NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Bruno Schroder on October 28, 2018, 13:25:52
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I finally received the 500/5.6 PF earlier this week. Between work and grey sky I had little opportunity to test it.
Parameters are very mixed.: AF-C, mostly with Group AF 9 but some with single, some hand held and some on the Sachtler 75 tripod some at ISO 100 and other at auto ISO. I don't have particularly steady hands so I tried various VR settings also.
WB AUTO, Neutral, everything on 0: no sharpness, contrast, … Conversion with ViewNX-i
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Looks decidedly like it is worth the financial outlay :D
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Bruno, that first image i so warm and tender, just like you :)
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Your images look great. I think you made a very good purchase.
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Bruno: what did you have to "outlay"???
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It is about $3600 here in the States. The 300mm f/4 PF is a relative bargain at ~$2000.
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It is about $3600 here in the States. The 300mm f/4 PF is a relative bargain at ~$2000.
The 5.6/200-500 is 1100€ only. But it is one kilogramm more weight to carry. is there also an advance in IQ?
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Bruno, you are making a good use of the newcomer!
I couldn't manage it handheld, when I tried it at the showroom, even with VR. :o
I like the last image.
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Thank you, everyone. Jakov, you're always so kind.
I've been waiting for a lens like that for decades: 500mm or above, good quality and handholdable. I've tried the 600/4 and the 500/4 but I'm often in woods and these are too long, bulky, heavy, etc ... to get out of the path. I had a 200-500 on loan for 3 months last year and I found it not so easy to manoeuvre. I was frequently late on the action with birds. I'm often using the 600/5.6 AI on a monopod these days so when FNAC had the PF at less than 3500euro for a day, I jumped on it.
I think it is indeed worth it. I've only used it for a few hours but I definitely like the images and its rather low inertia hand held. The VR seems good enough for me, at least on the D750. Still need to use it on a DX though.
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Congratulations ;) The first image is really nice and show the Bokeh is soft and gentle with very smooth color transitions
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Looking very good Bruno.
This lens is high on my list. Overhere it's €4000 and not available.
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Nice examples , Bruno!
Do you still have your 500 mm f/4 ai-P? I am wondering how the two compare. Of course, as to the bulk and the weight I guess the new one is beyond comparison, but what about optics? Wide open performance?
Joost
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Hi Joost, yes I still have it and I'm eagerly waiting for the conjunction of available time with good light to test it. Unfortunately, the Belgian weather is not really cooperative at the moment ...
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I have had the 500mm PF for about five weeks now, as I received it during the initial shipment to the United States. At the time it arrived, i was using a 200-400VR1 on a D500 for wildlife work, while my wife was using her 200-500VR. I decided to do a fairly controlled test between the PF and the 200-500 after shooting it for a few weeks. I have posted the summary as well as some in field work here: http://btleventhal.com/bruceleventhal/2018/9/25/geeking-out-with-optics-the-500mm-pf-200-500mm-vr-amp-200-400mm-f4
Bottom line.. the 500PF is quicker to focus, track, and lock on. It is sharper and more contrasty than the 200-500 and does not need to be stopped down to achieve maximum image quality. I have done these comparisons with D500 bodies, so the judgment is based on a DX sensor. I am waiting for a wind free day to repeat the testing with my D810.
cheers,
bruce
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Bruce, for some reason my computer doesn´t open the link.
Edit: no problem, I found it through google
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CONGRATULATIONS, BRUNO!
Yes, the first image is very charming… would like to see
it once processed.
Such a lens… make sure you do the AF Fine Tune!
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Bruce, for some reason my computer doesn´t open the link.
Edit: no problem, I found it through google
That's strange... the link works for me. I am glad that you found it.
regards,
bruce
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CONGRATULATIONS, BRUNO!
Yes, the first image is very charming… would like to see
it once processed.
Such a lens… make sure you do the AF Fine Tune!
Well, for lens evaluation, of brand new lens, it's quite nice with more or less straight out of the camera and not what is possible in PP
BTW, quite difficult not to do some sort of proces,,, :o
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Thanks, Nikkor Shooter. the idea was indeed to show images withour processing. That said, I'm not really spending much time processing, I have too much screen time already, but I'll eventually l refine it a little and repost.
Thanks for the feedback Bruce. I had a look at my images of 2 years ago with the 200-500. I don't have the same images to compare but I share your findings.
Erik, Chris, Joost, thank you for the kind words.
More images next week, on the D500 this time.
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Some here may find this review useful
https://www.richardpeters.co.uk/nikon-500-f5-6-pf-review-wildlife-safari/ (https://www.richardpeters.co.uk/nikon-500-f5-6-pf-review-wildlife-safari/)
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Very nice Bruno. The first shot indeed shows the potential, very sweet.
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You're gonna have sooooooo much fun with that lens. I noticed that you've already started ... close focusing on a small object really gets you to rethink how you see images. I can't wait for more.
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I have fun indeed, Gary. I'm taking pictures I could never have taken otherwise.
I took the lens and the TC20E-III and the TC14E-II for a weekend at Lac du Der to watch the Common crane migration. At long distance the TC20 gives a very interesting watercolor or oil on canvas effect. Besides that its photographic usefulness is rather limited ;)
The TC14 is more useable. The second picture is a 100% center crop of the first one.
D500 ISO1600 f9 1/1250s 500/5.6 PF with TC14E-II. All pictures unprocessed.
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Same set up but ISO400
D500 ISO400 f9 1/1250s 500/5.6 PF with TC14E-II. Pictures unprocessed.
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No TC, all pictures unprocessed. D500 500/5.6 PF
1: Egret gathering ISO110 f7.1 1/800s
2: Cranes in flight ISO10000 f5.6 1/800s handheld
3: I did try to get a flare ISO250 f5.6 1/500s
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No TC, all pictures unprocessed. D500 500/5.6 PF
1: Impressionism ISO1400 f5.6 1/1250s
2: Bokeh ISO450 f7.1 1/800s handheld
3: Morning sun ISO100 f7.1 1/1000s handheld
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Good stuff. Keep shooting and posting. 8)
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I've been shooting the 500 PF since early October. I shot the lens mainly on my Z7, over 10 intensive days earlier this month in Kruger Nat Park. The 400 f2.8E was on the D850 (which I still rely on for many situations).
Suffice to say, I'm delighted with this optic. Four examples of the 500 PF on the Z7. In order going down - Elephant feeding on spiny Acacia nigrescens; Buffalo Bull; Common Duiker (young ram); Southern Kudu cow:
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I got the 500 PF yesterday, put it on D850 and took some shots for about 30 minutes. A sample below.