I found a bargain on a V2 and finally picked on up second hand almost like new… came with a triplet of the 10-30, 30-110 and the 18mm 1.8 (Which I now adore) and the GPS unit all for $200…
I since picked up the 6.7-13 wide angle for a fairly hefty $300, a SB-N7 flash for $50 and the FT1 for $100… Have my eye on mint 10mm 2.8 with hood for $80 and an Ex.Cond. 32 1.2 for a scrotum tightening $500…
… and so it is I am finally looking at the 70-300mm! Thing is, it regularly goes for $700 on the s/h market here in Japan, so I’m just wondering how it compares with the 70-300 AF-P DX…
Also, how did selling all your full frame gear back in 2015 work out for you? Are you still using your 1 Nikkor gear to this day?
I have never regretted selling all of my full frame camera gear… even for a second. After I built up our Nikon 1 kit our full frame gear starting collecting more and more dust and was tying up cash for no good reason. Selling it all and putting the cash back into the business was a very good decision.
I shot exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear from July 2015 until May 2019 for both my client video work as well as our personal needs. Eventually we needed 4K video so in June 2019 we bought an extensive Olympus kit. This has become our main camera system. We still have all of our Nikon 1 gear but don’t use it that often any more. The technology in my E-M1X bodies is simply incredible and has expanded my photographic capabilities tremendously. This is especially true when it comes to bird photography.
Using the FT-1 adapter with F-mount lenses is an “OK” solution. The Nikon 1 70-300 is a really great lens. I had an FT-1 adapter but never really liked using F-Mount lenses with with Nikon 1 bodies. Some AF flexibility is lost when F-Mount lenses are used and putting large F-Mount glass on Nikon 1 bodies always seemed like a strange thing to do. They never felt very well balanced on small Nikon 1 bodies.
Tom
KC H
August 29, 2020 6:54 pm
This is an exceptional review/article, now if I could only find one of these lenses. I wish I could convince my wife to give up her Nikon 1 V2 for the new Z series, but she doesn’t like the size of them. The V2 fits her tiny hands beautifully. I’ve been searching for a couple of months now and can’t seem to locate the 70-300 anywhere.
My wife and I still have an extensive Nikon 1 kit. She enjoys using the Nikon 1 V3, while my favourite Nikon 1 camera is the J5. The 1 Nikkor 70-300 is very hard to find. I have a couple of copies of that lens as I anticipated that it would be in very short supply. All you can do is keep looking and hope one pops up.
We’ve been shooting with Olympus gear since May 2019, and we’ll probably be buying an E-M1 or E-M5 body for my wife. An E-M5 Mark III with the M.Zuiko 14-150 f/4-5.6 II is actually lighter than a Nikon 1 V3 with grip/EVF and a 1 Nikkor 10-100 f/4-5.6. This may be another option for your wife to consider.
I’ve noticed that the lens is extremely hard to find. They show up on the used market and then disappear almost as fast. When I started looking for one I had hoped to surprise her with it for our anniversary, which is now 4 days away. At this rate, short of a miracle, I’m hoping to surprise her with it for Christmas. LOL
Thanks for your suggestions! Sadly, there isn’t really another option for her than Nikon. She looked at all the other brands and didn’t like the way they felt in her hand. The other problem is size, almost nothing compares to the small form factor of her V2. The J series doesn’t work either because she needs a viewfinder. I don’t know what we will do when the V2 finally gives up the ghost. Maybe by then there will be something else small that she would consider.
The other big draw for the Nikon 1 series for her is that she can carry what she needs in her purse. That makes it extremely convenient when we are out and about as she doesn’t have to carry both her purse and a separate camera bag.
Yes… these lenses are like gold on the used market. The photographers that have them absolutely love the small form factor combined with very good image quality. We have three V2s so we understand how portable and capable that body is (we also have some J5s and a couple of V3s).
If you don’t mind me asking… in what country are you located?
Thanks KC H… I was wondering if you happened to live on the Canadian side of the border and anywhere near the GTA.
