NikonManSoCal

Good point Leonard - i missed that one! thanks!

The 24-120 f4 is the perfect "all in one" lens IMHO ....

Asus uses the NEC (now Renesas) USB 3 chip - update the firmware and the driver (google it). Win7 requires the driver - Win8 has native USB 3 support.

No way on Earth it will be anywhere near as good as the 200 2 with a TC .... especially with a slow variable aperture.

+1 - same here - exact same scenarios and lens (50 1.4) yield totally inconsistent results. I gave up. Essentially a waste of $ IMHO...

Good point with Tilt/Shift aspect- I have never used the Schneider - hoping Nikon releases a more functional 17 or 24mm TS/PC. Wondering how the new Samyang PC will perform as well.

In prime MF land the Zeiss 2.8/21 ZF2 is probably the finest landscape lens - the Nikkor 24 1.4 is also excellent...

if your lucky enough to have $18k laying around go for it! You can probably unload it for $23 if necessary...

300 2.8 would be great but it's a beast if one has the schlep it in the jungle/mountains...

Great shots with the 28-300! My only concern would be speed especially in thick overcast jungle light...

Sounds like a job for the Nikkor 200mm 2.0 - possibly a TC1.4/2.0 and an 85 1.4/1.8 plus 50 1.4 if manageable else the 70-200 2.8 VRII and a 50 1.4...

Fantastic shots!!!!

+1 - Mikes posts are among the most thorough and informed as it gets here - pretty much solidifying his position as 'the definitive' source of unbiased reviews and opinions here on the forums.

All authorized USA resellers (including the reputable New York outfits like BH, and Adorama, and etc.) cannot underpriced USA warranty products as the price is dictated by Nikon. As such there...

My recommendation based on your post is as follows:MF Primes:Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21mm ZF2 - probably the finest landscape prime available in MF - amazing micro-contrast - just a fantastic lens....

The 200 f2 VRII is in my opinion one of, if not the, sharpest lenses Nikon has ever made. It pairs extremely well with TC's (especially the aspheric TCII) providing about 85-90 percent of the IQ of...

I wouldn't even consider it... all you would be gaining is an extra 200mm (at f5.6) which for your use case is almost useless. Plus you would lose 10mm on the short end. Get an 85mm 1.8 instead.

I for one would have no issue paying a premium for a pro-grade 16-35 2.8 VR or a 24-70 2.8 VR or even a 55-300 2.8 with VR - an 80-400 variable aperture non-IF/ED - not so much....

LOL - I schlepped the 300 2.8 VRII with the TCII for 8 hours this weekend attached to a D800 with a MDB-12 - I could hardly get out of bed this morning ....

Save and extra $2000 if possible and get the Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VRII -it is by far one of the best (along with the 200f2) Nikon tele's at a 'somewhat' reasonable price point...