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

mandokid1 wrote in post #19037572
Interesting findings,gentleman!
I concur with everything said here,as I shot my combo with TC,in less than ideal light this past week-end,and missed a lot of shots,as the lens hunted quite a bit!
Never had it that bad with my canon 400mm D.O,or 600mmf/4,even with x2T.C.,on a 1D body.
Definitely keeping my 600 for warblers,and since I cant sell my DO,(cant even get half of what I paid for),will wait and see what the R5 will be like.If it,s good,and in crop mode with x1.4tc,there,s a field of view of 900mm!That would work for me,or wait till a mirrorless crop body comes out!

I can acknowledge the plunging value of used Canon big whites. I did try to sell the 400DOII shortly after getting the Nikon combo, but as you say, not possible to get more than half of the new price. And sort of glad I still have this great lens, but am seriously conflicted about what body does it justice.
The R5 may be very nice, but will cost another 3500,-4000,-

We'll see. For now, I'll continue to use it with the 7DII when the light is right. I feel free to move up to a serious big lens though (Nikon or Sony), now that the 500PF has given me the ideal easy to carry along solution.
Unless Nikon makes a 600PF, I may well save up, trade all other stuff apart from 500PF in at my camera store, get a 600/4, and enjoy the remainder of my active shooting life!

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #19037874
Hanging on to the 400DOii, me too, for now.
I forgot it's back there.
I cringe at the thought of returning to Canon for the R5
Have to agree the 500PF is best stand alone without TC but
sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
It is my long distance, 5+ mile, preferred carry. I've toted the FE200600 that far
but paid for it the next day.
In the mean time an X-T4 will be here in a bit less than a month (maybe depending on
Covid's attitude then) and Fuji has patents for a 300 and 500 diffractive lens, so who knows
I might enjoy Fuji???????????

In the mean time we all plod along with what we've got eh

Nikon D500
500.0 mm f/5.6
ƒ/7.1 500.0 mm 1/800 800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2iKP​PWA The poser by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

LOL! Yes we plod along Robert,at the mercy of these guys as always!
Great detailed shot here,with awesome pose!

Chris1966 wrote in post #19037915
I can acknowledge the plunging value of used Canon big whites. I did try to sell the 400DOII shortly after getting the Nikon combo, but as you say, not possible to get more than half of the new price. And sort of glad I still have this great lens, but am seriously conflicted about what body does it justice.
The R5 may be very nice, but will cost another 3500,-4000,-

We'll see. For now, I'll continue to use it with the 7DII when the light is right. I feel free to move up to a serious big lens though (Nikon or Sony), now that the 500PF has given me the ideal easy to carry along solution.
Unless Nikon makes a 600PF, I may well save up, trade all other stuff apart from 500PF in at my camera store, get a 600/4, and enjoy the remainder of my active shooting life!

Well said Chris!
I,m not giving my DO away,as I really love that lens and not prepared to lose that much on it.7dmk3,for me was not acceptable for BIF.Too inconsistent,and I went through 3 bodies and they were setup with aresh,s guide!Missed too many critical shots,where the camera just wouldn,t lock in! Obviously the 90d is not even an option.Will wait and see,and continue to enjoy the Nikon combo!

mandokid1 wrote in post #19037943
Well said Chris!
I,m not giving my DO away,as I really love that lens and not prepared to lose that much on it.7dmk3,for me was not acceptable for BIF.Too inconsistent,and I went through 3 bodies and they were setup with aresh,s guide!Missed too many critical shots,where the camera just wouldn,t lock in! Obviously the 90d is not even an option.Will wait and see,and continue to enjoy the Nikon combo!

7DII (7Dmk2) is what you mean, isn't it? And you are right, Canon should be ashamed that they still sell that body and have not upgraded it yet. When I bought the 400DOII, a 7Dmk3 was supposedly near release, but my hopes for that have gone up in smoke.

