4.5 ED lens with the gold band around it is an excellent lens. Extremely sharp, and impressive wide open. I somewhat reluctantly sold mine when I went to a camera that wouldn't support metering with it...

[lex_jenkins]

My 300/4.5 AI ED (pre-IF) is excellent, even wide open. It demands careful focus wide open due to shallow DOF, not due to inherent sharpness at maximum aperture. While a somewhat different design I don't see why the AIS IF version wouldn't be as good. They're terrific values, especially if you don't need autofocus.

[keirst]

I found that I do like the 300mm/4.5 ED-IF AIs lens for close up work on a PN11+PK13

extension tube combination. I'm not impressed with its abilities as a long distance lens

though, where i find its images rather soft. The current AF-S 300mm/4 is much better at a

distance and has far less chromatic aberration, but it's pretty poor as a close up lens

( though it conveniently focuses closer than the older 300's). The AF-S 300mm has

excessive blur near the point of focus even at f/11 and f/16, compared to the AIS on

tubes. I was very surprised by my test results.

 

Here's an example of the close up capabilities of the 300mm/4.5 AIs on extension tubes

PN11 + PK13: <img src="http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~keirst/images/

SeaBottle.jpg" border="0">