My $350 Nikon Wildlife Photography Kit (D300 + 300mm F4 AF lens!)

I attempted to shoot wildlife with a total budget of $350, using a budget camera (Nikon D300) and lens (300mm AF ED-IF). Here's what happened!
Nikon D300 (used): ebay.us/PZ6Hcc
Nikon 300mm F4 AF IF-ED lens (used): ebay.us/fIJUPE
Better camera for low light (D7200): ebay.us/Tnpuyj
Better 300mm lens (AF-S version): ebay.us/YW9KZv
DISCLAIMER:
Some of these links have an affiliate code. If you purchase gear with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

[@lensvana]

PRODUCTS MENTIONED (AFFILIATE LINKS): Nikon D300 (used): ebay.us/PZ6Hcc Nikon 300mm F4 AF IF-ED lens (used): ebay.us/fIJUPE Better camera for low light (D7200): ebay.us/Tnpuyj Better 300mm lens (AF-S version): ebay.us/YW9KZv

[@matthewcullen7106]

I recently upgraded to a Nikon D850, but for years my wildlife setup was a D300, which I still have, and the successor to that lens the 300mm AF-S f/4D. No plans to ever sell the D300, it's worth so much more than I'd actually get for it now and I've also recommended that or the D300s to other people who want to get into shooting wildlife on a tight budget, worth it over entry level cameras for the body and the AF module alone.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing, Matt. That's a nice upgrade :) I have tried the D7100 for wildlife since making this video, and honestly I prefer the handling and colors of the D300 (although the high ISO performance is much better on the D7100). Agreed that these older cameras are still great options, and give you more flexibility to spend on the lens and accessories.

[@pedrova8058]

With extension tubes, that 300 works well as quasi macro (butterflies, wasps, bees, small reptiles). I use it a lot. Another "cheap" alternative is the Nikkor 500 f4 Ai-P, it's completely manual, but delivers all the benefits of a 500 f4 at a ridiculous price. It was the last of the large Ais ED designs (later replaced by the AF-i version), so it's a hair above the 600 f4 and 400 3,5 Ais ED (the 500 f4 Ai-P - also 800 f5.6 Ais ED _ have 3 ED glasses , all the others only 2) The 400 f3.5 Ai ED is another favorite in birding, both works fine with tc1.4x , even with the tc301 (2x) you get more than acceptable sharpness The only big task - for some folks _ is learning to focus manually. There are quite a few reviews on the web that show the results that can be achieved with those classics. The quality-price ratio is far from the typical telezoom (150-600 ish)

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing! Do you mean the 500 F4 AI-S P? I see it selling anywhere from $370-$1000 on eBay. Should be noted that used prices for a used Sigma or Tamron 150-600mm continue to come down, so those are becoming very viable "budget" solutions now too (plus you get AF and VR). I really like my AI/AI-S lenses, but don't like focusing them on the tiny DSLR viewfinder

[@averymcdaniel423]

Still love and use my D300s.

[@matthewchen1006]

Thanks for sharing it! Really amazing shots…

[@lensvana]

Thank you, Matthew!

[@NathanChisholm041]

I just bought the D300s for $150 and it's fantastic

[@lensvana]

Forgot to mention in video: D300 will only recognize up to 32GB CF cards. I bought a 64 GB CF card and had to create a 32 GB partition manually on the card to get the camera to recognize it. I believe D300S detects higher capacity cards than 32 GB.

[@woody5410]

Given my limited experience, now expanding from macro to birding (on a budget) a terrific little video. Clearly articulated and well explained. Cheers Woody ps thank you for the options info too!

[@lensvana]

Thanks Woody! Good luck with the birding. Check out ebird.org, it's a free crowdsourced directory of bird sightings

[@silentrabbit247]

I used a nikon D80 and nikkor AF 70-300mm ED f4-5.6D was a good budget set up, got some nice photos, including Gannets in flight. A Bargain 2nd hand set up would also be - nikon D700 full frame, AFS 300mm f4 IFED plus a TC-14Eii converter. PN11 extension tube for macro would be useful too, although the 300mm f4 does focus close and is great for reptiles, insects etc. After the Light, the photographer is the most important thing, then the lens. All best.

[@benni1015]

My budget wildlife setup used to be a Nikon D5300(used around 250€) + an old Tamron Adaptall 60-300mm F3.8-5.4 which i got for around 50€. I actually got some decent shots out of this( there were tons of birds near the balcony of the place where i stayed for holiday). Generally some vintage lenses can have nice image quality for a decent price, however manually focussing at 300mm+ lens is also extremely difficult. Especially with birds being as rapid as they are.