And really, it makes you realize never to buy just a lens, but always a combo where camera and lens bóth meet your needs/wants, and also néver to trust a Japanese camera company! I've had my leg pulled thrice now: first when Olympus ditched 4/3, second when Pentax refused to upgrade their 2013 K3, and three times when Canon scrapped the 7DIII

But I am learning: the D500+500PF combo can stay with me until I retire my shooting life....
And Nikon máy even materialize their 600PF patent

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #19037874
Hanging on to the 400DOii, me too, for now.
I forgot it's back there.
I cringe at the thought of returning to Canon for the R5
Have to agree the 500PF is best stand alone without TC but
sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
It is my long distance, 5+ mile, preferred carry. I've toted the FE200600 that far
but paid for it the next day.
In the mean time an X-T4 will be here in a bit less than a month (maybe depending on
Covid's attitude then) and Fuji has patents for a 300 and 500 diffractive lens, so who knows
I might enjoy Fuji???????????

In the mean time we all plod along with what we've got eh

Nikon D500
500.0 mm f/5.6
ƒ/7.1 500.0 mm 1/800 800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2iKP​PWA The poser by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

First off, kudos on this very pretty Blue Jay shot. There's some nice clarity captured, along with the signature blue plumage.

Second: I shoot Fuji for my non-birding stuff, and absolutely love it. If they come out with these DO lenses, I'll be seriously compelled to consider a full jump into that brand. Can you imagine how small these will be, since they're wholly designed for APSC? It'll be exciting to see these come to fruition.

I'm with you though, a return to Canon = big, heavy gear with who-knows-what features crippled. Don't get me wrong, I love Canon's big white lenses and had so much fun shooting birds with them, but I don't miss the cost and bulk. In the end though, what really burnt that bridge for me was their Cripple Hammer application to everything besides the 1-series, to the point where it was laughable. I'll never go back.

Chris1966 wrote in post #19037911
Yes, Canon are a dog... I was planning to get a 7DIII and they pull the plug on that, only to want me to spend 3500,--3900,- on a FF R5 that I don't want?
I tried the 90D briefly, but that is not up to 400DOII level AF wise.
They make life hard, don't they

But I took revenge and went Nikon!
And given the plunging resale prices for the Canon big whites, I gather that I am not the only angry customer....

And now Nikon can make me a lifelong loyal customer by making a 600PF

Can't really fantasize about a 600mm even if I could, currently my employer is not allowing me to travel beyond our
catchment area (hospital)...had Harris Neck NWR for last week but not allowed to go

Besides 500mm is enough to carry 5-6 miles

MatthewK wrote in post #19036347
After the past few months of being cooped up in the house, plus being lazy and only birding in my usual local birding spot (aka my backyard), I decided it was time to bust out and head down to my ultimate favorite birding spot. It didn't look too good this morning, as it was still rainy and dreary, so I wasn't expecting to come home with too much, but at least I'd get some fresh air and a mental break from the boredom. The light was horrible at first, but from out of nowhere the sun broke through, and the day turned fantastic. FINALLY.

I bought a pair of wading boots just for this spot, and was able to get a nice, low angle for these Grebe shots, but in the process accidentally flooded one of my boots. So, now am looking for some hip waders

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Superb! Great low angle,. I really love these little guys!

Chris1966 wrote in post #19036878
A typical high contrast shot my Canon 7DII cannot manage. I lowered the contrast just a bit, but the D500 allows for this, whereas the 7DII dictates the light it needs, and out of luck if that isn't available. Does that mean that my Canon 400DOII is up for sale? No, because with the 1.4TC it is a superb 560mm f5.6 lens, and I find that I use the Nikon 500PF with the 1.4TC almost all of the time, because 500mm on the D500's 21mp is just too short for my uses, and I find myself cropping more than I like all the time. Luckiliy, the 500PF+1.4TC has wonderful IQ, but I find the AF too unreliable for smaller birds at close to medium distances under shady canopies. The 400DOII+1.4TC just nails these shots on the 7DII, but the D500 has trouble getting a reliable lock in the shadowy canopies. To be honest, even the 400DOII+ 2.0TC gets a noticeably more consistent lock on these small birds in the shade. The 7DII simply excells at these shots with the 400DOII and either converter. So I seem to have found the achilles heel of the D500+500PF+1.4TC combo. Do you guys recognize this? Out in the open, like the below shot, no problem though, just good spot-on AF.