Tom
Duncan Kirkwood
February 2, 2019 7:31 am
Readers might be interested to know that the Nikon 1 70-300mm can be used to good effect with a set of extension tubes for close-up imaging to e.g. 0.5x magnification. Using relatively inexpensive 2 x 16mm, 2 x 10mm and 1 x 21mm tubes (total extension 73mm) I filled the frame with my watch (35mm bezel diameter) at a distance of 2.6m when zoomed to 300mm focal length. Now plan to use the combination to photograph Reed Beetles on pond lily leaves in late spring and summer. Tried same last summer with a shorter length of tubes but could not focus close enough for frame filling images … hence now added additional tubes.
Also, I discovered that by adding a front-mounted Olympus 1.7x teleconverter (originally intended for use with a compact bridge camera) via 55mm to 62mm stepping ring, I was able to increase the max. focal length to 510mm i.e. FF equivalent 1377mm … images are fine with no vignetting or distortion at the long end of the zoom range … and fast AF is maintained.
I use both a Nikon V2 and J5 … latter with Zacuto optical finder clipped onto the monitor . Now considering selling the V2 to buy a second J5 body … J5 sensor much better than that of the V2 or V3.
Thanks for adding this information to the discussion. I’ve found that the 1 Nikkor 30-110 mm is a better lens to use with extension tubes than the CX 70-300. Given the relatively short minimum focusing distance of the 1 Nikkor 10-100 mm non-PD it can get in very tight with a single extension tube.
The use of the Olympus 1.7X teleconverter is interesting. Do you have a model number and cost for this teleconverter? I wonder how much image quality is potentially lost using this attachment. I’m also wondering if that teleconverter has been discontinued by Olympus and therefore is not readily available.
Hello Tom, The Reed Beetles are active on lily leaves between 2 and 3 meters from the pond edge and thus require use of a long focal length lens with tubes to fill the frame; last year I could not get close enough with just 26mm extension tube length but experiments at home this week with 73mm tube length was a revelation. i.e. half life size magnification at 2.6m distance. The 30-110mm lens does offer better c/u performance but does not have the reach for c/u imaging at 2m to 3m subject distance … whereas the 70-300mm does. The Olympus 1.7x front mounted extender was intended for an Olympus compact bridge camera and does not show any model No. or reference … it has 55mm rear thread for attachment to a 55mm camera lens filter thread. I paid just a few ££ for it secondhand for experimental use on a Leica X Vario APS format camera to extend its 18-46mm zoom lens focal length (FF equiv. 28-70mm) for portraiture .. and it works OK for that application. I then read on a Nikon 1 forum that someone else was adapting Olympus front mount extenders on Nikon 1 zoom lenses – and he suggested the Olympus extender would work on the Nikon 1, 70-300mm lens – so I tried it a few days ago (handheld at ISO 800) and initial results are fine. The real test will be when used in a bird hide I plan to visit soon. Regards, dunk in Peterborough UK.
Hi Duncan, Thanks for the additional details… I now understand why the 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm with multiple tubes is working for you. It appears that the Olympus 1.7X front mount extender is no longer made. I used to have an old Panasonic 1.7X extender that I used on a bridge camera many years ago. My youngest son now has that kit, so I will be investigating that option to see if I can get it to work with my CX 70-300 mm. Tom
brad
January 8, 2017 8:30 am
Hello, Im fairly new to photography and I have a Nikon J5 with 10mm prime lense. Im currently looking at this lense and hoping that I would be good enough for taking photos of my kids at play and in school. I was wondering how far do you need to be to be able to take photos of people from feet to head with a 70-300 lense like the one above?
I appreciate the feed back greatly since Im torn between 32mm and 70-300 mm, I would like to get both but with the current pricing my wife will kill me if she finds out I spent $2000 on camera lenses =)
Depending on the height of your kids you’d need to be at least 15-20 feet away at the short end of the zoom. Many folks use the 70-300 to shoot sports so it is a great lens around those kinds of venues…outdoors is best as it is a fairly slow variable aperture lens. The 32mm f/1.2 is a completely different animal and is more suited to portrait work and indoor situations. I have both of these lenses and love the 70-300 for birding. I only use my 32mm for video work as I don’t like shooting stills with primes…but that’s just a personal preference.
