I have both the 80-400 and the 300PF. I like them both, but use them differently.

I tend to use the 80-400 when I think I'm going to need a wide zoom range (not just 400mm). I use it as a longer landscape lens sometimes, as well as for wildlife. Its good from the car as well, the zoom makes it handy to quickly frame up your subject from a fixed position (the 300 PF from the car isn't as fun). However, I also have a 200-500 and when I'm doing wildlife with the zoom, I actually tend to favor that one. Anymore, my 80-400 gets called when I'm going on a trip where I need a minimum of gear - usually a landscape trip. I'll have my D810, the 14-24, 24-70, and 80-400. The 80-400 works good (not great) as a landscape lens when I need to get beyond what my 24-70 can do, and it doubles as a wildlife lens should I run into something.

The 300 PF is all wildlife for me. The AF is faster and more reliable than the 80-400 and it's sharper at 300mm than the zoom. It compact size make it great to strap onto a D500 and take on a hike (450mm FX FOV). I also tend to keep a 1.4TC in my pocket on those hikes and end up with a very versatile high quality setup that is super compact and lightweight.

So, all depends on what you're doing with it. From a performance standpoint, 300 PF all the way, from a versatility standpoint, 80-400.

LOL - Great name too :)

I have both the 80-400 and the 300PF. I like them both, but use them differently.

I tend to use the 80-400 when I think I'm going to need a wide zoom range (not just 400mm). I use it as a longer landscape lens sometimes, as well as for wildlife. Its good from the car as well, the zoom makes it handy to quickly frame up your subject from a fixed position (the 300 PF from the car isn't as fun). However, I also have a 200-500 and when I'm doing wildlife with the zoom, I actually tend to favor that one. Anymore, my 80-400 gets called when I'm going on a trip where I need a minimum of gear - usually a landscape trip. I'll have my D810, the 14-24, 24-70, and 80-400. The 80-400 works good (not great) as a landscape lens when I need to get beyond what my 24-70 can do, and it doubles as a wildlife lens should I run into something.

The 300 PF is all wildlife for me. The AF is faster and more reliable than the 80-400 and it's sharper at 300mm than the zoom. It compact size make it great to strap onto a D500 and take on a hike (450mm FX FOV). I also tend to keep a 1.4TC in my pocket on those hikes and end up with a very versatile high quality setup that is super compact and lightweight. He also used the optional flash controller that fits where the speed flash normally fits. He did not use the internal flash command of the camera. He was also using the optional speed light command module that fits where the speed light goes on the 810 rather than the internal command system of the 810 itself.

So, all depends on what you're doing with it. From a performance standpoint, 300 PF all the way, from a versatility standpoint, 80-400.

LOL - Great name too :)

I was wondering about the 80-400 for shooting sports...like Little League, where you might not always want 300mm.

About the D810. I had a Dr. appt. today and in the lobby area, a photographer on the staff of UTSW was taking a photograph of a new employee. Of course I had questions. He used a D810, and told me how much sharper it was than the D800 (which I have). He cropped the image of the portrait he took and it was amazingly sharp. He used a 24-120 f4 lens. Although he has the 24-70 f2.8, he finds the extra reach of the 24-120 highly beneficial and doesn't see any loss in sharpness, although he doesn't know if it's the lens or the camera.

His setup was very simple. He used a tall stand with probably a SB910 attached. The regular Nikon diffuser was attached to the front of the SB910 and he shot through an umbrella which was also attached to the stand. Behind his subject was a second SB910 (diffuser attached) which was used to take out shadows projected against the background. Simple but very effective and easy to set up and move.