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Writer's pictureTakashi Iwamoto

AFS Nikkor 300mm f4D, Solid Sanyon, Lens Review

Updated: Aug 11, 2022




Since we delivered about Sannippa last time, this time we will deliver about Sanyon.


Nikon's latest model also has an ultra-compact Sanyon that uses PF and phase Frenerels, but I would like to introduce a slightly older model before that.


Even before, it is still the current model (2020).


content

300mm lens that I have used many times

  1. Full time manual

  2. Lens configuration and airtightness

  3. The shortest shooting distance that comes in handy is 1.45 meters!

  4. High image quality that can be used from full aperture even at the shortest shooting distance

  5. When choosing Sanyon

  6. Useful filter diameter 77mm

  7. Old Sanyoung, lens drawbacks

  8. summary


 


1. 300mm lens that I have used many times


I have used many 300mm lenses and the caretaker himself.

The 300mm lens is a standard lens for taking pictures of natural objects such as wild animals and wild birds.

That is the reason why I have used many 300mm.


The AF Nikkor ED300mmf4S was purchased early after I started using Nikon, and this is Sanyon, which goes back two generations ago.

In this blog, I will refer to it as old and old Sanyoung.


How many years ago did you buy this old and old Sanyon? When I was still a student, was it 1992?

Until then, the telephoto lens used the Pentax 75mm astronomical telescope, the EDHF75, as a 500mm telephoto lens.

The aperture is 75mm, the brightness is f6.7, and the lens configuration is 3 elements in 2 groups.


This telescope has two groups of lenses and only four reflective surfaces.

In addition to the super multi-coat with high transmittance, of course, I didn't attach a protective filter, so I remember that it was outstandingly good.


At that time, the lens I personally brought with me when I was young (20 years old), the caretaker of the animal fantasy. The program also used the scene where a brown bear was found with this lens (telescope).

It is also a memorable lens when I stayed in Daisetsuzan for 3 months.


Regarding the lack of image, the old and old Sanyon, which uses many lenses, lost to this Pentax telescope.

The old and old Sanyon couldn't be beaten because the front protective filter and the rear insertion filter already added two groups and the main lens group.


However, the weight of the Pentax telescope is 2.5 kilograms, but its compactness is 1.3 kilograms.

The brightness is as bright as F4, the aperture can be set freely, the shortest shooting distance is short, and the operability is unmatched by a telescope as a camera lens.

As a matter of course, in terms of its usability, the former and old Sanyoung were better off.

Lenses designed for cameras, of course.


This old and old Sanyon has a shortest shooting distance of 2.5m, which is a little far from the lens at this time, so it was not enough for shooting up a small squirrel, so I used an intermediate ring.

It's nice to be able to take close-up shots with the middle ring, but it's out of focus in the distance.


Even if an unexpected photo opportunity came around in the distance, such a photo opportunity escaped while the middle ring was removed.


In 1996, the F5 was released by Nikon, and lenses using ultrasonic motors came out, and Nikon cameras became able to use autofocus as it was.

The old and old gear-driven Sanyon, which uses an in-body motor to drive the autofocus in the lens, was becoming more and more different from the Canon in terms of autofocus speed.

How many times did the manager himself decide to switch to Canon?


Until then, Nikon's autofocus seemed to be a bonus.

Not bad, it's a camera that's very easy to grab the mountain of focus on the viewfinder screen, and it's so solid that you don't even have to use autofocus.


That's why the Ai AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f / 4D IF-ED, a Sanyon with a built-in ultrasonic motor inside the lens, which Nikon users have been waiting for, was released in October 2000.


As for the sunnipper, a new one with a built-in ultrasonic motor came out at the same time as the release of F5 in 1996.

It will have appeared four years later.



2, full-time manual


An ultrasonic motor is built into the lens to drive autofocus, and the focus speed is much faster than the old and old Sanyon, which transmits the rotation of the motor inside the camera.

The change is very large, and it can be said that it is a detonation velocity.


It moves much faster than turning the focus ring by hand.

While it is also controlled.

At that speed, it stops at the focus position.


With that much faster AF speed, autofocus is far more advantageous than manual for many subjects.


In addition, one of the notable and improved operation systems is the full-time manual. It is a function that can be operated manually at any time during autofocus.


The operation system of this full-time manual is very easy to use.

There is no need to switch between autofocus and manual focus, and you can operate it manually at any time during shooting.

