OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

I recently purchased a Nikon AF Nikkor70-210mm 1:4-5.6 lens from a fellow Hog and I'm loving it. Heavy duty metal lens. Not great in low light, some CA at longer lengths, and my neutered D3100 won't auto focus, but I can live with all that. And that is NOT the lens I'm going to gripe about.

I still wanted a little more reach, so I looked into the Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 G. I assumed the optics would be very similar, and I could tolerate the mostly plastic build to keep cost down. Ken Rockwell gives it a fairly good review as "the next step above your 55-200mm kit lens", and says it's a good lens for a low price.

Let me say at this point that it's possible I got the bad apple in the bushel. If this is the case, I don't want to sort through a bunch of lenses (at $32 round trip shipping each) looking for the good one. I have other Nikon lenses made in China and Thailand that outperform the 70-300, so I don't blame the Chinese either.

In brief, I cannot get sharp (enough) focus at any length. My kit lenses do better. With no vibration reduction, the light weight of this lens works against it. (But the VR version is 3 times the cost.) I cannot recommend it for hand-held. It's inefficient T factor (light transmission) requires wide settings along with high ISO's and slow shutter. Lens creep is significant, especially for a twist zoom. In one case, I got it dialed in, then it zoomed itself in from 135 to 100mm before I got the shot off. My push-pull 70-200 does better. Chromatic abberation (blue fringing) is terrible at anything longer than 200mm. My "entry level" D3100 needs good glass out front, and this one is not it. :(

My only disappointment out of 6 Nikon lenses. Cheap is not always a good thing. I'll go back to saving up my nickels for the $1K real deal. :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Unsafe at any speed. Soon to be available on Craigslist. Maybe I can get a hundred bucks for it without saying anything good, except that it works.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks for that. It will keep others from getting burned. What now? eBay?

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Craigslist. I'd rather meet someone in a dark alley far from home to unload this one.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I'd be concerned about anyone who agreed to meet you in a dark alley. :D

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Maybe true, Jerry. There's all-perils insurance in case this little feller takes an unexpected 120-foot tumble off of "Suicide Bridge". :)

Gobuster Loc: South Florida

My experience with this lens is opposite to yours as I find it quite sharp! There is some color fringing, but this is true of almost all the zoom lenses I've used and easily removed in PP. It's possible you got a bad one, I'd return it to Nikon and have it checked out.

I recently posted a shot taken with my 70-300, you can see it here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-131997-1.html

Let me know what you think of the sharpness compared to yours.

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Not 30 minutes ago I bought this lens. Wonder if I should call B&H tomorrow and cancel the order and find something else??

Sarge69

Gobuster Loc: South Florida

I'd let it come and try it; B&H has a 30 day return policy, you can always send it back if you aren't happy. That said, I've used my 70-300mm less since I got Nikon's 28-300mm; not because of optical quality, but versatility. However, the 28-300 is considerably more expensive.

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Sounds good. Return is an option I could use and scope something else. Thanks

Sarge69

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

I think you are comparing 2 different lenses.

AF Nikkor 70-300 1:4-5.6 G

Nikkor AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G IF-ED VR

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Wow - what a focus.

Sarge69

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Just did some research on the net and apparently when it comes to the "G" version, you are not alone. I read a lot of complaints about the build and the IQ. If I understood the various comments I read correctly there were multiple versions of this lens. Not sure if versions other than the "G" are better though.

Ol' Frank Loc: Orlando,

I have the AF lens and use it as my walk around lens. I got it with my D50 some years ago as a kit lens and use it now with my D90. I love it and take some decent pictures with it. Never had a problem with it. Sounds like you got a lemon.

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

Have the Tamron SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 ultra sonic silent drive and am very happy with it .

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

When you save enough money get the 70-300mm VR version. Excellent for the money, what I use for birding. Less than $400 refurbished from adorama.
http://www.adorama.com/NK70300AFVRR.html
Ken rockwell does say the G series it worth the money, $150 but goes on to explain sharpness issues in the higher zoom ranges due to hand holding and no VR.