[@lensvana]

Been there, done that! It's not easy manual focusing birds at 300mm+, but very satisfying when you get a shot in focus :) Luckily now we have excellent cheap lenses like the AF-P 70-300mm DX VR ($150 used) - stunning results

[@DANVIIL]

Well done!

[@lensvana]

Thank you!

[@georgedavall9449]

LOL @06:42. Made me chuckle, but so true! Great stuff here, and you did well. Stay safe!

[@lensvana]

Haha thanks! :) All the best to you too

[@TheophilusCarlos]

Hey, I’m an M43 user myself and wasn’t very interested in anything Nikon (although seeing the D300 made me research about it recently). However, the way you’ve formatted this video is excellent. In fact, there are many tips you mentioned that I could use to shoot with my relatively slow setup (Olympus 75-300mm II, 600mm equivalent). The idea of a map showing where the light struck the owls was brilliant for visual communication. Your information is concise and kept me interested in your video. Thanks, you’ve gained a subscriber.

[@lensvana]

Hey there, thank you for your support! Of course as a Nikon DSLR shooter I'm envious of the size/weight and stabilization of Micro Four Thirds systems! Grass is always greener :) In good light I think your setup should be great.

[@zarrow50]

@@lensvana Less DOF with smaller sensor

[@utube321piotr]

Great videos.

[@kapilgautam7244]

Awesome shots❤️🙏

[@lensvana]

Thanks! :)

[@fjphoto23]

The true photographer!! 👍

[@KarySchump]

Great video! It’s great to see what you can do with a small budget, and obviously the photographer matters! You got some great pics! I have been playing with wildlife photography with a budget camera with limited technical specs, but still it gets me out there, and while it’s limited, the zoom of up to 1200mmm is way cheaper than I could get for a lens with half that reach, and of course many compromises. Again, I know it’s limited, but I’m learning and a small camera gets me out there a lot more often. Thanks for the tips on your set up. I’m using a small bridge camera, (yeah, I know), a Canon Sx540 hs, new would be around $300 and much less if bought used. I also use my old Nikon d40 with the second lens I bought for it years ago, an old nikon 55-200, which is also limited of course. I’ve heard good things about the LUMIX Z300, a bridge camera with weather sealing. I’m thinking of finding a used weather sealed lens for my old (but new to me) and barely used Olympus omd em5. Anyway, thanks for your videos! I very much enjoy the content you share!!

[@lensvana]

Thanks for watching, Kary! :) We have so many choices now, especially with the used market flooded with great gear. em5 is a really nice camera, only played with it in the store but there are a bunch of great lenses for that system including some really affordable telephotos (maybe not weather sealed, but at least the em5 is). Ultimately I look for good light -- i think lots of complaints about poor sharpness are to do with insufficient light. good light on the subjects makes it 10x easier!

[@7Andy77]

All I lack in my D300 is more MPX and better high ISO performance. Apart from that it is great camera. That's the reason I'm going to buy D7200.

[@lensvana]

Yep, my observations too. I upgraded to the D7100 for those reasons

[@AlexKoehler]

Very nice video, thank you!

[@lensvana]

Thanks!

[@konradkoeppe2840]

Vahagraphy also did a review of this lens not long ago. Geat value for the money. If you shoot mainly daylight hours an older dslr like the d300s is a geat budget camera. Even if your a pro an older camera setup like this for personal can keep the extra clicks off your newer stuff. Great job.

[@lensvana]

Thanks, Konrad. Great point about keeping extra clicks off newer cams -- in my case i'm burning clicks while learning / making all the inevitable mistakes. Also a good way to fully appreciate upgrades down the line.

[@khanscombe619]

Brilliant kit. I liked my D300s for the other end, Micro & astro photography. I do wanna try it again in wildlife. That's new to me & looks fun eh! I found indoors it was fine w/ a decent Pro level sharp f2.8 & i-TTL flash. I shot like in film. ISO 400 sweet spit indoors

[@lensvana]

Thanks for watching! Lots of fun indeed with a telephoto. It's been a while since I've used serious lenses indoors with flash...brings back memories of paid event photography gigs. Of course back then D300 would have been state of the art :)

[@gregrobertson2726]

You asked so, my most recent acquisition a Nikon 300mm f4 prime. ($80) Un-noticeable spot of apparent separation and possibly fungus which I don’t see. Currently on a D700 I favor greatly. I have my cheapest D100 which was simply thrown in with a large selection of ai lenses the star being an ai-s 105. f2.5. I’m eager to also try my D7100 for the crop effect. I’ve obtained many lenses and a few film Nikons, pristine fe2 with winder, a Nikomat included with the 300 f4 (free) and much much more all in a period of a few months. Yes, can be done now for little money. I probably have less than $1500 invested in my renewed photography hobby and have yet to cull the herd. Cheap is definitely available. I also got a D3300 early on as a grab and go with video. Happy Holidays.😊

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing! That's quite a deal for the 300mm F4, it's definitely seems like a buyer's market for used cameras and lenses. Funny you say the D7100 because it's my main wildlife camera these days - - really great performance and better low ISO performance than the D300. Happy holidays to you and your family!

[@alanhoughton6166]

Had just commented on the Kenko 300 1.4x Pro and then heard you say you were getting one! It's a very good combo with the D300 and the 300mm f/4 One alternative cheap wildlife combo is a D2Xs + TC-16a Teleconverter, and then add a manual focus 300mm f/2.8. I have a Tamron Adaptall version. The TC-16a does that last little bit of autofocus so you can lock on very quickly, and it makes the 300mm f/2.8 into a 480mm f/4.48 (or equivalent 720mm on the crop sensor)

[@lensvana]

I agree! The Kenko 300 is great :) I notice the AF is a bit slower than w/o it, so it's tougher for BIF. But for stationary / slow moving wildlife or birds it's perfect. I've tested it with a D7100 and that lens too - works great. I didn't even know the TC-16a existed - thanks for the tip :) Another potential combination to test out down the line!

[@alanhoughton6166]

@@lensvana the Kenko 300 is slower, but I try to limit the focal length and that helps a bit. The TC-16a only works with some of the older cameras - I use it with a D2Xs and it works like a charm. You focus most of the way to the target, then the teleconverter does the rest of the way. I find it a bit faster than the 300 f/4 w/ the Kenko, but it takes practice. You can get the TC-16a modified for newer cameras, but I didn't find that to work as well (but it may have been I got one only partly modified)

[@lensvana]

@@alanhoughton6166 Thanks again for the info. Found a useful discussion thread about the TC-16a: www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3785412 Practice really does make perfect with any genre of photography (especially wildlife). The more I shoot, the "better" my equipment becomes!

[@billyluong6633]

such a good video! i just bought this lens an hour ago, and i am excited to shoot it with my nikon D7000. thanks for the in depth vid!

[@lensvana]

Thanks, Billy! Enjoy--should be a great lens for the D7000

[@moin_davo8963]

I've been using this lens for the past 2 years and initialy bought it to go on my D300 and through experience I can say that the lens can withstand the elements better then the D300. Since my D300 was waterdamaged in a storm with the lens attached (no the water didn't get in through the mount, it got in via the flash) I upgraded twice first to the D300s and later to the D3 and this lens still holds up very well. And I'm still not thinking about replacing the lens, I even designed a custom arca swiss style foot for gimbal use to go with it, that can be 3d printed. The image quality of the D300(s) is still very nice and holds up pretty well but to improve handling with such lenses try to attach the battery grip because that is a major improvment in handling and makes longer shutterspeeds much easier than without.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing this info! I am liking this lens more and more... will try to hold onto it. I added a mini tripod to the bottom so I can quickly deploy it in the field when walking around. Re: battery grip, after trying out wildlife photography I finally understand the benefits. Adding one to my setup.

[@C2H5OH-2H2O]

Good afternoon! I use this lens with a d750 camera. In low light, it often focuses incorrectly, and the pictures are blurry. But in direct sunlight or with a little cloud cover, the sharpness is excellent. Compared to 80-200 f2.8 and 70-300. When shooting without a tripod, it is better to use a shutter speed of 1/1000 of a second or less, because micro-movements create a blur. It is also worth closing the aperture to f5.6 to get excellent sharpness! In any case, this option is much better than any Sigma lens for this amount.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I think that's a great summary of this lens. I also start at f5.6 with the lens, much better performance than wide open at f4. In any case, it can't be beaten for the price. I have purchased a Kenko 1.4 Teleconverter, it works fine with this lens, still sharp, but autofocus is now much slower.

[@tomallen6073]

You guys and your fancy cameras, the D200 is the ultimate setup. I figure in 20yrs everyone will be after the CCD sensors like they do film now. Just kidding, I have a D300s amongst many modern setups and find it to be a truly great machine. Love the large top display. I have a 200, 300, 700, 7100, 750 and 500. The 300 with the 18-70 kit lens is a great set up.

[@lensvana]

There's already nostalgia for the CCD sensors today :) That's a nice kit bag you've got there, a collection of the greatest hits!

[@tomallen6073]

I’ll add a 850 eventually, still too pricey for me. The 500 is awesome.

[@jordanlcheek]

I just picked up a d300 with a decent lens, and I’m absolutely loving it. It’s my first camera but I’m so excited

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

Cool vid and setup. That lens has piqued my interest. I personally use a D500 and Nikon's own 200-500 lens, a formidable kit which really delivers. I never knew D300 had got that cheap. I remember when they were the top of the line Nikon APS-C.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for watching! The D500 / 200-500mm is an enviable setup. Crazy to think that one day the D500 will be this cheap on the used market... or will it?! Folks on the Z-mount are still waiting for a "true" D500 mirrorless equivalent.

