Nikon 70-300mm VR AFPFull-Frame FX f/4.5-5.6E EDUSA Version Unboxing Performance Compared Usage Recommendations 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 ImagesTop Sample Images Intro Format USA Version Unboxing Performance Compared Usage Recommendations
A Visit to TuscanyYellow 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.
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.
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. IntroductionTop Sample Images Intro Format USA Version Unboxing Performance Compared Usage Recommendations
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.
FormatTop Sample Images Intro Format 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.
CompatibilityTop Sample Images Intro Format 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. 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.
SpecificationsTop Sample Images Intro Format 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.
NameNikon 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.
OpticsNikon 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.
DiaphragmNikon 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.
AutofocusSilent 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 Focus4 feet (1.2 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio1:4 (0.25×).
Vibration ReductionRated 4.5 stops improvement.
HoodHB-82 Hood, included. bigger. Nikon HB-82 plastic bayonet hood, included.
Filters67mm filter thread.
Size3.2" 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).
Announced11 July 2017 at 12:01AM NYC time.
IncludedLens. Good LC-67 67mm snap-on front cap. LF-4 rear cap. HB-82 bayonet hood and CL-1022 sack.
Nikon's Model Number20068.
Price, U. S. A. specifications topMarch 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 VersionTop Sample Images Intro Format 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 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.
UnboxingTop Sample Images Intro Format 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. 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. 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: 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: Box Contents, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger.
PerformanceTop Sample Images Intro Format 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.
OverallThe 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!
AutofocusAutofocus is fast! It's not always instantaneous, but close to it. It doesn't get much better than this.
Manual FocusManual 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 BreathingFocus 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.
BokehBokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is pretty good. 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).
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.
DistortionThe 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.
© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
ErgonomicsErgonomics 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!
EyeblowThe 70-300mm pumps air in and out as zoomed, and you may feel it blowing from your camera's eyepiece.
FalloffFalloff 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:
Filters, use withThere'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 & GhostsThere 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:
Lateral Color FringesThere are no color fringes as shot on my D850, which by default corrects for any that may be there. This is excellent performance.
MacroMacro gets really close, even on full-frame, and is super-sharp wide-open: 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).
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
Mechanical Quality
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.
HoodPlastic bayonet, included.
Front BumperNone.
Filter ThreadsPlastic.
Hood Bayonet MountPlastic.
Front BarrelPlastic.
Zoom RingRubber-covered plastic.
Mid BarrelPlastic.
Focus RingPlastic.
Rear BarrelPlastic.
IdentityGold-look plastic plate glued on top of barrel.
InternalsSeem like all plastic.
Dirt Seal at MountYes.
MountDull chromed metal.
MarkingsPaint.
Serial NumberNikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger. Sticker glued into recess in the bottom of the lens barrel.
Date CodeNone found.
Noises When ShakenMild to moderate clunking.
Made inThailand.
SharpnessSharpness is absolutely superb. As you can see here, it's sharp corner-to corner even wide-open: 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.
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. 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:
Image StabilizationVibration 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.
SunstarsWith a rounded 9-blade diaphragm, one gets sunstars on brilliant points of light at the smallest apertures:
ComparedTop Sample Images Intro Format 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.
UsageTop Sample Images Intro Format 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 f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P. bigger. Manual FocusManual 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 SwitchLeave 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 SwitchLeave 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.
RecommendationsTop Sample Images Intro Format 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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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