I’ve been holding out on everyone. Just over a week ago I wandered into Rivers Camera in Dover to pick up something I had ordered, and there, on the shelf was the highly sought out 70-300 AF-S with VR. I’ve been watching this lens slowly hit “In Stock” status and disappear very quickly at all the usual places online. I tentatively asked if it was just a pretty box on the shelf, or if it truly were the 70-300 in stock. The reply was, “Sure is, its the last of three we got from Nikon. Want a look?” YES!

I begin a nature photography class tomorrow, and since I got the lens just over a week ago I’ve been prowling our yard, the U.N.H. campus, and anywhere else I suspect wildlife to be hanging out. I’ve been having so much fun shooting with the lens that it’s taken me this long to sit down and finally write a short review. I’m not going to get in to a lot of technical detail. Others much more qualified have already done that. Rather, I’ll take the approach of posting some of my favorite photos I’ve taken with it over the last week.

Anyone that knows what it’s like to handhold a telephoto out to 300mm will know that without VR, none of these images would have been free of camera shake. I have yet to mount this and my camera on a tripod to make any images. The VR (vibration reduction) is simply amazing. It detects when you are panning and stabilizes, it detects plain old wiggle, and stabilizes. Its just AWESOME.

The only downfall of this lens is that wide angle stops at 70mm. If your looking for a do it all lens, look at the 18-200 with it’s excellent reviews. If your more into trying to convince that blue bird not to fly away just long enough to get a beauty shot, keep the extra 100mm and save about $300.
And now, the photos. I won’t post all here, you’ll have to go to a small sample gallery I put together to see them all.

I’m a geek, when I hear something out of the norm in the sky, I go running. Now I do so with camera in hand. Both of these went over Sunday morning. The red one is my favorite picture of this weekend. I think it’s the colors and just enough spin to the blades that it doesn’t look awkward like the Huey.

Two of four Bluebirds at Adam’s point Sunday. These little guys and gals seemed happy to keep their distance and let you photograph them. Get too close and they flew a bit away. There are more samples of this fine species in the gallery, have a look. I even got all 4 of them in the same tree hanging out and one point.

Bokeh, or how the lens renders out of focus areas is superb. These two photos, though not technically astounding, can speak to that.

There’s more in the gallery, have a look. There’s some ducks and geese a blue jay, and others. I’ve saved some gems for the gallery so you won’t be disappointed.