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

@@lensvana Yes... I suspect they will be very sought after once production stops (if it hasn't already) and the second hand market starts to dry up. I may even pick up another one in the future as a spare!

[@robertcarey3383]

I bought the same lens for $225.00 on eBay including shipping. I am using a Nikon D90 body and I will say that the Bird pictures I get with this setup is really WAY better than I ever expected. That lens cost $2,000 25 years ago.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's a true bargain today, and the build quality puts a lot of contemporary offerings to shame.

[@averymcdaniel423]

I have this camera and an older model of the 300mm f/4 version. I will try it. Having problems with the focus

[@totoarriba]

Still using my Nikon D300 . My favourite lense is a Sigma 50-150 f 2.8. And the Nikkor 17-55 f 2.8 comes second. No. 3 is the Nikkor 55-300 4.5. No. 4 the Nikkor 12-24 f4. I have used the Nikkor 55-300 for wildlife photography on a safari with jpg mode. I have several big prints coming from this safari are hanging on my walls. After 11 years I am thinking of switching to Fujifilm now. Better higher ISO and perhaps better colours.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing your experience! You could also consider grabbing a used Nikon D500, would be a worthy upgrade for the D300 and you'll get much better higher ISO performance

[@steveofastandfurious]

The RoboCop reference 👌🤣🤣🤣

[@lensvana]

Always worth a rewatch :)

[@Luke.]

Awesome video and great choices with the setup! Would you do a Canon version in a separate video? I think a similar setup to this would be a 7D or 40D, 50D (although the 7D has a much more robust AF system) and a 300mm F4.

[@lensvana]

Thank you! So much great value in the Canon lineup, I'd go with a 7D with the 300mm F4 or maybe 400mm F5.6L. Check out "Duade Paton" KZbin channel, he covers budget Canon wildlife setups (including 40D) and I doubt I'll be able to make a better video than he does - he has amazing shots of birds in Australia

[@Luke.]

@@lensvana thanks!

[@dominicwroblewski5832]

I am a really big fan of the D300 so much so I have 5 of them. Low light is it's weak point. To solve that I have the D7000 which is only slightly higher in price for a good used one.

[@lensvana]

Of all the cameras out there, the D300 is a great one to own 5 of :) I'm testing out the D7100 these days (got a great deal on one); the D300 may be relegated to backup duty.

[@dominicwroblewski5832]

@@lensvana I also have a D7100 and still prefer the images from the D300.

[@simon2957]

Just wanted to drop a comment for this video saying thank you. I find it hard to find videos showcasing wildlife photography on a budget that is actually achievable for me. A lot of them are just simply too expensive for my budget so I very much appreciate this video. Also my local cex has a d3100 for sale for £65.00 roughly 83 dollars. So I was wondering if that is worth picking up as it's very cheap and affordable for me.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for the kind words! If your interest is wildlife photography I would say skip the D3100 and grab a used D200 or D300 instead, they may be older cameras but can produce great results. I think the lens choice is more important here -- all depends on what you want to shoot!

[@abrar_the_s9]

Is d300 video mode no .yas

[@csabakereszturi945]

I agree on the camera body, but not on the lens. If you can't take top pictures with the D300, you won't with newer bodies.

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

Just for fun buy a fuji HS10

[@lensvana]

So many cameras to try, next up I'm trying out some Pentax DSLRs

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

@@lensvana The lens has very good stabilisation and is 720 mm

[@413TomaccoRoad]

A D7100 would be a lot better. You can get refurbs or low shutter count bodies for $400

[@lensvana]

Funny you say that, that's the one I ended up upgrading to :)

[@413TomaccoRoad]

@@lensvana Have you gotten the 300 f/4 ED IF with swm motor also?

[@lensvana]

@@413TomaccoRoad For now I've opted to go small and light with the AF-P 70-300mm @ 300mm. That 300 f/4 is tempting, though!

[@413TomaccoRoad]

@@lensvana I avoid zooms. I have 2 but really don't bother with them unless it's for snapshots. (18-70mm and 35-105 Nikkors)

[@lensvana]

@@413TomaccoRoad I understand where you're coming from! Still, the AF-P 70-300mm is tremendous value for money on the used market for what it offers

[@sasskin1]

this guy is funny the zooo omg wildlife oooo it hurts look guys lens is fine but use it on a dx camera will get more reach ps don't buy a damaged one .happy shooting sorry this guy was in my sights .

[@vulongwindydragon4367]

These are amazing photo, you could start a seri about ho you do post processing, people will love it!

[@lensvana]

Thanks! :)