Best 400mm lens for the money for Nikon7200 (Page 2): Nikkor 75-300 4.5 5.6...

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

joncjenkins wrote:

Looking to purchase 400mm lens to shoot mostly in woods for groundbirds, warblers, and other small quick birds at about 100 ft or less range. Mostly shade in summer of course, and many branches in winter. Any thoughts? Enthusiast not professional grade.

Nikkor 75-300 4.5 5.6

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

joncjenkins wrote:

Looking to purchase 400mm lens to shoot mostly in woods for groundbirds, warblers, and other small quick birds at about 100 ft or less range. Mostly shade in summer of course, and many branches in winter. Any thoughts? Enthusiast not professional grade.

Not sure what your budget is, but as I suggested, the $1300 Tamron 150-600 G2 is extremely sharp and only 4.5 lbs. Lenses like the 75-300 (not long enough) and the 18-400 (soft at 400) don't approach the crisp sharpness of the G2.

Image taken by one of my students with a G2, hand held. She is 65 yrs old, 5 ft tall and 120 lbs - and often accompanies me on hikes in the woods and marshes. She doesn't mind the weight at all.

(Download)

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

Like others here, I absolutely love the combination of the 300 f/4 PF and the TC-1E III. I have the 200-500 as well, but the 300 is light and superior IQ (at shorter range). This set up rocks!

However, the fixed lens does limit the types of photos that you can capture. I have been is situations in which a zoom would have been more appropriate. I recently purchased a refurb Tamron 100-400 for a portable 400mm. Too soon to report on quality, but I believe it received better reviews than the 18-400. If you are not going to use the wide angle, why bother going to 18?

Please report on your decision - many of us are in the same situation.

Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

I have a Tamron 18-400 and it works well for me on a D5300. It’s worth the consideration and is reasonable priced.

thomasdwiers Loc: Green Bay, WI

I have the Tamron 18-400 and it has performed well for me. Went to Alaska about a year ago and used that lens about 99% of time.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

sandiegosteve wrote:

Do you want a 400mm prime, or a zoom?

Many go with the Sigma/Tamron 150-600.

The Nikon 200-500 is great.

300mmf4 with a 1.4 TC is also an option.

my $0.02 is to look at a few options.

The prime lenses are super sharp with better bokeh in my opinion, but there are options.

Sandiegosteve has listed some good options. I would only add the

Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon F to the list. the 100-400 lenses are are lighter than the 150-600mm and 200-500mm zooms.

Pistnbroke Loc: UK

I have two Tamron 100-400 one on a D7200 and the other on a D850. Once you have the fine focus adjust spot on they are great. or get a Nikon 200-500

agillot

400mm is the bare minimum for small birds , i would get a 150 / 600 tamron or sigma .the original tamron now is under $ 500 , the G2 would be better . i use a old 800 on small birds , and at time not enough .

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Nikon 200-500. $1100.00.

yellowrallys

Just to sway a little, how does the original Tamron 150-600 compare to the G2?

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

joncjenkins wrote:

Looking to purchase 400mm lens to shoot mostly in woods for groundbirds, warblers, and other small quick birds at about 100 ft or less range. Mostly shade in summer of course, and many branches in winter. Any thoughts? Enthusiast not professional grade.

Tamron 100-400 - and get a collar ( third party) to go with it and make sure to do a focus calibration. Absolute best for the money.
.

joncjenkins

Seems like the Tamron 100-400, 150-600 G, or Nikon 200-500 is the go to for most if I would be looking for a zoom at my budget (1500ish)...I'll keep those in mind. However, I think I will try the Nikon 300 f/4 pf with teleconverter to see if I can capture quick motion in low(er) light conditions. Trying it the last week or September so will try to post some pics from that outing.

Thanks to all for the very illuminating inputs!

dbfrancy

Curious as to why no mention of Nikon 80-400. Have had this lens for a year or so, and have gotten really good images at 400mm. Shoot with a Nikon D850, so fairly high ISO most of the time to balance for relatively smaller aperture. Usually try to keep aperture at 7.1 as extra depth of field seems to help get sharper overall images compared with f5.6.
What am I missing?

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

joncjenkins wrote:

Looking to purchase 400mm lens to shoot mostly in woods for groundbirds, warblers, and other small quick birds at about 100 ft or less range. Mostly shade in summer of course, and many branches in winter. Any thoughts? Enthusiast not professional grade.

Check out B&H Photo they have 2 refurbs of the 70-300 DX AF-P ; $125, $150 and new @ $400. This lens focuses extremely fast is super light, sharp and will be 105-450 equivalent on your D7200.

A real diamond in the rough for Nikon crop cameras.

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

joer wrote:

Check out B&H Photo they have 2 refurbs of the 70-300 DX AF-P ; $125, $150 and new @ $400. This lens focuses extremely fast is super light, sharp and will be 105-450 equivalent on your D7200.

A real diamond in the rough for Nikon crop cameras.