On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:06:46 -0600, Sean Golden wrote:

[ignoring the first part of the post, deleted...;-]
>But now I am looking at buying a telephoto prime lens in the 200-300mm
>range, preferably 300mm. I want this because I have not been real
>pleased with the performance of the above-mentioned zoom at 200mm. It
>simply isn't fast enough to take some of the sports or nature
>photographs I'd like to take. I don't want to move to a faster speed
>film because I want to blow up the results, on those rare occasions that
>I am pleased with the results.
>
>So, I don't have a lot of money. Maybe $500.

Rock-bottom-priced, but very good, is an AI'd 200mm f4 Nikkor
(about $100 in nice condition), a 200mm f4 compact-version
(used, for under $200, and it works well with the TC14A
[used, maybe $175-200] for a compact rig...), a 300mm f4.5
Nikkor (used, AI'd, maybe $200-275 in good shape, or up to
maybe $375 as AI/AIS in nice shape). No AF, but......;-)
Short, but AF (if that is important....;-), and one of the
very best lenses around (and under $500 used...) is the
Nikkor 180mm f2.8 EDIF-AF - though, good as it is, it
isn't too happy on 2X converters. If the speed is OK,
the 75-300mm Nikkor is rather a lot sharper than the
28-200 within its range, and a bit faster, too...
Also good are the first-version 70-210 AF (constant f4) to which
can be added the TC14A, and the same-opticed 70-210 f4 E-Series,
and both are roughly $200 used.