Telephoto lens for Nikon D7000 for use on moving boat in poor light (Page 2): AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is an excellent lens. Fast focus and remarkable clarity.

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is an excellent lens. Fast focus and remarkable clarity.

Ray and JoJo Loc: Florida--Tenneessee

MT You missed, moving boat and poor light, my question? 1:5.6 poor light, D7000 not high iso. boat viberation. please rethink!!

CO

NCMtnMan wrote:

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED is an excellent lens. Fast focus and remarkable clarity.

I have that lens. Nikon did a remarkable job with it considering the price. It's also a full frame lens. The new one is the AF-P version and for cropped sensor only.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

James Lord wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion. Seems a pretty heavy piece of kit to swing around on a boat but maybe the stabilisation is enough to counteract that. Have you used one off-shore?

Not personally, no. But only because I use the Sigma 150-600mm Sport lens instead. The Sigma is the only super tele zoom that is fully weather sealed which I consider critical for my shooting. The Nikon is 2 pounds lighter with fantastic stabilization, as well az $500 less expensive.
And yes I HAVE used the Sigma on a boat hand held in low light and it works quite well.

James Lord

As ever it comes down to how deep ones pockets are...especially for a telephoto for low light on a boat. Whatever I thank you for all for some excellent advice.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

James Lord wrote:

I am looking to buy a telephoto lens (not necessarily a zoom lens) for bird photography to use with a Nikon D7000. I have an old Nikkor 80-200 1:2.8 at the moment that has served me well for the last 20 years but am looking for a new (or second-hand/refurbished) lens with image stabilisation more suited to taking photos of birds from a moving boat in poor light. Ideally it should not be a great cannon of a lens but reasonably easy to swing and support. Any suggestions?

If the 200-500mm is too heavy for you, take a look at the 300mm f/4 prime lens with VR. It weighs less than 2 pounds. Around $2,000, but not as much reach.

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

Pistnbroke wrote:

Yes OC I have one but is 6.3 low light ? It great on the D850 ,not so hot on the D7200 .I hate to think what it would be like on the D7000.
If you do buy it forget dock its a total brain pain ...oh sh... there is no fine focus adjust on the D7000

There IS a fine adjust on the d7000.

Ichiban365

CO wrote:

:The new one is the AF-P version and for cropped sensor only.

The AF-P 70-300 DX VR is a great lens but it will not work on the D7000. It only works on the newer Nikons. Don't even think about the non-VR version, the price difference is only $50. There are lots of the non-VR versions for sale on eBay and Craiglist because Nikon is getting rid of them by bundling them in kits with the D5600 and D3500. And at least 50% of those for sale claim to be the VR version, because first time buyers who don't know any better click on "Sell one like this" on a legitimate VR lens posting.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

James Lord wrote:

I am looking to buy a telephoto lens (not necessarily a zoom lens) for bird photography to use with a Nikon D7000. I have an old Nikkor 80-200 1:2.8 at the moment that has served me well for the last 20 years but am looking for a new (or second-hand/refurbished) lens with image stabilisation more suited to taking photos of birds from a moving boat in poor light. Ideally it should not be a great cannon of a lens but reasonably easy to swing and support. Any suggestions?

Unfortunately there are three characteristics of lenses - low cost, low size/weight and high quality. under most circumstances you can only choose 2.

If your lens is the AF-D then you can purchase a Kenko Pro 1.4X teleconverter, and you'll end up with a reasonably small and relatively light 280mm F4 lens. As Larry suggested the 300mm F4 PF is an excellent, low cost alternative - and at 1 lb 12 oz you aren't going to see a lens capable of such high performance at 300mm - and it will use a 77mm filter on the front.