Nikon 70-300mm VR AFP

Full-Frame FX f/4.5-5.6E ED

Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P FX (covers FX and DX, 67mm filters, 23.6 oz./670g, 4'/1.2m close-focus, $547). bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally-approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, store demo or used lens. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

March 2024   Nikon Reviews   Nikon Lenses    All Reviews

 

Sample Images

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A Visit to Tuscany

Nikon D850 and 70-300mm AFP FX sample image

Yellow and Violet, Tuscany, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 230mm at f/6.3 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 64, exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Mercedes S600

A Mighty 12-Cylinder Bi-Turbo Mercedes S600 under the Tuscan Sun, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 230mm at f/6.3 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution © file.

 

Tuscan Stone Home

Stone Home, Tuscany, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 120mm at f/7.1 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 64, exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

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Introduction

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New   Good   Bad   Missing

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This full-frame Nikon 70-300mm AFP E has extraordinary optics in a lightweight package at a reasonable price. It's a great lens.

It's an excellent choice for anyone who demands the finest optical quality for ultra high resolution FX DSLRs like the D850. It's ultrasharp corner-to-corner at every setting and has very little distortion as well as ultrafast autofocus.

Its new AF-P focusing system also allows instant manual-focus override by grabbing the focus ring at any time. The new AF-P system offers virtually instantaneous and silent autofocus, and the new "E" electronic diaphragm is silent, but this lens won't work with cameras introduced before about 2007.

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New compared to the old 70-300 VR G.

AF-P stepper autofocus motor for fast, silent focus.

VR now rated to 4.5 stops improvement.

"E" Electronic diaphragm: quieter, but only works on the newest camera models.

4'/1.2m close focus.

"Sport" VR mode helps make it easier to frame images handheld while moving.

680g versus the 745g.

 

Good

Vibration Reduction works great for hand holding this lightweight ultra-tele.

Extremely sharp.

Light.

Reasonably small.

Fast and near silent autofocusing.

Super-close focusing to 4'/1.2 meters.

 

Bad

Mostly plastic, but that keeps weight down. (Lens mount is metal).

 

Missing

No focus lock button, but these are only seen on Nikon's top pro lenses that cost much more.

 

Format

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This lens is for full-frame FX cameras and I'm reviewing it as such.

It works great on DX cameras, but a the 70-300mm VR AF-P DX does the same thing for half the price on DX. For DX, I'd get a DX lens like the superb 70-300mm VR AF-P DX instead.

 

Compatibility

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I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

Just to keep things interesting, the cameras with which this AF-P & E lens will or won't work is different from which cameras work with the DX AF-P or other E lenses!

With any of the cameras below, be sure to be running the newest firmware.

 

YES! Everything works great on:

FX: as of July 2017, it works great on the D5, D750, D610 and D600.

DX: as of July 2017, it works great on the D500, D7500, D5600, D5500, D5300, D3400 and D3300, but on DX cameras, just get the 70-300 AFP VR DX instead for half the price if it works on your model.

Everything works perfectly on the cameras below introduced since about 2007, except that they reset focus to infinity each time they wake up. This isn't a problem unless you're using a timer to take time-lapse photos with the camera going to sleep between shots. Otherwise, autofocus and everything works perfectly on these:

FX: D4, D4S, D3, D3X, D3S, Df, D810, D810A, D800 & D800e and D700.

DX: D300, D300S, D7200, D7100, D7000 and D5200. Caution: on DX you should be using the 70-300mm VR AF-P DX becaue it does the same thing for less money.

 

NO! Useless on:

Any of the D1 series, any of the D2 series, D200, D100, D90, D80, any of the D70 series, D60, D50, any of the D40 series, D5100, D5000, D3200, D3100 or D3000 and won't work on any 35mm camera.

It won't focus manually or automatically on any of these, making this lens totally useless on them. On these older cameras you cannot focus in any way, and the lens will only shoot at its maximum aperture since these cameras can't control the new electronic diaphragm.

On these older cameras, like my F6, it cant' be focused manually or automatically, and even if you preset focus using a compatible body and then transferring the lens to an older camera, it will only shoot at its maximum aperture.

No worries, save yourself hundreds of dollars and get a perfectly good used 70-300mm VR G instead.

 

See also Nikon Lens Compatibility.

 

Specifications

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I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Name

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

Nikon calls this the Nikon AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR:

    AF-P: Stepper autofocus motor for quiet and fast autofocus.

