Customer Reviews
Excellent Zoom Lens 
2008-06-09
This is an excellent zoom lens. Among the top two zoom lenses on the market for amateurs (18-200 Af-s VR, being the other but more expensive by about $200). Relatively inexpensive when compared to other VR lenses but with better zoom range. The lens is a bit on the heavy side for my Nikon D40 however since I am primary a wildlife photographer it has become my primary lens. This lens feels very solid and well built even though it is primarily made of plastic. It has a very large focus ring and is comfortable to use. The focus is extremely fast and very quiet. The VR feature is a must with out a tripod and comes in handy a lot.
A compromise without compromise 
2008-06-07
This lens can appear as a compromise. There are much cheaper 70-300 mm zooms out there, including one from Nikon. There is the high end, expensive 70-300 Nikkor for professionals, and, most of all, there is the ubiquitous 17-200 VR which covers most of the range, has great quality,and converts in effect your SLR into a high quality all in one camera. With a 17-200 VR you probably change lenses ... never.
So why buy a 70-300 VR ? Because of the extra range ? Yes. Because of the quality ? Yes. Because of the bokeh ? Mmmm. Because you made the mistake of buying the kit zoom ( 17-150 non VR) ? Probably for some.
Pros... just an excellent lens if you do not need the super professional feature.
Cons.. more weight and clunky lens changes, dust on your detector and twice as many filters vs a comprehensive zoom lens...
Bottom line : if you have the wide shoulders and the intermediate budget, a purchase you will not regret. Good autofocus. Good Vibration reduction. Great jawdropping detail. Superb workmanship. And if you want lightweight, carry a point and shoot also, you won't even feel the difference in the bag.
On my camera 70% of the time. 2008-06-06
I enjoy nature photography which sometimes means you can't get close. My hands are a little shakey and until purchasing this lens i had to have alot of light to shoot my subjects. It does what it's supposed to though it tends to miss the focus in low light at 300mm but just give it a little help and you're good to go. this has saved me many times following deer in low light in the evenings. [...]
Nikor 7-300mm zoom lens 2008-05-31
Outstanding lens. Stabilization is a key feature.
The vendor delivered as promised -- on time and packaged securely.
A good purchase through an Amazon vendor.
Great Lens to Value Ratio, I love it 2008-05-28
I have used this lense in various situations and can't complain. Like any lense I purchase I purposely test the lense in many situations which for this amatuer tells me what I will primarily shoot with this lense.
The dollars spent most likely went into the 17 glass elements as the casing is plastic which helps reduce the weight and that is important in many ways using this larger lense. It will help with simple hand held shots in bright light along with the assistance of the VR of which I think is great as I have other lenses with VR which have saved me numerous times.
As many of you may have noticed this lense has come down a couple hundred dollars since it's first time on Amazon last year. All in all I think is it a great lense, good value with allot of versatility. Again like with any lense test it out in all typs of situations and changing f-stops and speeds and so on. With most places, amazon you have 15-30 days depending on vendor to return the item it if is not what you expect or want.
Great lens 2008-06-23
So I was deciding between the 18-200mm and the 70-300mm lenses. I have a d40 which came with a great 18-55mm kit lens, so after much deliberation, I came to the conclusion to go with the 70-300mm. I reasoned that the gap from 50-70mm isn't a big deal for me (I have 2 perfectly functional feet, after all). The 70-300mm was also considerably cheaper.
After 1 month of the lens, all I can say is that I am extremely happy with my decision. I have taken it to the Outer Banks, the zoo, and the park, and I am happy with the extra "reach" I get with the 300mm. The VR works great, especially at the long end, allowing me to shoot at lower ISO settings and Bigger appertures than I would otherwise be able to use.
If you have any question whether this lens is worth it, the answer is yes...just get it and be prepared to be amazed.
Is that a Telephoto Lens in your Pocket or... 2008-06-23
Before purchasing this lens, I had the Nikon 55 - 200mm zoom lens for my Nikon D50. It is a high quality and versatile lens, but there were times where I would have liked to have had greater magnification. When I looked at the 70- 300mm zoom, I thought, this is it... I've had the 70 -300 mm lens for two weeks and it is a great lens. It has taken me awhile to get used to its quirks. It isn't completely automatic like the 55 - 200 mm zoom. There is a manual focus ring that even in M/A mode needs to be set, so you need to compose a shot very carefully if the image isn't at infinity, but once mastered, the image quality is superb.
Wow. 2008-06-18
Amazing product, even more amazing shipping time. Ordered Tuesday night at 11pm, received on Wednesday afternoon around 1pm. Wow, wow, wow. I love this lens!
Excellent 2008-06-16
This is a nice lens at a reasonable price. Nikkor adds the VR which makes this lens worth is weight.
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom 2008-06-10
This lens is probably one of the the best bargains on the market today. It feels a little plasticky but very well built and above all it is razor sharp in the whole range of 70-300mm. I have the expensive pro lenses to compare it with and this lens is no slouch, it holds up against the best pro lenses especially when it stopped down to f/8-11.
Above all the best part is the fact that this lens is light weight and compact so it is always with me when I go for a short hike or walk and the heavy pro lenses stay in the bag. Highly recommend it to anybody.
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
