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| Moderated by: chrisbet, | ||
| Author | Post | |||||||||
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jk
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Rumours state that a 500mm f5.6 is coming. https://www.dpreview.com/news/7758816413/nikon-developing-compact-and-lightweight-500mm-f5-6-lens |
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jk
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https://nikonrumors.com/2018/06/14/nikon-announces-the-development-of-a-af-s-nikkor-500mm-f-5-6e-pf-ed-vr-lens.aspx/ More rumous of this lens. |
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Robert
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Was sure I mentioned this some time back? With a TC 1.4 (or on DX) it will be a big help for birders, the 300 is simply too short even with a TC, also loosing a stop is unwelcome. So 500 X 1.5 for DX takes us to 750mm equivalent at f/5.6 which isn't bad compared with an f/4 FL, which many people find too cumbersome/risky to take out in the field, even if they own said lens and where else can you use a 500mm lens?. Also the light, compact design and latest VR should ensure a nice lens. I can see birding coming more popular. It's a pleasant way to spend a day in the wild, provided the entry fee isn't like >£10,000 plus camera. Significantly less than half that price, weight and size while maintaining IQ to a good level will attract many who simply can't , or won't invest the price of a car in a single lens. Looking forward to more flesh on the bones rather than speculation about the spec and price. I think the 300 PF was simply testing the water and developing experience for Nikon. I hope they can build on it. |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:Was sure I mentioned this some time back? NOW...If they put the integral switchable 1.4x tc on THAT lens rather the expensive zoom that really doesn't NEED it (as you would only use it at the maximum focal length  ) it would be REALLY USEFUL.But reality check....it ain't going to happen.  |
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Robert
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It might Eric, you are not alone with this observation... But taking the logic further simply the longer focal length simple lens might still get the job done at more modest cost. A second camera with a shorter lens might be cheaper? That's what most photographers do at sports events. |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:It might Eric, you are not alone with this observation... I struggle to keep control of my own body these days...let alone 2 Cameras.  |
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Graham Whistler
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Might sell my big 500mm AF-S F4! |
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jk
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Might join that club as well and sell my Nikon 400mm f2.8 AFS as I tend to usemy Nikon 200-500mm most of the tome. |
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jk
|
More info. https://nikonrumors.com/2018/07/06/nikon-af-s-nikkor-500mm-f-5-6e-pf-ed-vr-lens-additional-information-price-and-length.aspx/ |
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Robert
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And a picture? https://nikonrumors.com/2018/07/14/the-new-af-s-nikkor-500mm-f-5-6e-pf-ed-vr-lens-spotted-at-a-nikon-world-cup-party.aspx/ |
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jk
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Looks very compact. Ideal for birders! |
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Robert
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The price *seems* to be firming up around $4,300... A lot less than the 500mm f/4 FL. I am speculating there will be a high demand initially, followed by some coming available on the used market when some inept users realise it isn't a magic bullet to obtaining perfect birding images 'on the cheap'... |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:The price *seems* to be firming up around $4,300... A lot less than the 500mm f/4 FL. But it's f5.6 not like the f4 of the 300P So, how good will it be with the 1.4x tc? If it cannot take advantage of the tc as well as the 300mm does (giving 420mm) it's not that far short of 500. The other point is that for a lot less, you could have the 100-500 or the 600mm that Iain uses so successfully. Ok they are heavier. But you don't carry around long pro quality lenses on the off chance of using them. You take them to a specific location eg a hide and you can take something or use something to lighten the load. I confess I've been an advocate of lighter equipment for some time. But I've come to the conclusion that's only when you are walking about. |
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Robert
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A review of the 500mm f/5.6 PF |
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jk
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The review is here. https://nikonrumors.com/2018/09/20/first-nikon-af-s-nikkor-500mm-f-5-6e-pf-ed-vr-lens-review.aspx/ Personally I would say that the flexibility offered by the slightly larger 200-500 f5.6 AFS VR (which I have) works better for me, especially on the D500. |
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Eric
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jk wrote:The review is here. Well you may be right. But I've never got close enough to a wild bird such that the image didn't need some cropping. That's true of my current 300mm +1.4tc =420mm, so I am guessing 500mm isn't going to be that different. However, as I said on another thread, my shortcoming is the inability to easily take wide angle scenery photos at the same time as being ready and prepared for telephoto opportunities of birds. 200-> won't get the scenery shots. Can't help thinking for my needs, a second camera body with a lens that covers wide angle through to say 200mm would be a more useful companion to the 300mm and 500mm primes (with or without the tc) on the D500. Of course I may be proved wrong in due course. |
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Graham Whistler