Tom
Dantou
December 8, 2015 2:25 pm
Thanks so much for the review. Actually I’m using V1 + 70-300 FX + FT1 for birds in actions. By reading your article and all comments, I’m on the fence to buy 70-300 CX. Best regards, Dan
Everyone makes a purchase decision that suits their specific needs…I’m sure you’ll what’s right for you.
Since my article on the CX 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 I’ve certainly used that lens A LOT. After becoming much more familiar with it I decided that my Tamron 150-600 was surplus to my needs and ended up selling it as I much preferred using the 1 Nikon 70-300. In July I made the decision to shoot exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear and sold my D800 and all of my F-mount lenses. I now have my FT-1 adapter for sale as I can’t see myself ever going back to using F-mount lenses with my Nikon 1 gear.
I’ve done a number of client video projects exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear and I haven’t missed my FX gear for even a second. In fact, my only regret is that I didn’t sell my FX gear sooner as it is much for efficient for me to use my Nikon 1 gear for client video work.
Tom
Denny H
October 10, 2015 12:58 pm
Tom,
I am very much a novice photographer. I am planning an Africa trip with typical east Africa safari and a trek to see the mountain gorillas. I am trying to learn as much as possible about cameras before I decide what to purchase for this trip. Your article shows a depth of knowledge about the Nikon 1 V 2 and 3 that suggests you could help me understand the suitability of this camera and this 70-300 lens for this trip and these conditions. I expect low light situations at dusk and dawn, dusty conditions in east Africa, and wet conditions in the mountain gorilla terrain. I expect to purchase the camera many months before the trip so I can become familiar with its operation and at least adequate in operating it quickly for the expected wildlife action. Do you think this camera and lens is a good combination for my trip, its conditions, and my relative lack of experience? Are there other lens you recommend in addition to the 70-300 for this camera and trip?
Nikon 1 camera bodies do not have any kind of weather sealing so they may not be the best choice giving the potentially wet and dusty conditions you will be facing. Low light performance is also not one of the strengths of the system. I’m not sure how close you will be able to get to your various subjects. Something you may want to consider is a DX/CX combination for your trip. A Nikon D7200 could serve as your primary body for the trip, perhaps matched up with a Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 and/or Nikkor f/4 VR and use a 1.4 Nikkor teleconverter. You could then use a Nikon 1 V2 or V3 with an FT-1 teleconverter for additional reach. If you have time before your trip I would suggest even waiting to see if a Nikon 1 V4 is available in time. That camera will likely have the new 20.8 BSI sensor which provides much better image quality than with previous Nikon 1 bodies. Another lens you could consider is the Nikkor 70-200 f/4 as it is much smaller and lighter than the f/2.8. On a V2 body the 300 f/4 would have an efov of 810 mm with no loss of light and would give you one full stop of better low light performance than the CX 70-300. Using the 70-200 f/2.8 would provide 2 stops better low light performance with an efov of 189-540mm, and adding the 1.4 teleconverter would extend that to 756mm @ f/4 on a Nikon 1 body. I believe that the three FX lenses I noted are weather sealed as is the D7200. When I still had full frame gear my favourite FX lens to use with a Nikon 1 body was the 70-200 f/4. Focusing was fast and accurate and that lens is quite sharp. I also liked its relatively small size and lighter weight. You could also consider a full frame body like a D750.
If you went the Nikon 1 V3 or V4 route with the 70-300CX you would definitely need to use some kind of rain/dust sleeve given the conditions you noted. You would also need to practice hand-holding the Nikon 1 gear at slower shutter speeds. It is very compact and lightweight which does make it easier. Assuming that many of the specimens that you will be photographing will be stationary you should be able to keep your ISOs a bit lower with good hand-holding technique. I have also used the Nikkor 85mm FX f/1.8G with a teleconverter. This provides an efov of about 230mm at f/1.8 which may be a decent thing to consider given the darker conditions you will be facing.
As far as other Nikon 1 lenses…there are no fast telephoto primes. You could consider the 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 for some closer up subjects.
Tom
JP
April 30, 2015 8:22 am
The problem I have with this lens, besides it being slow at f4.5 to 5.6 on a 1″ sensor, is the price at $1,000+ Canadian. When the full frame 70-300mm is $600, I can’t understand how the CX mount 70-300mm costs more (almost double when not on sale). I have a V2 and would like to get this lens, but $1,000 is just too much money.
