Nikon 500mm f/4 (Page 3): Hi, I am selling my Nikon 500mm f4 P lens Plus a 1.4, at the moment it is on ebay, Price $aud2150 plus postage, or make a resonable offer, it is in very good...

tadman

Hi, I am selling my Nikon 500mm f4 P lens Plus a 1.4, at the moment it is on ebay, Price $aud2150 plus postage, or make a resonable offer, it is in very good condition, I just use it now, Western Australia's wild flowers occupy my photography time wandering around the 'bush' hunting for them. By the way my ebay name, bomonttoys2848.

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

I use both the 500 and the 600 F4 - I have never found a superior lens to either for sharpness. Good on AF speed, excellent all round primes until you have to carry them for a long distance.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Are you talking about the 80-400 D or G version?

DaveO wrote:

Not to interrupt the thread too much,but I have the new 80-400 and wasn't overly pleased with detail using the new 1.4 TC. I'll do some more definitive testing tomorrow, but I stopped using it on my Yellowstone shoot a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, a lot of my work was hand held due to "exigent circumstances", but I'm curious for sure. Hate to relegate it's use to just the 70-200 2.8. I mention this because I know from the New Zealand interview that they are in your arsenal.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

The 500 f/4 is a great lens but when traveling because of weight restrictions i have gone to the 80-400 on a D7100 and love the photos. Looking forwards to the 200-500 Nikon to test

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

AmyJ wrote:

I will be taking this plunge and would like to hear from some hedgehogs about their experiences. Thanks!

Without knowing what you want it for, it is difficult to provide you info. If you are looking for birds, I would go with the 600mm.

The big disadvantage of the 500 or the 600 is that you are stuck with one magnification. I opted for the 150-600mm Sig Sport because it offers me more flexibility.

I was out shooting last week with one of the hogs, and I she mentioned the lack of framing when something moved in closer. This was on more than one occassion. You lose some light as the zooms aren't as fast, but if you are like me, I shoot a wide variety of subjects and the zoom is a way better way to go. Just my opinion.

Nikon just came out with a 200-500mm. You might want to look at it before locking into a 500. Superb lens, but a heck of a lot more expensive, with less options.

The new 80-400 G is also a great lens. Very sharp and fast tracking for BIF. I don't use teleconverter though. If you are thinking about teleconverter, then just go with a 600mm.

Trabor

Steve Perry wrote:

Yup, Nikon all the way. I tried the 80-400 with the TCII, just wasn't real happy with it. It was OK, but just not as good as I'd like (I'm picky). Besides, if I need more than the 80-400 can deliver, there's always my 600mm :)

(That same TC II rocked on my 500 and 600 lenses though)

I have the 80-400 (new version) on a D-800 considered a TC, concluded that it would not gain me much, on a camera with fewer pixels it would be more useful. Consider a TC does not change focal length, it just magnifies the image, thus reducing the degradation due to pixilation in the camera. Not knocking the 80-400 but it is not as good as those big primes, which would benefit more from a TC

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Trabor wrote:

I have the 80-400 (new version) on a D-800 considered a TC, concluded that it would not gain me much, on a camera with fewer pixels it would be more useful. Consider a TC does not change focal length, it just magnifies the image, thus reducing the degradation due to pixilation in the camera. Not knocking the 80-400 but it is not as good as those big primes, which would benefit more from a TC

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I agree don't use a TC on the 80-400mm, but it is a great lens otherwise. The 200-400mm F4 is of course superior to the 80-400mm (F6.3 at 400mm), but the 80-400mm is lighter and far more maneuverable than the 200-400mm and the IQ is not that much worse. The bohka on the 200-400mm is much better than the 80-400mm.

Trabor wrote:

I have the 80-400 (new version) on a D-800 considered a TC, concluded that it would not gain me much, on a camera with fewer pixels it would be more useful. Consider a TC does not change focal length, it just magnifies the image, thus reducing the degradation due to pixilation in the camera. Not knocking the 80-400 but it is not as good as those big primes, which would benefit more from a TC

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Brucej67 wrote:

I agree don't use a TC on the 80-400mm, but it is a great lens otherwise. The 200-400mm F4 is of course superior to the 80-400mm (F6.3 at 400mm), but the 80-400mm is lighter and far more maneuverable than the 200-400mm and the IQ is not that much worse. The bohka on the 200-400mm is much better than the 80-400mm.