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Been talking to Eric today I am going for one of these as I find I hardly ever use my big 500mm AF-S f4 lens at 3.6 kg it is fine in a hide but not too good if your needs are mobile! I will trade in the big lens and hope tyo do a deal in next few days. |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Been talking to Eric today I am going for one of these as I find I hardly ever use my big 500mm AF-S f4 lens at 3.6 kg it is fine in a hide but not too good if your needs are mobile! I will trade in the big lens and hope tyo do a deal in next few days. If the 500 P is as good as the 300 P, you won't regret it. It's interesting that in an era when Nikon seem to be struggling to get worthwhile weight reductions on their mirrorless bodies, they are making leaps and bounds on their prime lenses. Perhaps the nett effect is what matters? At 1.4kg the new lens is a significant weight saving over older models. When it comes to lugging it around bird reserves and other wilderness locations that's going to be a great help with handling as well as toting. I can see a lot of people trading in their heavy lenses to try this 500. I am also rethinking the D500 versus the D850. Listening to Graham's experience and reasoning, the lesser magnification of the FX body means a smaller subject in the viewfinder. (I think you also eluded to this earlier, Jonathan, in your comment about the 200-500?) Whilst it goes against the grain NOT to fill the frame, in the case of BIF photography some 'space around the subject' is beneficial, perhaps essential, to ensure reliable tracking and framing. The extra pixel power of the D850 enables cropping after the event. So it gives the luxury of more reliable focus tracking with the surety that the quality will still be there in the crop. It may be that a D850 replaces my D500 in 2019.....after the 500mm P lens has been added. |
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Graham Whistler
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If filling the trame seems to worry you with the D850 please look again at my first pix in the birding blog. The blow up of the greenfinch pix produced a noise free 16x20 exhibition quality print! I was a bit unhappy about the f5.6 of the new lens compared to the f4 of the big 500mm but to get enough DOF you need to work at least with f8 if not f11. My two weeks in Spain with the D850 and my 80-400mm lens plus x1.4 that starts at f5.6 also proved that the D850 can hack spot on focus with moving birds, QED? I just hope I can get a reasonable price for my as new little used 500mm. I'm asking just under £4000.00 it cost £6000 2.5 yrs ago. LCE in Southampton hope to do a deal with me with the new lens and take 500mm, they will phone me back shortly. |
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jk
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The old design 600mm f4, 500mm f4, 400mm f2.8 were designed to be sharp wide open with only a small improvement one stop down from max aperture. Dont know about the newest lenses but similar I guess. Remember the min aperture for the latest generation of cameras D5, D850, D500 for the AF to work is f8 NOT f5.6 as was with D4 and others. In fact my D3 performed well enough at f8 but was a little slow to latch focus. |
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Graham Whistler
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My order is in deal done! Just small extra to pay had hoped to get little better on trade in but there are a lot of take ups on the new lens and a lot of big lenses like mine on 2nd hand market. |
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Iain
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I'll be interested to see how you find it Graham. |
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jk
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The problem with these new P lenses is that you need the latest generation of camera bodies. Apparently a P lens doesnt work on D3 or D4. So you need a D850, D500 or D5. EDIT: See below. This is duff info from Ken Rockwell! |
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Eric
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jk wrote:The problem with these new P lenses is that you need the latest generation of camera bodies. Apparently a P lens doesnt work on D3 or D4. So you need a D850, D500 or D5. Interesting, I hadn't appreciated that. I wonder if all those togs trading in their big lenses know that? |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:My order is in deal done! Just small extra to pay had hoped to get little better on trade in but there are a lot of take ups on the new lens and a lot of big lenses like mine on 2nd hand market. Did they give any idea of tim8ng on the new lens? WEX claim to be in the dark. |
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Robert
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Eric wrote:jk wrote: I don't believe that??? Esp the D4??? Why is it supposed to be incompatible? I am sure I have seen images from non current cameras taken with the 300mm PF. Shouldn't we refer to the Fresnel lens as a "PF" lens? We already have "P" lens series? If it has to be condensed to a single letter perhaps 'F' might be more appropriate? |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:Eric wrote: I am trying to remember WHO with WHAT tried my 300PF at Frampton????? Edit: Come to think of it...Mike used my 300PF on his D5300 while I was testing the 80-400. So you are correct. |
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jk
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Quote from article........from the Rockwell website. https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm "These new AF-P lenses only work on camera models originally introduced since about 2013. If your camera is too old, the focus system, even in manual mode, won't work at all, making the lens completely useless with no workaround. YES: They work on the D5, Df, D850, D810, D750, D610, D600, D500, D7200, D7100, D5600, D5500, D5300, D3400 and D3300. Be sure you have the latest firmware on the D610, D600, D5500, D5300 or D3300; older firmware versions won't wotrk with AF-P lenses. NO: They are useless because they can't focus in any way on any of the D1, D2, (this part is plain wrong ..D3 or D4 series, the D800 & D800E, D700, D300 series, D200, D100, D90, D80, D70 series, D60, D50, D40 series, D7000, D5100, D5000, D3200, D3100 or D3000). They won't work on any 35mm camera either." So be careful on which site you take information from!  |