If you're messing around with the autofocus switch while shooting, wild animals and wild birds will run away from your photo opportunity.



3, lens switches


The lens configuration is 10 elements in 6 groups using 2 ED lenses. It is summarized as few as 6 groups.

The coating has improved, and the light-shielding treatment on the inner surface seems to have improved, making it even better than the old and old Sanyon.

It's hard to get flare, etc., so you can see it even if you look through the viewfinder.


Although it is not a dust-proof and drip-proof structure, the airtightness is better than before, and it is harder for dust to enter compared to the old and old Sanyon.


Two switches on the lens,


Two focus-related switches on the left side of the lens



M / A and M selector switch.

There is no setting that disables manual operation only for A (autofocus) attached to the sunnipper.


The other switch is the shooting distance, FUll and ∞-3m switch.


I use this distance changeover switch quite a lot.

For general shooting, it is convenient to set the distance to 3m or more and ∞-3m.


Simple, necessary and sufficient setting switches.

Focus information can be seen through the plastic window.


This scale is quite useful.

In the case of this lens, there is no pan focus, but the range and amount of light emitted by flash photography can be determined.

Also, when shooting celestial bodies or manually shooting on a tripod, I use it to check the current state of focus.


However, when looking into it from the camera side, the numbers on the M (meter) side are hidden and difficult to see.



4, the shortest shooting distance that comes in handy is 1.45 meters!


Shortest shooting distance 1.45 meters



Another notable point of this lens is that its shortest shooting distance is 1.45 meters, which is overwhelmingly short, 2.5 meters of the old and old Sanyon.


In addition, the image quality is high enough to be used from full aperture up to the shortest shooting distance!


There are quite a few lenses that can't take big pictures because the shooting magnification doesn't increase even if you get close to them, but this lens can take quite a lot of pictures!

Therefore, it can also be used as a macro lens.

You will rarely need an intermediate ring or close-up lens.


Two photos taken at the shortest shooting distance are shown below to make it easier to see how close the shortest 1.45 meters can be.


Shooting with the predecessor F3 and 50mm f1.2 as models at the shortest shooting distance.

First, shoot with a sunnipper at the shortest shooting distance of 2.5 meters.

The old and old Sanyoung are about this size.

It turns out that small animals such as squirrels are a little unsatisfactory.



AF Nikkor ED 300mm f2.8D Shooting at the shortest shooting distance, 2.5 meters open



2.5 meters at 300 mm,

At this level, when shooting small animals, I often feel that the approach is not enough.


And below is Sanyoung's shortest shooting distance of 1.45 meters.



Ai AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f / 4D IF-ED Shooting with the shortest shooting distance 1.45m open



If you look at the picture above, you can see that it has an overwhelming proximity ability compared to the shooting distance of 2.5 meters.



5. High image quality that can be used from the widest even at the shortest shooting distance


The texture of the paint on the 50mm f1.2 lens is also transmitted, giving a sharp image that seems to be a short focus.

The bokeh seems to be short focus, straightforward and has no habit, and the camera body and F3T characters are also beautifully and naturally blurred.


The filter diameter of 50mm f1.2 is 52mm.

It is estimated that a range of about 13 cm on the long side fits on the screen.


The maximum shooting magnification is 1: 3.6.


When I put it out to the same pixel size



I cropped the above photo to the same size as the pixel and cropped the range of 600x900 pixels.


You can see some sweetness, but if you can open it up to this extent, you can use it with the shortest opening.

When shooting flowers, animals, people, etc., it is often the case that some sweetness remains softer and more beautiful.


The characteristics of MTF are defeated by the new VR and PF Sanyon at 30 high frequencies, but the old Sanyon goes up in the peripheral area at 10 low frequencies.

Anyway, it comes out very flat while leaving some softness to the edge of the screen.

The MTF curve does not seem to be a lie.


Just squeeze half a step to tighten the entire screen.



6, when choosing Sanyoung


It is less than half the weight and compactness of the sunnipper.

I use this lens when I can't use the sunnipper, or when it's difficult to use the sunnipper and I need mobility.

Another advantage is using Sanyon.


Another reason to use Sanyon is

  • When you need the shortest shooting distance

  • When shooting something through an iron grill that interferes with a sunnipper

  • When using filter work, you can use your own 77mm filter

  • When a large amount of dimming is required for shooting the sun, etc.

Etc.


