What lens to buy for £1000 ?

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blaze_away

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Frank Wilson
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I want to take some wild-life shots, you know kestrels hovering about to pounch on some unsuspecting cute fury thing, I have been looking at all sorts of lovely stuff.

I can get just what I want if I spend £6500 on a nikon 600MM F4 AF-S VR IF-ED NIKKOR BLACK.

Now back in the real world what do you think I could get as a 'used' item for about £1000.

...and do you know where I can get it ?
 
Ooo you could try the marketplace on photographers.co.uk (or the forum) because I think a decent one was going for sale there. Or try kerso.
 
I have a 70-200mm, and it wouldn't be the first I would go for when trying to photograph a kestrel. In fact even at a falconry exhibition I found it a wee bit short. In the wild it may be too limiting - very fast (focus and aperture), but not long enough.

I'm not sure there's any lower price "ideal" Nikon lens. The Sigma 120-300 is heavy for pointing around the sky, and the 80-400 VR is a bit slow focussing. That said, I would still go with the 80-400. More pixels on the target :)
 
Sigma 120-300 F2.8-good s/h for under a grand.
 
If you want a new lens go for the Nikon 300 f4 + a 1.4 TC. If you are willing to go 2nd hand then go for a Sigma 300 f2.8 HSM + a 1.4x TC.
 
Thanks folks, thats narrowed down the search

Having looked at reviews o the net I think my 1st choice is the Sigma 300 prime 2.8 with 1.4x and 2x T/C's

Now the challenge, where to find one....fleabay doesn't seem to have one at present, anyone know who's got one lurking in cupboard somewhere ?
 
I can't help thinking a 300/2.8 is a bit heavy to be pointing high up in the sky, which is what I expect you'd be doing for photographing kestrels.

What you really need is a Canon 400mm f/5.6L - lightweight, very fast autofocus, and very very sharp - it's optimised for birds in flight - but unfortunately Nikon don't seem to make anything similar.

I think your best bet would be the Nikon 300mm f/4, with a 1.4x TC if necessary. But there is a global shortage of them at the moment. I'm trying to buy one and I just can't. No UK retailer has one. Neither does One Stop Digital in HK. Even Adorama and B&H in the USA don't. I don't know what Nikon are playing at but it's not very smart.
 
StewartR said:
I think your best bet would be the Nikon 300mm f/4, with a 1.4x TC if necessary. But there is a global shortage of them at the moment. I'm trying to buy one and I just can't. No UK retailer has one. Neither does One Stop Digital in HK. Even Adorama and B&H in the USA don't. I don't know what Nikon are playing at but it's not very smart.
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Must have got one of the last ones then:)

It's a nice combo with the 1.4TC and can be handheld quite easily with a bit of practise.
 
I use a 300 F4 Nikon with the 1.7tc, this gives you 500 at F6.7. For shooting up at the sky,it is fast enough in any weather really plus its not too heavy a set up.

Oh and ignore the websites about tc`s and the 300 f4, it DOES autofocus with the new 1.7 tc.

IMO of course.
 
StewartR said:
But there is a global shortage of them at the moment. I'm trying to buy one and I just can't. No UK retailer has one. Neither does One Stop Digital in HK. Even Adorama and B&H in the USA don't. I don't know what Nikon are playing at but it's not very smart.
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Do you a swap for a 400 2.8......;)
 
The way the economy is going we'll all be able to buy used 400mm 2.8's at about two quid each as everyones business collapses into the great pile of pooh thats out there right now.

I am a 'buy to let' landlord and I just found out that as of last Friday you can't get a mortgage on a house now until you've owned it for over a year, its getting really hard and there's gonna be some tough times for people ahead.

Keep smiling, soon be dead......:):)
 
Actually I don't need to swap a 400mm f/2.8 for a 300mm f/4, because I've just been told that my supplier has got hold of one. I don't know how he does it, but first he got me what might be the only 300mm f/2.8 in the country, and how he's got me what might be the only 300mm f/4 in the country. Top man.

(If you're interested, I buy most of my lenses from Martin's Camera Shop. They're consistently one of the cheapest mainstream UK suppliers, and their customer service is superb - as they've just proven yet again.)
 
StewartR said:
Actually I don't need to swap a 400mm f/2.8 for a 300mm f/4, because I've just been told that my supplier has got hold of one. I don't know how he does it, but first he got me what might be the only 300mm f/2.8 in the country, and how he's got me what might be the only 300mm f/4 in the country. Top man.

(If you're interested, I buy most of my lenses from Martin's Camera Shop. They're consistently one of the cheapest mainstream UK suppliers, and their customer service is superb - as they've just proven yet again.)
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Now I know you are tempted to sell them so, how much do you want for them both ? hehehe !!, an arm ? or a leg ? or both maybe ?
 
blaze_away said:
Now I know you are tempted to sell them so, how much do you want for them both ? hehehe !!, an arm ? or a leg ? or both maybe ?
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I won't sell them to you but I will happily hire them to you. The 300mm f/4 is £41.00/£37.00 per week with/without insurance and the 300mm f/2.8 VR is £159.75/£145.00 per week. (All figures include VAT but not delivery.)
 
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