As I am contemplating a "cheap" birding lens setup, I noticed my local camera store has a Nikon v3 kits for sale. I also own the Nikon 300mm pf lens. I wonder if the Nikon v3 + 300mm pf be a viable birding setup. As of June of 2025, it seems a v3 with evf and grip goes about $330-ish, and ft1 is about $130, so for little under $500. The whole setup also fit in a backpack nicely. Has anyone try this setup, and what is your experience?
Many are very happy with the Nikon 70-300 lens, so given the fact that the 300pf is better @ its 300mm, I should work out well. Unless you feel it's too long, as it won't go any wider.
On the downside, of course, the lack of support for the Nikon 1 system as such.
And, despite the thread was started by someone having a problem with this combo, one can read that for others it worked perfectly. Even with the 500PF on Nikon 1 cameras:
I have owned the 300PF (twice) as well as V1, V2 and V3 bodies but not at the same time.
Aside from being stuck with a field of view equivalent to 810mm I would find being limited to the center focus point frustrating.