    NIKKOR: Nikon's brand name for all their lenses.

    E: Electronic diaphragm. Silent operation, but only works with cameras introduced since about 2007.

    ED: Magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced secondary chromatic aberration.

    VR: Vibration Reduction.

 

Optics

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX Construction

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P internal construction. ED glass.

18 elements in 14 groups.

1 extra low dispersion ED glass element.

No aspherical elements.

NIC Nikon Integrated Coating.

IF Internal Focus.

 

Diaphragm

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

9 rounded blades.

Stops down to f/32-40.

 

Focal length

70~300mm.

When used a DX camera, it sees the same angle of view as a 105~450mm lens sees when used on a 35mm or FX full-frame camera.

See also Crop Factor.

 

Angle of view

8.2° ~ 34.3º on full-frame.

5.3° ~ 22.8º on DX.

 

Autofocus

Silent stepper motor, super-fast. If you're in a silent environment and hold your ear to the lens, you will hear a slight hum as it focuses.

Internal focus.

No external movement as focused, so no air or dust is sucked in.

 

Close Focus

4 feet (1.2 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:4 (0.25×).

 

Vibration Reduction

Rated 4.5 stops improvement.

 

Hood

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

HB-82 Hood, included. bigger.

Nikon HB-82 plastic bayonet hood, included.

 

Filters

67mm filter thread.

 

Size

3.2" maximum diameter x 5.7" extension from flange.

80.5 mm maximum diameter x 146 mm extension from flange.

 

Weight

23.650 oz. (670.5g), actual measured.

Rated 24 oz (680 g).

 

Announced

11 July 2017 at 12:01AM NYC time.

 

Included

Lens.

Good LC-67 67mm snap-on front cap.

LF-4 rear cap.

HB-82 bayonet hood and CL-1022 sack.

 

Nikon's Model Number

20068.

 

Price, U. S. A.       specifications       top

March 2024

$547 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.

About $340 used if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

November 2022

$547 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.

About $440 used if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

May 2021

$397 on sale.

 

March 2018

$747.

 

July 2017

$697.

 

Getting a Legal USA Version

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USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This section applies in USA only.

In the USA before 2020, your box would have had a 5-year warranty sticker (Nikon stopped these in 2020):

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

Today, you must have a USA warranty card on top when you open the box. The serial number on the card must match the serial number on the bottom of the lens and it must have been purchased from an authorized dealer for the warranty to be valid. The serial number on the box should match, too.

If not, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you won't even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!

Nikon USA enforces its trademarks strictly. It's unlikely, but possible that US customs won't let your lens back in the country if you bought a gray-market version in the USA, carried it overseas, and try to bring it back in. (If you take the chance of buying one overseas, be sure you have a receipt to prove you bought it overseas and be prepared to pay duty on it.)

If a gray market version saves you $300 it may be worth it, but for $150 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.

Always be sure to check everything while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your lens serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.

Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.

 

Unboxing

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USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

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I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

The box is completely unsealed. There is no way to know if anyone else has been fiddling with your lens, swapping parts and accessories, or even if it's a used lens.

This is why it's critical only to buy from an approved online source, since they ship from automated warehouses where no shifty salesmen or customers ever get to touch your new lens before it ships. While new $10 CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and bottles of milk and drinking water are sealed and quite obvious if anyone's opened them, paradoxically Nikon doesn't bother sealing anything, so your only insurance is to buy only from a trusted online dealer.

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Box, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

It's a microcorrugated cardboard box, Nikon doesn't seal it with any stickers or shrink wrap, so if yours has any of that, it is from a shoddy dealer trying to make it look complete. Beware; Nikon ships them just like you see.

Open the box and you'll see the black sack case in a translucent plastic bag on top of the USA warranty card and multilanguage instruction sheet. I put the USA warranty card on top here so you can see it:

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Paperwork, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

Pull out the papers and case, and you'll see a folded cardboard shelf.

Pu8ll up the shelf and you'll see a corrugami (origami made of corrugated cardboard) top support for the lens. Pull it out, and inside there is the lens and hood wrapped in a thin foam sheet further wrapped in bubble wrap:

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Box Contents, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

 

Performance

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Breathing

Bokeh   Distortion   Ergonomics  Eyeblow

Falloff   Filters   Flare & Ghosts   Lateral Color Fringes

Macro   Maximum & Minimum Apertures

Mechanics  Sharpness  Stabilization   Sunstars

 

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall

Performance          top

The Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX offers stunning optical performance. I don't know of any sharper lenses, and it's small, light and reasonably priced. Bravo, Nikon!

