> I'm about to make a once in a lifetime purchase of a long Nikkor > telephoto. Before making the wrong choice I would like some > opinions from experienced members of this group. > > I have narrowed my choices down to the 400 f2.8 AF-S and 500 f4 > AF-S. The primary use will be for wildlife, from birds up to > large mammals. I saw a used 800mm f/5.6 Nikkor for sale and got it. The fact that it came up at a good price made the decision easier for me. If I were buying new it would be tougher but I offer one thing: The 800 is sure sometimes too heavy but it is NEVER too long!! In fact it pretty much has a TC-14B permanently attached to it. While it would be lovely to have all that speed of the 400 f/2.8 . . . it just isn't long enough for me. Most of the time I'd likely have a 2X converter on it, thereby losing AF (with N's TC's anyhow). The 400 is too short IMO and the 500 f/4 is almost too short as well. Mortgage the house and get the 600mm f/4 AF instead. <wry g> -- Terence A. Danks Nova Scotia, Canada http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/danksta/home.htm
