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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Nikon 800mm lens + converter (1 Viewer)

Looks impressive!
The only problem is that Nikon have grossly overpriced this lens. Pity as (as a user of the Canon 800 F5.6 L IS) I find this focal length is superb for smaller birds etc, though I use a 1.3 crop camera.
I think Nikon may be taking advantage of Canon's recent over pricing policies to make a few extra Yen. They, both, would sell far more lenses and make far more money if they priced them a bit more realistically.
 
If pricing is a problem Sigma's 800mm 5.6 EX DG HSM is only about 35% of the Nikon's price (at least here in Malaysia). No VR/IS though, but most of the time a sturdy tripod is needed anyway. I'll love to see a comparison of all three 800mms one day.
 
In 2008 its pricing was approximately the same, and Canon users did not get the free 1.25x TC thrown in. The price did drop shortly thereafter, but a new one in M'sia still costs about RM41K.
 
In the UK the Canon 800 F5.6 L IS retails for about 9700 GBP - I picked up a near minter for 5500 GBP. The Nikon 800mm is quoted as 15599 GBP at Grays of Westminster - you could have the Canon 800 + a Canon 1 DX for 50 GBP less. I am certain the new Nikon 800 will be an excellent lens - but not that excellent!

To Hor Kee I have used the Sigma 800 and for the money it's good, though I preferred the 300-800 as I felt it gave better images - newer design perhaps? However the Canon is significantly better IMO, especially the AF, but at the price it should be! This is in no way a criticism of the Sigmas they are good for what they cost and can give very nice images.

Obviously the price of the new Nikon will come down significantly in the next few months - it is just that the starting price is so high that even when prices settle down it will still be too much.
Just my 2p.
 
JPAC said:
The Canon new FD 800 f5.6 in the early 80s was £1200 (now £3,900). Manual focus.
Click to expand...

And what a lovely lens it was! There are conversions (without additional glass) to allow these to work on EOS bodies and, even by today's standards, performance is far from shabby!
Lucky Nikonians with their backwards compatibility!
 
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Like so many others, the "new car" price of the Nikon 800mm lens is just way too much for me, even if it eventually comes down a little. Maybe since I will never have it, I wanted to form a list of reasons why I don't want it anyway. I thought the field of view might be too narrow and it would be harder to get on birds, but I was surprised to see the field of view on a DX body is equivalent to the 600mm (2 degree angular), and it weighs 1 lb less than a 600mm. I'm sure it is a wonderful optic, but I'd rather see Nikon come out with a 400mm f/4 or f/5.6. Seems to me they'd make more money selling a lens like that...
--Dave
 
The friend whom I bought my 600mm f/4 D IF-ED II from has the 800mm f/5.6 (The 800/5.6 was an investment for him in his photography and well-worth it for him. To others your mileage may vary. Ultimately he states that IQ is pretty much equal to a 600mm+1.4x TC. Better to see if one can find an IF-EDII for a decent amount of price. Though substantial, the ED-IFII cost me significantly less than what I would have paid for a 600/4 VR...almost enough to put my finances in a situation where I can also pick up the 300/2.8 VRII.

Pasquier, was that with the 800mm?
 
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