Nikon 300mm f2.8 AF-I(?)

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited April 5, 2011 in Cameras
I'm looking at a used lens that is purported to be an AF-I lens. It has a screw-drive for the AF. That does not seem right to me. :scratch Surely an AF-I lens with a motor would not also have a screw-drive??? Is this lens NOT an AF-I version? HELP!!
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

Comments

  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2011
    is it really a 2.8 or is this the older f/4 version?
    //Leah
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,129 moderator
    edited April 5, 2011
    We would need a better description or, better yet, some images of the lens from front, back and the side with most markings, in order to ascertain which lens this is.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2011
    OK, will take some shots later. But yes, it is an "AF Nikkor 300mm f1:2.8" And it has a screw drive.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2011
    We got images:
    1241440785_gkFBB-L.jpg1241441310_8giSR-M.jpg

    1241441085_CPo3N-M.jpg1241441204_jwSye-M.jpg

    1241440960_eRmsp-M.jpg1241440865_JNGWA-M.jpg
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2011
    Seymore wrote: »
    I'm willing to do some testing with it for you! mwink.gifDthumb.gif

    Thanks. Great links. They confirm my suspicion.
    Now . . . if I schlep it out to your gorgeous stomping grounds, d'ya suppose you could find someplace with lots of wild critters so's we could test it out?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,129 moderator
    edited April 5, 2011
    It looks to be an original Nikkor 300mm, f2.8 AF IF-ED, before the AF-N and before the AF-I versions.

    It is 8 elements in 6 groups. A fairly good optic but it lacked/lacks close focus. (MFD around 10 ft.) I suggest that this really requires the AF-screw-drive motor of a D3 series camera to focus quickly, although its internal focus means not too much mass to throw around.

    Here is the Nikon page for the lens. Unfortunately no image.

    http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/singlefocal/Telephoto/af_300mmf_28_if/index.htm
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2011
    Thank you Ziggy. It seems to respond reasonably quickly on the D300 and D700. I'm a bit conflicted at this point, because I think it was priced as an AF-I (newer) lens. I'll not identify the vendor until I give them a chance to "revisit" the pricing issue.

    Here's another question. Given the fact that Nikon no longr supports even the AF-I lens with parts, and the AF-I has a motor, might the older lens be a "safer" long term investment from a reliability standpoint. The motor that runs the AF system is in the camera with this old lens, and I can't imagine support issues with the D300 or D700 for a long time. Heck, even the D7000 would run this lens, right?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,129 moderator
    edited April 5, 2011
    Unfortunately, nothing is "safe" with older lenses. It might be less expensive to repair the AF lens versus the AF-I lens assuming that you could find the parts, but it still might be difficult to find the parts.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Sign In or Register to comment.