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Robert
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Culled from Nikon USA website: https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/camera-lenses/af-s-nikkor-300mm-f%252f4e-pf-ed-vr.html "The lens incorporates an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism. The following cameras are compatible with this lens: D5, D4 series, D3 series, Df, D850, D810, D810A, D800 series, D750, D700, D610, D600, D500, D300 series, D7500, D7200, D7100, D7000, D5600, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D5000, D3400, D3300, D3200, D3100, Nikon 1 J1, J2, J3, J4, J5 with FT-1, Nikon 1 V1, V2, V3 with FT-1, Nikon 1 S1, S2 with FT-1" My emphasis. I would expect the 500mm PF to have a similar range of usability. So unless the article you quote from is speaking of some other lens, I think it's plain wrong? Or, less likely Nikon are wrong? All that said I think it's unlikely anyone buying a 500mm PF lens will be intending to use it on a D1 or even a D2x |
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jk
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Thanks Robert. So that info that was in the review article that I quoted from was untrue. Thank you Mr. Ken Rockwell! https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm Probably needs a live test. I will go amend my post. I think the Nikon USA site is probably correct. |
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Eric
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jk wrote:Thanks Robert. I think he's referring to the P lenses not the PF lens |
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jk
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I dont understand what the difference is between P and PF. I will check. |
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Eric
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jk wrote:I dont understand what the difference is between P and PF.Neither do I but I was castigated for using just the P earlier in another thread as it needed the F to differentiate between the two types. |
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jk
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Another synopsis of the difference between the AFS, P and PF lenses. AF-S/SWM Auto focus lenses with built-in 'Silent Wave' Motors which convert traveling waves into rotational energy to focus the lens optics. Designed to be used on bodies with no built in motor, AF-S lenses are fast, accurate, and quiet and all but the cheapest feature fulltime manual focus override. Almost every current Nikkor lens now features the AF-S designation, but there are some that use AF-P, see next entry. Most popular AF-S lenses: Again, since this designation covers nearly the entire range of Nikkor lenses, it's probably more useful to link to this section which lists all current AF-S Nikkor lenses by their popularity. AF-P Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Introduced at the beginning of 2016, the AF-P lenses feature a “stepping motor†like Canon's STM lenses. This style of motor is much is considerably quieter than AF-S technology, and it also has a much smoother motion during the focus process. AF-P is therefore ideal for shooting video, to both maintain a smooth motion during zooming, and also so that you don't hear the focus motors in the recording. Most popular AF-P lenses: Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR | Nikon AF-P DX 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR PF Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR PF lenses stand for Phase Frenel, and are essentially Nikon's equivalent of Canon's popular DO (Diffractive Optics) technology. This technology uses a specially designed diffractive lens element to correct chromatic aberration, something which typical refractive lenses need several lens elements to do.The diffractive element features a microscopically grooved rear element that forces light of different wavelengths to all converge on the same point (see diagram above). The result is a much smaller and lighter lens. The Nikon PF line began with the 2015 introduction of the Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR, and continues in 2018 with the introduction of the Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR. |
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Robert
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Sorry gentlemen, I have been roughcasting again. Just finished, started at 7:30 this morning, rather tired. All done now.  Thanks for JK steeping up with the explanations for the various lens designations, trouble is once we start using the wong terms everybody latches on and thinks it's right. Then confusion reigns! |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:Sorry gentlemen, I have been roughcasting again. Just finished, started at 7:30 this morning, rather tired. All done now. That's very true. I thought my Christian name was "you little b*****d" until I was 5.  |
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Graham Whistler
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Picked up the new lens this morning from London Camera Exhange in Southampton. All looks good so far fitted it to D850 and did some tests. This Goldfinch on bird feeder is about 1/3 of the full frame. 500mm lens plus x1.4 not very good light in the wood so 2500 ISO 1/400 sec f8. This is lens wide open as it is f5.6 but with the x1.4 you lose a stop. I also found that in poor light auto focus not 100% with x1.4 but fine with out it. In better light no problem at all. Handls a dream so not sorry to see my big 500mm f4 go but can see the advantage of the f4 in poor light like I had today in the woods. Sharpness of images is good well up to 80-400mm lens but early days to say it is as good as the big 500mm lens. Weight and size is what it is all about. PS also had a play with the Z7 Attachment: Goldfinch1936.jpg (Downloaded 27 times) |
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Eric
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Well done Graham.Interestimg your comment about the teleconverter influence on focusing accuracy. That might be a plus for the D500 without a tc? |
