I have the previous VR version and it is a fantastic lens - heavy though ... works great with the TC14 too. The minimum focus distance is around 7.5 feet, but with the D810 you'll have lots of room to crop if you need to. The image quality is very nice indeed. But it is a heavy sucker. Works great for compressed landscapes too.
Indeed, I used to own the first gen VR lens for 4-5 years also and loved it. I sold it last year in exchange for the new 400mm f2.8 E FL since I needed a bit more reach for some applications, but I still love the way the 300mm f2.8 draws. Those lenses are best used on top of monopods, my personal preference being the RRS one.
This being said, the current 300mm f2.8 VRII is likely to be replaced by a lighter E FL version in summer time frame (hopefully together with the 200mm f2.0 E FL which is likely to be my next Nikon lens purchase).
Cheers,
Bernard
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