Hi JP, I own a CX 70-300 and I used to own the Nikkor FX 70-300. While the FX lens is less money it does not perform at the level of the CX 70-300. I found that the FX 70-300 was soft over about 220mm or so, whereas the CX 70-300 is sharp throughout the zoom range. The CX 70-300 also does a better job handling flare with its Nano Crystal coating. Tom
I still have a hard time understanding why the CX lens is almost double the FX lens. It’s smaller and only has to cover a 1″ sensor as opposed to a full frame sensor i.e. uses less material/glass etc to make. One can almost buy the Tamron 150-600mm lens for the same price as the Nikon CX 70-300mm (typically less than $100 difference between the two). I think Nikon’s pricing on the 1 series is off the mark, especially for the intended market which I see as non-professional hobbyists (not to say there are no professionals that may use the Nikon 1 series).
You have to also consider the expectations of sales. Nikon will admit that they don’t expect the CX lens to sell nearly as wel as their FX glass, I’m sure they would love it if they did, but it won’t. Also smaller does not mean that it should be cheaper. Those that will buy the CX 70-300 will buy it. I can’t imagine holding the Tamron 150-600 for any long period of time, but I could see carrying this lens around for hours without hesitation.
“You have to also consider the expectations of sales.” Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy to charge more because you don’t think you’ll sell as many. I don’t think that philosophy is working too well for Nikon 1 sales in general. How many more would they sell if the price was more reasonable ~$600-$700? I know I would buy one.
My friend has the Tamron 150-600mm and it is a beast. When you hold the Tamron, it’s hard to imagine how the Nikon could cost almost as much.
Florence Griffith
April 16, 2015 5:26 am
I am sure this is a great lens but the problem I see is that it does not let in enough light for the Nikon 1 system . I would want to shoot sports with this lens…and the only way i see this making nice images for my subject matter …it has to be a bright sunny day…or the pictures will just be grainy…I am still using a Nikon 1 V1…if the Nikon 1 J5 with its 20 megapixels and backlit sensor produces lower noise then this could be my setup for shooting rugby
Hi Florence, The recently announced J5 has a 20 MP BSI sensor so I would imagine that the same sensor will be in a future V4. Not sure if you shoot in RAW or jpeg. I regularly shoot RAW files with my V2’s at ISO-1600 and ISO-3200 and get useable images as long as I use the PRIME noise reduction function in OpticsPro 10. I’ve even push my V2 up to ISO-6400 and was not disappointed. A lot of this depends on end use of course. Tom
aiham
March 3, 2015 3:57 pm
plz i need a feed on the validity of the pictures produced with this system for printed materials ; like book ?
Marc
February 23, 2015 3:22 pm
Hi Mister Stirr, I did ask Nikon several times what are the magnifications of their three (3) EVF’s but never get any answer other than “what is a ‘magnification?’ ” and you’re my last hope. I think as every other camera manufacturer from Olympus, Panasonic to Sony or Fuji always give the value of the viewfinder’s mag, I don’t understand why Nikon does not. I do have the V2 and the Panasonic GX7, the Panasonic has 0,695x, my brother has the Fuji XT1 and the mag of this camera is given as 0.77x, Olympus gives 0,74x for their top camera, but I can only guess that the mag of the V2 is quite less than 0,7x. Somewhere I did read that the V2 has the same EVF as the V1, is that true? And do YOU know the mag of the EVF sold for the V3? Will the V4 have the same? The whole Nikon community would be very happy to know. Marc Champollion [email protected] PS is the new 4,5-5,6/70-300 at the long end as good as say a FF long telezoom or is it less good?