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jk
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Woooow. Nice. |
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Iain
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jk wrote:Apparently a P lens doesnt work on D3 or D4. So you need a D850, D500 or D5. I know guys using them on D4 D7200 one guy on a D7000 all using 300mm PF and it works fine. |
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jk
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Iain wrote:jk wrote: See later posts#28 & 30. This was duff info from Ken Rockwell website! |
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Graham Whistler
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Another from yesterdays first shoot with the new 500mm f5.6 lens. I picked this because the bird was on the ground in deep shadow and the exposure of 1/320 sec at f5.6 was in effect F8 as the x1.4 was on and the raw file was 1.5 stops underexposed and needed to be pulled up in post processing. ISO was on 2600 and there was no time to turn it up without losing the shot. There is some noise but the pix will win no awards but focus held this is using 50% ot he D850 NEF Raw file. More to come later as I get to grips with the new lens all good so far there are 4 focus point storage buttons round the lens and using the memory recall buttond AF-L for learn and Centre setting recall and right hand AF-on. I have never had this on a Nikon lens so its new to me and looks very interesting.I will report more when I have read instructions and done tests in action! Attachment: Chaffinch NR1948.jpg (Downloaded 44 times) |
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Eric
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Graham...can I just ask whether the lens is front focusing a tad? Assuming you focused on the bird there seems to be more dof in front of the bird than behind. I also wondered this about the goldfinch photo where the head is a tad softer than the tail ....as you have shot slightly upwards. Of course they are always moving their heads so it may be shutter speed not frozen her. Maybe it's my eyes.  |
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Graham Whistler
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I think in each picture I was focused on the wing, they were moving about so much it was hard to get spot on head also both are wide open with a 700mm lens. I have done tests with a lens test chart yesterday and no problems with wide open.It was very dark under tree with Chaffinch took three and that was best other two no good. I also plwyed with this new, to me, memory recall system might have messed up some of the pixs. Take time now and read instructions.If any of you out there used this recall focus system please post a bit of help? |
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Graham Whistler
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Thank you Eric for some good help on Auto Focus checking, did your DOF test with lens at F5.6 focus spot on and not too far forward as you said it might be. Re the new memory features: Pix No 1 is Memory Recall Pix No2 Mem Set and when holding camera is on the right side near lens mount. No 3 is Focus Function button and these are at end of lens above focus ring, there are 4 of them I each at Top, Bottom, L & R. You can also use them to use auto focus at any time. To use to store a focus point (eg a post top a bird may come to) set recall to AF-L, focus on post and press Memory Set to save it now return Mem Recall to centre position. Carry on using camera in normal way. If bird comes to post as stored all you need to do is press any one of the 4 Focus Function Bottons at end of lens.Setting is not lost if you turn camera off. I have also reset as per a3 in D850 book: focur tracking to Quick and Subject Morion to Erratic for birds. New lens now working very well focus sorted! QED it works well. Took me some time to sort out but all info in instructions for new lens plus D850 instruction book. Attachment: 500mm Lens.jpg (Downloaded 37 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Thank you Eric for some good help on Auto Focus checking, did your DOF test with lens at F5.6 focus spot on and not too far forward as you said it might be. Good to see you are making progress Graham. I see from bottom of your photo 1 it's even got a music button One point on the Tracking settings. If you have the speed set to Quick it will grab focus as it sees something quickly. BUT... if the moving subject you are tracking goes behind another object ( for eg a bird flies behind a tree) the focus will Quickly switch to the tree in front. If you set the focus's speed more towards Delayed ...it does just that. It waits a moment before shifting focus to the tree. So doing, it gives the bird time to emerge from the other side of the tree still in focus. It's one of those catch 22 situations. I could imaging trackingðŸ¦ðŸ¦“ðŸ¦ðŸ— moving through long grass in Kenya it might recommend more Delayed weighting to keep focus locked. |
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Eric
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Graham ....we were talking about the difference between A/M and M/A on the lens.... https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/eu/BV_article?articleNo=000006502&configured=1&lang=en_GB&sfdcIFrameOrigin=null |
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Graham Whistler
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Eric thanks for that point taken but tracking larger animals with perhap 200-300 mm lens is not as hard as getting a small fast eratic moving bird sharp and in focus with a 700mm lens. I have always tended to use M/A but now understand things a lot better. I still do not trust Auto focus 100% and in past I have been glad to take over mauual. This new lens works very well with M and viwefinder on D850 helps M focus almost as good as the old days with film cameras! |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Eric thanks for that point taken but tracking larger animals with perhap 200-300 mm lens is not as hard as getting a small fast eratic moving bird sharp and in focus with a 700mm lens. I have always tended to use M/A but now understand things a lot better. I still do not trust Auto focus 100% and in past I have been glad to take over mauual. This new lens works very well with M and viwefinder on D850 helps M focus almost as good as the old days with film cameras! Yes, I understand the different lens requirement on those subjeypcts but the camera can be changed to better suit the circumstance as well. What I should have said was that if you assign a custom bank with Quick focusing setting ....you can set another with the Delayed setting. If the subject demanded one or the other, you can switch instantly on a function button. |
