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Nikon 200-500mm F5.6  Rate Topic 
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Posted by Iain: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 08:04 1st Post
Well I managed to extract my wallet from my pocket and the wife hand and bought a Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 lens.
I've not had much chance to try it yet as it is persistalating down here, hopefully be out tomorrow testing.



Posted by Robert: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 09:10 2nd Post
No doubt many will be very interested to hear your impressions Iain, A few images would be good, even of brick walls!



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Posted by Robert: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 09:20 3rd Post
Iain, you may find this article interesting...

http://www.fotozones.com/live/index.php/page/articles/_/reviews/the-nikon-200-500mm-f56e-ed-vr-r176



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Posted by Iain: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 09:49 4th Post
I'd read that article before buying mine and checked the affected serial numbers. The one I've got is outside the affected batch.

If it stops raining here before the light goes I might get some brick wall shots.



Posted by Ralph G Speer: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 09:49 5th Post
Iain, You are going to love this lens.

I have one now for a few months. the only thing didn't like was the tripod mounting. Cleared that up by setting foot off center to fit in the palm of my hand. It works great.

The print is full frame at a distance of 200 ft with a TC II on it.

http://cl.ly/2g2A1v213q3h

Hope link works.



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Posted by Robert: Sat Feb 13th, 2016 10:28 6th Post
The link works just fine Ralph, thanks for posting nice squirrel.



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Posted by jk: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 04:44 7th Post
Very jealous.
I'm still trying to decide if to buy a D500 with the 200-500 or the Fuji XPro2 with the 100-400 and x1.4
Works out the same sort of money but the Fuji is lighter but probably the Nikon is faster AF and heavier.

Please post so e pictures when you get some (not of kingfishers... :-) )



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Posted by Iain: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 09:41 8th Post
Just one from in the house today at 200mm.

Attachment: Millie 54.jpg (Downloaded 58 times)



Posted by Ralph G Speer: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 09:46 9th Post
Love the dog.

You got a good one.

RS



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Posted by Iain: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 09:57 10th Post
Just took this one out the back about 25-30 meters at 500mm f5.6 large crop.

Attachment: DSC_3837.jpg (Downloaded 57 times)



Posted by jk: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 13:31 11th Post
Both shots very sharp and nice.

The bird shot goes a long way in a zoom up and still looks good. :-)

EXIF says you are using a D3.
Very tempting to just get this as I know it will perform on my D3S and D3 and D810.



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Posted by Iain: Sun Feb 14th, 2016 13:45 12th Post
So far I have to say that I'm impressed. Hopefully some bird pic tomorrow.



Posted by Iain: Mon Feb 15th, 2016 10:19 13th Post
Two from today, nothing exciting both taken at 500mm @ F5.6 on the D3 and heavy crop.

Attachment: DSC_3974-Edit.jpg (Downloaded 51 times)



Posted by Iain: Mon Feb 15th, 2016 10:21 14th Post
And the other,

Attachment: DSC_3967-Edit.jpg (Downloaded 51 times)



Posted by Ralph G Speer: Mon Feb 15th, 2016 11:49 15th Post
Welcome to the 200-500 club. I don't think you can go wrong with the cost.

There are others on my web site. rgspeer.com

Enjoy

Ralph



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Posted by jk: Wed Feb 17th, 2016 16:52 16th Post
I think that with the information I am currently finding on the new Fuji XPro2 is that it will not AF any quicker than the XT1. This is forcing me to think more seriously about buying the D500 and Nikon 200-500 rather than the Fuji XPro2 and Fuji XF100-400mm.
I do not want to compromise my flamenco photography which I will continue with the Nikon kit. My portraits and landscape images can be done on either Fuji or Nikon kit.



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Posted by amazing50: Wed Feb 17th, 2016 17:31 17th Post
I've always preferred the DX sensor cameras for long tels.

Much better quality than an FX and a 1.4x TC in my opinion.



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Posted by Eric: Thu Feb 18th, 2016 15:50 18th Post
jk wrote:
I think that with the information I am currently finding on the new Fuji XPro2 is that it will not AF any quicker than the XT1. This is forcing me to think more seriously about buying the D500 and Nikon 200-500 rather than the Fuji XPro2 and Fuji XF100-400mm.
I do not want to compromise my flamenco photography which I will continue with the Nikon kit. My portraits and landscape images can be done on either Fuji or Nikon kit.

Those dancers must be a long way off Jonathan.... 300mm - 750mm ?
Wonder if the D750 would be better?