Hi Marc, I don’t know the answer to your question, but I’m happy to ask my contacts at Nikon Canada to see if I can find out for you. I do know that the viewfinder coverage is approximately 100% with a Nikon 1 which is important for me as I like to capture images without cropping. Using a camera with only 95% viewfinder coverage tends to be problematic as you can’t tell exactly how your image will be captured. I haven’t shot with a V3 yet, but will be doing a review of that model shortly. I do know that the EVF on the V3 has 2359K dots compared to 1440K dots with the Nikon 1 V2, so I am anticipating that the EVF on the V3 will be much better with which to shoot. Tom
I found a bargain on a V2 and finally picked on up second hand almost like new… came with a triplet of the 10-30, 30-110 and the 18mm 1.8 (Which I now adore) and the GPS unit all for $200…
I since picked up the 6.7-13 wide angle for a fairly hefty $300, a SB-N7 flash for $50 and the FT1 for $100… Have my eye on mint 10mm 2.8 with hood for $80 and an Ex.Cond. 32 1.2 for a scrotum tightening $500…
… and so it is I am finally looking at the 70-300mm! Thing is, it regularly goes for $700 on the s/h market here in Japan, so I’m just wondering how it compares with the 70-300 AF-P DX…
Also, how did selling all your full frame gear back in 2015 work out for you?
Are you still using your 1 Nikkor gear to this day?
Hi Graxxor,
I have never regretted selling all of my full frame camera gear… even for a second. After I built up our Nikon 1 kit our full frame gear starting collecting more and more dust and was tying up cash for no good reason. Selling it all and putting the cash back into the business was a very good decision.
I shot exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear from July 2015 until May 2019 for both my client video work as well as our personal needs. Eventually we needed 4K video so in June 2019 we bought an extensive Olympus kit. This has become our main camera system. We still have all of our Nikon 1 gear but don’t use it that often any more. The technology in my E-M1X bodies is simply incredible and has expanded my photographic capabilities tremendously. This is especially true when it comes to bird photography.
Using the FT-1 adapter with F-mount lenses is an “OK” solution. The Nikon 1 70-300 is a really great lens. I had an FT-1 adapter but never really liked using F-Mount lenses with with Nikon 1 bodies. Some AF flexibility is lost when F-Mount lenses are used and putting large F-Mount glass on Nikon 1 bodies always seemed like a strange thing to do. They never felt very well balanced on small Nikon 1 bodies.
Tom
This is an exceptional review/article, now if I could only find one of these lenses. I wish I could convince my wife to give up her Nikon 1 V2 for the new Z series, but she doesn’t like the size of them. The V2 fits her tiny hands beautifully. I’ve been searching for a couple of months now and can’t seem to locate the 70-300 anywhere.
Hi KC,
I’m glad you enjoyed the article!
My wife and I still have an extensive Nikon 1 kit. She enjoys using the Nikon 1 V3, while my favourite Nikon 1 camera is the J5. The 1 Nikkor 70-300 is very hard to find. I have a couple of copies of that lens as I anticipated that it would be in very short supply. All you can do is keep looking and hope one pops up.
We’ve been shooting with Olympus gear since May 2019, and we’ll probably be buying an E-M1 or E-M5 body for my wife. An E-M5 Mark III with the M.Zuiko 14-150 f/4-5.6 II is actually lighter than a Nikon 1 V3 with grip/EVF and a 1 Nikkor 10-100 f/4-5.6. This may be another option for your wife to consider.
Tom
Hey Tom,
I’ve noticed that the lens is extremely hard to find. They show up on the used market and then disappear almost as fast. When I started looking for one I had hoped to surprise her with it for our anniversary, which is now 4 days away. At this rate, short of a miracle, I’m hoping to surprise her with it for Christmas. LOL
Thanks for your suggestions! Sadly, there isn’t really another option for her than Nikon. She looked at all the other brands and didn’t like the way they felt in her hand. The other problem is size, almost nothing compares to the small form factor of her V2. The J series doesn’t work either because she needs a viewfinder. I don’t know what we will do when the V2 finally gives up the ghost. Maybe by then there will be something else small that she would consider.
The other big draw for the Nikon 1 series for her is that she can carry what she needs in her purse. That makes it extremely convenient when we are out and about as she doesn’t have to carry both her purse and a separate camera bag.
Only time will tell what she ends up doing.
KC
Hi KC H,
Yes… these lenses are like gold on the used market. The photographers that have them absolutely love the small form factor combined with very good image quality. We have three V2s so we understand how portable and capable that body is (we also have some J5s and a couple of V3s).
If you don’t mind me asking… in what country are you located?
Tom
I’m in the U.S.
Thanks KC H… I was wondering if you happened to live on the Canadian side of the border and anywhere near the GTA.
