Just finished sorting the photos taken over the last week in China. I was fortunate enough to meet up with a local chap from Chengdu who frequents a photography forum and had the pleasure of experiencing the awesomeness of the Nikon AF-S VR 600mm f/4 :cool:

It was the first time I've used such a telephoto lens and it's pretty addictive. I'm using the excuse that there's no decent wildlife in the UK to not buy this baby. It's a poor excuse, but I can't really justify dumping that much money, no matter how fine the glass is!

So, here are a few of the better ones. I have zero experience using such telephoto lens and thes were shot on a D300 (crop sensor) + 1.4TC so this gives an 35mm equivalent of 1275mm or so :eek:

Black swan, both shot at ISO200, 1/640s, f/7.1

ISO200, 1/500s, f/7.1

ISO200, 1/250s, f/7.1

Dragonfly

ISO200, 1/500s, f/5.6

Some kind of white swan doing an Ole!

ISO200, 1/650s, f/5.6 heavily cropped

Me in action, photo taken by Yu, my new Chinese friend who owns this beaut

Next, we went to the Panda reserve. Unfortunately, as the weather was really hot, they were all inside so only took one poor shot. However, the red pandas were out and about, although they too were taking the heat

ISO800, 1/100s, f/5.6

ISO720, 1/100s, f/5.6

ISO800, 1/60s, f/5.6

I'm amazed at how well the VR works. The panda shots were early evening and under trees so the light was falling dramatically. Last one at 1/60s :eek: which isn't bad considering it's 1275mm

And a few more...

Not only a peacock, but the adorable peacock chicks too

ISO320, 1/100s, f/7.1

Bit of a slippery drop

ISO200, 1/250s, f/7.1

Awwwwwwwww

ISO200, 1/250s, f/7.1

ISO220, 1/100s, f/5.6

Me in action, photo taken by Yu, my new Chinese friend who owns this beaut

Not being heightist Xav, but which stands taller, you or the camera and lens ?

Lovely pics though. How much is the lens by the way ?

Edited 26 July, 200916 yr by thebrymar

There's Plenty of decent wildlife in the UK. Go buy the lens!!

Great pictures, I love the one of the swan in the rain

Not being heightist Xav, but which stands taller, you or the camera and lens ?

Lovely pics though. How much is the lens by the way ?

LOL. The second part of the lens hood isn't extended either. But on a monopod with little experience, I prefer to stay low. Gives a better angle to the photos too. Would be an expensive error to drop it in the drink. Cost is around £7000

And if I were to get that, I'd want to get a decent Gitzo tripod and a Wimberly gimbal head, so add another grand on top!

There's Plenty of decent wildlife in the UK. Go buy the lens!!

Great pictures, I love the one of the swan in the rain

I know there's plenty of decent wildlife. It's just an excuse I'm using to not buy it! In all honesty, I'd probably prefer the 500mm. It's a bit lighter, and more importantly shorter. The 600mm is long enough to make it tricky as carry-on luggage on aircraft. And there's no way you'd want to check that in