Is a non-VR Nikon 70-300mm a good budget bird lens for a Nikon D40?
Asked 12/29/2011
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I'm new to bird photography and use a Nikon D40 on a tight budget. I've seen older non-VR Nikon 70-300mm lenses at low prices and am wondering if one is worth considering for birds. I already struggle with camera shake using the kit lens, though I do have a tripod. Would this lens be practical on a D40, or should I look at other options instead?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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In my experience an f4-5.6 lens at 300mm is challenging to use, especially without VR. A tripod will certainly help, but hand holding was difficult for me in anything but very bright light.
A potentially bigger issue though: Looking at the availble Nikon non-VR 70-300 lenses, I don't believe any of them are AF-S. This doesn't mean you can't use them, but it does mean that your D40 won't be able to autofocus. How serious this is is an issue of preference.
Originally by user4843. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4843
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A non-VR Nikon 70-300mm is generally not a great choice for bird photography on a D40. At 300mm and f/4-5.6, it can be hard to use without vibration reduction unless you're in bright light or on a tripod. For birds, that combination also limits shutter speed, which makes both camera shake and subject motion more of a problem.
A bigger issue is compatibility: the older non-VR 70-300mm Nikon versions are typically not AF-S, so your D40 would not autofocus with them. Manual focus on birds is possible, but usually frustrating for a beginner.
Image quality is another concern: community feedback says this lens is soft at 300mm, to the point that a sharper 200mm lens plus cropping can look similar.
If possible, the Nikon 70-300mm VR is the better option. If considering alternatives, make sure any Nikon lens for the D40 is AF-S if you want autofocus. A used 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-S was also suggested as a stronger performer, though it's a different type of lens and may need a teleconverter for more reach.
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