Today i managed to spend time with Nikon 300 mm F4.5 AIS.
Sorry i dont have any pic which i think is worth sharing.
My verdict? Its a sharp lens but like all AIS lens, beware of shooting in bright day light at the maximum aperture. CA and fringing will occur. The other downside is the lack of autofocus may hinder those doing sports or wildlife photography. Handheld shooting was a bit tough. I dont recall my previous 300 mm AFS was with image stabilizer but i had tack sharp images from it.
But apart from the above, this lens is much lighter than the AF version and only 30% of the price.
(Note that these comments are personal opinion only. i am not a telephoto user nor a wildlife enthusiast. My usual work is takes me at maximum range of 60 mm and i usually shoot wide. I am sharing cause you might be someone like me, curious how the AIS lens performs on a digital body like the D800).
Compared to the 300 mm AFS F4
<CONS>
- CA/ Fringing more obvious. Good for casual work but not for professional work
- IQ is about 90% of what you get from the 300 mmAFS
- Harder to shoot handheld even though it was lighter. 1/400 had some handshake even though in bright day light.
<PROS>
- Lightweight about 900 grams only? Good for overseas travel
- smaller size (easier to hide from the wife's eye)
- cheaper (wife doesnt complain that much)
Verdict: If i were any younger, like say 16 - 30 years old, i would invest in the 300 mm AFS. The sharpness and AF is something you can do with.
Sorry i dont have any pic which i think is worth sharing.
My verdict? Its a sharp lens but like all AIS lens, beware of shooting in bright day light at the maximum aperture. CA and fringing will occur. The other downside is the lack of autofocus may hinder those doing sports or wildlife photography. Handheld shooting was a bit tough. I dont recall my previous 300 mm AFS was with image stabilizer but i had tack sharp images from it.
But apart from the above, this lens is much lighter than the AF version and only 30% of the price.
(Note that these comments are personal opinion only. i am not a telephoto user nor a wildlife enthusiast. My usual work is takes me at maximum range of 60 mm and i usually shoot wide. I am sharing cause you might be someone like me, curious how the AIS lens performs on a digital body like the D800).
Compared to the 300 mm AFS F4
<CONS>
- CA/ Fringing more obvious. Good for casual work but not for professional work
- IQ is about 90% of what you get from the 300 mmAFS
- Harder to shoot handheld even though it was lighter. 1/400 had some handshake even though in bright day light.
<PROS>
- Lightweight about 900 grams only? Good for overseas travel
- smaller size (easier to hide from the wife's eye)
- cheaper (wife doesnt complain that much)
Verdict: If i were any younger, like say 16 - 30 years old, i would invest in the 300 mm AFS. The sharpness and AF is something you can do with.
