Currently I have a Nikon D7200 with an old second hand Nikkor 300mm f/4 AF-S But the lens is damaged. The lens was a birthday present about 2 years ago. Optics are good but no autofocus. The lens autofocus worked slow at first for a year and then it died. I have been taking bird photos in manual focus and with the camera in manual mode since, sometimes I add it a Nikon TC II 1.7X (second hand too) and use a Monopod for stability. I have been able to photograph even warblers in flight that way, absurdly extreme lucky shots as you could imagine. My gallery is here if you want to see the results: https://oquinterophotography.com/
Why I have not fixed the lens? Because I live in PANAMA. No nikkon service here and a big big hassle to send that to the US to fix. Here mail works decently to ship to Panama but not to send stuff abroad, one-way. Well...I want to buy a new lens anyway and was thinking in the Nikkor af-s 200-500 f/5.6 ED VR. My budget is very tight so a 500mm prime is out of my pocket. But I could afford the 200-500, and maybe add it a 1.4tc and use the old 300mm when I don't need AF (for birds standstill) as I am now used to use it that way. I could order online the lens with fingers crossed that it arrives in good order as sending it back for warranty issues would be a big big headache or buy in local camera shop that sometimes sell this nikkor lens. Also I want to photograph birds in flight, as I had good results with the 300mm when the AF worked. But I hated that the 300 need the TC to have more reach, almost always. There are tons of birds here that I can't photograph properly because I can't be quick enough with manual focusing (warblers specially) or because the 300mm can't reach.
Well what do you think guys? the Nikkor 200-500 is a good choice or there other stuff I am not considering?
Next step recommendation. Lens? Nikon here.
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