Learn something new every day

[thegrump]

I purchased a 70 - 300 on line. Second hand and not dear.

[hide][top]Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm

Nikon nikkor 70-300mm lens. Pretty good condition, 1:4-5.6. Has 62mm uv filter and lens caps on both ends.

I assumed the AF stands for autofocus.

It arrived today, so having a play with it. mmmmm no autofocus

do a bit of research and find this

Product Packaging: Standard Packaging

• Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Nikkor SLR Camera Lens
• Accepts 62mm filters
• Count on genuine Nikon optics for outstanding picture quality
• Compact and lightweight, this 4.3x autofocus zoom lens is ideal for candid shots, portraits, travel and sports photography
• This is a G designated lens, not ED series. It is fully compatible with the F5, F100, N80, N65, N60, N50, N4004-series, PRONEA 6i, PRONEA S, D100 and D-series cameras, but not compatible with other Nikon cameras. For the F4, N90-series, N70, N8008-series and N6006 cameras, only programmed auto or shutter-priority auto exposure mode can be used. AF is not supported by D40,D40X, D60, D3000 & D5000 cameras.

Not supported by D3000 series. Another lesson.....

[ameerat42]

Hmm! Alright! Well, if you didn't have a 300mm before, and if it was cheap...

[arthurking83]

Yes!

All you had to do was ask here and you'd have got a million responses.
All those consumer end Nikon bodies NEED and AF-S type lens.

Note that there are two types of AF-S definitions with respect to focusing and Nikon gear.

1. the main use of AF-S in Nikon circles relates to AF-S lenses, where the af motor is built into the lens itself.
Any AF or AF-D marking on the lens simply means that the body does the focusing via the AF motor in the body itself.
So if you had say a Nikon D50 or D70/D80/D90 body instead, your AF lens would AF .. but you'd probably hate it!

2. AF-S is also a focusing mode in Nikon bodies.
This nomenclature represents the AF Single shot mode, which is different to the AF-C(continuous mode) or the AF-A(auto) modes.

So, where AF-S can be represented as a model name ON a lens .. it's a totally different meaning with respect to the AF-S meaning in the focus mode you choose.

The 70-300 lens you would have been looking for for the D3000 series cameras would have been the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED (a bit expensive for what it is!)

Other alternatives for much less also exist too:
I think the Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 HSM lens is probably a better value for money option, only because it loses nothing in terms of ability and is much cheaper.
Here's a link to the now discontinued version from about 2008.

Look at the images carefully and note what is important on this lens is the number of lens contacts at the mount!
So when you search for such a lens, you want actual images of it, or the fact that it's got HSM in the model name.
Look at the mount end of the Sigma lens in the link and note the 10 small silver dots on the black band at the mount.
This means that the lens has an internal focus motor and can hence focus on a D3000/5000 model Nikon .. etc.

Note that these lenses would be a dime a dozen on ebay because they were cheap from new(about $200 or so) ... so you wouldn't pay anything over $100 for one.
Sigma also had an OS(stabilised) version as well.

Also Tamron also makes a 70-300VC lens too which would also be at the much cheaper end compared to the Nikon VR lens. Again, I reckon it gives nothing away in terms of ability too.

The real lesson you probably have learned here is even when not in doubt .. be in doubt!
All you gott'a do is request some opinions before you hit the big red button!

[bricat]

I'm glad I bought Canon!!! Even then when looking second hand you had to make sure it was an EF lens: fits all EOS cameras or EFS for cropped bodies.
Wait a couple of weeks when there is none of those lenses for sale and re-list it. You might make a profit? cheers brian

[kevin301]

A good excuse (as if one was really needed ) to switch to another camera body!
Might I suggest the D600/D610

[arthurking83]

A good excuse (as if one was really needed ) to switch to another camera body!
Might I suggest the D600/D610

would be

.. but I suspect, probably as many of us could be in a similar boat ... dogdy inflatable rubber dinghy .... $$$$'s are a key ingredient (lacking) here.

[thegrump]

would be

.. but I suspect, probably as many of us could be in a similar boat ... dodgy inflatable rubber dinghy .... $$$$'s are a key ingredient (lacking) here.

Too right...

[kevin301]

would be

.. but I suspect, probably as many of us could be in a similar boat ... dogdy inflatable rubber dinghy .... $$$$'s are a key ingredient (lacking) here.

I can feel the air leaking out of my dinghy now...

[arthurking83]

Mine was acquired from <a certain supermarket chain originating in Germany, with a blueish insignia and with a very limited range of brand or product availability> many many moons ago .. and even tho it has never been used(or even out of the carton!) .. I'm not wasting my breath to determine if it's even in a state that could be considered ... 'inflatable'.

So dodgy inflatable rubber dinghies .. $$$'s and the lack thereof .... form an all too familiar and natural symbiosis with respect to myself.