Reviews > Ramblings of the Fierce Bear of the North

The new Nikkor 800 mm f/5.6 ED IF E telephoto lens

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Bjørn Rørslett:
To show it is possible to operate such a lens hand-held, this is taken at 1/100 sec (VR ON). Torrential rain at sunset.



Due to its heft this is not the recommended operational practice :) Still, doable in a pinch,

Bjørn Rørslett:
Another example to show the really shallow depth of field provided by the 800 FL E Nikkor.

A veteran (age 110 years) steam locomotive on a local narrow-gauge  railway captured at a distance of about 100 m. D4,  f/8, 1/400 sec, tripod VR off (this is the only sharp image from that sequence).



This is a 100% crop. Focus is on the crossing signpost and the locomotive is about 2 m further behind, yet at f/8 it is clearly  out of focus. The driver is quite blurred. Please view large.



To sum up then, the new 800 is a very selective tool for your optical arsenal. Is it worth the steep price? Only the photographer seeking a solution to a long-lens situation can answer that. Most of these lenses probably will end up being rented through rental companies. I can use myself as an example. Although I could affords this lens, I will not lay down this amount of money on an  item used a handful of times per year. I can always get a loaner for those occasions when the 800 FL E is the imminent answer.

Tristin:
That beast's reach and resolution is staggering.  I am lucky I can't imagine having a use for one, to spare myself the unresolvable envy.  The fact that it resolved airbourne motes at that distance is pretty mind bending!

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