You are right to get the TC 1.7 but last week I was shooting MM Lee with a 300mm f4 & I have push up the ISO to 3200 on my D3 & D700 is still very dim if I use a TC1.7 on my 70-200mm f2.8 yes it give me a ext reach to 340mm but the f stop will be f4.8 - f5 I think I cant even use the TC for this event. Whats you advice ?
Thanks for your advice in adv
With no limits in budget, you can always have the best. So this part here actually don't need me to recommend anything at all. Nikon has the best, it's just you willing to start the fire burning or not :bsmilie:
With a budget, I say you start investing in a NR software. ISO3200 is not that bad on a D3. Next question is are you a professional earning your living from it ? If not, I don't see why you need to spend that much on something you just do for fun

Even if I recommend you to get the 600mm f4, you probably will feel it is insane

I'm not exactly sure about the event you mentioned, like how far you are away, is the lighting that bad, but these are what I did before when I have insufficient reach, not in order of preference.
1) Drive up ISO and get decent shutter speed.
2) Stop down on the exposure to get faster shutter speed and then do post process leveling.
3) Do a spot metering and focus exposure on the subject which is normally brighter to get faster shutter speed and then perform a shadow recovery in PP
4) When you find noise is not good well on the output, use a NR software to get a better image.
5) Get a SB900, switch to narrow, concentrated lighting mode, no diffusion, just plain direct flash, aim and shoot.
In most photography works, I doubt you will get yourself into such condition where you need so bazooka lens to work for you. If you are working for a company, it will be company expenses. Off your own pocket, think about ROI

:bsmilie: