My new lens is finally in my hands !

[Stagecoach]

Exactly one week from making payment to the supplier in New Zealand the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm is mounted on my camera in Fiji

It's the most expensive single photographic item I have purchased and undertaken with the fear and complications of getting it from one country to another. All I can say is that from initial contact with the supplier in Auckland to the box being placed into my grasp by the extremely pleasant and attractive young lady at DHL this morning the process was flawless.

My initial reaction on unpacking it was B^*!!% H*!! and on putting it on the camera I now have a lens with a camera on it instead of a camera with a lens on it

The VR is amazing but I have been using non VR lenses for quite a while now and initial shots of my favourite test targets from my balcony look good. I will not bore you with images of the neighbours car numberplate, the dead tree on the hill (which I now know has creeper growing on it) or the city waterfront some 4km away but just hope the rain clears so I can go stalk those birds today and post some results.

Grahame

[Mike Buckley]

placed into my grasp by the extremely pleasant and attractive young lady at DHL

Perhaps you should order something else for the opportunity to greet her again.

Enjoy your new (albeit very expensive) toy!

[Shadowman]

Enjoy, will be interesting to see how often the new lens is used compared to the 70-300mm lens.

[FootLoose]

Good on you, Grahame. I look forward to seeing the results.

[dje]

Congrats on your new purchase Grahame. We will be expecting exceptionally high standards in your bird images etc from now on !

Dave

[NorthernFocus]

Glad the purchase and delivery went smoothly for you, Grahame. You're going to love that lens relative to what you've been shooting previously. Now let's see some birds.

[rpcrowe]

Congrats and happy shooting!

I am seriously considering selling my 300mm f/4L IS and 400mm f/5.6L lenses to fund the major portion of a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS Mark II lens which should (I hope) fulfill the needs I have for both lenses...

However, I absolutely love the 300mm f/4L IS lens...

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Don't you take pictures of drag racers?
That lens should work for that too. Congrats!

[Rita]

Congrats on the new lens. Can't wait to see the images

[William W]

Enjoy, etc.

and I am glad to know that someone else uses the car across the road to test stuff.

[Stagecoach]

Thanks guys. I was able to get some shooting in this afternoon but unfortunately, stray dogs decided to chase my herons, the light was poor then went and later it rained I'll sort through and see what I have but not an opportunity for a good test.

Perhaps you should order something else for the opportunity to greet her again.

I do fancy a D7200

Enjoy, will be interesting to see how often the new lens is used compared to the 70-300mm lens.

The 70-300 was obtained purely as a stop gap prior to deciding which FL to go for so I'm suspecting it will almost make it redundant as the most common lens I use is the 28-75mm and the new range now with longer FL is where I'm looking for equally good IQ.

Don't you take pictures of drag racers? That lens should work for that too. Congrats!

Yes I do Alan but as I'm able to get close my 28-75mm is ideal for that. Besides I can not imagine standing in the heat here for hours holding this 80-400

Enjoy, etc. and I am glad to know that someone else uses the car across the road to test stuff.

I thought everyone used the car across the road for lens testing Bill? As a bonus my neighbour has recently bought two new cars, one purple and one orange. These are absolutely ideal for calibrating my monitor

Grahame

[IzzieK]

.........As a bonus my neighbour has recently bought two new cars, one purple and one orange. These are absolutely ideal for calibrating my monitor

Grahame

Some people have weird taste when it comes to car colour or tank tops, even shoes! 'Must be Asians...reminds me of my DIL who wanted a bright orange sport shoes for my son...I didn't say anything but bought my son a normal colour shoes, blue.

Anyway, congratulations on your new toy...I can feel your joy from there to here...

[DonnaK]

I'm glad it's finally in your hands now, Grahame. Let the fun begin You will love this one!!!!

[William W]

I thought everyone used the car across the road for lens testing Bill? As a bonus my neighbour has recently bought two new cars, one purple and one orange. These are absolutely ideal for calibrating my monitor

haha

I am still stuck with red.

[Shadowman]

Thanks guys. I was able to get some shooting in this afternoon but unfortunately, stray dogs decided to chase my herons, the light was poor then went and later it rained I'll sort through and see what I have but not an opportunity for a good test.

The 70-300 was obtained purely as a stop gap prior to deciding which FL to go for so I'm suspecting it will almost make it redundant as the most common lens I use is the 28-75mm and the new range now with longer FL is where I'm looking for equally good IQ.


Grahame

Is there much difference in weight between the two lenses and I assume most of your action shots are handheld?

[Manfred M]

As a proud owner of Version 1 of that lens, I am supremely jealous. It is Nikon's first VR design, so things have improved in that department as well as being a screw driven focus, so not blazingly fast in that respect either.

On the other hand, for the amount of shooting I do with it, I can't justify doing an upgrade. I generally only use it when I'm out photographing wildlife and that generally only happens a few times a year.

Enjoy! And as the others have said, we are all looking forward to seeing your work with your new lens.

[HaseebM]

Congratulations Grahame, it would do well to post a pic or two of your new toy. :grin: