Two weeks ago I managed to finally get my hands on the new Nikon 300mm f/4e PF ED VR. It is backordered nearly everywhere -- Adorama, B&Photo, etc -- due to the pesky VR problem at the initial release. In case you have not heard about the VR issue, I will fill you in. Shortly after the initial release of the lens in December 2014 many users began complaining that VR induced image blur when shooting at around 1/125s or lower shutter speeds. Users complained that handheld shots with the VR OFF were much sharper than shots taken with the VR ON. Nikon stopped shipping the lens, issued a firmware update and then shipped new lenses with the firmware update. If you are interested in learning more about the VR issue experienced by users and Nikon's response to the issue feel free to check out this link.
In light of the foregoing, I was rather hesitant to purchase the lens without first trying it out. Well, two weeks ago I was home visiting the family and I decided to stop by Creve Coeur Camera, my hometown camera store. The store happened to have a copy of the lens and offered to let me try it out in store before buying -- a huge plus! A quick side note, one of the perks of buying from a local camera store is the ability to try out the lens; while you may not earn the 2% rewards you would otherwise receive through B&H or Adorama, it can be nice to actually test out a lens to ensure it does not have any problems before purchasing.
I tested the lens on my Nikon Df and took photos around the store at various shutter speeds. Needless to say, I decided the lens was amazing and that I had to buy it immediately. Last week I took the lens out for a little more testing around the National Mall. The results from that little field trip are below:
