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

MatthewK wrote in post #18895710
Preliminary congrats are in order, here's hoping that your stay on the wait list isn't too long! I'm reading that a lot of people are starting to receive theirs as of late, so the drought may be almost over.

Not to keep waxing on about the 500pf, but man, once you get it in hand and see just how diminuative and manueverable it is, with stunning IQ to boot, you'll 100% be happy with your choice. It has completely changed how I shoot.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm hoping the wait isn't too long. I don't have the funds to put deposits down at multiple stores, so I'm just going to wait it out for a little bit rather than spending a lot of time searching for a copy to get right now. I found one on FM forum, but the price was a little high and they weren't willing to sell without the (overpriced in my opinion) RRS foot at full retail.

On a totally separate note, does anyone have a TC14 E III that they want to get rid of. I think I could make good use of it with this lens in the Florida sun.

MatthewK wrote in post #18895710
Preliminary congrats are in order, here's hoping that your stay on the wait list isn't too long! I'm reading that a lot of people are starting to receive theirs as of late, so the drought may be almost over.

Not to keep waxing on about the 500pf, but man, once you get it in hand and see just how diminuative and manueverable it is, with stunning IQ to boot, you'll 100% be happy with your choice. It has completely changed how I shoot.

I see you are quite serious about that!

Choderboy wrote in post #18896299
I see you are quite serious about that!

I'm still a little shell-shocked about what I just did, Dave. At this very moment I definitely have an urge to unring that bell.

I hate to bandy about overused cliches, but this lens really is a game changer; or as Robert likes to call it, a "bell-weather". Much the same as comparing one of the Big Whites to the 400 DO, it inspires a great deal of admiration for what the engineers accomplished.

Borderline abstract, but I thought the sun reflection in the far wing was cool....

EyeSpyEagle wrote in post #18891289
More Bee shots...

The old 500mm Macro.
Have you invested in extension tubes? Might be a cool experiment.

Wifey's Dragon Fly came out better than mine. Lol!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18896524
The old 500mm Macro.
Have you invested in extension tubes? Might be a cool experiment.

Ya know, I had tubes in the Canon world, but not yet for Nikon. That's really an interesting idea. (particularly on the D850) Thanks Jake!

While we're (I'm) on Dragon Flys, here's one having snack.

MatthewK wrote in post #18896343
I'm still a little shell-shocked about what I just did, Dave. At this very moment I definitely have an urge to unring that bell.

I hate to bandy about overused cliches, but this lens really is a game changer; or as Robert likes to call it, a "bell-weather". Much the same as comparing one of the Big Whites to the 400 DO, it inspires a great deal of admiration for what the engineers accomplished.

I get the gamechanger. 500mm lens the weight of a 70-200. Things that seem to good to be true are usually a scam.

Choderboy wrote in post #18896666
I get the gamechanger. 500mm lens the weight of a 70-200. Things that seem to good to be true are usually a scam.

As a general rule, of course, but in the case of this 500pf, I can't quite seem to figure out how that pertains

Phil, I got around to Topaz AI Clearing a 500pf image Here's my best effort in LR, and then in AIC:

MatthewK wrote in post #18896965
Phil, I got around to Topaz AI Clearing a 500pf image Here's my best effort in LR, and then in AIC:

Hosted photo: posted by MatthewK in
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forum: Nikon Lenses

Hosted photo: posted by MatthewK in
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forum: Nikon Lenses

Nice!

It sure cleared up the background w/o softening the subject.

KayakPhotos wrote in post #18895816
On a totally separate note, does anyone have a TC14 E III that they want to get rid of. I think I could make good use of it with this lens in the Florida sun.

Not sure why, but I really haven't given much thought to using a TC with my 500PF. Ironically, I usually have a 600F4 + 1.4x TC mounted to another body while shooting a D500 w/500PF (but the big guns have not been getting much action since the 500PF arrived).

After reading your post, Dan, and thinking about many of the early images Robert posted with his 500PF & 1.4x TC, I figured - "Why not?".

Wifey & I set out for an early AM drive yesterday & I used a D500, 500PF, & 1.4TC - All morning. Honestly, I was quite pleased with the results.

500PF + 1.4x TC