# Has anyone tried the  AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lens???



## purpleorbes (Jan 31, 2017)

Hello all,

Im looking to get a 70-300mm lens and I can get the af-p dx nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3g ed lens new for right at $160.00
If anyone has one of these or has used one or even has any thoughts about it, please let me know what you think of it.

*Thanks*


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## fmw (Jan 31, 2017)

It is cheaply made and slow.  I had one for a day.  I have also used the similar Tamron zoom and personally preferred it to the Nikkor mostly because the build quality was little better.


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## Derrel (Jan 31, 2017)

Might want to check out the review of the Nikon D3400 AND see the comments on this *new lens*, which has been on the market for only a few months.

Nikon D3400 Camera Review | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan 

Check the review of this NEW lens here:
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 AF-P VR DX | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

Excerpt: "
The big surprise is that the new AF-P focus motor is _very_ snappy and nearly silent. Given the low price of this lens and the performance of the older 55-200mm and 55-300mm DX zooms, I was expecting the 70-300mm to be in the same range. Not even close. The new lens is clearly faster than the older DX telephoto zooms in bright light, even with the low end D3400 I was mostly testing it on.

This was especially true of cross point focus sensors: snappy, sometimes faster than you can notice any change to the focus. In good light and with a cross focus sensor, this lens performs right up there with many of the big, expensive lenses, for sure, even on the least expensive Nikon DSLR body."
****
This is NOT the older 70-300 VR lens. And it DOES NOT work on older cameras: make sure about the compatibility. Even fairly "new" cameras cannot use the AF-P focus protocol!


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## jcdeboever (Jan 31, 2017)

Derrel said:


> Might want to check out the review of the Nikon D3400 AND see the comments on this *new lens*, which has been on the market for only a few months.
> 
> Nikon D3400 Camera Review | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan
> 
> ...



Interesting it's only fully compatible on a handful of bodies.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 1, 2017)

I have the D5300 the mpn is 1522 so I think its the one that's compatible. The bundle i bought came with the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6g af-p vr nikkor lens so i figured that af-p would be what I needed.
Thanks for the replys. I appreciate it.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 1, 2017)

One more quick question. Is the VR version worth the extra money?
Thanks guys.


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## expeditedf (Feb 1, 2017)

Yeah, I took it from my friend


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## dunfly (Feb 1, 2017)

I personally would not buy a long lens without vibration reduction (VR).  You would be limited to high shutter speeds or a tripod.  The non VR version came as a kit lens on the D3400, which is probably why you can get it so cheap.


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## astroNikon (Feb 1, 2017)

VR is dependent upon function.

If you take many people photos (non sports, birds in flight, etc) then the VR is beneficial.  The VR is beneficial especially for this lens as teh aperture at 70mm is f/4.5 going to f/6.3 at 300mm.

If you do sports / action photography then you'll be using higher shutter speeds, which VR is not designed to do, thus you turn VR off.

VR doesn't help if the subject is moving.  VR helps if you the photographer is moving slightly while taking the photo at lower shutter speeds.

Also check compatibility. You cannot turn off the VR with a d7100/d7200.  and it's not compatible with most of the older d3x00 and d5x00.

It oddly seems that the VR on/off is menu based, not a switch on the lens ???  Can anyone confirm this?


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## purpleorbes (Feb 1, 2017)

I have the 18-55 af-p dx vr (came with camera)  And i believe you are right there is no on/off switch on it other than through the actual camera menu. I  know, kinda weird me asking about the vr whilst having a lens with it but I am new to photography and have no other lens to compare non vr to.
I found the 70-300mm af-p dx vr ed on ebay for $219.00
so the non vr is $160 and the vr model is $219
sounds like I need a tad more money so I can get the vr lens.
Thanks for all your replys everyone. I appreciate it.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 1, 2017)

Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens!! PRO BUNDLE BRAND NEW!!  | eBay

I can get the lens itself or the above kit. Are the extras in the kit worth the extra $40 bucks?