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Posted by jk: Thu Feb 18th, 2016 16:40 19th Post
I need the Nikon AF speed so a D500 or D750 is good otherwise a Fuji XPro2 would be my choice as it is much lighter.

I want a replacement lens for my Sigma 80-400 and Nikon 400mm f2.8 AFS so the Nikon 200-500 fits the bill. This is used for bird and landscape photography.



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Posted by Robert: Thu Feb 18th, 2016 23:11 20th Post
JK, I think, nay, I am sure you will find the D500 is a big advance on anything which has gone before it.

Everything about the D500 seems 'right', the huge delay since the D300/s has been well spent by Nikon, even down to the smallest detail it is very well designed. The D500 is simply a small D5 in almost all respects except the obvious. I think one of the huge advantages of the D500 over the D5 is the AF sensor array, which I understand is identical to the D5, particularly in respect to it's sensor coverage. It covers most of the D500 frame whereas on the D5 it's still covers the exact same size, therefore all the sensors are concentrated in the centre of the frame on the D5, with no edge coverage.

The active AF tracking is exceptional. Even with my hamfisted attempts, the AF picked up on BIF even when there was a busy, cluttered background, hand held with a 300mm f2.8. It was quite amazing how the active AF point darted around the viewfinder, locked onto the bird while I tried to keep it in the centre of the viewfinder. You really need to try one. Don't NPS have a roadshow in Spain? There have been about 6 here in the UK.



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Posted by jk: Fri Feb 19th, 2016 04:40 21st Post
I will probably come to UK to buy the D500/D750 and lens or at least try to get some hands on before the purchase. It is much more difficult here to attend these events as they tend to happen in Madrid or Barcelona.



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Posted by Bob Bowen: Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 05:02 22nd Post
Think you Robert to come and fix your chimney stack Iain. Nice pics



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Posted by Robert: Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 05:39 23rd Post
Yes, the pointing is a bit sad. Better knocking it down like I did with mine, most people don't even need a chimney for the TV aerial nowadays.

iPhone...


Clearing up afterwards.



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Robert.



Posted by Iain: Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 05:50 24th Post
Bob Bowen wrote:
Think you Robert to come and fix your chimney stack Iain. Nice pics Fortunately not my chimney Bob. :lol:



Posted by Robert: Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 06:36 25th Post
:lol: Good job, my backs a bit fragile at the moment...:hardhat:



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Posted by Iain: Tue Feb 23rd, 2016 14:59 26th Post
I know that feeling :lol:



Posted by jk: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 05:28 27th Post
Finally decided.
I will get the Nikon 200-500mm for my D500. When the camera comes into stock at Amazon and starts shipping I can look forward to testing both as well.
The good thing is I can also use it on my Fujis but only in MF mode.

It is ordered I just need to wait for it to arrive.
So two Nikon packages to arrive. :-)




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Posted by Robert: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 11:24 28th Post
The 5.6 bit isn't going to be noticeable on a D500.

So effectively (on the D500) you will have a 300-750, f5.6. Very handy.



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Posted by jk: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 12:39 29th Post
Now I have to decide with all this new investment how do I work best with my Fujis and my Nikons.
The Nikons are more functional for moving objects and complex lighting but the Fujis are lighter and the images they can produce are as good as the Nikon.
However for my flamenco shoots the Fujis are useless.



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Posted by Robert: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 13:25 30th Post
The D500 will transform the flamenco, the difference will be at least as great as the difference between the D200 and D3, from what I have seen.



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Robert.



Posted by jk: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 13:54 31st Post
The D200 in my hands was not able to be used past ISO1250/1600.
The D3 was happy up to ISO3200 with the occasional push +1EV.



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Posted by Iain: Thu Apr 21st, 2016 15:35 32nd Post
You will enjoy that combo Jonathan.



Posted by Iain: Sun May 8th, 2016 15:35 33rd Post
One from the 200-500 and D4

It looks a little soft on here again but is pin sharp.

Attachment: DSC_7826.jpg (Downloaded 26 times)



Posted by Eric: Mon May 9th, 2016 10:54 34th Post
Iain wrote:
One from the 200-500 and D4

It looks a little soft on here again but is pin sharp.

Iain...nice shot. What exp comp did you use to get the underside of the kite so well lit? Has the bird got a transmitter aerial or is it just a twig sticking out of its right wing?



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Posted by Iain: Mon May 9th, 2016 11:06 35th Post
I used +0.7 and brought the rest back in LR. It is a transmitter aerial she was released in the second year which was 05 and she was named Red Arrow, she been mating with Chester the male bird for the last 8 year and nesting in the same place.



