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

PF has arrived, and it’s every bit as small as they say. It makes you chuckle when first unboxing it bc of how tiny it is

Here it is next to the 1DX2 + 600 III, and 80D + 100-400 II (at its smallest FL, 100mm):

You going over to the dark side, Matthew?

Seriously, how do you see this fitting in with your Canon gear, considering that you seem to have made a significant commitment to Canon with your 1DXII and 600/4 III purchases?

I must admit, that Canon 500/4 combined with a D850 sounds mouthwatering, but unless you do a wholesale conversion, it seems like you've just signed up to carry another piece of gear.

Look'n good, Matt!

Scrumhalf wrote in post #18872095
You going over to the dark side, Matthew?

Seriously, how do you see this fitting in with your Canon gear, considering that you seem to have made a significant commitment to Canon with your 1DXII and 600/4 III purchases?

I must admit, that Canon 500/4 combined with a D850 sounds mouthwatering, but unless you do a wholesale conversion, it seems like you've just signed up to carry another piece of gear.

Well, Sam, just dipping my toes in to see what the fuss is all about. The 600 III is a remarkable beast, when mounted on the 1DX2 it's a formidable combo, but it's not ideal for travel for me these days because of the logistics of having the daughter to now worry about. The 100-400 II, even with extenders, doesn't get me where I want reach-wise and aperture for birding, so I see this Nikon as a perfect travel setup for birding, or going on a casual walk with the little one (I took the 1DX2/600 once, it wasn't ideal trying to juggle the setup and a stroller). For dedicated birding trips and walks though, 600 III all the way.

(a few hours later...)

So far, I'm at a loss for words at how amazing this little pocket rocket is. I got lucky and had a Song Sparrow and Northern Cardinal land right outside of my back window, and I was able to test the combo out right along side the 1DX2 and 600. This is my first time ever shooting Nikon, and I have to say it's a pleasure. Very nice build quality, great (GREAT) AF, and the RAW files out of camera are.... jaw dropping good. More than once, I had to laugh at just how remarkable they looked. You can sharpen up Canon files to match, so it's not a huge deal, but that's one less step in post you have to deal with. I'm blown away, honestly.

Anyways, this was an easy shoot; the true test will be when I get the combo out in the woods for a regular hunt. That won't happen for a few days though, so until then I'm 50% convinced

Oh, and this is 100% SOOC:

Here's a shot of that Cardinal, which I've edited. Got to see the higher ISO performance, and just how well the noise can be handled in post. It's very nice, though obviously nowhere near as good as the full frame sensors. This is where having the 1DX2 and 600 f/4 will pay off, and I regularly encounter the sort of conditions where the ISO is jumping up into the stratosphere.

MatthewK wrote in post #18872165
So far, I'm at a loss for words at how amazing this little pocket rocket is.
This is my first time ever shooting Nikon, and I have to say it's a pleasure. Very nice build quality, great (GREAT) AF, and the RAW files out of camera are.... jaw dropping good.
More than once, I had to laugh at just how remarkable they looked. You can sharpen up Canon files to match, so it's not a huge deal, but that's one less step in post you have to deal with.
I'm blown away, honestly.

Anyways, this was an easy shoot; the true test will be when I get the combo out in the woods for a regular hunt. That won't happen for a few days though, so until then I'm 50% convinced

It's very nice, though obviously nowhere near as good as the full frame sensors. This is where having the 1DX2 and 600 f/4 will pay off, and I regularly encounter the sort of conditions where the ISO is jumping up into the stratosphere.

To all of your initial observations, all I can say is... I can relate - I can REALLY relate. This is almost a mirror experience to what I had. Backwards controls, menu system, backwards lens mount, 1DxII ISO performance (arguably the best available), "It's a Nikon", etc....

One other thing that will just make to sit back and think "WOW!", is when you begin testing BIF tracking. Specifically, focus acquisition, lock, & retention - not to mention how ridiculously easy it is to handle during tracking, due to size & weight.

My (not so) random prediction is that you will likely find that you get shots you would not have previously gotten for one of two (or both) of the following reasons: 1) You can carry this setup easily in places you may not have wanted to carry a bigger rig, 2) It's just so easy to maneuver, yet it has an effective FL of 750mm.

Enjoy the ride, Matt!

PS - remember, "Sport" mode VR will be your friend.
Note: "In my experience", the D500 is sensitive to bright whites (more-so then previous bodies I've used) so be ready to dial in 1/3 to 1 stop of "-" exposure comp when you have subjects with bright white patches adjacent to dark color (in bright light). Adult Bald Eagle's are a great example.
Note 2: If you use Spot Metering, the body will meter from the location (spot) of the active focus point. This is not the case on all bodies, so knowing & utilizing this can be really helpful.
Note 3: Don't forget the Hejnar lens foot.

Thanks, Phil, I've really appreciated your advice and insights! There is so much of the Nikon menu system that is just Greek to me, but I was able to get things setup how I want. My back button focus muscle memory needs to readjust to where Nikon has it positioned, but that shouldn't take too long. Today I learned that you can assign thigns to the lens function buttons, hopefully this can be done on the D500, so I'm excited to get home and see what I can do with it!

