[JJ_SO]

I confirm that you can shot at birds at 9m/30ft, sometimes even less (I mean much less). But of course even at longer ranges, especially flocks, and that's the more likely thing for many. I don't know how many people use very long focals for landscape, in any case I do (300mm / 420mm)    and I do know I'm not completely alone. So, the 30ft test has some meaning, but I'd like to see more. Furthermore comparing with other zooms makes definitely sense and it's the first thing you'd like to known, but comparing with a prime would make sense too: you know that with the zoom you're losing something, but you'd like to know how much are you losing.

 

I'd loosing for sure a nicely blurred background, because most primes are faster and usable wide open without problem. They should - costing between 5 and 20 times more. But to me, who rarely needs such a long lens, it might be better not to check to carefully for "better" lenses - I suspect, there are pretty much a lot of them. I could rent a long tele. But after three or four times renting a Nikon prime, the costs would exceed this lens.