 

Autofocus

Performance          top

Autofocus is fast! It's not always instantaneous, but close to it. It doesn't get much better than this.

 

Manual Focus

performance          top

Manual focus can be a little weird because the focus ring isn't connected to anything. It's connected to an electronic encoder which talks to the computer in the camera, which in turn drives the focus motor in the lens.

It's fine for slow and deliberate manual focus, but the lens can lag behind if you're moving the focus ring quickly.

Just grab the rear focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

 

Focus Breathing

Performance          top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

The image doesn't change size when focused at 70mm, but does get a little bigger as focused more closely at the 300mm end of the zoom range.

 

Bokeh

Performance          top

Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is pretty good.

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 19 March 2018. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

 

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 19 March 2018. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 300mm at f/5.6 and get as close as possible.

 

Distortion

Performance          top

The Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX has no visible distortion from 90~300mm, and only minor barrel distortion at 70mm.

Most Nikons can be set to correct what little distortion there is. These aren't facts or specifications; they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.

On FX at 10' (3m)

Correction factor with uncorrected images

Correction factor with correction ON in D850
70mm
+2.00 ±0.00
100mm
+0.70 ±0.00
135mm
+0.30 ±0.00
200mm
-0.10 ±0.00
300mm
-0.30 ±0.00

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Ergonomics

Performance          top

Ergonomics are great. Most of the lens is a giant zoom ring, and zooming is reasonably smooth and damped.

Focus is the thin ring behind the zoom ring and moves with a fingertip.

The AF and VR switches are right under my thumb.

Bravo!

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX at 70mm bigger.
Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX at 300mm. bigger.

 

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX at 70mm. bigger.
Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX at 300mm. bigger.

 

Eyeblow

performance          top

The 70-300mm pumps air in and out as zoomed, and you may feel it blowing from your camera's eyepiece.

 

Falloff

Performance          top

Falloff on FX is invisible, even uncorrected.

It won't be an issue at all on DX (see crop factor), and it's even less of an issue if you leave the camera's default Vignette Correction on.

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background:

 

falloff on FX at infinity, Vignette Control NORMAL:

 
f/5.6
f/8
70mm Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff
135mm Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff
300mm Maximum aperture is f/5.6 ---> Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

falloff on FX at infinity, no correction:

 
f/5.6
f/8
70mm Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff
135mm Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff
300mm Maximum aperture is f/5.6 ---> Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX falloff

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Filters, use with

performance          top

There's no need for thin filters.

Even with a stack of four regular 67mm I don't even come close to vignetting on full frame.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.

 

Flare & Ghosts

Performance          top

There are no ghosts; this is the very worst I could make it look by pointing it directly at the noon sun and then exposing for the dark shadows of this tree. The sun is so bright here that I couldn't even look through my viewfinder!

Click any to enlarge:

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

 

Lateral Color Fringes

Performance          top

There are no color fringes as shot on my D850, which by default corrects for any that may be there.

This is excellent performance.

 

Macro

Performance          top

Macro gets really close, even on full-frame, and is super-sharp wide-open:

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX macro performance

Kienzle Flieger Automat 800/2843, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, 70-300mm wide-open at f/5.6 at 300mm at Auto ISO 64. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

 

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX macro performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

The texture you're seeing is on the watch.

If this is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a huge 27½″ × 41¼″ (70 × 105 cm) at this same high magnification. If this is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete image would print at a mammoth 55 × 82½″ (1.4 × 2.1 meters) at this same extremely high magnification!

The one caveat is that for some reason autofocus was off at f/11 leading to soft images. Be careful; if you're not getting sharp results be sure that you're getting correct focus.

 

Minimum & Maximum Apertures

Performance          top

 
Maximum Aperture
Minimum Aperture
70mm
f/4.5
f/32
100mm
f/4.8
f/34
135mm
f/5
f/36
200mm
f/5.3
f/38
300mm
f/5.6
f/45

 

Mechanical Quality

Performance          top

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

 

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

This lens is almost all plastic, except for the glass optics and metal mount.

 

Hood

Plastic bayonet, included.

 

Front Bumper

None.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Bayonet Mount

Plastic.

 

Front Barrel

Plastic.

 

Zoom Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Mid Barrel

Plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Plastic.

 

Rear Barrel

Plastic.

 

Identity

Gold-look plastic plate glued on top of barrel.