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Graham Whistler
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Thans again yes I do use function buttons and have done for years on pro video camcorders. Problem is in heat of moment you can forget to use them. In some way I think theses extra focus buttons round end of the new lens may be one too many functions to put you off getting the pix! |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Thans again yes I do use function buttons and have done for years on pro video camcorders. Problem is in heat of moment you can forget to use them. In some way I think theses extra focus buttons round end of the new lens may be one too many functions to put you off getting the pix! Tell me about it! I've considered learning to play the clarinet....so ALL my fingers can help out on the function buttons. |
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Graham Whistler
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Like the time I was filming a steam loco sun came out and white steam was back lit so I hit function button to bring in 'crush highlights a bit' and wrong button colour broadcast bars came up, great shot lost! |
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Graham Whistler
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Fox in our road this morning very dull light The new lens & x1.4 on D850 25% of image and 1/800 sec wide open at F8 2500 ISO and still bit uinderexposed so needed to lift by 2 stops in Photoshop.Focus locked on very quickly now got hang of settings single focus spot on top of head, hand held very good balance could work with this weight of kit all day even at 78 yrs old! At least it proves focus is on subject as road unsharp front and back. Took about 3 before it saw me at upstairs window. Attachment: Fox2001NR.jpg (Downloaded 32 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Fox in our road this morning very dull light The new lens & x1.4 on D850 25% of image and 1/800 sec wide open at F8 2500 ISO and still bit uinderexposed so needed to lift by 2 stops in Photoshop.Focus locked on very quickly now got hang of settings single focus spot on top of head, hand held very good balance could work with this weight of kit all day even at 78 yrs old! At least it proves focus is on subject as road unsharp front and back. Took about 3 before it saw me at upstairs window. Very nice Graham. Nothing wrong with that focus. |
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Graham Whistler
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This lens is working well now, very dull again this morning and this is 25% of the D850 full frame, the 500mm lens with x1.4, hand held 1/250 sec f11 VR on ISO 1600. I think this is about same as my big 500mm F4 so progress is good still very early days.Focus is spot on single point on eye and in dull light camera locked on at once. Attachment: Woodpigeon2008.jpg (Downloaded 25 times) |
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Eric
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I still don't think that lens is good enough for you Graham. I would recommend boxing it up and posting it to Norfolk.....I'm not so bothered about sharp images so will give you a fair price for it. |
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Graham Whistler
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Eric thanks for kind offer but I think will hang on for a bit. This Snipe today in Titchfield haven. 500 with out x1.4 D850 again wbout 25% of image. Attachment: Snipe2082s.jpg (Downloaded 21 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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There was a Marsh Harrier hunting got some very distant shots but he put these Lapwings up for me to try out tracking shot, lens locked on quickly this with x9 focus points. Attachment: Lapwing2076s.jpg (Downloaded 21 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:There was a Marsh Harrier hunting got some very distant shots but he put these Lapwings up for me to try out tracking shot, lens locked on quickly this with x9 focus points. Striking composition Graham  |
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Graham Whistler
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Sorry forgot to add the sky. Attachment: Lapwings.jpg (Downloaded 17 times) |
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jk
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Both images work. In fact in some was the starkness pf the white background works best. |
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Graham Whistler
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Taken also at Titchfield haven but looking the other way towards The Solent. Grab shot on my way to car so still set on 1000 ISO 1/500 sec f29 D850 with the new 500mm lens and x1.4.= 700mm hand held. Make a change from birds. Focus has been very quick and spot on all day new settings working well. This lens is very sharp almost too sharp with plenty of contrast. The x1.4 does not cut quality at all but I know that from three years of use with my other lenses. Attachment: Sailing.jpg (Downloaded 43 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Now two weeks in I am more than happy, lens and D850 you can carry all day and keep getting good hand held shots. Quality and sharpness just as good if not slightly better than my old big 4kg Nikon 500mm f4. I would say slightly more contrast so very little unsharp mask needed in Photoshop. I quickly mastered the focus problems so now auto focus is spot on as is tracking and holding focus on birds in flight. I have so far only used it with D850 as the two seem to be built for each other. Eric thanks for the "use in Kenya" review you sent, but all big animals not nearly as demanding as little birds! One other review was also very good but said VR did not work well. I have just done test and can not believe just how good VR is with the new lens. This is out of my window and is hand held, the 1/40 sec is nearly as sharp as 1/250 sec! QED. 1/25 not worth showing but could be used. Attachment: VR 5000mm.jpg (Downloaded 34 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Now two weeks in I am more than happy, lens and D850 you can carry all day and keep getting good hand held shots. Quality and sharpness just as good if not slightly better than my old big 4kg Nikon 500mm f4. I would say slightly more contrast so very little unsharp mask needed in Photoshop. I quickly mastered the focus problems so now auto focus is spot on as is tracking and holding focus on birds in flight. I have so far only used it with D850 as the two seem to be built for each other. Graham....why has the 1/40th image got a lot more noise artefacts than the one at 1/250? |