Tom
Readers might be interested to know that the Nikon 1 70-300mm can be used to good effect with a set of extension tubes for close-up imaging to e.g. 0.5x magnification. Using relatively inexpensive 2 x 16mm, 2 x 10mm and 1 x 21mm tubes (total extension 73mm) I filled the frame with my watch (35mm bezel diameter) at a distance of 2.6m when zoomed to 300mm focal length. Now plan to use the combination to photograph Reed Beetles on pond lily leaves in late spring and summer. Tried same last summer with a shorter length of tubes but could not focus close enough for frame filling images … hence now added additional tubes.
Also, I discovered that by adding a front-mounted Olympus 1.7x teleconverter (originally intended for use with a compact bridge camera) via 55mm to 62mm stepping ring, I was able to increase the max. focal length to 510mm i.e. FF equivalent 1377mm … images are fine with no vignetting or distortion at the long end of the zoom range … and fast AF is maintained.
I use both a Nikon V2 and J5 … latter with Zacuto optical finder clipped onto the monitor . Now considering selling the V2 to buy a second J5 body … J5 sensor much better than that of the V2 or V3.
Best wishes from dunk in Peterborough UK
Hi Duncan,
Thanks for adding this information to the discussion. I’ve found that the 1 Nikkor 30-110 mm is a better lens to use with extension tubes than the CX 70-300. Given the relatively short minimum focusing distance of the 1 Nikkor 10-100 mm non-PD it can get in very tight with a single extension tube.
The use of the Olympus 1.7X teleconverter is interesting. Do you have a model number and cost for this teleconverter? I wonder how much image quality is potentially lost using this attachment. I’m also wondering if that teleconverter has been discontinued by Olympus and therefore is not readily available.
Tom
Hello Tom, The Reed Beetles are active on lily leaves between 2 and 3 meters from the pond edge and thus require use of a long focal length lens with tubes to fill the frame; last year I could not get close enough with just 26mm extension tube length but experiments at home this week with 73mm tube length was a revelation. i.e. half life size magnification at 2.6m distance. The 30-110mm lens does offer better c/u performance but does not have the reach for c/u imaging at 2m to 3m subject distance … whereas the 70-300mm does. The Olympus 1.7x front mounted extender was intended for an Olympus compact bridge camera and does not show any model No. or reference … it has 55mm rear thread for attachment to a 55mm camera lens filter thread. I paid just a few ££ for it secondhand for experimental use on a Leica X Vario APS format camera to extend its 18-46mm zoom lens focal length (FF equiv. 28-70mm) for portraiture .. and it works OK for that application. I then read on a Nikon 1 forum that someone else was adapting Olympus front mount extenders on Nikon 1 zoom lenses – and he suggested the Olympus extender would work on the Nikon 1, 70-300mm lens – so I tried it a few days ago (handheld at ISO 800) and initial results are fine. The real test will be when used in a bird hide I plan to visit soon. Regards, dunk in Peterborough UK.
Hi Duncan,
Thanks for the additional details… I now understand why the 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm with multiple tubes is working for you. It appears that the Olympus 1.7X front mount extender is no longer made. I used to have an old Panasonic 1.7X extender that I used on a bridge camera many years ago. My youngest son now has that kit, so I will be investigating that option to see if I can get it to work with my CX 70-300 mm.
Tom
Hello, Im fairly new to photography and I have a Nikon J5 with 10mm prime lense. Im currently looking at this lense and hoping that I would be good enough for taking photos of my kids at play and in school. I was wondering how far do you need to be to be able to take photos of people from feet to head with a 70-300 lense like the one above?
I appreciate the feed back greatly since Im torn between 32mm and 70-300 mm, I would like to get both but with the current pricing my wife will kill me if she finds out I spent $2000 on camera lenses =)
Hi Brad,
Depending on the height of your kids you’d need to be at least 15-20 feet away at the short end of the zoom. Many folks use the 70-300 to shoot sports so it is a great lens around those kinds of venues…outdoors is best as it is a fairly slow variable aperture lens. The 32mm f/1.2 is a completely different animal and is more suited to portrait work and indoor situations. I have both of these lenses and love the 70-300 for birding. I only use my 32mm for video work as I don’t like shooting stills with primes…but that’s just a personal preference.