I've always loved the size and weight of the 100-400 II for birding, but the reach and aperture wasn't enough. I love the reach of the 600 III + 1.4x, but the weight/bulk is prohibitive at times. This 500pf is perfectly between these two solutions. Most of my morning has been spent marvelling over the new combo, and asking myself if it's possible that I could part ways with the 600, 1DX2, 80D and 100-400 II? *gasp* It's going to come down to how I get along with less reach and aperture, and the high ISO performance. Sure, there'll be times when only the 600 f/4 can get the shots, but I rarely shoot at 600mm and f/4, as I'm usually at 840mm f/5.6. If I can get along being at ~750mm f/5.6, I think I could stand to part with the big gear.

In regards to your Post Script notes:

VR Sport mode: I remember you telling me this, so it was one of the first settings I changed

AF Point Spot metering + bright whites: there's regular Spot, and then a Spot*, which the owners manual states has something to do with preserving highlights while shooting brightly lit subjects. I've read that normal Spot metering is the way to go though, is that your experience? (this really is the feature that Canon has screwed us over with by only giving it to the 1-series. I only found this out after shooting with the 1DX2, but I very rarely miss shots due to under/over exposure anymore, whereas every Canon body before this was a crap shoot)

Hejnar foot: I'm deciding between this and the Wimberley. I love Wimberley feet for hand held shooting, they're very smooth, and in this case their foot is lighter weight and sits closer to the body than the Hejnar. The Hejnar has the advantage of being a bit longer, which gives more hand holding space.

MatthewK wrote in post #18872439
Thanks, Phil, I've really appreciated your advice and insights! There is so much of the Nikon menu system that is just Greek to me, but I was able to get things setup how I want. My back button focus muscle memory needs to readjust to where Nikon has it positioned, but that shouldn't take too long. Today I learned that you can assign thigns to the lens function buttons, hopefully this can be done on the D500, so I'm excited to get home and see what I can do with it!

I've always loved the size and weight of the 100-400 II for birding, but the reach and aperture wasn't enough. I love the reach of the 600 III + 1.4x, but the weight/bulk is prohibitive at times. This 500pf is perfectly between these two solutions. Most of my morning has been spent marvelling over the new combo, and asking myself if it's possible that I could part ways with the 600, 1DX2, 80D and 100-400 II? *gasp* It's going to come down to how I get along with less reach and aperture, and the high ISO performance. Sure, there'll be times when only the 600 f/4 can get the shots, but I rarely shoot at 600mm and f/4, as I'm usually at 840mm f/5.6. If I can get along being at ~750mm f/5.6, I think I could stand to part with the big gear.

In regards to your Post Script notes:

VR Sport mode: I remember you telling me this, so it was one of the first settings I changed

AF Point Spot metering + bright whites: there's regular Spot, and then a Spot*, which the owners manual states has something to do with preserving highlights while shooting brightly lit subjects. I've read that normal Spot metering is the way to go though, is that your experience? (this really is the feature that Canon has screwed us over with by only giving it to the 1-series. I only found this out after shooting with the 1DX2, but I very rarely miss shots due to under/over exposure anymore, whereas every Canon body before this was a crap shoot)

Hejnar foot: I'm deciding between this and the Wimberley. I love Wimberley feet for hand held shooting, they're very smooth, and in this case their foot is lighter weight and sits closer to the body than the Hejnar. The Hejnar has the advantage of being a bit longer, which gives more hand holding space.

The regular Spot metering is my preference. I've played with the "Highlight" (*) option, but I have read and it seems to me like it's really more like Matrix (Evaluative), but weighted for highlight retention - much more that a spot meter with emphasis on highlight. FWIW, the Nikon Matrix mode seems to be measurable better than Evaluative that you (& I) are accustom to. All that said, I use Spot most of the time.

As the buttons go, don't overlook the Pv button on the front. It's really convenient access fro your middle finger. I use Group on the AF-On (on back) and Single Point AF on the Pv. You are also correct in that there are several programmable buttons on the lens too.

I cannot tell you how sick I felt the day I loaded up ALL of my Canon gear to take it to the buyer (1DxII, 5DIV, 7DII, 600F4VII, 100-400 VII, etc, etc, etc.) I literally felt sick.

However, when I started unpacking, learning, & using the new darkside gear that sick feeling vanished and has not returned. Lol!

As you start to play with & test the higher ISO stuff, do not forget the software tip we talked about.

Are you close to the coast? If so, try that rig out on some shore birds - Osprey, Turns, Gulls, & such. It will give you a great feel for the tracking capabilities that people talk about. It's another one of those "wow" things that one just has to experience.

I just thought of one other thing that presented me a small challenge when I first got the 500PF. The placement of the focus ring is right where I wanted to place my left hand for support. If you ever notice focus anomalies, stop & see if you might be bumping the focus ring with your support hand.