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## astroNikon (Feb 1, 2017)

purpleorbes said:


> Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens!! PRO BUNDLE BRAND NEW!!  | eBay
> 
> I can get the lens itself or the above kit. Are the extras in the kit worth the extra $40 bucks?


depends how much you value junk!!

Most everything there is pretty much useless.
I'd just get the lens and save yourself a few dollars.

edit: ironically, just checking AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED | Interchangeable Lens from Nikon
the lens *as new* apparently does *not* come with a lens hood.


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## robbins.photo (Feb 1, 2017)

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think Nikon makes a non-VR version of the 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 AF-P ED Lens.

It sounds like maybe the $160 70-300mm lens might not be the AF-P version.  Nikon made multiple versions of the 70-300mm 4.5/5.6 lens, some without VR and some with.  In general I don't recommend the non-VR versions.

As Astro pointed out VR is not essential in all types of shooting, however the older non-VR versions of the 70-300mm do seem to have much poorer reviews and are not as well regarded as the newer VR versions for reasons that are not related to the VR functionality.


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## astroNikon (Feb 1, 2017)

I believe the old non-VR version of the AF 70-300 G also is not AutoFocus compatible with the d3x00 and d5x00 and requires an in-body focus motor, as they are screw AF driven.

Do not get this lens ==> AF Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G from Nikon

Also, you never mentioned which camera you have.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 1, 2017)

Sorry, I have the D5300  mpn:1522
Nikon D5300 Digital SLR Camera + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-P VR NIKKOR Lens Bundle  | eBay

This is the lens im looking at unless i can find a better one for that price.
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras

here is the non vr version of same lens
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras  | eBay


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## robbins.photo (Feb 1, 2017)

purpleorbes said:


> Sorry, I have the D5300  mpn:1522
> Nikon D5300 Digital SLR Camera + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-P VR NIKKOR Lens Bundle  | eBay
> 
> This is the lens im looking at unless i can find a better one for that price.
> ...



Doesn't look like the second lens is a non-VR, the ad does say it is the VR.  However the seller is most likely selling you a grey market item, meaning it wasn't supposed to be sold here in the US, and they are saving money by selling you a lens with a non-US serial number.

Opinions vary on this, a lot.. but me personally, I would never buy a grey market item.  Nikon can and often will refuse to service them, so your stuck dealing with the seller for any sort of warranty, that's if they will do anything at all.

But of course after the warranty period expires, then your stuck.  If you have a problem with the lens after that, it's very possible that no Nikon authorized repair center will repair it even out of warranty.  For me that's not worth saving a couple of extra bucks on the thing up front.


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## dunfly (Feb 2, 2017)

Just to correct some information, there is a non VR version of the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm.

AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED | Interchangeable Lens from Nikon

vs

AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR | Interchangeable Lens from Nikon

That being said, if I had a D5300, I would add the more compatible but older AF-s Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR DX ED 
*Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR DX AF-S ED Zoom-Nikkor Lens - Factory Refurbished includes Full 1 Year Warranty*


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## robbins.photo (Feb 2, 2017)

dunfly said:


> Just to correct some misinformation, there is a non VR version of the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm.
> 
> AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED | Interchangeable Lens from Nikon
> 
> ...



Interesting.  Wasn't aware they made a non-VR version.  That's a little unusual for a new Nikon lens.


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## astroNikon (Feb 2, 2017)

robbins.photo said:


> dunfly said:
> 
> 
> > Just to correct some misinformation, there is a non VR version of the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm.
> ...


they're pushing the lens for HD video ... not sure if that makes a difference.


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## robbins.photo (Feb 2, 2017)

astroNikon said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > dunfly said:
> ...



Never really bothered to research the lens when it came out, won't ever end up buying one so it wasn't on my list of stuff to look at.  With the 70-200mm 2.8 if I did have one it would just sit in the bag all the time, same reason I sold my Tamron 70-300mm VC.  Nice lens, just never really had much use for it after getting the 70-200mm.


