Nikkor 80-400mm VR - Get The Most Out Of This Lens
On flickr I get asked frequently about the 80-400mm lens, and often share info freely with other photographers. It's probably got something to due with the flickr tag and the rank of some of my images for the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR. 
Of the top 60 images currently only 9 are NOT mine. Anyway, I'm writing this as a resource for more photographers to hopefully benefit from.
I've heard that the Nikkor (Nikon) 80-400mm D VR lens is the first VR lens that made by Nikon. I've had it for about 2 years now, have probably taken over 100,000 images with it. (I've got 4 dSLRs and am at around 180,000 clicks or so.)
Before I got the 80-400mm and again after I got it I read some reviews from various sources. Some reviewers liked it, others hated it and returned it within hours because it is "soft".
My take on the lens is that for the money (well under $2,000 US) it is a great lens for many reasons. Read the rest of my review/guide for what works well (and what doesn't), and how to get the most out of this lens.
To start, here's how I normally setup and shoot with the lens.
In General
Hand-Hold
As of May 2008 about 85% of my images are taken hand holding the lens. About 13% of my photos were taken with a monopod, and the remaining 2% are from a tripod. So, mostly I hand-hold with the lens.
AF-S
With...