Tom
Thanks so much for the review.
Actually I’m using V1 + 70-300 FX + FT1 for birds in actions. By reading your article and all comments, I’m on the fence to buy 70-300 CX.
Best regards, Dan
Hi Dan,
Everyone makes a purchase decision that suits their specific needs…I’m sure you’ll what’s right for you.
Since my article on the CX 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 I’ve certainly used that lens A LOT. After becoming much more familiar with it I decided that my Tamron 150-600 was surplus to my needs and ended up selling it as I much preferred using the 1 Nikon 70-300. In July I made the decision to shoot exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear and sold my D800 and all of my F-mount lenses. I now have my FT-1 adapter for sale as I can’t see myself ever going back to using F-mount lenses with my Nikon 1 gear.
I’ve done a number of client video projects exclusively with my Nikon 1 gear and I haven’t missed my FX gear for even a second. In fact, my only regret is that I didn’t sell my FX gear sooner as it is much for efficient for me to use my Nikon 1 gear for client video work.
Tom
Tom,
I am very much a novice photographer. I am planning an Africa trip with typical east Africa safari and a trek to see the mountain gorillas. I am trying to learn as much as possible about cameras before I decide what to purchase for this trip. Your article shows a depth of knowledge about the Nikon 1 V 2 and 3 that suggests you could help me understand the suitability of this camera and this 70-300 lens for this trip and these conditions. I expect low light situations at dusk and dawn, dusty conditions in east Africa, and wet conditions in the mountain gorilla terrain. I expect to purchase the camera many months before the trip so I can become familiar with its operation and at least adequate in operating it quickly for the expected wildlife action. Do you think this camera and lens is a good combination for my trip, its conditions, and my relative lack of experience? Are there other lens you recommend in addition to the 70-300 for this camera and trip?
Denny
Hi Denny,
Nikon 1 camera bodies do not have any kind of weather sealing so they may not be the best choice giving the potentially wet and dusty conditions you will be facing. Low light performance is also not one of the strengths of the system. I’m not sure how close you will be able to get to your various subjects. Something you may want to consider is a DX/CX combination for your trip. A Nikon D7200 could serve as your primary body for the trip, perhaps matched up with a Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 and/or Nikkor f/4 VR and use a 1.4 Nikkor teleconverter. You could then use a Nikon 1 V2 or V3 with an FT-1 teleconverter for additional reach. If you have time before your trip I would suggest even waiting to see if a Nikon 1 V4 is available in time. That camera will likely have the new 20.8 BSI sensor which provides much better image quality than with previous Nikon 1 bodies. Another lens you could consider is the Nikkor 70-200 f/4 as it is much smaller and lighter than the f/2.8. On a V2 body the 300 f/4 would have an efov of 810 mm with no loss of light and would give you one full stop of better low light performance than the CX 70-300. Using the 70-200 f/2.8 would provide 2 stops better low light performance with an efov of 189-540mm, and adding the 1.4 teleconverter would extend that to 756mm @ f/4 on a Nikon 1 body. I believe that the three FX lenses I noted are weather sealed as is the D7200. When I still had full frame gear my favourite FX lens to use with a Nikon 1 body was the 70-200 f/4. Focusing was fast and accurate and that lens is quite sharp. I also liked its relatively small size and lighter weight. You could also consider a full frame body like a D750.
If you went the Nikon 1 V3 or V4 route with the 70-300CX you would definitely need to use some kind of rain/dust sleeve given the conditions you noted. You would also need to practice hand-holding the Nikon 1 gear at slower shutter speeds. It is very compact and lightweight which does make it easier. Assuming that many of the specimens that you will be photographing will be stationary you should be able to keep your ISOs a bit lower with good hand-holding technique. I have also used the Nikkor 85mm FX f/1.8G with a teleconverter. This provides an efov of about 230mm at f/1.8 which may be a decent thing to consider given the darker conditions you will be facing.
As far as other Nikon 1 lenses…there are no fast telephoto primes. You could consider the 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 for some closer up subjects.
Tom
The problem I have with this lens, besides it being slow at f4.5 to 5.6 on a 1″ sensor, is the price at $1,000+ Canadian. When the full frame 70-300mm is $600, I can’t understand how the CX mount 70-300mm costs more (almost double when not on sale). I have a V2 and would like to get this lens, but $1,000 is just too much money.