I may have gone the Wimberly route for a foot if they had been out when I ordered mine, as I really like their gimbal & have several of their plates for other lenses. As you noted, the Hejnar is the longer option of the foot vendors for this lens. I liked it enough on Wifey's lens, that I got one for mine too. It is also well machined, finished and quite comfy both when carrying the camera & when supporting the camera.

Don't hesitate to holler if you have any questions. I'm happy to help, if I can.

Matt/Phil, how did you decide between the D500 and the D850 to pair with this lens? I suppose the 10fps may be a deciding factor. The crop factor vs. cropping in post would I suppose be a wash.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #18872474
Matt/Phil, how did you decide between the D500 and the D850 to pair with this lens? I suppose the 10fps may be a deciding factor. The crop factor vs. cropping in post would I suppose be a wash.

From what I've gleaned over the past few weeks, and generally: if you are shooting at a distance and still cropping into your shots a lot, the D500 is the way to go. If you are able to get close and don't need to crop as much, the D850. Also read that people eventually step up to the D850 because the difference after cropping isn't that great, and the benefits with the FF sensor also being able to crop down to DX size basically give you 2 cameras in 1. Yet, you will be spending a lot more to get that FPS up to (nearly) D500 level.

I was trying to decide between the two, and what did it for me:

1) D500 is almost $1500 cheaper (a lot more if you count battery grip and extra battery you'll need to get up to 9fps)
2) ISO noise is similar between the two (at similar crop)
3) 10FPS vs 7 or 9

So I didn't see an advantage to spending a ton more money on the D850. If I was going to fully change systems, and was needing to shoot other things besides birds, I would 100% gone with the D850.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #18872474
Matt/Phil, how did you decide between the D500 and the D850 to pair with this lens? I suppose the 10fps may be a deciding factor. The crop factor vs. cropping in post would I suppose be a wash.

Hey Sam...

First off, I love the tag line in your sig!

When I decided to jump ship, I was lucky enough to find someone that wanted to buy all of my Canon gear.

I also had the fortune that my main birding buddy is a life long Nikon Pro. He offered me a ton of guidance along the way.

My initial plan was to start with both a D500 & D850. When I was at the counter, they slid a Z7 in front of me. At the time, it was one of the first ones to hit the Dallas area. They assured me it was every bit as good as the D850, and even better. I took them at their word and left with a D500 & Z7. It didn't take too long to determine that the Z7 was nowhere close to the D500 in the AF department. As such, they had no problem swapping it for a D850. I did go with the battery grip & "Pro" batteries so the 850 can shoot up to 9FPS and the increased voltage makes the AF quicker too. For a while I shot with both the 850 & 500, each with a different lens. After a while, I found myself grabbing the 500 more & more. After a couple months, the D500's went on sale & I grabbed a 2nd one. Now, I typically carry 2 x D500.

One side note (not that it matters that much), is that the D850 is quite heavy with the grip installed - even compared to a D500 with Grip & Pro battery. The D850 also has a significantly louder shutter than the D500, albeit nothing compared to the volume of a 1DxII shutter.

Matt - there's another "+" in the D500 column. The shutter volume is a fraction of that on the 1DxII. This may or may not matter for what you shoot, but I have had instances where the 1DxII scared subjects away almost immediately - even after they became comfortable with my presence.

Also for Matt - I thought of another tweak that will make your experience more familiar. You can configure the rear thumb wheel to scroll thru images during playback (chimping). I believe the setting is in the Playback section of the menu. It's far superior to using the thumb rocker to click, click, click beteen images during playback.

Thanks, Phil!

My son who will turn 15 in 4 months, is a die-hard birder. Wants to be a field biologist after college.

He's had an Canon SX50 for several years, but is now getting strong enough to carry and use a proper DLSR/telephoto combo.

Maybe the D500+500/5.6 combo is something that I could convince my wife he should have. All to support his science education and passion, of course! And Dad can sneak out with it every so often!

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

House Finch
Plano, TX.
6/4/19

One more of my lunch buddies from today.

Scissortail Flycatcher - Juvi
Plano, TX.
6/4/19

MatthewK wrote in post #18872065
PF has arrived, and it’s every bit as small as they say. It makes you chuckle when first unboxing it bc of how tiny it is

Here it is next to the 1DX2 + 600 III, and 80D + 100-400 II (at its smallest FL, 100mm):

Hosted photo: posted by MatthewK in
./showthread.php?p=188​72065&i=i197589611
forum: Nikon Lenses

I’m on kid duty today, so won’t get to take it out on a test run.. it’s so perfect outside too, 75F, no humidity, slight breeze, sunny So, I’m spending the time (while daughter naps) tackling the absolutely backwards Nikon menu system and button layout.

I believe you had 400mm DO II at some point. Would the 400 DO II + 1.4xTC be in the same ball park? (Cost of 400 DO II may be wee bit higher than D500 + 500mm PF)
Why I ask is switching to a different system is almost like converting to a (different) religion.