Purchased The Nikon 400mm 2.8

[tiny123]

My Amex was smoking but i had to do it! I was sick of using the 70-200mm with the 1.7 tel.

First question:

How do you pack away the hood?

And if anyone has the nkon cl-2 soft case, how do you pack your 400mm into it?

Love the lens. Sharp as hell!!!

Will post them later.

 

[Gary Mayo]

Enjoy that lens! Post pics!

 

[tiny123]

Thanks i have to hit the gym to carry this thing. I brought a induro Carbon mono pole with it also.

 

[JimboJones]

the VR version I am looking into this lens would love to se some pictures :smile:

 

[shtarka1]

Congrats! Now Light It Up!

 

[little big man]

My Amex was smoking but i had to do it! I was sick of using the 70-200mm with the 1.7 tel.

First question:

How do you pack away the hood?

And if anyone has the nkon cl-2 soft case, how do you pack your 400mm into it?

Love the lens. Sharp as hell!!!

Will post them later.

Buy the aftermarket foot for it - you'll never get it to pack well into a backpack or other unless you have the lower profile foot.

As for the hood, I put it loosely around the front of the lens in a Lowepro. I turn down the locking knobs so they sit lower into the hood and don't catch on stuff and break off. Nikon charges $43.50 just for the knobs, btw!

Sean

 

[Randy]

did u get the VR version (damn u btw)

 

[MikeMcA²]

I agree on the aftermarket foot (really like the RRS), and I keep my AF-S II in the Trekker 600 with dual hood in place.

 

[DanD]

The only lens I truly "lust" after. But using a monopod? Think I would have gotten a tripod...maybe with a Wimberly to boot. I would need all the steadiness I could muster.

Congratulations and enjoy!!

 

[spalding12]

congrats
great purchase
can't wait to see you put it to GOOD USE

 

[tiny123]

did u get the VR version (damn u btw)

yup I got the VR 2.8 :tongue:

 

[tiny123]

Buy the aftermarket foot for it - you'll never get it to pack well into a backpack or other unless you have the lower profile foot.

As for the hood, I put it loosely around the front of the lens in a Lowepro. I turn down the locking knobs so they sit lower into the hood and don't catch on stuff and break off. Nikon charges $43.50 just for the knobs, btw!

Sean

Thanks my lens did come with a lower profile monopod foot.

 

[Cleanmaxx Brian]

NICE!!! Finally some long glass Congrats!!!
That lens is killer with a TC as well! The f2.8 will help when the sun goes down too...
B&H I am guessing?
Lets see some samples!

I just got a TC14EII and with the 200-400f4 went out looking for wild life. All hand held...and on a D300 body means even more reach (more chance of blur!). This is what i came up with:

http://www.pbase.com/cleanmaxx_brian/tc14test

My favorite of the day:

and

 

[tiny123]

NICE!!! Finally some long glass Congrats!!!
That lens is killer with a TC as well! The f2.8 will help when the sun goes down too...
B&H I am guessing?
Lets see some samples!

I just got a TC14EII and with the 200-400f4 went out looking for wild life. All hand held...and on a D300 body means even more reach (more chance of blur!). This is what i came up with:

http://www.pbase.com/cleanmaxx_brian/tc14test

My favorite of the day:

and

Woah!!!! NICE PICS! yeah im going to hit the ponds in the Phelham Bay mabey tommorow morning, but i have a invite to sit on top of the ferry terminal building tommorow, DOT employees only, and im going to go there prepared for some fireworks! Its gonna be a blast, pardon the pun. Im gonna take my D3 with the 14-24mm on a pod and my D300 handheld with my 85mm 1.4 for the low light.

Dougie told me there was a hawk a few days back that you shot. You have those pictures around?

 

[TimK]

Nice pics, Brian! I am sure you'll like that lens.

The foot is a joke though - you can see it working like a spring on the tripod's head! I have replaced mine:

A friend of mine is using it handheld all the time and get excellent results. (He also has biceps the size of my thighs!)

My 400/2.8 AFS-II is a bit soft wide open. I think it becomes really really shape at arouynd f4.5 - f5. Do you found the same with the new version?

Oh yes, this lens works very well with TCs, even the 2.0.

 

[tiny123]

Nice pics, Brian! I am sure you'll like that lens.

The foot is a joke though - you can see it working like a spring on the tripod's head! I have replaced mine:

A friend of mine is using it handheld all the time and get excellent results. (He also has biceps the size of my thighs!)

My 400/2.8 AFS-II is a bit soft wide open. I think it becomes really really shape at arouynd f4.5 - f5. Do you found the same with the new version?

Oh yes, this lens works very well with TCs, even the 2.0.

WOW is that a custom handle? Or did you buy it prefab? Can you take a few more holding it?

 

[Cleanmaxx Brian]

Woah!!!! NICE PICS! yeah im going to hit the ponds in the Phelham Bay mabey tommorow morning, but i have a invite to sit on top of the ferry terminal building tommorow, DOT employees only, and im going to go there prepared for some fireworks! Its gonna be a blast, pardon the pun. Im gonna take my D3 with the 14-24mm on a pod and my D300 handheld with my 85mm 1.4 for the low light.

Dougie told me there was a hawk a few days back that you shot. You have those pictures around?

Ponds = FUN!
Post your firework shots...I was going to try and get out tonight but no luck.
Here is the red tailed hawk...nothing special. (I hate the light he is on!)

 

[TimK]

WOW is that a custom handle? Or did you buy it prefab? Can you take a few more holding it?

Hi Brian, I made this myself from pieces of aluminum alloy. The ring is made from stainless steel.

The handle is curved so that it can be used without a plate. It is really quite easy to make if you got the right tools. I was using the milling machine in a friend's workshop.

 

[mdirvin]

Lowe Pro AW 600

I have the 400 VR, and use a Lowe Pro AW 600 (which I think is no longer available). I can fit the 400, and a D300 body into the case. I reverse the second lens hood and place it back on the the first one so the lens is shorter by about 3 inches. Then it just fits with a little room to spare. Enjoy the lens it great.

Mike

PS, I have replaced the original foot with one from Wimberly.

 

[Nikkor AIS]

Tim: Thanks for showing that Bracket. I was thinking of somthing really close to what you made there. Get that bad boy ti-nitraded, and sell it on E-Bay. Did you use T6 AL