Testing the 300

It's here and I'm climbing the steep learning curve. My Nikon 300mm AF-S f4 lens is huge, heavy and absolutely amazing. I love it. I'm learning how and when to use it. I bought this lens for photographing wildlife. The close-focusing capability makes it very good for macro type photography as well. But, the extreme length magnifies the effect of camera shake. It is not graced with Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) technology. Using is a tripod is almost mandatory. That defeats my purpose. It's okay for static subjects but I want to be mobile; to stalk my photographic prey. A butterfly is erratic, not a tripod type subject. So far, I am shooting with wide-open aperture, high ISO settings, and the fastest shutter speed possible. Still, there is some shake evident in the butterfly image. But, I'm getting better. It will take lots of practice.

Though I didn't use one, this xenia image is the perfect example of a tripod type image. I got around the use of a tripod by using a shutter speed of 1/2500. I hate hauling a tripod around. But, my stated intention for the lens is wildlife. :-)

Stalking buzzards (turkey vulture) has given me some practice at my intended purpose. Again, the shake is a problem but in well-lit conditions, I can hold the lens steady. I tried a monopod but that inhibits my stalking. The bigger problem may be my stalking technique. I probably need more length. This buzzard shot is decent but it is cropped. I want to be this close without cropping. A cheap 1.4X extender is $300. Jane already knows that. :-)

As for fast focusing, I got this shot of my neighbor running across the lawn between our houses to "help me." That's Sadie. She is wound tight. If my lens can focus on her in action, it can focus on anything. Ha Ha Ha.

The eBay dispute over the Tokina 12-24mm is near an end. The lens is in my bag and it works. I'm negotiating now for a refund of my $17.65 shipping costs for having it repaired. We're almost ready for our trip to Utah. Hope the fires haven't destroyed Utah before we get there. :-(

l8r