As the leaves are falling from the trees, the days are drawing to a close earlier than we might like and the evening air is crisp with the smell of winter, we invite you to snuggle down and peruse our website for some of the second – hand investor’s items we now hold in stock, many of which have never been seen on our shelves before.
We now hold a large selection of Mint Nikon SLR bodies, unused in their original boxes, with models such as the Nikon F in chrome, a Nikon F2, a Nikon F2AS, a Chrome FA and even a Mint and unused F5. We also hold collector editions of certain bodies including:
F3 Limited Edition, F3/T Titanium Black Body, FM2N Dragon Millenium Edition, FA Gold Outfit including the matching 50mm f/1.4 AIS lens, and for the rangefinder lovers, an S3 Year 2000 Edition with its hand-made 50mm f/1.4 lens.
This is in addition to our vast range of digital bodies, auto-focus lenses, accessories, manual focus equipment and general rangefinder and vintage equipment.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require any information about these or any other items listed on our website.
A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Telephoto Lenses
Telephoto lenses can be a conundrum to those who know the quality and quantity they want, but can’t decide which length will work best for them. Here are a few pointers to help you choose.
AF-S 200mm f/2G VR II IF-ED vs. AF-S 300mm f/2.8G AF-S VR II IF-ED
This is often a difficult decision considering the similarities in weight and size of these lenses – the 200mm is in fact 300g heavier than the 300mm, which is 2.9kg exactly, but in conjunction with a camera body both are hand-holdable and comfortable with a monopod.
The 200mm focuses closer by almost a foot – 1.9 metres being the exact closest distance. On the 300mm one can focus 2.3 metres away in AF mode, or 10cm closer if choosing to manual focus, which is handy to know if you plan to use either lens for a close up wildlife or sports shot.
Most technical charts will show that the 300mm produces higher contrast images from the centre of the frame to the edges, but DX users have little to worry about as your camera is only using the centre of the lens to take photos and both lenses do produce similar results when wide open.
The main thing to look at when choosing any telephoto lens is whether one wants to use a teleconverter or not. The wider the aperture of the lens, the less light you’ll lose in using a teleconverter, and either of these lenses work fully with full auto-focus functions on the 1.4, 1.7 and 2x teleconverters that Nikon produce.
There are many variants of these two lenses, from manual focus and non-VR versions, to the previous VR I of each, so if you are looking at acquiring one for a little less than the new RRP, do browse our AF lens web listings where we have a few in stock: www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/products/secondhand.php
Image courtesy of Nikon USA – 200mm f/2 taken at f/2, 1/200
Image taken by Mr. Brendan Hohls, F100, 300mm f/2.8, Provia 100F
AF-S 400mm f/2.8G VR IF-ED vs. AF-S 500mm f/4 VR IF-ED
The 400mm is considerably heavier than the 200mm and 300mm at just over 4.6kg, and heavier even than the 500mm f/4, which comes in at 3.88kg, making it a less popular choice. However, it’s definitely well worth looking at for many reasons. On paper it fractionally out-performs all the other telephoto primes when it comes to edge-to-edge contrast and sharpness (from one end of the frame to the other), and is also compatible with the full range of Nikon teleconverters including the TC-20E III, unlike the 500mm f/4, which may work but will slow down its auto-focus motor considerably in poor lighting conditions.
The lighter 500mm gives it enormous appeal, as its weight makes it manageable on a monopod (hand-holding is not for the faint of heart due to its length) and it produces fantastically sharp results. In combination with a 1.7 teleconverter it will give 850mm, or 1275mm on a DX-format camera which allows excellent flexibility for sports, wildlife and any other action shots, without needing to be close to the subject to get the perfect shot.
Images taken by Simon Stafford – www.simonstafford.co.uk
Lionness, D3S + 400mm f/2.8G, f/4, 1/200″
Hippo, D300S + 500mm f/4, f/4, 1/400″
600mm f/4G VR IF-ED
This is the longest prime lens that Nikon now produce, all other longer focal lengths being manual focus and long-since discontinued (although many, such as the 800mm and 1000mm can still be found on our second-hand pages). Weighing 5kg, this is certainly a lens which you would want to take with a tripod attached, but is perfect for photographing subjects where less walking and more actual photography is involved.
Often coupled with a 1.4 or 1.7 teleconverter it will give you up to 1020mm on full-frame cameras, or 1530mm effectively on DX camera bodies, making it a lens which embraces almost any distance-challenging situation.
Image courtesy of Nikon USA. AF-S 600mm f/4G VR, f/4, 1/2000″
If you are planning any trips with weight-restrictions it is worth checking these in order to plan what to take in your camera bag.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions about telephoto lenses or any other Nikon-related matter.
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