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Graham Whistler
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I do not think it has but there is a lot more DOF bringing drive surface behind car in focus I should in test done both at same F No both shots are at 200 ISO but 1/40th is at f18. I was testing for camera shake and the test proves that 100%. Point of focus in both shots in centre of wheel. |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:I do not think it has but there is a lot more DOF bringing drive surface behind car in focus I should in test done both at same F No both shots are at 200 ISO but 1/40th is at f18. I was testing for camera shake and the test proves that 100%. Point of focus in both shots in centre of wheel. Hmmm...don't understand, because on my screen (when I zoom in) there are significantly more artefacts on the bodywork, wheel rim and blockweave just behind the tyre. It almost looks like a lower resolution photo than the 1/250 version. |
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Graham Whistler
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I went back to the Tiff and re did the JPG is this better? A phone call came in middle of doing it both tiffs look same.I might of done a silly! Both pixs are quite serious blow up as I wanted to se blow up detail but ISO was 200. Attachment: VR 40.jpg (Downloaded 34 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Sorry must have done a silly when on phone , this is the same 1/40 sec NEF file reprocessed again with my brain working. Sorry folks! Attachment: 40 re proc.jpg (Downloaded 33 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Sorry must have done a silly when on phone , this is the same 1/40 sec NEF file reprocessed again with my brain working. Sorry folks! Well done Graham...that's sorted out the gremlin. I am chomping at the bit for my lens to arrive. I would be encouraged if there were more signs of these lenses at dealers. It seems as though Nikon are servicing them with the Z cameras ( still slowly!) at the expense of this lens supply. |
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Graham Whistler
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This shows just how sharp the lens is and focus spot on the head. Sorry only a Starling on our garden fence. D850 with the new 500mm + x1.4 =700mm ISO 1600 1/320 sec f11 hand held with VR. You can even see the dust on it.This was blown up from 25% of the D850's full frame. Attachment: Starling2139.jpg (Downloaded 29 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Sorry to go on a bit with my testing of the new 500mm lens with starlings the only birds in our garden at moment. Hand held D850 again same set-up 500mm + x1.4 dull light ISO 1600 1/500 sec at F8 (ie lens fully open) part only image see small pix of whole. Attachment: Starling2131.jpg (Downloaded 26 times) |
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Eric
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I could have done with a 500mm lens today! Great Grey Shrike at 50metrs with mere 300mm Attachment: 4119E423-8C50-4BF6-AFC7-F7D6544F120D.jpeg (Downloaded 22 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Interesting bird but 50M is a long way even with 700mm it would be small.The Starlings are about 15M away in above pixs. |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:Interesting bird but 50M is a long way even with 700mm it would be small.The Starlings are about 15M away in above pixs. It's a very wary and mobile bird. Mike and I stalked it for a good hour and this shot was the best I could get. In fact Mike tells me it's the best shot he's seen posted of this specific bird that's drifted into our area. It highlights hts the differences between bird watching and bird photography. For the former group, a photo like this is sufficient as a 'record shot'. Mike tends to fall into that category but does aspire to get bigger, closer ....record shots. We on the other hand are photographers extending our subject interest into birds. For us it's more about filling the frame with nice sharp images. |
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Graham Whistler
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Titchfield Han again today and the Lapwings were flying again. D850 with the new 500mm lens again. Also met a new friend with the new 500mm lens same as me he is very pleased with it and using it on a D750. I have asked him to make contact with us and join our forum. Attachment: Lapwings2168.jpg (Downloaded 16 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Also an Egret. Attachment: Egret2224.jpg (Downloaded 17 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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and Godwit, this is big blow up.. Attachment: Godwit2181.jpg (Downloaded 19 times) |
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Robert
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All nice pictures Graham, particularly like the Egret pose. |
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Graham Whistler
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I was very pleased with this mixed flock at well over 100M away. Focus on 25 poins AF-C Nikon D850 with new 500mm lens + x1.4 1/2000 sec f10 ISO1600. This is most of the full frame.Several pix were taken and tracking focus held well. The full sized image has very good fine detail. Attachment: Mixed Flock2195.jpg (Downloaded 14 times) |
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jk
