Hi Andy ,
Many thanks for your comments, I am looking foreward to your more pro review, than this humble offering. So, to answer your questions-
1. Focus buttons, todate I have never used them (300/2.8 or 70-200/2.8),
but your question made me think (well that's a first).Yesterday I went to Brixham, to "snap" Fulmars/Kittiwakes/Guillemonts in flight, and found it very difficult to get constant focus on the inflight birds because of the mist/low light and contrast.After reading your remarks, I wondered IF I had been using the 300/2.8VR and had locked on to a bird and then pressed these buttons, could I have held focus for much longer in the above conditions??Next time I use the lens in anger I will give it a go and report back.
2. Tripod/monopod, the book says VR can be done but slacken/loosen off all locking argts.for tripods.I have tried it on the manfrotto 055 (ally/CF) with 501/393 heads and not noticed any obvious differences. The 393 is basically very free moving so no problems there, and the 501 can be slackened right off.I have tried it on a monopod (Manfrotto 680B) and no obvious problems there.The VR does seem to work better with some degree of movement, makes you wonder if you should get a really shakey tripod for best results!!
Battery will take a little more draining after a long session and if you going all day and doing many shots you may need to consider a second battery.On a D1X it eats batteries quicker than a kid with a tube of "Smarties", with a 2H/2X with that amazing battery life it may not be such a problem.
I have tried "tests" with bar codes (oh no not b****y bar codes again) but these were for that moment and were never kept, these test under "controlled" conditions only serve to prove what the camera/lens and you and your skills are upto under the best conditions.I have taken real images with the 300/2.8 and 1.4/1.7 (all 2x were binned) these are in the system some where, but at this time I would have to look hard and deep to find them.
Soon the lens will be put to a real test, as I am now concentrating mainly on birds in flight and their flight patterns, and the targets this month as part of my current project will be swifts/martins/swallows on the wing, and this should demonstrate if this is a milk bottle or a piece of crystal glass (or I am getting to slow).
As to the Peregrines, the 300mm will come into its own when they take to the air; branches,leaves etc permitting, but for normal images the distance is too great for this size lens.
An error in my original post!!, the tripod foot is removable, not with a screw driver but with a 2.5mm hex key (4 screws), it also states that the collar can be removed ,but see your Nikon service center.I assume that this is to enable the use of Whimberly/Kirk bits and pieces.
Andy you will be well pleased with this lens when it arrives and it should compliment your 600/4 very well.
As an aside, but still on 300mm lenses, the 300/4 AFS + 1.7TC is also very good combo (very small/compact and light and much cheaper) and functions with metering/af this maybe of interest to someone.
regards Subzero.
|