70-300mm lens cheats

frckls13

Are there cheats for the Nikon AF 70-300mm lens?

bruto

Assuming you're referring to the AFS 70-300mm f/4.5 to 5.6 VR, it's very close to the 55-300mm in most respects, except for being more robustly made, faster in auto focus, and somewhat more expensive. But the apertures are the same and the focal range mostly the same, so I would expect that the 55-300mm set would work.

The main difference you will find is that, of course where the sheets suggest a focal length of 55mm, as they do in some instances, you will be able to widen only to 70mm. In most instances you will probably just have to stand further back, though in some, such as starscapes or concerts etc., where you cannot move to change the framing, your image will simply not be as wide. For most uses, the difference will be little or none, and from 70mm to 300mm the advantage is likely to be to the 70-300mm for its better AF performance.

One other difference, though not enormous, is that the 70-300mm does not focus quite as close as the 55-300mm. The 55-300mm can get to 41 inches, where I think the 70-300mm only goes to about 51. This will result in slightly less ability to go after bugs and flowers and the like without cropping, but I would not worry about this, especially on a D3200, where a crop of that difference or more is likely not to show in image quality.

This is, of course, assuming you get the AFS VR version. If it is not AFS, then all auto focus instructions will not apply, and if it is not VR, then you may have to work harder to avoid camera shake by increasing shutter speed.

There have been three versions of this lens, as far as I know. The current one is the AFS-VR version. Before that there was a non-VR G version, which may still be available, is quite inexpensive, and considered to be the least good of the three. Before that was an AFD-ED version, which though relatively cheap when new was better than expected. Only the last AFS version will auto focus with a D3200, but all will meter.

frckls13

Thank you for responding to my question. Actually my lens is not the AF because I guess I opted for the least inexpensive version and may not have realized it did not have AF. I don't use it that often, but wasn't sure of settings for let's sports/action shots if there were many differences?

frckls13

I take that back, after looking at my order on Amazon it does say AFS, so I am going to have to look at my lens again and see what I actually have.

Moose

Hi @frckls13 - The 70-300mm "AF" version is somewhat compatible with the 55-200mm set. However, be advised that it won't autofocus with the D3200. The newer "AF-S" version will autofocus and that particular lens is compatible with the 55-300mm cheat cards: https://www.cameratips.com/d5100/cheat-cards#55-300mm