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I prefer the first Lapwings picture to the second but both are good. |
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nilo_uk
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Graham Whistler wrote:Titchfield Han again today and the Lapwings were flying again. D850 with the new 500mm lens again. Also met a new friend with the new 500mm lens same as me he is very pleased with it and using it on a D750. I have asked him to make contact with us and join our forum. ...and here I am! A pleasure to meet you Graham and thanks for encouraging me to join the forum. Here's the first of a few pix form the 500mm f/5.6 PF on my D750. A 100% crop - shows a relatively narrow DoF even at f/8 Attachment: Dunock-2220.jpg (Downloaded 38 times) |
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nilo_uk
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Something a little different, the Kings Rifle Corps memorial in Winchester. 500mm f/5.6 PF lens on D750, hand held 1/160 sec, f/8.0, ISO 800. This is the whole frame, converted to B&W in Lr Classic CC. Attachment: Memorial-2965.jpg (Downloaded 43 times) |
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nilo_uk
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And finally, for now at least, a kite-surfers kite taken at Titchfield Haven yesterday. Again, the whole frame; ISO100, 1/1250 sec, f/8 Attachment: Kite-2854.jpg (Downloaded 38 times) |
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nilo_uk
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OK, so here's another one! Inspired by Graham's mention of the VR capability, this was shot hand-held at 1/15th sec, f/8.0, ISO 100 Perhaps not the greatest of images but I was playing around with the VR not concentrating on composition. This in 'Normal' VR mode (not 'Sport'). Attachment: 15thSecHH-2952.jpg (Downloaded 38 times) |
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Eric
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nilo_uk wrote:Something a little different, the Kings Rifle Corps memorial in Winchester. 500mm f/5.6 PF lens on D750, hand held 1/160 sec, f/8.0, ISO 800. This is the whole frame, converted to B&W in Lr Classic CC. Welcome to the forum. Graham told me there were two of you in the U.K. wit the 500.  Love the detail in the bird photo and a poignant reminder for me with the statue. My father was in the KRRs during ww2. He passed away earlier this year but his birthday would have been this weekend. Attachment: E63013B8-A49A-4E38-ADD4-0BCF94A89D93.jpeg (Downloaded 38 times) |
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nilo_uk
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Eric - thank you for the welcome, and sorry to hear of your loss. |
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jk
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nilo_uk wrote:Graham Whistler wrote: Wow that really is sharp! Cut yourself on feathers! Welcome to the forum Nilo. |
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Robert
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Welcome to the forum Steve, looking at the first image of your series, the feather structure is amazing, what bird is the subject, I am not an ornithologist... The tufts of feathers or eyelashes below the eye are amazing. The interlocking of the filaments of the throat feathers and the texture is wonderful. I have never noticed such detail before, although presumably such structure exists with many species? Thank you for taking the time to post a 100% crop. I imagine with birds this is close to impossible but have you considered very basic focus stacking? but it might be advantageous for the perch or some aspect of the image which might benefit from a greater DoF? Playing with the DoF can sometimes bring an added dimension to an image and with the narrow DoF of the 500, it might be worth considering... Turn it to your advantage. |
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nilo_uk
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Robert wrote:Welcome to the forum Steve, looking at the first image of your series, the feather structure is amazing, what bird is the subject, I am not an ornithologist... The tufts of feathers or eyelashes below the eye are amazing. The interlocking of the filaments of the throat feathers and the texture is wonderful. I have never noticed such detail before, although presumably such structure exists with many species? Thanks for your welcome. The bird in my first image is a dunock (also known as Hedge sparrow), which was taken at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, near Carnforth, last week. I'd thought of focus stacking for macro subjects like insects which sometimes sit in the sun to warm up; but not for birds. You're probably right though, near impossible unless it's roosting. |
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Graham Whistler
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Good to have you joining us, we look forward to seeing more of your pictures and comments on the new lens! |
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Robert
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nilo_uk wrote:The bird in my first image is a dunock (also known as Hedge sparrow), which was taken at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, near Carnforth, last week. I live not far from Carnforth, a little further round the coast on the Duddon Estuary. There are Osprey at Foulshaw Moss who fish at Leighton Moss. We live in a fertile wildlife area here on the Southern fringe of the Lakes. I pass that way regularly. There is a very active kite surfing community who play just off Walney Island. |
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Graham Whistler
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My father was a regular officer in the Oxs & Bucks but was captured at Dunkirk 2 months before I was born. He retired from the army in 1962 as a Major having lost promotion with 5 yrs as a POW. These are his hands and medals taken in nursing home 2012 just before he died at 96 yrs old. Attachment: RJRW.jpg (Downloaded 33 times) |
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Eric
