I have just purchased the following lens to accompany my Nikon D500:
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR - £1,349 (see here)
However, having purchased this lens a few hours ago, it has been pointed out to me that the following lens would be better if I could cover the extra cost:
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR - £2,849 (see here)
How essential is a larger aperture when it comes to wildlife photography? More specifically, African wildlife that will be photographed from a vehicle (no tripod) during dusk and dawn.
The additional £1,500 is doable, but I only want to spend this extra amount if it will make a big difference to the sharpness and quality of the photos I take.
Update - Just to mention, this will not be my primary lens when photographing wildlife, my primary lens is the Nikon 200-500mm.
Answer
Take the following with a baker's pinch (aka handful) of salt.
The difference between F2.8 and F4 is only one stop. Whether that's worth an extra £1500 is a personal decision that only you can decide.
Personally, I think the 70-2004G VR would be fine, and I'd go for another body or lens suitable for people, landscape, and other touristy pictures. For dawn/dusk photos, I'd consider switching from animal photography to shooting landscapes, scenery, and sunrises/sunsets.
The F2.8 zoom lenses I've used have been disappointing in terms of image quality when used wide open, where they are softer with more aberrations. – What's the point of having a "fast" lens if I'm just going to stop it down all the time?
However, the 70-200/2.8 lens you mention is slightly sharper in the comparison images at The Digital Picture. But is it worth an extra £1500?
One stop may not be that significant when image stabilization is available. In some cases, VR/VC/IS/OS/OIS/etc can add about 4-5 stops of stability. I reliably get about three stops of assistance from my lenses. – Both of the lenses you mention have VR.
When light is too low for F4, I usually find it isn't long before it's too low for F2.8. If you want to stretch out your shooting time a bit, you can use your vehicle for stability or consider using a monopod. Though not that applicable to safari, it's nice to have faster options, like F1.4 primes. The change in lens choice is part of why I'd consider switching to photographing different subjects.
When shooting telephoto, I often stop down to F5.6 or narrower because the depth of field is too narrow at F2.8 to get usable shots. Why spend an extra £1500 for a single stop that I'm just going to turn around and throw away by stopping down 2-3 stops?
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