Gentoo said:
When I get home, I'll probably write up one of my NR reviews on it and compare it to the other lenses I've shot birds with.

I guess that's if you can stop using it for long enough. ;-)

If fo-zoom is that magnification factor, then this lens certainly has more of that then my 300mmF4 had that's for sure. I frequently find myself being too close to some birds (gulls and waterfowl), although I'm in Oakland where for whatever reason you can get a lot closer to wildlife than you can in San Diego. It's just tamer here. However I even find the smaller more furtive birds fill a bit more of the finder than before. And because it's a 2.8, I can stay out longer as it's starts to get dark and it focuses better in the low light. Guys, I've taken almost 1000 shots since Christmas eve!

As far as weight, when I first got it I noticed the difference right away. I've been shooting with it non-stop sense the 24th. I picked up my 70-200 and it feels so small and light now lol.

When I get home, I'll probably write up one of my NR reviews on it and compare it to the other lenses I've shot birds with.

nsx - check the 70-200vrII thread for the fo-zoom coverage

Fo-zoom or no-zoom, I'm sure Gentoo's going to make some impressive shots!

Question- what is this fo-zoom?

And awesome lens Gentoo!

heartyfisher said:
It would be interesting to see alpha and gentoo standing side by side... :-) I am sure it would explain why Gentoo finds it easy to handhold that lens :-) lol

LOL, I'm not exactly what you would call "strong". But I've got endurance, so usually I can put up with the weight :^)

I'm sure if somebody handed me a 600mm ƒ/4 I'd find a way to hold it :^)

amazing colors!
now I'm drooling...

It would be interesting to see alpha and gentoo standing side by side... :-) I am sure it would explain why Gentoo finds it easy to handhold that lens :-) lol

Is it a lot heavier than the ƒ/4 Gentoo? Does that make handholding more difficult?

It took me a while to get used to the weight of my 80-200 ƒ/2.8, but later when I mounted my "super-light" 18-70mm I simply could not hold it steady!

So I've been doing some real shooting with this lens and although I've not been to load them on my computer and convert them, let me say that I am more them pleased with it's performance.

I've now gotten used to hand holding it and can keep it about as still as my F4. Just looking at it in the review on the camera I can already tell the difference especially in the colors.

Also partly it depends on how "relevant" VR actually is to the situation. VR ain't freezin' any blasted action. For a wildlife photographer like you VR probably won't help that much with things like that. But I do believe it's helpful with composition.

But you're right, as we've discussed before VR could be "handicapping" the optical performance of a lens. So I wouldn't be surprised if sometimes you see better performance from the non-VRs. Breathing like a sniper's good enough for me, after all photographers have been doing that for (what?) 100+ years.

Very true. I now shoot at higher ISO's then I do with VR (my 70-200 has VR so I can shoot at slower speeds). I've discovered, VR is really only useful in low light when you have to use slower speeds. In good light, my long non VR lenses perform every bit as good if not just slightly better actually. It has to do with the way you shoot. That "breathe like a sniper" line from the other thread is something I've perfected over the last year.

Actually when you don't use something you tend not to notice it's not there.

Out of sight, out of mind.

My classmate the other day was telling me he shot a concert, and I asked him what shutterspeed he used. He told me he used 1/30, and I questioned "Wouldn't the pictures be blurry?" He reminded me he has VR in his lens. I've never used VR, so It simply didn't come to mind when I was "interpreting" the situation.

PBrigido said:
Do you miss not having the VR feature Gentoo?

Actually, I'm not even used to having it in my long lenses anymore. My 300mmF4 does not have VR either. All of my bird shots are done with that lens. This one just requires a slightly different holding technique due to it's girth. In good light, I've learned to get along without VR pretty well.

Do you miss not having the VR feature Gentoo?

Now I think I might go sharpen a couple of these and make them regular photos of mine. I can't believe how well this lens performs. Look at the bokeh?

Beautiful, simply beautiful!

Thanks, I did a few more test. I can't wait till I can shoot on a sunny day. If these came out like this on a late afternoon gloomy day, just wait till the light is good:

The cat and the bird were cropped a bit but nothing else was changed except the size.

Great shots, Gentoo.

Yes it's the old one alpha linked to. I can't wait to see what I can do when I get serious. I was just aiming at stuff and shooting. I can't believe how well the colors are no nicely saturated and the contrast is great for an overcast day. I can see why going from the F4 to the 2.8 is such a big price increase. The optics are totally different.

Yes, according to the EXIF he has the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/2.8D IF-ED:

I guess the "old" one... isn't it gentoosan?

WOAH!
New 300 or the old one?

Love it at f/8. . .great test shots :-)

Gentoo said:
Another thing I seem to notice is that this 300mm2.8 appears to magnify a bit more than my 300mmF4.

FoZoom, maybe? ;^)

Anyway, congratulations and have fun with your new lens Gentoo!

Great photos, Gentoo. I'm glad they finally delivered it and thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing what you can do with that lens.