Its compactness and high mobility are very useful for overseas expeditions, especially when climbing mountains.


If you have a teleconverter and this Sanyon, you can shoot wild animals and wild birds.


Below is a picture taken in Simian Mountain, Ethiopia.



Bearded vulture that lives only in the highlands of northern Africa



Simian Mountain is located in the northern part of Ethiopia and is a highland registered as a World Heritage Site.


This bearded vulture may have come to see the caretaker walking on the cliff.

When I went around low in the sky, I flew to the sky dashingly using the updraft rising up the cliff, and soon disappeared.


An ultrasonic motor is used and the autofocus speed is fast, so even the above-mentioned momentary events can be fully dealt with.


A full-time manual in the unlikely event that the subject is out of focus is also useful.


The focus stroke is long enough and it is very easy to operate manually.



Cardinal woodpecker couple


If you have a camera with the above conditions and a good viewfinder screen, you can focus with autofocus and then shoot with manual focus without switching.


Manual focus allows you to focus anywhere on the screen faster than messing around with the AF focus area.



7, handy filter diameter 77mm


Also, the filter diameter of 77mm is useful for use.

The filter diameter of the old and old Sanyon was 82 mm or 39 mm, and filter work was rarely used.


Considering the cost-effectiveness for one lens, it is difficult to buy a filter.

The price is high because the caliber is large.

In addition, the luggage will be increased.


The filter diameter of 77mm is the same filter size as the previous 3rd element 24-70mm f2.8 and 70-200mm f2.8.


That's why you can use the filters you already have abundantly without waste.



8, old Sanyoung, lens drawbacks


I would like to call it an excellent lens without saying anything, but this lens has a very big defect that can be said to be a defect.


It's a tripod mount that can be rotated and removed, but it's very weak to make, and even with a strong tripod and head, it's easy to shake when the shutter speed slows down.

It's so poor that you can see it bend when you touch it with your hands and touch it with a little force.


Therefore, when using a tripod, even if the balance becomes the front center of gravity, it is better to attach a tripod to the camera to reduce blurring.


In such a case, the center of gravity becomes the front center of gravity and the balance becomes very poor, so a pan head that can firmly fix the upper and lower tilts is required.


The old and old Sanyon tripod mounts were short, so that wasn't the case.


The result is greedy, with thinning to achieve weight reduction, and a height that allows fingers to enter.



It's nice to have the fingers long enough to fit between the tripod mounts, but it seems that the tripod mounts have been made too thin, probably because of the weight reduction.


It seems that as a result of compromise, we have created a tripod mount that can not be used, either by incorporating the selfishness of the user or by incorporating the opinions of the in-house Ella.


It's a selfish speculation, but the technical side may have rebelled.

I'm sorry for all the delusions.




9, Summary


Compared to Sunnipper, Sanyon has a much more compact lens, making it easy to take with you.

However, since the lens is light, it is more difficult to decide without blurring than a heavy sunnipper that weighs more than 3 kg in the experience of the manager.


If you take that into consideration, it's a lens that makes it easy to take masterpiece photos.

You need a tripod to make a firm decision without blurring, but this lens and the poor tripod mount are a nuisance.


Even if you use a tripod to prevent blurring, it will blur due to the weakness of the tripod mount as before.

It's a shame that the tripod mount is weak, despite the fact that the lens is perfect and has very high performance.



New PFVR Sanyoung,


The latest lens that is even larger, lighter and more compact.

300mm that combines a phase Fresnel lens and a VR lens.

The image stabilization is also 4.5 steps, which is quite attractive.


I don't really rely on how this image stabilization number is calculated, but it seems to be quite usable.

The lens is also light and compact, so there's no need for a tripod mount.


If I try to shoot compactly, I use a tripod so that it doesn't shake even if I use Sanyon, and if I have more luggage, I'm overwhelmed.

And even though I used a tripod, if the tripod mount is poor and shakes, I can't even ask what the tripod is for.


The AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f / 4E PF ED VR, a new Sanyon equipped with image stabilization for such lenses, is even more appealing.


Image stabilization is not very necessary for Sunnipper, but I feel the importance of image stabilization for easy shooting.


In any case, this Sanyon, AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f / 4D IF-ED, which is almost perfect in terms of image quality, will be used more in the future.


Other than the tripod mount, this lens is a very good lens with no complaints.




Until the end Thank you for reading.

 

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