Posted by jk: Mon May 9th, 2016 13:57 36th Post
The 200-500 seems to handle these type of shots very well. I have been using my D300S.

I am finding that +1.0-0.7 works well, where with other lenses it tends to be +1.7-2.0 compensation is required.



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Posted by Eric: Mon May 9th, 2016 17:09 37th Post
Iain wrote:
I used +0.7 and brought the rest back in LR. It is a transmitter aerial she was released in the second year which was 05 and she was named Red Arrow, she been mating with Chester the male bird for the last 8 year and nesting in the same place.
Thanks ...very interesting and great result.



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Posted by Iain: Tue May 10th, 2016 02:01 38th Post
jk wrote:
The 200-500 seems to handle these type of shots very well. I have been using my D300S.

I am finding that +1.0-0.7 works well, where with other lenses it tends to be +1.7-2.0 compensation is required.
It does but I find on the D7200 it needs about 1.3.

Eric. I'm very impress with the lens.



Posted by jk: Tue May 10th, 2016 13:02 39th Post
Here is a sample of a couple of my pictures from the D300S with the 200-500.
1:1 crops in LR6.51
Exposure was unadjusted from my normal settings but the camera/lens combo seemed to cope well considering the exposure is for normal shooting not against the light.


Attachment: D3CS-1-1241.jpg (Downloaded 14 times)



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Posted by jk: Tue May 10th, 2016 13:12 40th Post
Another.
Again a crop 1:1 in LR6.5.1

Attachment: D3CS-1-1234.jpg (Downloaded 14 times)



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Posted by Iain: Tue May 10th, 2016 13:21 41st Post
Looks ok Jonathan. It will be interesting to see what it's like on the D500.



Posted by jk: Tue May 10th, 2016 13:26 42nd Post
Some more.

Attachment: D3CS-1-1238.jpg (Downloaded 28 times)



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Posted by jk: Tue May 10th, 2016 13:27 43rd Post
Swallow photobombing!.

Attachment: D3CS-1-1225.jpg (Downloaded 29 times)



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Posted by Robert: Tue May 10th, 2016 17:02 44th Post
I rather like the second one JK, interesting tones and subtle colours.



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Posted by Eric: Wed May 11th, 2016 13:20 45th Post
Robert wrote:
I rather like the second one JK, interesting tones and subtle colours.
I preferred the third one...thought it was just crate.
:-)



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Posted by Eric: Wed May 11th, 2016 13:28 46th Post
Iain wrote:
Looks ok Jonathan. It will be interesting to see what it's like on the D500.
That's going to be the acid test. I am planning to get one of these lenses and a D500 later this year. Not sure if I will get the lens now and use it on the D750 first.

Without sounding greedy....how does the IQ respond to 1.4x multiplier?

I always felt zoom lens quality suffered with multipliers much more than primes.



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Posted by jk: Wed May 11th, 2016 14:09 47th Post
I dont have a x1.4 or x1.7 teleconverters, only the x2 and x3 Kenko DG 300 Pro units.
I really only used these TC on the 300mm f2.8 AFS and 400mm f2.8 AFS.
Now I have the 200-500mm f5.6 AFS VR I dont really need them with the zooms where they degrade quality.

I have the following lenses all covering FX sensor - Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 HSM (AFS), Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 AFS, 70-200 f2.8 AFS VR and 200-500mm AFS VR so I am covered for the 12-500mm range with zooms.
Or I can use AFD primes that step from 14mm f2.8, 20mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f2.8 AFS VR, and 300mm f2.8 AFS or the 400mm f2.8 AFS so I still always end up with a f5.6 lens if I use the x2 TC.
At 600mm and 800mm focal lengths it is difficult to track wildlife if it is fast moving even when tripod mounted with a Wimberley gimbal. Also I tend to prefer to manual focus at these focal lengths.

When you then stick these lenses on an APSC sensored camera there is a further x1.5 apparent focal length increase. So essentially I am covered from 12-1200mm depending on camera body and lens combination.
This covers all my needs!

When you then add in a 21-24MP sensor either FX or DX you should have enough pixels to crop very adequately without appreciable image quality loss.



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Posted by Eric: Wed May 11th, 2016 15:28 48th Post
jk wrote:
I dont have a x1.4 or x1.7 teleconverters, only the x2 and x3 Kenko DG 300 Pro units.
I really only used these TC on the 300mm f2.8 AFS and 400mm f2.8 AFS.
Now I have the 200-500mm f5.6 AFS VR I dont really need them with the zooms where they degrade quality.

