Slow focusing ( meaning of )
Discussion
Im in the market for a new lens , im running atm a cheap 70/300mm nikon lens on my D90.
Atm im doing 90% castle combe stuff , but next year i want to go further afield ,which means im needing that much more size on my lens ...
Most of combe stuff can be sorted with a 300mm lens max , but im thinking of the 80/400mm lens , but im getting feed back of it being slow to focus .....now ....
Is it slow to focus because people are leaving it to the last minute b4 trying to focus and capture that special shot , or is it generally not a good motorsport lens /
As i focus and pan a shot a long time before i need to take the picture ....
Im looking at a lens around the grand mark , so just wondering whats out there for the money ....
And just to throw a new lens into the mix , is a vr 70/300mm going to be noticably better than my boggo 70/300mm non vr lens ....
Atm im doing 90% castle combe stuff , but next year i want to go further afield ,which means im needing that much more size on my lens ...
Most of combe stuff can be sorted with a 300mm lens max , but im thinking of the 80/400mm lens , but im getting feed back of it being slow to focus .....now ....
Is it slow to focus because people are leaving it to the last minute b4 trying to focus and capture that special shot , or is it generally not a good motorsport lens /
As i focus and pan a shot a long time before i need to take the picture ....
Im looking at a lens around the grand mark , so just wondering whats out there for the money ....
And just to throw a new lens into the mix , is a vr 70/300mm going to be noticably better than my boggo 70/300mm non vr lens ....
Edited by 106 gti on Tuesday 20th October 22:59
Check out Dobbo's recent thread on replacing his 80-400.
I don't have much call for long lenses but did have a Nikkor 70-300 which suffered terrible chromatic abberation; the latest (VR) version should cut that right back.
I don't have much call for long lenses but did have a Nikkor 70-300 which suffered terrible chromatic abberation; the latest (VR) version should cut that right back.
106 gti said:
And just to throw a new lens into the mix , is a vr 70/300mm going to be noticably better than my boggo 70/300mm non vr lens ...
It's all to do with the speed that the lens can crank itself round to focus. Essentially there are screw-drive lenses (relatively slow) and ultrasonic motor lenses (relatively fast). The latter are designated AF-S by Nikon and HSM by Sigma. Don't confuse AF-S, referring to autofocus, with AF-S meaning focus lock (the little switch on the body near the lens release button), which is a different thing (see manual*)(*I mean manual as in book, not manual focus or manual exposure, gah).VR is nothing to do with it. The 70-300VR (which I have and like) is AF-S so is relatively fast to focus. Your current lens is either the older G or ED version, which are screw drive and therefore slower to focus. The 70-300VR will beat them both hands down, and the VR is a handly bonus on a long lens that's not awfully fast (I mean fast as in aperture, not focus speed!)
If you're panning at right angles to the subject direction then you could rightly argue that focus speed isn't important, but for anything else, then with fast-moving subjects it obviously is.
Note also that AF accuracy and tracking ability depend on the camera body. I don't know the D90 but it's worth reading up on AF sensors and all the different focusing modes, as choosing the right ones makes a big difference.
The 70-300VR will delight you, but at 4x the cost of the G version it ought to!
The 70-300VR will delight you, but at 4x the cost of the G version it ought to!
Now just one more question ...lol
If i get the vr 300 is it worth buying a converter for the odd bigger circuit, just to take forward facing shots not panning ?
And would this effect the auto focus mode , as ive heard conflicting stories of this .
Many thanks for your help , winter seems a time to save for next years track action lens .....
If i get the vr 300 is it worth buying a converter for the odd bigger circuit, just to take forward facing shots not panning ?
And would this effect the auto focus mode , as ive heard conflicting stories of this .
Many thanks for your help , winter seems a time to save for next years track action lens .....
Edited by 106 gti on Wednesday 21st October 18:00
106 gti said:
If i get the vr 300 is it worth buying a converter for the odd bigger circuit, just to take forward facing shots not panning ?
And would this effect the auto focus mode , as ive heard conflicting stories of this .
