billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I have used the Nikon 70-200 f4 for years. Suggestion, if you want the background blurred, the closer you are to the subject and the further back the background is, the greater the effect. Also, shooting at f4 would also help. But, the further back the background, the better.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

The Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 FL is my go-to lens. I often shoot at f/2.8 by design. I'd be lost.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

If you know how Nikkor lenses are made, you'd never consider any other.
--Bob

delottphoto

Great Lens!

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

!0-4 as to what Fiddlemaker said.. Check out amy recent post (starlifter). I'm going out today to get the 70-200 version. Used my 24-70 on a d810.

NikonZSeriesMike Loc: Naples, FL

I own both the Tamron 24-70 F/2.8 G2 and the Tamron 70-200 F/2.8 G2 lenses. I am extremely satisfied. The build quality is excellent, I get great results, and the price works for me.

Jim70 Loc: Delaware

I went through a similar process when I was looking at a long lens. I ended up with the Tamron 150 - 600 G2 lens even though it is a bit slower than some competitors. For shooting birds in sunlight, it's excellent. I also use it for shooting my granddaughters in sports activities. I find I can be located some distance from the action and still get the shot I want.

While I considered the Nikon, it's price was just too high. I'd rather have the Tamron in my hand now than the Nikon in another year or so.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Hello have looked into buying refurbished ORM lenses there are many places too buy from such as KEH, Adarama, B&H. Or even Nikon. Also wait awhile and save up for that special Lens and with the introduction of mirrorless camers from Nikon prices on lenses might be dropping somewhat.

Wrench Loc: NE CT

Thanks for all the input from all different angles. BIF is a challenge for sure but one I will continue to work at. That is not the sole purpose for that lens as I know it is a bit short but a lot of my shots are from short range. I have purchased the Nikon 200-500 and wanted to fill the short end gap with something faster. Most of the zooms out there are in the f4.5-something variable unless you buy the pro glass. As I had said I’m not a pro and don’t make money with my photos but I do like the best results I’m capable of. Spring is around the corner and the ice is going out. Soon I can get back out and try to fill the memory card.

tomcat

Well my friend, you have selected a hobby and a subject that is going to be expensive no matter what your heart (or head) tries to tell you. If you were a cabinet maker, would you want to use a hand saw to make cabinets or would you buy a table saw and band saw with the finest blades and a router? So you are going to have to shell out the $$$ for birds. As a minimum, look at Nikon's 200-500mm lens for those periods when you have sunshine. I have been using one of these for a couple of years now and it's a great lens for birds. But it is not as good in low light. For lower light, I suggest the Nikon 300mm, as others have suggested. You need a long focal length so that cropping becomes a minimum because you lose sharpness when you crop an image severely. Nikon refurbished lenses are great because they have been bench tested and restored back to factory specs and oftentimes better. You cannot get a great noise free image unless you get the light to the sensor, so compromising to save a few $$$ will only disappoint and frustrate you. I have tried all the gimmicks this past year in low light photography compromises without success until I purchased a used Nikon D3s and accompanying f/1.8 lenses. So listen to what others in the thread are telling you. One additional comment that hasn't been mentioned is to use Topaz AI Clear on your images. It has an astounding ability to reduce noise and to add a touch of sharpening to images.

radiojohn

I know more than one working pro who is quietly selling off their huge 2.8 lenses because ISOs are no longer limited to 400!

tomcat

Yeah, but they are not shooting in low light where the ISO values are 12,500-18,000. I don't care what the camera technology is, unless you get light to the sensor with a wide open lens you're going to have noise. Some cameras more than others. The f/2.8 lenses are not fast enough for me--I have to have at least f/1.8 and faster.

What I wish that some genius would invent is an f/1.8 lens with the DOF of an f/8 lens---then we would have an invention...... This is the downside to my world--shallow DOF.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Since you are using a D7200 - don't forget this (internal crop) factor; If you don't mind a measly 15MP picture from your D7200, just go in the Shooting Menu and change the Image Area from DX to 1.3X for an in-camera crop that will give a perceived boost to whatever lens you put on it by 1.3X with no light loss/f-stop increase. Yes it is a crop, yes you drop to 15MP, but no light loss and no change to pixel density. The normal 24 X 16 mm is cut down to 18 X 12 mm view on the sensor, giving you 15MP.

I use this feature regularly when shooting small (and especially timid) animals, and when coupled with good lens I can get those "frame filling" shots that still have great quality to them. It can be used with a high quality tele-converter successfully, but the tele-converter will cause some light loss, depending on magnification. I use it just like I use "Clear Image Zoom" on my Sony bodies, not always perfect, but another handy tool to have available. Not a perfect solution, but usefull, and free.

Some folks will bash it since it is a crop (I can do it in PP) but I like that I can fill the frame and still shoot in lower light. 15MP still produces a nice sharp photo, and you don't have to kick the ISO into orbit in low light situations. If you haven't tried it, give it a whirl, and see how you feel about the "free tele-converter" effect in the final results. Another "no cost" way to a little more reach in the field.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

I use Canon lenses and my Ef 70-210mm f/3.5 USM full time manual focusing, high quality image on par with "L" lenses but is discontinued --- check out this lense for your camera and you just might find one for around $107 for Nikon! Happy hunting on Ebay and Amazon.

radiojohn

"What I wish that some genius would invent is an f/1.8 lens with the DOF of an f/8 lens---then we would have an invention...... This is the downside to my world--shallow DOF."

It was invented and failed. The Lytro "light field" camera had a very fast lens and you could adjust the DOF to whatever you want AFTER the photo was taken. They were pretty expensive, but just not quite sharp enough. I bought one closed out for $169.