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Nikon for birders 2015? (1 Viewer)

JPAC

JPAC

Well-known member
Rumour of a new 200-500mm lens today. Just imagine a 200-500mm PF lens with built-in TC14 matched to a low noise high ISO D400? o:D
 
Well the 200-500mm f5.6 isn't PF but should be available soon. Can't believe the price, less than £1,000!
Source Digicame-info/Nikonrumors
 

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It's nice to see Nikon releasing updates to several long telephoto lenses lately, and now this brand-new one. This 200-500 seems like a reactive offering by Nikon, following the Sigma and Tamron affordable zooms. It will probably be a popular lens, but I really don't have much use for the low end of the zoom range. I would prefer to see a 400mm f/4E PF, a big brother to the new 300mm f/4E PF. I know such a lens would be much more expensive, but it would be very lightweight and way less expensive than the 400 f/2.8.

Dave
 
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wimvdam said:
It's official:
AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR - US$1399.95 in mid-September

More info here:
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/62...-f2-8-vr-24mm-f1-8-and-200-500-f5-6-fx-lenses

Wim
Click to expand...

quite a competitive price, targets potential tamron and sigma buyers,
but a bit to late and short perhaps,
the tripod foot looks a bit weak as the one on the old 300/4 AF-S,
but with VR I guess that is acceptable and saves some weight,
no indication that it is dust/moisture sealed.

MTF diagrams here:

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/telephotozoom/af-s_200-500mmf_56e_ed_vr/spec.htm

at 500mm, it looks quite ok, but not as good as the AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm is at 400mm esp. at 30 lines/mm,
so it might not not have the best IQ with 1.4 TC,
but since only 2.5x zoom range, it should be easier to get good IQ in the whole range,

too short for birds?
too heavy for a walk-around lens?
perhaps,
but a very nice intro lens for general wildlife work
and at a reasonable price.
 
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This is a lens I've been asking Nikon NPS for for ages. It's similar to my Canon new FD 400mm f4.5 from the 1980s but much more advanced but also twice the weight. A whopping 95mm front element but no rear drop in filter slot. 4.5 stop VR, much better than the 2 stop on the old 80-400mm.

This should work well with DX and a 1.4TC for reach, other much more expensive ways of getting to 1050mm equivalent are available. Should be more reliable than 3rd party lenses.

The US price is amazing, Jessops £1179 UK. Nikon reports it works with the very latest compatible Nikon 1.4x, 1.7x or 2x E series Teleconverters and only D4, D4S, Df, D600, D610, D750, D800, D800E, D810, D810A, D7100, D7200 cameras - AF only with 1.4TC. :-C

Still talk of a D400 this year, would make a great combo for birding and plane spotters.

Zoomed out to 500mm with lens hood, this going to be massive.
 
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JPAC said:
This is a lens I've been asking Nikon NPS for for ages. It's similar to my Canon new FD 400mm f4.5 from the 1980s but much more advanced but also twice the weight. A whopping 95mm front element but no rear drop in filter slot. 4.5 stop VR, much better than the 2 stop on the old 80-400mm.

This should work well with DX and a 1.4TC for reach, other much more expensive ways of getting to 1050mm equivalent are available. Should be more reliable than 3rd party lenses.

The US price is amazing, Jessops £1179 UK. Nikon reports it works with the very latest compatible Nikon 1.4x, 1.7x or 2x E series Teleconverters and only D4, D4S, Df, D600, D610, D750, D800, D800E, D810, D810A, D7100, D7200 cameras - AF only with 1.4TC. :-C

Still talk of a D400 this year, would make a great combo for birding and plane spotters.

Zoomed out to 500mm with lens hood, this going to be massive.
Click to expand...

I think it seems very handy for a 500mm lens,
:t:
much lighter than the 500/4:s,
and, without tripod foot,
not much heavier than the old 300/4 + converter,

but a fixed 600/5.6 VR could have been about the same weight,
and with superior IQ,

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/600f56.htm
 
Will be interesting to see how it stands up against the direct -and by now widely sold- competitors offered by Tamron and Sigma (2x).
 
This 200-500mm would be a 1000mm f5.6 AF lens in the crop mode of a D7200 still giving 15MP. :) Add a TC1.4 = 1400mm AF f8.

A 600mm f5.6 would be a much bigger heavier more expensive lens, similar to a 300mm f2.8 with a TC2.0 ~£4,000, not £1,200.

The example photos from this lens look good so far.
 
JPAC said:
This 200-500mm would be a 1000mm f5.6 AF lens in the crop mode of a D7200 still giving 15MP. :) Add a TC1.4 = 1400mm AF f8.

A 600mm f5.6 would be a much bigger heavier more expensive lens, similar to a 300mm f2.8 with a TC2.0 ~£4,000, not £1,200.

The example photos from this lens look good so far.
Click to expand...

not really, the 30 year old nikon 600/5.6:s weight is only 2,7 kg,

seems that the nikon is in the same league as the latest sigma contemporary zoom…eeek...

https://photographylife.com/nikon-200-500mm-f5-6e-ed-vr-announcement

could explain the thumbnail-size of the test shots….o:D

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Pr...es/AF-S-NIKKOR-200-500mm-f%2F5.6E-ED-VR.html#!

bokeh looks good, I really really hope this is a keeper lens,
 
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I am starting out with bird photography and I am thinking of this 200-500mm lens with a D7200

my subjects specifically will be woodpeckers any advice on other set ups I should consider?

My budget is between £2500 to £3000, my wife says the lower the better!
 
That's a really good quality combo with many options IMO. Should be able to get it for under £2000.
 
Have ask nikon uk if it will be compatible with the 1 series via the ft-1 but the say they dont know yet.I had the Tamron 150-600 on my D7100 but had to much trouble with focus freeze so waiting to see real world results from this lens.
 
Google translate doesn't really help on that site, but the photos speak for themselves. For the price, it looks very good. Zoomed out to 500mm together with the lens hood, it's certainly a long lens. :) Adding a TC1.4 and a bean bag in a public hide, I think will be a good solution for the keen enthusiast. :t:
 
yep photo looks good att 100%, but its on D4S, only 16 MP on FF,
not very demanding, D7200 would be more interesting,
but nice to see that the lens is shipping and not delayed...
yet...anyway,

and it's so freakin' cheap over here that it's suspicious,
lens barels of plastic?
 
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The few with the TC14 are a little disappointing but not that bad. The bridge shots have heat distortion. Some have back focus issues. Maybe a 3rd party could make an extra lens support to stop the front end moving around.

Should be a popular lens IMO. :t:
 
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