A User’s Experience of the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 AF-P VR DX

BIJ_0985_DxO — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/2500s. Manual Exposure, ISO 6400

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 AF-P VR DX is a lens I had acquired by accident. When I was in Chandni Chowk, New Delhi last year visiting one of the Nikon dealer there just checking out casually some lenses, the dealer suggested to me to try out this particular lens. He knew that I use a Nikon D-500 Camera and said that he had a brand new lens without box because it came with a package and the buyer purchased the package without this 70-300 lens. The list price of this lens is Indian Rupees 24,950.00 which is about 390 US dollars. But the dealer said he can give me the lens for Rupees 11,000.00 which is less than half of the listed price. I got interested and tried a few shots there and found the Autofocus to be surprisingly fast. I bought the lens.

BIJ_0679a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 100

BIJ_0678a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 100

Now it is not even a full year since I purchased this lens but to be honest it is one of best ‘Value for money’ lens I ever purchased. The lens is very light weight at 415 grams and only 125mm long. Much smaller than the Nikon 70-300G VR lens. Of course this is not a full frame lens but still. This is a lens you can carry anywhere and everywhere.

BIJ_0455a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 70mm, f/4.5, 1/125s. Aperture Priority, ISO 720

BIJ_0489a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 320

BIJ_0454a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 70mm, f/4.5, 1/1250s. Aperture Priority, ISO 100

BIJ_0990a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 230mm, f/7.0, 1/2500s. Manual Exposure, ISO 6400

This lens has a stepping motor to achieve faster autofocus and it really does succeed in field. However the lens is not compatible with older Nikon crop sensor D-SLRs because of the step up motor. The compatible DX cameras are D-500, D-7500, D-3400, D-5500 and D-5600. You can also use this lens With D-7100 and D-7200 but without the ability to turn the vibration reduction off and on since the VR is controlled from the Camera body only and there is No external VR- control on the lens body. For D-3300, D-5200 and D-5300 cameras, you need to update the latest Firmware to be able to use this lens. Please note that I am talking about the VR version of the lens. There is also a non-VR version available.

BIJ_2266a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 240mm, f/6.0, 1/400s. Aperture Priority, ISO 1250

BIJ_2244a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 5600

BIJ_2239a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 240mm, f/6.0, 1/400s. Aperture Priority, ISO 1250

Autofocus is blazing fast on my Nikon D-500 and also very good at tracking birds at continues mode. I generally take photos in RAW format and most of the photos here had been post processed using Abode Photoshop CC and DxO Lab. I use DXO Lab especially for those photos taken at higher ISO which helps me to reduce the noise.

BIJ_0718a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 1800

BIJ_0731c — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 220mm, f/5.6, 1/400s. Aperture Priority, ISO 1400

BIJ_0716a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/500s. Aperture Priority, ISO 900

For continues AF mode, I generally use the Auto option or the zone option. I did not get much success with the Nikon 3D tracking but maybe I need to improve my skill. But even with the Auto option, once you lock on , you will hardly miss a shot. I know that Nikon D-500 is fast camera but a lot of credit must go the lens. The following four shots of the Seagull were taken in continuous bursts and they are out of about ten shots taken and each one of them were in focus.

BIJ_1767a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/5000s. Aperture Priority, ISO 400

BIJ_1768a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/5000s. Aperture Priority, ISO 400

BIJ_1769a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/5000s. Aperture Priority, ISO 400

BIJ_1770a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/5000s. Aperture Priority, ISO 400

The color rendition and sharpness of the lens is superb and there are no complains there. Except when you are in low-light situations, I cannot find any fault with this lens. Of course this is not an Weather-sealed lens but then you have to look at the price point. The latest FX AF-P 70-300 VR is Weather sealed but it is double the price and weight.

BIJ_0775a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/1000s. Aperture Priority, ISO 100

BIJ_0779a — Nikon D500, Nikon AF-P 70-300 VR DX at 300mm, f/6.3, 1/1250s. Aperture Priority, ISO 100

This is not a lens review in the true sense and I am just sharing photographs taken with the lens. There are plenty of sites where you can get to see charts and comparisons and discussion about sharpness, chromatic aberrations, distortions etc. I take photographs and if I am happy with a particular lens based on the results and my expectations, then that is all that matters to me. I guess these photographs might help someone thinking of buying this lens. I am sharing some more photographs taken with the lens.