300mm F4 Prime

Ding Ding! this is one of the last stops a middle class amateur photographer can make before blowing his savings on a five or ten thousand dollar lens. This is the most crisp and clear lens I've ever laid my hands on. It's not a speed demon at F4 but it is a superior quality lens. Priced between 1,100 and 1,300 USD, a little saving up can help you get off a lot of the cheaper long lenses. This is a prime lens, so you need to do more walking but the results are worth it. Use your new found leg muscles to run away from the burning pile of tamron and sigma zoom lenses you gleefully left behind. I prefer nikon, but I'm not married to it - it is bank. Until I cross 300mm or more, then its worth waiting. I tried two other sigma and tamron lenses before finally deciding I'd save for the nikon. They just CANT compare. This lens is worth it.