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## pixmedic (Feb 2, 2017)

spend a little more money and get the nikkor 70-300 VRII lens. 
its an FX lens, so useful if you ever upgrade to full frame. 
I owned this lens and loved it. fast AF, VR worked great, well built. 
can be had for around $300 used. 

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED from Nikon


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## purpleorbes (Feb 3, 2017)

Its not that I want to go go "grey market" but it's literally all I can afford. It took me around a year and half just to get the cash for the D5300. 
I would love to get nikkor 70-300 VRII lens one of these days (along with many other good lenses!) It's not that I'm cheap, just broke and trying to get by while learning photography and equipment.
Thanks for all the reply's and info! I really appreciate it!


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## Derrel (Feb 3, 2017)

The thing is, if you read the Thom Hogan reviews of the D3400 and the 70-300 AF-P DX VR lens--the new DX lens is actually BETTER in almost all ways than the older (10+ years now) 70-300 VR lens! Thom mentions the surprisingly FAST AF speed of the new 70-300 AF-P zoom, and several times he uses the word "Better", when comparing this to the older full-frame AF-S VR model 70-200 and the focusing speed of other high-end lenses.

In his D3400 review, he states that new AF-P focusing system seems to work BETTER than the AF-S motor in the older lens, and the AF-P lens seems to have better optics as well. This is one of those cases where new, consumer-level gear is just,well, better than stuff that was designed a decade ago. Plus, designing a lens for a smaller image circle can sometimes make for a very good-performing lens: it seems like Nikon has designed the new AF-P lens to be optimal on 24-MP-plus DX sensors, and only on the very-newest Nikon DX cameras; the AF-S VR model was from back in the era of 10 or 12 megapixels on APS-C. Considering that the 70-300 AF-P offers focusing speed that he says is comparable to a 70-200 pro lens...it sure sounds like a marked improvement to me over the other, earlier 70-300 lenses for DX users.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 4, 2017)

I just read that article earlier this morning.


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## astroNikon (Feb 5, 2017)

The oddest part of that lens is the VR control is now software based, in your menu.  
And you have to have a camera that supports it.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 5, 2017)

astroNikon said:


> The oddest part of that lens is the VR control is now software based, in your menu.
> And you have to have a camera that supports it.



It took me a few to figure that out on my af-p 18-55mm VR


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## purpleorbes (Feb 5, 2017)

Astro.. Little off topic but can you see the Auroras from SE Michigan at times?


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## astroNikon (Feb 5, 2017)

purpleorbes said:


> Astro.. Little off topic but can you see the Auroras from SE Michigan at times?


No.
You have to venture further west away from the big city area or further north.  You don't have to go very far, about 50-100 miles to see "glimpses" of it.  But nothing that you would get if you go to northern lower Michigan or upper Michigan.


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## droaingsong (Feb 6, 2017)

astroNikon said:


> The oddest part of that lens is the VR control is now software based, in your menu.
> And you have to have a camera that supports it.


VR control by software is not my favourite part.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 22, 2017)

Sorry guys, 
1 more question on this.

F-Mount Lens/DX Format
105-450mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/4.5-6.3 to f/32
One Extra-Low Dispersion Element 
what does 105-450mm (35mm equivalent) mean?
Is it really a 105-450mm or a 100-300mm?


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## astroNikon (Feb 22, 2017)

A Nikon DX camera has a crop factor of 1.5x
That means if you have a 50mm lens the "Field Of View" is like a 75mm lens for the DX camera.

So a "105-450" equivalent FOV would be a 70-300mm lens


FYI, once again, with a AF-P  lens make sure it is compatible with the camera. The camera needs software controlled (a) VR and (b) AF/MF which only a couple Nikon cameras have.  There are no switches on the camera like other lenses, so the camera needs to do all of that.


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## purpleorbes (Feb 22, 2017)

Thanks Astro. I was a little (more than a little) lost about that. I have the right cam..luckily.


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