If you are a beginner in wildlife photography, you want a lens that is versatile, easy to use, and most of all, cheap. That’s why I think the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR is your best bet when you’re just starting out.

If you read my first blog about the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S, you know that I love finding cost-effective ways to get high-quality wildlife photography gear. This is to take excellent photos of wild animals without breaking the bank.

That’s why when I first started using Nikon cameras, my go-to lens for wildlife photography was the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR. Most importantly, I only spent around $270 USD / $344 CAD to get it.

It has been a few years since I upgraded, but I cannot understate the amazing performance of the 70-300mm. Especially compared to its price. That’s why I recommend this as the first lens for any beginner wildlife photographer.

In this blog post, I will give you an in-depth review of the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR. I will also share some photos I have taken with it and compare it to other budget telephoto lenses for wildlife photography from Nikon. Lastly, I will tell you why I think the Nikon 70-300mm is the best zoom lens for wildlife photography on a budget.

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Overview

While this professional Nikon lens was first launched in 2006 for $699 USD, I bought it in 2018 for about $270 USD / $344 CAD. That’s less than 50% of the original price!

To give you a bit of background, I first began wildlife photography in 2017 when I was got into the MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management at the University of Oxford.

I started shooting with the Nikon 70-210mm f/4 AF, Nikon’s first telephoto zoom lens, which was released in 1986. Despite being an excellent piece of technology for its time, after almost a year, it was clear that I had to upgrade to get a longer focal length and vibration reduction (VR).

That’s when I invested in the Nikon 70-300mm.

It has travelled with me to several countries around North America and Europe. I have used it to shoot everything from urban birds to wild deer. I have even used this zoom lens for landscape photography! If I had to photograph animals, landscapes, and everything in between, the Nikon 70-300mm would be very high on my list. It is light, it can zoom, and it has very capable VR for a lens at this price point.

If you want a reliable lens for wildlife photography for cheap, I would definitely recommend the Nikon 70-300mm. If you want excellent photos, but can only afford to spend a couple of hundred dollars, then it might be for you.
As you may know, I bought the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S to replace the Nikon 70-300mm. I only actually stopped using this zoom lens in mid-2020 when I got the Nikon 200-500mm.

Pros

Weight

The Nikon 70-300mm is very light when compared to most wildlife telephoto lenses. In fact, at 745 g (1.64 lb), it is the lightest telephoto lens I have ever used for wildlife photography. To put things in perspective, it weighs almost half as much as the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S. You can hold this lens all day long without getting tired, a huge bonus for wildlife photographers.

VR

VR is a wildlife photographer’s best friend. I cannot imagine having to completely rely on a tripod or my hand-holding ability to achieve sharp images… especially at over 200mm! Thankfully, the Nikon 70-300mm has excellent VR. It provides up to 4 stops over a non-VR lens, which adds to its portability. I can confirm this. I have managed to get sharp shots at 1/40, such as this black woodpecker nestling below.

Price

Of all the wildlife photography lenses I have bought, this is by far the cheapest. It can be found on Amazon for less than $300 USD / $363 CAD. For the performance and portability you are getting, this price is unbeatable for a beginner wildlife photographer looking for a Nikon telephoto zoom.

Focal length

While many of Nikon’s professional wildlife lenses are prime lenses with a fixed focal length, the 70-300mm shines for its versatility due to its zoom range. It can function as a short telephoto at 70mm to capture more context, but can also reach 300mm for tighter framing. With it, you can photograph a wider variety of shots than with a prime lens.

Fast autofocus

I was surprised at how well this lens focused. As long as you have relatively good light, its autofocus is not only fast but accurate. It does not have the same low-light performance as professional lenses, but these are also way more expensive, so this is not a fair comparison. In sum, the Nikon 70-300mm’s autofocus will get the job done in nearly any condition for a beginner wildlife photographer.

Cons

Sharpness

Overall, this lens is very sharp for its category. The only issue is that it becomes softer at the longest end. In other words, when you zoom the Nikon 70-300mm past 200mm, which is likely the minimum distance most of you will use. That said, this is a minor consideration. If there is anything I have learned over the years, it is that obtaining sharp photos is more about your technique than your gear. For anyone familiar with Ken Rockwell’s work, you will find that he also agrees.

Aperture

Having a variable maximum aperture of f/4.5-5.6 is, in general terms, by no means bad. Nonetheless, most wildlife photographers will spend most of their time at the long end of this lens. At 300mm f/5.6, it is one step slower than an f/4 lens. This means an f/4 lens would be able to let in twice as much light. Wildlife photographers are always after a shallower depth of field and better low light performance. The 70-300mm does a decent job, but it is not ideal for this in contrast to more specialized competitors.

Plastic build

When compared to other common wildlife photography lenses, the Nikon 70-300mm is less durable. It is mostly plastic with a metal mount. Professional lenses are completely metal, which makes them last longer and more able to withstand a beating.

My main takeaway is that all photography gear has limitations. Working through them will help you develop your skills better than thinking about the next best thing. To get the most out of the Nikon 70-300mm, work on your hand-holding technique, shoot in good light, and make sure to take care of it well. That way you will be able to optimize the quality of your photos.

