Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens !!

And the beat goes on....

Nikon has just announced it's new BEST Phase Fresnel lens( aka Diffractrive Optics for Canon)

https://www.nikonusa.c​om …-the-Nikon-FX-Format.html

Us Canon shooters have been hoping for//expecting something like this since the first 400 DO was released Alllllll the waaaaaay back in 2001.

Well 17 years later and still no joy, but surprise surprise, Nikon has been catching up in the Fresnel game, now offering the dreamed of lightweight 500mm f/5.6 Prime.

- Weighs a fluffy 3.22 pounds!
- ONLY 9.33 inches long! Seriously! That's 500mm f.l. from a scant 237mm!!!!
- Looks sharp as razors! (check out the MTF chart)

This is by far more weight and size savings I would have imagined possible based on Canon's past D.O. offerings.


How much you ask?

$3,600.00!!!!

You read it right, already for pre-order now
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …_nikkor_500mm_f​_5_6e.html

More here;
https://photographylif​e.com …5-6e-pf-lens-announcement


I read on here all day long about people switching for the latest bodies, and have to wonder.

This my friends, would have the younger me, and frankly any budding wildlife shooter that has not yet coughed up $10K for a big white, switching to Nikon in a heartbeat. Looks like a dream lens to me.

IMHO Waaaaaaaaaaay bigger shift in paradigm than a new mirrorless. Amazing to me that stole this lenses thunder yesterday

Vs. Nikon 500mm f/4

This has been the most interesting recent announcement to me too. Saw it a few weeks ago and have been waiting for some real info and reviews.
Price is not as high as I suspected. If it shares the same characteristics as the Nikon 300 PF it is almost perfect. I say almost as the VR in the 300 is not so great at probably the most inconvenient shutter speed range.
I see BnH has specs: Weight 3.21 lb / 1460 g while the picture you posted says 1630g which would seem just right for the tripod collar's additional weight.

So weighs significantly less then Canon 400 f4 DOII and significantly cheaper. Fantastic.

EDIT: 500 f4 is 3.09kg, subtract 1.63kg = 1.46kg so that picture is stating it's 1.63kg lighter, so 3.21lb/1460g would be with the collar. Even better!

Nikon 500 PF + D500 body = 2320g which is 170g or 6 ounces more than a 400 f4 DO II!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18691889
IMHO Waaaaaaaaaaay bigger shift in paradigm than a new mirrorless. Amazing to me that stole this lenses thunder yesterday

Completely agree. Even though I'm extremely happy with my 600 II and don't really see myself being in the market for a lens like this in the immediate future, this is huge for anyone looking to save some weight and cash and still have 500mm prime performance.

With the prices on the big primes where they are now, and probably only getting worse for future versions, there's definitely room for a line of smaller, lighter superteles that are a stop slower than their big brothers.

Very promising lens! I hope this is just a start, for both Nikon and Canon!

I pre-ordered this weekend.
Ironically I didn't have a camera to match when I ordered.
Since Friday I've ordered a D500 to accompany the 500PF.
I purchased my last Nikon in 1975. Still have it, a Photomic F2
So time to learn a new language, new menus, new settings, etc.

I enjoyed the 'whites' but that dang aging process.
Well I was in Sonyland way back to the NEX-5 and am fully immersed
in Sony now with a9/A7Riii/etc. So it will be interesting hearing
the clickity clik of the flippy mirror again!

Of all the 'whites' I kept my 400DOii and adapt it to the Sony's.
I don't think you can adapt any Nikkor lens to Sony and expect
any AF/AF-C; so the 500PF and D500 are one-off's for me.

But yes, being able to carry and wield 500mm was the attractant.

D500 is an appealing and tough 7D2 opponent.

I'd consider the D500 and this new 500 f/5.6 "DO" lens to be just about the perfect birding set up at mid budget, with little else to compete without jumping much higher in price, or sacrificing prime IQ for a flexible zoom.

and jumping way up there in weight
But proof in the pudding. Fingers crossed on the 500PF but over the years I've learned
not to hold my breath.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18693826
I pre-ordered this weekend.
Ironically I didn't have a camera to match when I ordered.
Since Friday I've ordered a D500 to accompany the 500PF.

Hey, that's great.

