Nikon 200-500 5.6 vr: I shot a game using only this lens. I found it very soft at 500mm, even on a tripod. Pretty sharp from 200-450. I still need some practice. Here are some shots.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

I shot a game using only this lens. I found it very soft at 500mm, even on a tripod. Pretty sharp from 200-450. I still need some practice.
Here are some shots. Comments and suggestions welcome from club members and club members who have this lens.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

The last shot is with Nikon 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr. My favorite shot. Last play of the game. Winning play.
The other shots are with fill flash using Nikon 24-70 2.8.

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tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

Jules Karney wrote:

I shot a game using only this lens. I found it very soft at 500mm, even on a tripod. Pretty sharp from 200-450. I still need some practice.
Here are some shots. Comments and suggestions welcome from club members and club members who have this lens.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

The last shot is with Nikon 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr. My favorite shot. Last play of the game. Winning play.
The other shots are with fill flash using Nikon 24-70 2.8.

Hi friend these are wonderful as always. The new lens looks pretty good. Are all these shots at 450 on down. That last shot is priceless. The catcher looking for good news, runner flying by and the best part is the umpire mouth open with a "SAFE" call and arms out. You really caught the moment as always.

Tom

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

Jules Karney wrote:

I shot a game using only this lens. I found it very soft at 500mm, even on a tripod. Pretty sharp from 200-450. I still need some practice.
Here are some shots. Comments and suggestions welcome from club members and club members who have this lens.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

The last shot is with Nikon 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr. My favorite shot. Last play of the game. Winning play.
The other shots are with fill flash using Nikon 24-70 2.8.

Hey Tom again. What were your settings on these and what was weather like at the time. Thanks

Tom

Red Sky At Night

Agreed. Last shot is excellent. Nice series. Hoping to add that lens soon.

Paloviejo

Jules Karney wrote:

I shot a game using only this lens. I found it very soft at 500mm, even on a tripod. Pretty sharp from 200-450. I still need some practice.
Here are some shots. Comments and suggestions welcome from club members and club members who have this lens.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

The last shot is with Nikon 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr. My favorite shot. Last play of the game. Winning play.
The other shots are with fill flash using Nikon 24-70 2.8.

That last shot is it! Sharp and with all those expressions...really good work.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

tshift wrote:

Hey Tom again. What were your settings on these and what was weather like at the time. Thanks

Tom

The settings were 1/2500 at 5.6 except for the fill flash shots. The play at the plate was 1/2000 at 5 iso 900 auto white balance, group focus continuous. Weather was some wind, but generally nice and sunny. One game started at 10:00 and the final game starts at 12:30 sun right above you, terrible to work with but manageable and one of the reasons for fill flash after.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Paloviejo wrote:

That last shot is it! Sharp and with all those expressions...really good work.

Thanks Paul I really appreciate the nice comments. Sometimes it's just plain old luck.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Red Sky At Night wrote:

Agreed. Last shot is excellent. Nice series. Hoping to add that lens soon.

Red Sky: I have only used the lens for two games now. I should have ordered it a months ago but just couldn't for whatever reason I don't know, maybe guilt, wifey thing, but anyway I have it for soccer and daytime football.

pnittoly Loc: Mountainside, New Jersey

Jules -I agree with Tom, the last shot is priceless !! Excellent capture as usual. Did you use a monopod at all ? D500? Thanks. Paul

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

pnittoly wrote:

Jules -I agree with Tom, the last shot is priceless !! Excellent capture as usual. Did you use a monopod at all ? D500? Thanks. Paul

Actually Paul these shots are without a monopod or tripod. When I used the 200-500 for the first game, everything was shot on a tripod.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Jules Karney wrote:

Actually Paul these shots are without a monopod or tripod. When I used the 200-500 for the first game, everything was shot on a tripod.

Sorry made a mistake, the first four shots are with a tripod, my bad.

pnittoly Loc: Mountainside, New Jersey

Thanks for sharing Jules.
Paul

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"... Comments and suggestions welcome from club members and club members who have this lens..." epic series as always... fabulous decisive moments so beautiful rendered.... and yes the AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR is stellar from 200-400mm... superb acuity, contrast and free from CA, distortion etc (on a full frame D3 or D810)... did not find it quite as outstand on a DX D7200, but certainly respectably... Best advice? Try this optic on your D4, k? You may be pleasantly surprised... btw, on FX it does vignette a tad but Adobe's lens profile easily removes that...

While I have shot soccer with the 200-500 f/5.6 it is certainly no match for my 200-400 f/4 which locks focus instantly! The 200-500 f/5.6 is slower to lock focus (yes I played with focus tracking settings but couldn't find anything to speed it up)

That said, the 200-500 f/5.6 has become my most cherished beauty & fashion genre lens for studio and location shoots.... It's VR is one of the best implementation from Nikon... truly 4+ stops of speed... can easily hand hold without issue... Love it!

Example: Soccer with monopod support at 1/1600, 370mm. f/5.6 ISO 220 on a D3

Hope this helps Jules or is at least food for thought...
All the best on your journey...
.

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Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Thomas902 wrote:

"... Comments and suggestions welcome from cl... (show quote)

Thanks as always Thomas for your insight and professional views of this lens. I should have purchased this lens months ago, but just couldn't pull the trigger. I have used it for just a couple of games on my D500. Next soccer season I will try it on the D4 and see what it will do.
Thanks again,
Jules