Nikon 300mm f/4 PF

Is this lens really excellent? It is so much lighter than others, like the Canon 300/4 L EF. Is it as good in terms of image quality?

This is a really good lens, but not as sharp as the 500 mm PF, which is still excellent even compared to Z glass. I had the 300 PF until a few days ago, having owned it for several years where I mainly used it on my D850, but since moving to Z9 I’m focusing on Z glass. Have to say, it takes the 1.4 TC fairly well, but needs stopping down to f/8 for really sharp results.

IMO, it is an excellent lens, but you be the judge...300/f4 PF + TC 1.4, f5.6

Yes it is really excellent and of course the size and weight is diminutive. It takes the TC14EII or TC14EIII converter extremely well and I find that my copy is super sharp wide-open with that teleconverter (so makes a really good 420mm f/5.6). Also takes even the Nikon TC17EII converter very well (making a 510mm f/6.7) although with that converter I prefer to stop down a little, even to F9, for best results. An excellent feature is that it focusses down to about 1.3 metres so pseudo macro shots are quite feasible.

I used this lens (plus TC) quite extensively with my D850 (and also Z50) back in 2020 during a birding and wildlife trip to South Africa and got superb results. A couple of examples taken with my old TC14EII converter attached:

a full size crop from that photo:

Hopefully if you click on either photo you should get to see the full size of the version that I posted.

Frank

Yes, I think it is excellent - I'm regularly using it on a Nikon 1 V3 with its 18 MP 1'' sensor. Even with the TC14III, it brings plenty of resolution and sharpness, e.g. to fur and feather in wildlife shots. Also seeing good results on a Z7. Other prime lenses might have somewhat better bokeh, but not in a night-and-day manner.

I'll put in another vote for the lens. I use it with a D7200, which makes for a compact and high quality kit. I carry the camera + lens in a small (non-photo) backpack and use it as a "walkaround" setup during work breaks. There's a river nearby which always has interesting subjects.

Here are a few shots with it.

Double-Crested Cormorant (I think)

Nikon D7200, 300mm f/4E PF, 1/320s, f/4, ISO 400

Snowy Egret. This shot has somewhat "nervous" bokeh, but I think it's mostly because the background itself is nervous. It doesn't bother me.

Nikon D7200, 300mm f/4E PF, 1/1000s, f/4, ISO 100

Lizard [can anyone ID it?] Shooting wide open from close distances will blur out busy backgrounds.

Nikon D7200, 300mm f/4E PF, 1/800s, f/4, ISO 100

Proven to have excellent resolution: photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-300mm-f4e-pf-ed-vr/3
It significantly out performs the Canon 300 f/4.

As an owner I find it a very sharp lens, including with the Nikon 1.4x, with good close focus ability.

As the first Nikon PF it can have some "interesting image blooming" - with the sun close to the edge of the frame.
"Image blooming" I find very difficult to induce in the later 500 PF and 800 PF

Really brilliant lens. Very sharp and contrasty, especially at close distances. Versatility is great, it can be used as a close-to-macro lens, for fashion shoots, sports, large bird and mammal lens, and with a tele-converter on a DX body I had reasonable results using it for songbirds and waterfowl. And its so portable you almost forget its there. No issues just stuffing it into my favourite pack and out the door. I traded mine toward a 500PF, but truth be told I preferred the
300 PF. IMO, its combination of functionality, portability and IQ is fantastic

Cheers.

Thanks all! Now I have to save money to buy one...