Competitors

Since I started wildlife photography, I have used several lenses that I would consider to be competitors of the Nikon 70-300mm. This is based on their focal length, use, and price range. Of these, I have already discussed the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S in greater detail in a previous blog.

Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S vs Nikon AF-S 70-300mm

Pros

Sharpness: As a professional lens, the 300mm f/4 is noticeably sharper than the 70-300mm. These lenses are in totally different classes when it comes to optical performance.

Build: The 300mm f/4 is almost completely metal. This makes it more durable than the plastic construction of the 70-300mm.

Aperture: As a prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/4, the 300mm f/4 lets in an additional stop of light. This allows you to shoot at lower ISOs and, in theory, achieve better photo quality. The 70-300mm’s variable aperture of f/4.5-5.6 aperture lets in one less stop.

Cons

Focal length: The 300mm f/4 has the same maximum focal length as the 70-300mm, but it does not offer the flexibility to shoot wider.

Price: Though still a great deal compared to its launch price (less than $800 USD on Amazon and as low as $470 USD on eBay used), the Nikon 300mm f/4 cannot compete with the incredibly cheap price tag of the 70-300mm, which can be found for as little as $278 USD and $434 CAD.

Weight: The Nikon 300mm f/4 may be light when compared to larger professional wildlife photography lenses, but its weight is no match for the ultra-slim 70-300mm.

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P FX vs Nikon AF-S 70-300mm

Pros

Vibration reduction: The 70-300mm’s newest iteration wins here. Nikon states that it can provide up to 4.5 stops of VR, which is incredible compared to the 70-300mm’s 2.5. This helps you get sharper photos at slow shutter speeds. It also makes lugging it around an absolute breeze. Don’t forget that good hand-holding technique is huge for getting sharp images!

Sharpness: The newer 70-300mm is significantly sharper than its predecessor, as others have shown through rigorous sharpness testing.

Autofocus: Thanks to the new AF-P motor, the autofocus is much faster and even quieter than the older 70-300mm. The upgrade in technology is on full display when it comes to accuracy. It shows a noticeable improvement over its older sibling.

Weight: At 680 g, this new Nikon 70-300mm weighs 65 g less than the older model (745 g). This makes it a superb choice as an all-around telephoto lens for hiking.

Cons

Price: As a newer lens launched in 2017 with more advanced technology, such as the new AF-P motor, the Nikon 70-300mm AF-P FX is understandably more expensive. It currently costs around $440 USD on eBay.

Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR vs Nikon AF-S 70-300mm

*Note: Nikon has created two 80-400mm lenses. The Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR launched in 2000 and the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 ED VR in 2013. The latter is a high-quality, high-performance lens. However, it is at a completely different price point that a beginner wildlife photographer would probably not invest in. For that reason, I am comparing the older version.

Pros

Focal length: This lens provides an amazing zoom range from 80mm to 400mm. This allows you to capture wildlife photos with both more context at the wider end and tighter portraits at the longest. While it beats the 70-300mm by 100mm, which any wildlife photographer will surely smile at, I would not consider it a deal-breaking improvement.

Cons

Autofocus: For anyone impressed by this lens’s focal length, I would think twice about purchasing it. The autofocus is very slow. This makes it very difficult to photograph animals who are usually not the most cooperative subjects.

Price: It may no longer cost as much as its launch of $1699 USD, but this old 80-400 is still more expensive than the 70-300mm. At the time of writing this, it goes for a minimum of $600 USD / $700 CAD used on Amazon. I have only found one copy on Kijiji for $500.

Weight: The Nikon 80-400mm (1210 g) is much heavier than the 70-300mm. This makes it more cumbersome to carry with you if you are shooting without a tripod.

Conclusion

I have a lot of love for the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR. It was the lens I used the most and that helped me get all the shots you have seen in this post. In fact, it allowed me to put on my first photo exhibition in Italy!

Personal biases aside, this lens has everything that any beginner wildlife photographer needs: excellent zoom range, reliable sharpness, and solid autofocus performance. And it combines them in a compact, hand-holdable package at a very good price. This is perfect if you are a wildlife photographer who travels or hikes often.

How do I use the 70-300mm? I used mine day in and day out in my first years as a wildlife photographer. Since then, I have upgraded to the Nikon 200-500 and the 300 PF. However, I have shot birds, deer, and even landscapes with it. I loved being able to zoom out to 70mm to capture environmental portraits and zoom in to 300mm for tighter ones. I try to stay at or beneath an animal’s eye level to get a shallow depth of field. This is especially important with an f/5.6 lens.

The 70-300mm has served me very well. It was one of the first I ever used for wildlife photography. My only regret is that I did not get it as soon as I started. If you’re a beginner photographer, you’ll likely have a crop sensor camera, like my old D7100 or D7500 (excellent bodies, by the way). I recommend you keep the 70-300mm on a DX body for the added 1.5x reach to get you to a maximum effective focal length of 450mm.

Where to buy

If you want to purchase the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, there are several cheap, used options on Amazon for less than $240 USD. I have also found others on eBay for as low as $259 USD. If you live in Canada, Kijiji is a great place to get even cheaper gear if you are willing to buy cameras and lenses without an intermediary service.