On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:22:52 -0400, hermcam@mindspring.com wrote:

>I sold my Nikkor f4 300mm EDAF lens soon after I obtained a new Zoom
>Nikkor 70-300mm EDAF (extremely lightweight & compact) lens BECAUSE of
>the superior images of the 70-300 at 300mm. I also own a Nikkor f2.8
>300mm which is one of the best (although heavy) lens which I use when I
>must have the added speed. I'll admit that there is a sharper edge to
>the f2.8 300mm compared to the 70-300- but it is slim. [....]

Hmmm, there is a mystery here...
I tried three of the 70-300 (I really wanted this lens...! ;-),
and the results were far from fine (I do like good corner and
edge performance...) with the ones I tried. Not terrible, but
definitely second-rate for Nikon (like the 70-210 f4-5.6)...
It seemed to me that Nikon, like Canon and others, was now willing
to put out second-rate optics at bargain prices (in the past, the
compromises in Nikon budget lenses were mostly in construction, not
in the optical quality). The three 70-300mm Nikkors I tried were
FAR from the capabilities of either the 300mm f2.8 or the 300mm
f4 I've had - which was disappointing... Maybe there are sample
variations with this lens that I've not overcome yet...(?)

>I do find it strange, though, that some individuals- beleived to be
>"trolls"- who write, month after month, derogatory attacks on the new
>Nikkor 70-300 EDAF lens. What is the purpose of their attacks? What do
>they contribute to this newsgroup?

Dunno - perhaps reporting, as you have done...? ;-)
Nikon does, occasionally, make mistakes...;-)
This lens will be popular, in any case, so it only
hurts Nikon's reputation in the long run if it is
poor, and it is profitable in the short run...