:thumbup:

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

Brucej67 wrote:

I agree don't use a TC on the 80-400mm, but it is a great lens otherwise. The 200-400mm F4 is of course superior to the 80-400mm (F6.3 at 400mm), but the 80-400mm is lighter and far more maneuverable than the 200-400mm and the IQ is not that much worse. The bohka on the 200-400mm is much better than the 80-400mm.

The 80-400 ED is 4.5-5.6 (5.6 at 400 mm). There more to the 200-400 f/4 vs 80-400 4.5- 5.6. It is more than just IQ. The 200-400 is internal focus and the 80-400 is not. So every time you zoom in and out, you are drawing in dust and potential contaminants. There is more vignetting on the 200-400 but less chromatic aberration. The light transmission rate on the 200-400 is much better - it will auto focus faster. When we consider sharpness, almost all

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

Brucej67 wrote:

I agree don't use a TC on the 80-400mm, but it is a great lens otherwise. The 200-400mm F4 is of course superior to the 80-400mm (F6.3 at 400mm), but the 80-400mm is lighter and far more maneuverable than the 200-400mm and the IQ is not that much worse. The bohka on the 200-400mm is much better than the 80-400mm.

The 80-400 ED is 4.5-5.6 (5.6 at 400 mm). There more to the 200-400 f/4 vs 80-400 4.5- 5.6. It is more than just IQ/sharpness. The 200-400 is internal focus and the 80-400 is not. So every time you zoom in and out, you are drawing in dust and potential contaminants. There is more vignetting on the 200-400 but less chromatic aberration. The light transmission rate on the 200-400 is much better - it will auto focus faster. The 200-400 is much sharper. Both are good lenses but it is important to know what makes them different.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

AmyJ wrote:

I will be taking this plunge and would like to hear from some hedgehogs about their experiences. Thanks!

I had the 500P 4.0. IQ was awesome, weight and manual focus was not.
Enjoy!

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Agree, I own both. Here are two photos taken with both lenses.

Mark7829 wrote:

The 80-400 ED is 4.5-5.6 (5.6 at 400 mm). There mo... (show quote)

Taken with the 80-400mm

(Download)

Taken with the 200-400mm

(Download)

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

Brucej67 wrote:

Agree, I own both. Here are two photos taken with both lenses.

Thanks but it is not a true comparison. Viewing a compressed image on a low resolution LCD is not going to give you the fine details that a print will. One was shot at ISO 900 the other at ISO 2500. That is a difference. One is much brighter than the other. These comparison are best done by labs like DxO Mark. Regardless, the summary that the 200-400 is better remains true.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Bozsik wrote:

Without knowing what you want it for, it is diffic... (show quote)

:thumbup: Lots of good advice here ! For most birds and small critters you need to get to 600mm - and the flexibility of zooming cannot be overestimated ! Also, the importance of physical management of the size and weight at 500-600mm cannot be overestimated !
The serious NIkon options:

Nikon 300 2.8 W2X:( or 1.4X when you need f4)
Sigma 120-300 2.8 W/2X:( " " " " " )
Nikon 200-500 5.6 and cropping your way to 600mm (and beyond) using well applied pixel enlargement -0r a 1.4X TC if you can AF @ f8
Nikon 300 f4 diffractive optic W/2X: ( if your body will focus @f8)
Sigma 150-600 S:
Nikon 500 f4 W1.4X( or crop your way W/O TC)
Sigma 500 f4.5 W1.4X ( " " " " " " )
Nikon 600 f4

A lot of the options depend on how well YOUR camera can AF in lower light and your IQ in lower light. It also may depend on where most of your photographing will be done. The more Northly or Southerly the latitudes, the lower the light levels in general.