I have been using the new Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF ED VR lens for about two weeks. I have had it mounted on the D500 and the D850. So far results have been outstanding. About 3 years ago I purchased the Nikon 200-500 f5.6 primarily because of the weight. I had been using the Nikon 300mm 2.8 prime and the Nikon 200-400 VR II F4. Both of these lenses were heavy to carry around and take images hand held of wildlife in Florida’ preserves. I found the 200-500 f5.6 to be equivalent in image quality to my 300 and 200-400 so I sold those two lenses and have been using the 200-500 for the past three years. I found myself zooming all the way out to 500 mm most of the time. So when the 500 5.6 FL came out I thought I would give it a try.
The weight of the 500 PF is nearly 2 lbs. lighter than my current 200-500 f5.6. Focusing is lightning fast. Noticeably faster than my 200-500. Focus acquisition is also noticeably faster. I use the 500 PF primarily for wildlife in Florida’s nature preserves. I prefer to hand hold because the action is sometimes fast and furious. A tripod limit’s my ability to focus and capture fast moving wildlife.
I like to use Group Auto Focus, continuous auto focus, center weighted metering and shoot at the fastest possible shutter speed and frames per second available. I use manual exposure when the sun is behind me. If it’s cloudy or sun and cloudy I like to use Aperture Priority and generally use a -.07 exposure compensation.
The first shot I posted, taken in Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Florida with the D500 and the 500 PF lens. I used 10 frames a second while panning the Anhinga transporting nesting material. I used the above mentioned settings, the photo was one image out of 24 shots taken over 2.4 seconds, every exposure was consistent in part thanks to the E lens which has an electromagnetic aperture mechanism allowing each exposure in the sequence to be identical in exposure (thanks Nikon). In addition, every shot had a perfectly focused eye, thanks in part to the separate focusing engine in the D500 and D850. I now have a keeper rate of almost 98% using the Group Auto Focus system. As long as one of the four dotes, visible in the viewfinder, is on the subject it will be in focus. The Group Auto Focus system is made up of 16 focus spots within the 4 shown dots in the viewfinder.
The second image, was taken at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Florida, using the D850 at about 9 frames per second. To get this speed I used the Nikon EN-EL18c battery and the Nikon DL-5 battery chamber cover, with the MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack. For wildlife in motion, the more frames per second the better for capturing the right moment. Check out the third shot of a Great Egret flipping a banded water snake at Peaceful Waters in Wellington Florida. I believe the Exceed 5 processor combined with the separate focusing engine in the D500, D850 and D5 make the difference with not only the focusing speed but focusing consistency using the new Nikon 500 PF lens. I also used the Sony XQD 64 GB card, its write speed of 440MB/s is a real plus when shooting at 9 frames per second.
The D850’s 45.7 MP allowed me to crop a little more than when using the D500. I generally do not like to use a tele converter and have not tried it on the 500 PF.
I deliberately shot several shots below 1/125 second to test the VR. I noticed no problem with the VR system. I also own and use the Nikon 300mm f4 PF lens and do not experience any problem using the VR system on that lens. I rarely use the VR because most of the time I am shooting above 1/1500 sec. and really like to shoot close to 1/4000 sec. to get sharp wing tips, which move the fastest. I am a proponent of shooting, at a minimum, (1/focal length) of the lens. So, in the case of the 500 PF, my minimum shutter speed would be at least 1/500 sec. When I am shooting over 1/1000 sec., which is most of the time, I turn the VR off because it uses a lot of power and many feel it slows down focusing. If I use VR I like to use sport mode because I am hand holding and hand panning most of the time.
After taking about 2000 images with the 500 PF, my 200-500 may be sitting at home more often. That said I now take two cameras into the field. I am hand holding the D850 and the 500 PF lens. On my spider holster I have the D500 with the Nikon 70-200 2.8 E FL lens attached for anytime I am too close to the subject to use the 500 PF. The 500 PF has a minimum focusing distance of just under 10 feet but at that distance the 500 PF occasionally cannot capture the entire subject.
I do not use rear button focusing; I assign the rear button to single spot focusing for times when my subject is the branches of a tree or in thick brush. I then simply push the rear button, go to single spot focusing, put the dot on the eye of the subject and it pops in focus.
I also really like the Fluorine-coated front element. Almost cleans itself. I always have the lens hood attached (it is cheap and efficient lens protection). The hood has a locking mechanism similar to the hood on the 24-70 and 16-80 Nikkors.
I have owned over 70 Nikon AIS and Auto Focusing lenses. This is simply the best Nikon lens I have ever used. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
PS. Special thanks to Nikon Professional Services and B&H for their help in getting this lens into my hands.