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Graham Whistler wrote:My father was a regular officer in the Oxs & Bucks but was captured at Dunkirk 2 months before I was born. He retired from the army in 1962 as a Major having lost promotion with 5 yrs as a POW. These are his hands and medals taken in nursing home 2012 just before he died at 96 yrs old. Your Dad had long fingers...was he artistic? ( I'm told by senior management that's an indicator )My Dad was in the N African desert then part of the Italian seaborne invasion before being captured and sent to pow camp on German/Polish border. I keep meaning to go to Winchester to see if there are any records about his training....he was supposed to have been awarded top marksman for his intake. Sorry..thread drift.  |
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Red Dexs
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Graham Whistler wrote: and Godwit, this is big blow up..Is this with a TC fitted? |
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Graham Whistler
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Yes I had the x1.4 TC Mark 3 on all that afternoon giving a 700mm lens. It works very well, apart from loss of one stop making the lens f8 but all still works fine on auto AF-S and 25 pionts focus. No loss of image quality even at F8. (I had the old Nikon x1.4 Mark 2 TC it did reduse image quality.) |
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Graham Whistler
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Met our new member Steve again at Titchfield Haven and he used his new 500mm lens with my D500 Nikon so I will not steal his thunder but I think he got some good shots. This is one of mine with the D850 and 500mm plus x1.4 all working well. Attachment: Snipe2264.jpg (Downloaded 24 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Helicopter was over reserve as well this afternoon. This is 500mm plus x1.4 extender, quite a big blow up for this. Attachment: Helicopter2341.jpg (Downloaded 22 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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All my three shots were at 800 ISO as there was good light and shutter speed 1/1600 sec. Look forward to seeing Steves pictures, he was very impressed with the D500 and how well it worked with his new 500mm lens. Attachment: Red Shank2283.jpg (Downloaded 21 times) |
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Robert
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Graham Whistler wrote:Helicopter was over reserve as well this afternoon. This is 500mm plus x1.4 extender, quite a big blow up for this. Nice sharp image Graham, think shutter speed could have been lower to show some motion in the rotors. I don't think the overall image would have suffered from a slower shutter speed, given the mass of the aircraft. Easy with hindsight! I did the same thing with a similar aircraft in Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye this summer, 1/1000sec @ f/6.3 ISO200 with the D3. The rugged Quairing rocky mountains form the background. The helicopter climbed to the top of the cliffs then flew away, quite a spectical.  |
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nilo_uk
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Graham Whistler wrote:Met our new member Steve again at Titchfield Haven and he used his new 500mm lens with my D500 Nikon so I will not steal his thunder but I think he got some good shots... Yes, good to meet up again Graham, and thank you for the opportunity to give your D500 a field test. I'll do some work on comparing images from D500 and D750 and share my thoughts in another thread. Meanwhile, that snipe featured quite heavily in my photos form yesterday. Here's one of them... Attachment: Snipe-0695.jpg (Downloaded 16 times) |
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nilo_uk
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... and we were privileged to catch bath time! 1/1600th f/8.0 ISO640. D500, AF-S Nikkor 500mm PF Attachment: SnipeBath-0677.jpg (Downloaded 27 times) |
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nilo_uk
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Here's an image of some gorgeous autumn beech leaves at Blashford Lakes reserve (near Ringwood, Hampshire), backlit by the low afternoon sun (3.00pm mid-November). 1/1000th sec; f/11.0; ISO 1250; D750; 500mm PF Pleased to note that the bokeh is pretty good (to my eyes anyway!) but the out-of-focus highlights do have a hard edge to them. I understand this to be an artefact of the Phase Fresnel technology. It'd be interesting to compare the bokeh and OOF highlights on this 500mm PF and the 300mm PF. I'll try to borrow a 300mm PF and do the test... Attachment: AutumnLeaves-3006.jpg (Downloaded 26 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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Thanks for posting those, interesting that snipe pix must have been taken at same time as mine. I like the Autumn pix. Looking through your D500 pixs on the card in my camera you had plenty of good images and focus was good on many of the flying shots. We had good afternoons photography and fine weather. I look forward to doing a Kingfisher shoot with you in the New Year. |
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Graham Whistler
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This is another shot of the Snipe taken 1sec after my first shot with drip! Very similar settings but Eric remarked when I sent him the files that even at only 800 ISO the blow up from the D850 was still a lot ie using only 24% of tye whole image a problem with bird photography even with a 700mm lens. This print I have worked on it in Photoshop CC and used it's RAW conversion to tiff. Before conversion I used Adobe RAW filter to remove noice but also slightly masked the bird so as not to lose all important detail. The final A3+ print looks very smooth with no noise and a good sharpness in the bird. This will be lost a bit in the JPG but you can see the improved image quality now. I think latet version of Photodhop CC RAW priduces far better final images than Nikon's capture ND. Attachment: Snipe2265 A3sNR.jpg.jpg (Downloaded 18 times) |
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Graham Whistler
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This is the file that has not been corrected in Photoshop CC RAW from the NEF ie see the noise at what is quite a big blow-up. Attachment: Snipe A3s 2265.jpgS.jpg (Downloaded 18 times) |
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