Hi JP,
I own a CX 70-300 and I used to own the Nikkor FX 70-300. While the FX lens is less money it does not perform at the level of the CX 70-300. I found that the FX 70-300 was soft over about 220mm or so, whereas the CX 70-300 is sharp throughout the zoom range. The CX 70-300 also does a better job handling flare with its Nano Crystal coating.
Tom
I still have a hard time understanding why the CX lens is almost double the FX lens. It’s smaller and only has to cover a 1″ sensor as opposed to a full frame sensor i.e. uses less material/glass etc to make. One can almost buy the Tamron 150-600mm lens for the same price as the Nikon CX 70-300mm (typically less than $100 difference between the two). I think Nikon’s pricing on the 1 series is off the mark, especially for the intended market which I see as non-professional hobbyists (not to say there are no professionals that may use the Nikon 1 series).
You have to also consider the expectations of sales. Nikon will admit that they don’t expect the CX lens to sell nearly as wel as their FX glass, I’m sure they would love it if they did, but it won’t. Also smaller does not mean that it should be cheaper. Those that will buy the CX 70-300 will buy it. I can’t imagine holding the Tamron 150-600 for any long period of time, but I could see carrying this lens around for hours without hesitation.
“You have to also consider the expectations of sales.” Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy to charge more because you don’t think you’ll sell as many. I don’t think that philosophy is working too well for Nikon 1 sales in general. How many more would they sell if the price was more reasonable ~$600-$700? I know I would buy one.
My friend has the Tamron 150-600mm and it is a beast. When you hold the Tamron, it’s hard to imagine how the Nikon could cost almost as much.
I am sure this is a great lens but the problem I see is that it does not let in enough light for the Nikon 1 system . I would want to shoot sports with this lens…and the only way i see this making nice images for my subject matter …it has to be a bright sunny day…or the pictures will just be grainy…I am still using a Nikon 1 V1…if the Nikon 1 J5 with its 20 megapixels and backlit sensor produces lower noise then this could be my setup for shooting rugby
Hi Florence,
The recently announced J5 has a 20 MP BSI sensor so I would imagine that the same sensor will be in a future V4. Not sure if you shoot in RAW or jpeg. I regularly shoot RAW files with my V2’s at ISO-1600 and ISO-3200 and get useable images as long as I use the PRIME noise reduction function in OpticsPro 10. I’ve even push my V2 up to ISO-6400 and was not disappointed. A lot of this depends on end use of course.
Tom
plz i need a feed on the validity of the pictures produced with this system for printed materials ; like book ?
Hi Mister Stirr,
I did ask Nikon several times what are the magnifications of their three (3) EVF’s but never get any answer other than “what is a ‘magnification?’ ” and you’re my last hope.
I think as every other camera manufacturer from Olympus, Panasonic to Sony or Fuji always give the value of the viewfinder’s mag, I don’t understand why Nikon does not.
I do have the V2 and the Panasonic GX7, the Panasonic has 0,695x, my brother has the Fuji XT1 and the mag of this camera is given as 0.77x, Olympus gives 0,74x for their top camera, but I can only guess that the mag of the V2 is quite less than 0,7x.
Somewhere I did read that the V2 has the same EVF as the V1, is that true? And do YOU know the mag of the EVF sold for the V3? Will the V4 have the same?
The whole Nikon community would be very happy to know.
Marc Champollion
[email protected]
PS is the new 4,5-5,6/70-300 at the long end as good as say a FF long telezoom or is it less good?
Hi Marc,
I don’t know the answer to your question, but I’m happy to ask my contacts at Nikon Canada to see if I can find out for you. I do know that the viewfinder coverage is approximately 100% with a Nikon 1 which is important for me as I like to capture images without cropping. Using a camera with only 95% viewfinder coverage tends to be problematic as you can’t tell exactly how your image will be captured. I haven’t shot with a V3 yet, but will be doing a review of that model shortly. I do know that the EVF on the V3 has 2359K dots compared to 1440K dots with the Nikon 1 V2, so I am anticipating that the EVF on the V3 will be much better with which to shoot.
Tom