I'm looking forward to your opinions on the D500/500mm. Especially when it comes to BIF.
Also the automated AF fine tuning that the D500 has.

Interesting. I see digidirect in Aus quoting a price of just under $6k.

OK Frank some thoughts on the D500 so far.
You might know I'm a Sony-ite now ....a9,a7riii....and I've been
in Sonyland since the NEX-5 (still have it), dabbled with EOS T5i,
6D, 7Dii, 5Diii, 5DSR,1DXii. Had some big whites, 300,400,500.

That is my history not counting mFT.

I moved from Canon due to weight and the aging process.

With the latest Sony bodies and lenses I'm enthralled BUT I don't like the
'rangefinder' style of the a6300/a6500 (currently keeping an a6300 for the
wife and she has my a7rii). I need/want a mini-a9, an a9 with a crop sensor
for pixel density. I don't know if/when Sony will issue one.

Then I saw the Nikkor 500PF. Then I looked at the D500. Not rangefinder and
only 5 or so ounces heavier than my a9, so I knew I could lift it

The D500 has been in hand for almost a week now. I can tell you that is beats
the 7Dii hands down and that is saying a lot. The vast majority of all my wildlife/BIF
were via the 7Dii.
The D500 has a better AF/AF-C focus system, is way way more programmable (kinda likemy a9) and it can carry the lightest 500mm out there, the PF.
BUT, the D500 has that clikity clikity mirror and I have to chimp again!
In a way a good thing to appreciate what Sony has given me....I did freak out a Cardinal couple of days ago with the mirror sound, and being able to chimp in the EVF is precious. In fact seeing the exposure in the EVF will always enamor me to Sony.

Hopefully later this month (BestBuy tells me my 500PF will ship Sept 17) I'll know more.

My current game plan for bird/BIF venues is a9+FE100400 for close to mid and the D500+500PF (even with 1.4TC) for the long distance hail Mary's.

I did pick up an affordable Tamron 28-75/2.8 for the D500 and if I like the 500PF I'll add a 300PF.

All this could change IF IF IF Sony gives up an a9 with APS-C sensor at Photokina.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18699328
OK Frank some thoughts on the D500 so far.

With the latest Sony bodies and lenses I'm enthralled BUT I don't like the
'rangefinder' style of the a6300/a6500 (currently keeping an a6300 for the
wife and she has my a7rii). I need/want a mini-a9, an a9 with a crop sensor
for pixel density. I don't know if/when Sony will issue one.


The D500 has been in hand for almost a week now. I can tell you that is beats
the 7Dii hands down and that is saying a lot. The vast majority of all my wildlife/BIF
were via the 7Dii.
The D500 has a better AF/AF-C focus system, is way way more programmable (kinda likemy a9) and it can carry the lightest 500mm out there, the PF.
BUT, the D500 has that clikity clikity mirror and I have to chimp again!
In a way a good thing to appreciate what Sony has given me....I did freak out a Cardinal couple of days ago with the mirror sound, and being able to chimp in the EVF is precious. In fact seeing the exposure in the EVF will always enamor me to Sony.


My current game plan for bird/BIF venues is a9+FE100400 for close to mid and the D500+500PF (even with 1.4TC) for the long distance hail Mary's.


All this could change IF IF IF Sony gives up an a9 with APS-C sensor at Photokina.

Thanks MedicineMan for the update.

Wow, the D500 sounds fantastic! Looking forward to see how it plays with the 500mm. And with an extender. I'll stayed tuned.
Sony's 100-400 still has my interest. A Sony crop sensor camera with the features & AF performance of the a9 (or close to it) would be killer.

I'm getting excited just thinking about all this new gear!

Frank, had a moment of weakness yesterday. A Nikkor 300mm PF will
be here Friday.
In my efforts to save weight (this weekend even the 400DOii + A7Riii gave me a crick in the neck from hell.
The 300 will take the 1.4 well according to review, so a lightweight 420mm/5.6 on a crop sensor.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18701412
Frank, had a moment of weakness yesterday. A Nikkor 300mm PF will
be here Friday.

The 300 will take the 1.4 well according to review, so a lightweight 420mm/5.6 on a crop sensor.

Nice!
Looking forward to your D500/300/1.4 photos.

http://www.nikonusa.co​m …eo/bts-keith-ladzinski.bc