I have the following lenses all covering FX sensor - Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 HSM (AFS), Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 AFS, 70-200 f2.8 AFS VR and 200-500mm AFS VR so I am covered for the 12-500mm range with zooms.
Or I can use AFD primes that step from 14mm f2.8, 20mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 105mm f2.8 AFS VR, and 300mm f2.8 AFS or the 400mm f2.8 AFS so I still always end up with a f5.6 lens if I use the x2 TC.
At 600mm and 800mm focal lengths it is difficult to track wildlife if it is fast moving even when tripod mounted with a Wimberley gimbal. Also I tend to prefer to manual focus at these focal lengths.

When you then stick these lenses on an APSC sensored camera there is a further x1.5 apparent focal length increase. So essentially I am covered from 12-1200mm depending on camera body and lens combination.
This covers all my needs!

When you then add in a 21-24MP sensor either FX or DX you should have enough pixels to crop very adequately without appreciable image quality loss.

That's true for fast moving subjects ...but 800mm lenses are often used in many wildlife situations.

This was 500mm with kenko 1.4 on D300 ....1050mm.....

Attachment: image.jpeg (Downloaded 23 times)



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Posted by Eric: Wed May 11th, 2016 15:35 49th Post
...whereas on this one I decided to remove the kenko..so 750mm...

Attachment: image.jpeg (Downloaded 23 times)



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Posted by Eric: Wed May 11th, 2016 15:40 50th Post
Sorry correction ..not kenko. It was the sigma 500mm and the Kenko didn't work with Sigma. It was the Sigma 1.5 tele.



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Posted by Iain: Thu May 12th, 2016 10:39 51st Post
Eric wrote:
Robert wrote:
I rather like the second one JK, interesting tones and subtle colours.
I preferred the third one...thought it was just crate.
:-)

The words coat and door come to mind.:lol:



Posted by Iain: Thu May 12th, 2016 10:42 52nd Post
Eric wrote:
Iain wrote:
Looks ok Jonathan. It will be interesting to see what it's like on the D500.
That's going to be the acid test. I am planning to get one of these lenses and a D500 later this year. Not sure if I will get the lens now and use it on the D750 first.

Without sounding greedy....how does the IQ respond to 1.4x multiplier?

I always felt zoom lens quality suffered with multipliers much more than primes.

I have the 1.4 but to be truthful I haven't tried it even when using the D4. I'll give it a go.



Posted by Iain: Thu May 12th, 2016 10:59 53rd Post
A quick and dirty test on our tatty back gate with the D7200 and the D4. The focus was slower on the D7200 with TC there was no real difference in focus speed on the D4.
the pics are in my Gallery as I wasn't sure how or if I could put 4 pics in one post.

Jonathan if there is a way to move them into post please feel free to do so.
:-) Done...



D7200




Posted by jk: Thu May 12th, 2016 13:00 54th Post
D7200 with TC



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Posted by jk: Thu May 12th, 2016 13:01 55th Post
D4



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Posted by jk: Thu May 12th, 2016 13:02 56th Post
D4 with TC



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Posted by jk: Thu May 12th, 2016 13:02 57th Post
There you go Iain.
All done from your Gallery.



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Posted by Iain: Thu May 12th, 2016 13:26 58th Post
Thanks Jonathan. I would bear in mind that these have been reduced in size to fit the webs are not as sharp as the originals



Posted by Eric: Thu May 12th, 2016 17:36 59th Post
To my eyes, although in fairness I've had a couple of beers this evening, the D7200 is a tiny bit punchier than the D4 with the TC. Which suggests to me that it might have a similar impact on the D750 and it might be better linking this lens with the D500 rather than trying to get the extra from the TC.

Of course, any port in a storm, and if you need the extra reach, the TC with a bit of extra post processing would be OK.



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Posted by Iain: Mon May 16th, 2016 12:24 60th Post
Another one with the TC, not great light, iso6400 and cropped. Lets hope it docent soften in post.

Attachment: DSC_8091.jpg (Downloaded 11 times)



Posted by jk: Mon May 16th, 2016 15:58 61st Post
Looks very beautiful jay to me.
Good capture. They are usually quite shy!



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Posted by Iain: Tue May 17th, 2016 01:59 62nd Post
jk wrote:
Looks very beautiful jay to me.
Good capture. They are usually quite shy!

I've got them well trained, it's amazing what a few peanuts can do. :lol:


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