And this brings me to where I was when I chose the Canon combo over the Nikon combo: for me, the 500PF shoúld have been a 600mm f5.6PF. Then I would not have needed to glue the 1.4TC to it, and could have enjoyed the better AF performance at f5.6
For out in the open shots in good light though, and especially the bigger waterfowl, the D500+500PF+1.4TC combo rocks! Great contrast, great distance performance, great color, great raw quality, just pouncing the Canon combo here, and leaving it for dead
Is there any combo in any brand that brings these two use cases together in one allround combo?

For now, I'll firmly remain a two system shooter, although I wonder if I should trade in the D500 for the Z50 due to my use for the 500PF+1.4TC? It would give me electronic first curtain shutter, no D500 level mirror/shutter slap (which is a fair bit more pronounced than my 7DII's mirror/shutter slap), live exposure preview and dead-on accurate AF all the time. On top of that, it would shave off another few hundreds of grams of weight, and make for the ultimate reach/weight ratio.

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Fascinating comparison of the t-Con functionality. Truly appreciated! Id' be curious to understand how much of the difference in performance is simply down to the lens being f/5.6 native vs f/4, or if Canon's more recent upgrading of the entire line up from T-Cons and VII lenses plus AF system advances plays a part. It seems safe to assume that the 7D2 is getting some benefit here, even though it's AF system is not new enough to take full advantage f the upgraded optics.

Chris1966 wrote in post #19037915
I can acknowledge the plunging value of used Canon big whites. I did try to sell the 400DOII shortly after getting the Nikon combo, but as you say, not possible to get more than half of the new price. And sort of glad I still have this great lens, but am seriously conflicted about what body does it justice.
The R5 may be very nice, but will cost another 3500,-4000,-

We'll see. For now, I'll continue to use it with the 7DII when the light is right. I feel free to move up to a serious big lens though (Nikon or Sony), now that the 500PF has given me the ideal easy to carry along solution.
Unless Nikon makes a 600PF, I may well save up, trade all other stuff apart from 500PF in at my camera store, get a 600/4, and enjoy the remainder of my active shooting life!

Yeap. Been seeing canonprice watch used 500 F4 II's consistently now in the high 5's/low 6's.... Wait til this recession really kicks in. Then the divorces kick in.... then... even cheaper lenses.

Just a Robin catching the sunlight falling through the trees

Chris1966 wrote in post #19037953
7DII (7Dmk2) is what you mean, isn't it? And you are right, Canon should be ashamed that they still sell that body and have not upgraded it yet. When I bought the 400DOII, a 7Dmk3 was supposedly near release, but my hopes for that have gone up in smoke.

And really, it makes you realize never to buy just a lens, but always a combo where camera and lens bóth meet your needs/wants, and also néver to trust a Japanese camera company! I've had my leg pulled thrice now: first when Olympus ditched 4/3, second when Pentax refused to upgrade their 2013 K3, and three times when Canon scrapped the 7DIII

But I am learning: the D500+500PF combo can stay with me until I retire my shooting life....
And Nikon máy even materialize their 600PF patent

Ooops!!!!!!
Yes my bad.7dmk2.Must of had the mk3 on my mind,which will never happen,but perhaps an R7 down the pipes!

Chris1966 wrote in post #19038283
Just a Robin catching the sunlight falling through the trees

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Wonderful in spades! Want to trade Robins? 6-12 in the yard daily here but none like yours

European Starling.
One from this morning.I find it very hard to get close to these guys,for some reason.Used the car as a blind here.

Chris1966 wrote in post #19038283
Just a Robin catching the sunlight falling through the trees

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Chris, this is top-shelf work, wow! Great pose along with absolutely wonderful lighting with sublime color. Love it.

mandokid1 wrote in post #19038313
European Starling.
One from this morning.I find it very hard to get close to these guys,for some reason.Used the car as a blind here.

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Fantatic Starling. We have a nesting pair out back! I know I know, but hey I think they're gorgeous when the light irradiates them (rare even here in cloudland).