Many thanks for your help , winter seems a time to save for next years track action lens...
Teleconverters (TCs) are a double-edged sword. They increase focal length but reduce maximum aperture, make the viewfinder darker and can reduce autofocus performance (since AF needs a certain amount of light to work effectively). The 70-300VR is not awfully fast anyway, being f4.5-5.6, so there's not much to play with.And would this effect the auto focus mode , as ive heard conflicting stories of this .
Many thanks for your help , winter seems a time to save for next years track action lens...
I don't use TCs but I think the general rule from those who do, is not to use more than 1.4x for the above reasons. This will (I think) give you a 420mm f8 lens - could be tricky to use.
John,
If I remember correctly the 70-300VR will not work with a teleconverter, I'm certain it has been discussed here or it may have been on Fred & Miranda.
I would agree it is a great lens but prone to softness right at the top end at full aperature. I have used mine for motorsport, wildlife and portraits and the portraits were really sharp.
YB
If I remember correctly the 70-300VR will not work with a teleconverter, I'm certain it has been discussed here or it may have been on Fred & Miranda.
I would agree it is a great lens but prone to softness right at the top end at full aperature. I have used mine for motorsport, wildlife and portraits and the portraits were really sharp.
YB
Yellabelly said:
John,
If I remember correctly the 70-300VR will not work with a teleconverter, I'm certain it has been discussed here or it may have been on Fred & Miranda.
I don't know the specifics but there may be an issue with AF failing to work with small apertures...?If I remember correctly the 70-300VR will not work with a teleconverter, I'm certain it has been discussed here or it may have been on Fred & Miranda.
I call the 70-300 my 'airshow lens' - good reach and AF for fast-moving things in daylight. But I'd always regard it as a good amateur lens rather than a pro lens.
Simpo Two said:
I call the 70-300 my 'airshow lens' - good reach and AF for fast-moving things in daylight. But I'd always regard it as a good amateur lens rather than a pro lens.
Im a learning amateur , and never going to be a pro , ....lol so the vr lens should keep me happy for a few years .....
Go for it.
Use it for motorsport/trackdays/airshows/low flying.Right went window shopping on sunday just to look out for deals .
In one shop in Bath the 70/300vr was £499, yet 150 yrds down the road it was £429, so there was a £70 saving straight away , so i thought id check out another shop i know .....Mistake ......
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
God this camera lens malarky is a rocky road to travel .....
In one shop in Bath the 70/300vr was £499, yet 150 yrds down the road it was £429, so there was a £70 saving straight away , so i thought id check out another shop i know .....Mistake ......
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
God this camera lens malarky is a rocky road to travel .....
106 gti said:
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
I don't know the Sigma but on paper it looks fine. However, whilst it has extra reach it starts at 120mm, which could be a nuisance in other circumstances (ie you can't get far enough back to get a subject in). You already have the 1.5x crop factor of the D90 to consider.Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
Have a look through both and then decide.
106 gti said:
Right went window shopping on sunday just to look out for deals .
In one shop in Bath the 70/300vr was £499, yet 150 yrds down the road it was £429, so there was a £70 saving straight away , so i thought id check out another shop i know .....Mistake ......
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
God this camera lens malarky is a rocky road to travel .....
Go to Gibraltar and get the 70-300 VR for £300 and hide the box coming back through customs In one shop in Bath the 70/300vr was £499, yet 150 yrds down the road it was £429, so there was a £70 saving straight away , so i thought id check out another shop i know .....Mistake ......
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
God this camera lens malarky is a rocky road to travel .....
Simpo Two said:
106 gti said:
As now my eye has caught the new Sigma 120/400mm for tha same price nigh on £500, soooooo my dilemma is ...
Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
I don't know the Sigma but on paper it looks fine. However, whilst it has extra reach it starts at 120mm, which could be a nuisance in other circumstances (ie you can't get far enough back to get a subject in). You already have the 1.5x crop factor of the D90 to consider.Do i go with the vr300mm and just try and get closer to the track action and make do ......or get the 400mm with the extra reach ???
Have a look through both and then decide.
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