 

Internals

Seem like all plastic.

 

Dirt Seal at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Dull chromed metal.

 

Markings

Paint.

 

Serial Number

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

Sticker glued into recess in the bottom of the lens barrel.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Mild to moderate clunking.

 

Made in

Thailand.

 

Sharpness

Performance          top

Sharpness is absolutely superb. As you can see here, it's sharp corner-to corner even wide-open:

Nikon D850 and 70-300mm AFP FX sample image

Test image shot wide-open, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850,Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 70mm wide-open at f/4.5 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 64. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Nikon D850 and 70-300mm AFP FX sample image

Test image shot wide-open, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 135mm wide-open at f/5 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 64. bigger or camera-original © file.

You can't get better than this at any price.

Nikon D850 and 70-300mm AFP FX sample image

Yucca, Tuscany, 18 March 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX at 90mm at f/6.3 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 64, exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Nikon's MTF curves confirm this superb performance. It's the same as the 70-200/4 and 70-200/2.8 FL, and those lenses are also absolute state-of-the-art:

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX MTF
Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX MTF
MTF at 70mm. bigger.
MTF at 300mm. bigger.

 

Image Stabilization

Performance          top

Vibration Reduction (VR) works wonders. Nikon has now been making VR lenses for over 20 years. The image locks-down hard as soon as the VR system activates.

There is still a mechanical click every time it starts working, and another every time it stops. If you hold your ear to the lens while VR is working you'll hear some slight beeps and other very quiet sounds.

 

Sunstars

Performance          top

With a rounded 9-blade diaphragm, one gets sunstars on brilliant points of light at the smallest apertures:

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

Nikon 70-300mm AFP FX flare, ghosts and sunstars

 

Compared

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 
Introduced
7/2017
8/2006
8/2016
8/2016
8/2010
Covers
FX and DX
FX and DX
DX only
DX only
DX only
VR?
Yes
Yes
Yes
NO!
Yes
Filter size
67mm
67mm
58mm
58mm
58mm
Maximum aperture
f/4.5~5.6
f/4.5~5.6
f/4.5~6.3
f/4.5~6.3
f/4.5~5.6
AF Speed
super fast
fast
super fast
fast
slow
Instant manual focus override
Yes
Yes
yes
yes
no
Widest zoom
70mm
70mm
70mm
70mm
55mm
Close Focus
4'/1.2m
5'/1.5m
3.7'/1.1m
3.7'/1.1m
4.6'/1.4m
Max Repro
1:4
1:4
1:4.5
1:4.5
1:3.6
Ounces
23.6 oz.
26.2 oz.
14.7 oz.
14.1 oz.
18.6 oz.
Grams
670g
745g
415 g.
400 g.
529g
Price, 8/2016
n/a
Price, 7/2017
Price, 3/2018 $250 used

 

Usage

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

 

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Nikon 70-300mm AF-P VR FX

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.

Manual Focus

Manual focus is electronic; the ring isn't connected to anything other than a computer.

Manual focus only works when your camera is awake. It does nothing when the camera is off, of when the lens isn't on a camera, or when the lens is on an older incompatible camera.

 

A/M  M/A  M Switch

Leave this at A/M, which is Autofocus with manual override.

M/A is similar, but it require less ring motion to activate manual override. The usual A/M requires more turning of the ring so you don't mess-up focus accidentally.

M is manual focus, with no autofocus.

 

VR  OFF  NORMAL  SPORT Switch

Leave this in NORMAL, which lets Vibration Reduction work its best most of the time.

Only turn it OFF if you are on a very sturdy tripod and are making long time exposures. I never turn it off, it seems smart enough to know when you don't need it.

Use SPORT when you're shooting action. It optimizes the Vibration Reduction system to expect that you're deliberately tracking action.

 

Recommendations

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Unboxing   Performance

Compared   Usage   Recommendations

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This is the lens to get if you need fast autofocusing for sports, silent AF for movies or an ultrasharp lens for landscapes.

The 28-300mm VR may not be as ultrasharp at 300mm, but otherwise replaces two lenses and focuses almost as fast.

The very best protective filter is the Hoya multicoated HD3 67mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.

For less money, the B+W 67mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.

Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken.

 

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I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Ken.

 

 

 

 

 

06 Mar 2024 price CL-1022, 04 Nov 2022, 03 May 2021, 27 Feb 2021, 21 December 2020, 18 April 2018, 17-20 March 2018, 11 July 2017