Best zoom wildlife lens for Nikon D850 (Page 2): Have you eliminated the Nikkor 200-500 from the choices?

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

Have you eliminated the Nikkor 200-500 from the choices?

raferrelljr Loc: CHARLOTTE, NC

Maybe look at the Sigma 300 - 800 zoom about half of the Nikon 800.

ELNikkor

Just put the D850 on Crop mode, and pretend it is a D500. Suddenly, with no added expense or weight, you are out to 750mm, and with a little crop, out to 1,000mm! (A [program like Topaz AI Gigapixel can bump up any resolution/sharpness issues you might encounter along the way, and will be much cheaper and lighter than any "monster-lens", even if you need to get a new computer to handle the demands of the program.)

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Reconvic wrote:

I shoot at 600mm 90% of the time and want more. The D850 crops well and the Sigma 150-600 contemporary has served me well but I know there are better lenses for the wildlife (birds and birds in flight)photos I take. An F4 is too cumbersome. A teleconverter with a D850? I humbly ask you what do you think is the best lens for me and my buddy the D850?

My go to wildlife lens is now the Nikon 500mm 5.6 mounted on my D850 with vertical grip and a D5 battery to obtain 9 fps. Works well and I am very pleased.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Reconvic wrote:

I shoot at 600mm 90% of the time and want more. The D850 crops well and the Sigma 150-600 contemporary has served me well but I know there are better lenses for the wildlife (birds and birds in flight)photos I take. An F4 is too cumbersome. A teleconverter with a D850? I humbly ask you what do you think is the best lens for me and my buddy the D850?

Budget?

Ordinarily if 600mm isn't close enough for you, the Sigma 300-800 F5.6, which is about the only zoom that will give you excellent results, visibly better than the Contemporary. Primes are your best bet - Nikkor 800mm F5.6 or 600mm F4/500mm F4 - either one with a 1.4 TC III, or a 400mm F2.8 with any of the Nikkor TCs.

You will not be happy putting a TC on an F5.6 or F6.3 lens.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

The Sigma 300-800 F5.6 will also better prepare you to enter strong man competitions.

capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

Depends on how you shoot: tripod and wait, or go for a walk. I have the D 850, and use the 300mm PF with a 1.4 tele, yielding 420mm. Been to Costa Rica 4 times, worked like a charm. IMHO the posted images are not what I consider sharp.

(Download)

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

That 150-600 lens with a so called "cropped sensor" camera should do exactly what you are looking for so, why not a cropped sensor?

treadwl Loc: South Florida

If you are shooting at 600mm and still want more Nikon does make an 800mm lens.
Personally, I'd just add a tc1.4 to my 600mm lens.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Reconvic wrote:

I shoot at 600mm 90% of the time and want more. The D850 crops well and the Sigma 150-600 contemporary has served me well but I know there are better lenses for the wildlife (birds and birds in flight)photos I take. An F4 is too cumbersome. A teleconverter with a D850? I humbly ask you what do you think is the best lens for me and my buddy the D850?

Nikon 200-500mm all day everyday.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Strodav wrote:

Agree shooting technique is a large factor in keep... (show quote)

The Night Heron is OK - but not really SHARP - the little Blue is less so - lots of noise. Could a 500 prime make them better ? yes, but only if used properly/optimally !
.

agillot

you already have that lens , why keep looking ?

DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida

The Nikon 200-500 is a very good lens for the price.

SpyderJan Loc: New Smyrna Beach. FL

Strodav wrote:

Agree shooting technique is a large factor in keep... (show quote)

"Sharp" is kind of subjective for this thread Dave. Both of your images were shot wide open and zoomed in all the way. To answer your question, yes the 500 would render a sharper image everything else being the same. Reaching out always has a cost in IQ. Sometimes good technique will get you better images than just throwing a lot of money into long glass.

nikondoug

So you are going to Costa Rica next year. Will you be on a workshop with Steve Perry? I am also going the week of Aug. 4th-11th.

I have the 200-500mm Nikon lens and I enjoy using it with my D810 and/or D500 body. There are times I will attach my Nikon 1.4III Tele-Conv. I do a lot of bird photography and I have a lot of success using the lens. Most of my camera settings will be F8 with ISO around 1600, making adjustment +or- to stop movement.

I have come across a number of photographers using the 200-500mm lens and their D850.

You can rent the lens from a number of camera stores or online.