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

PF500 (1 Viewer)

No complaints about mine bought last year. Very sharp, fast focusing and easy to handhold. I suspect there are perhaps quite a few people who buy long lenses and think that will instantly turn them into wildlife photographers. When they find that it doesn't they get bored with the idea and the lens sits gathering dust for a bit before being sold.
 
Seen quite a few for sale recently and wondered are they not as good as first thought?
I have had mine for a couple of months and I have no complaints whatsoever, only wish I had been in a financial position to have bought one earlier. The 200-500 zoom is a super lens as well but you feel the weight of it when you are lugging it around all day. I certainly appreciate the weight factor plus it is a super lens. I already have the 300PF which is brilliant for dragonfly flight shots. A friend has owned a 500 for the last four months and is well pleased. I agree with Andrea's comment that some people think the lens will turn them into a nature photographer.
 
Thanks both,. had not really thought of that angle, probably right and I guess a few love it so much then want to move up to a 600 , thanks again for the insight ;-)
 
I've had mine since they first were released in November 2018. They were in very short supply for over a year and I was offered $5000 for it at one point. Its an awesome lens and is very sharp as you can see from the pictures on my blog which were nearly all taken with the 500PF. I use it with a Z6 and a Z7 using the FTZ adapter, focusing is very quick with the right settings for the conditions. It's much smaller and lighter than the 500 f/4 and combined with the Z6 and Z7 is light enough to carry around all day without permanently damaging your neck.

 
Better snag yah one as they are a cheap 500 prime lens that is fantastic.. I have mine glued and never removed from a D850..
 

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For me the weight had become critical. I bought one and have never regretted it. I thought I would use my 200-400 long time friend on a tripod but found I was reaching for the 500 all the time.
If you buy one I don't think you will regret it!
 
I've had mine since they first were released in November 2018. They were in very short supply for over a year and I was offered $5000 for it at one point. Its an awesome lens and is very sharp as you can see from the pictures on my blog which were nearly all taken with the 500PF. I use it with a Z6 and a Z7 using the FTZ adapter, focusing is very quick with the right settings for the conditions. It's much smaller and lighter than the 500 f/4 and combined with the Z6 and Z7 is light enough to carry around all day without permanently damaging your neck.

Hi Mike. I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but failed after a few attempts. Your work is really beautiful. I have a Nikkor 500PF on a D500 but want an FX body with it now. Your work is really encouraging me to go mirrorless.
 
I was using a Nikon D500 with the Nikon 200-500 zoom lens but recently bought the PF500. Really please with the results and, although carrying the additional weight of the zoom lens wasn't an issue for me, the PF500 is so much easier to carry and use hand held.
 
Hi Mike. I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but failed after a few attempts. Your work is really beautiful. I have a Nikkor 500PF on a D500 but want an FX body with it now. Your work is really encouraging me to go mirrorless.
Russell, I‘ve been using Nikon for a long, long time from the days of the Nikkormat FTn (1970 I think). The D500 is a magnificent camera and I bet it’s great coupled with the 500PF. I only used the 500PF with a D850 and it was really nice but when I got the Z7 I never used the D850 and it just gathered dust. In my opinion the Z7 beats the D850 in every respect, except BIF. You can do BIF with the Z’s but it’s not as good at locking on compared to the D850. The single card slot doesn’t bother me one iota, I only used the second as overflow anyway. The XQD’s are much more robust than SD’s or CF anyway. Either the Z6 or Z7 or better still the II versions take a little getting used to but well worth it I think.

(y)
 
Russell, I‘ve been using Nikon for a long, long time from the days of the Nikkormat FTn (1970 I think). The D500 is a magnificent camera and I bet it’s great coupled with the 500PF. I only used the 500PF with a D850 and it was really nice but when I got the Z7 I never used the D850 and it just gathered dust. In my opinion the Z7 beats the D850 in every respect, except BIF. You can do BIF with the Z’s but it’s not as good at locking on compared to the D850. The single card slot doesn’t bother me one iota, I only used the second as overflow anyway. The XQD’s are much more robust than SD’s or CF anyway. Either the Z6 or Z7 or better still the II versions take a little getting used to but well worth it I think.

(y)
Yes, Mike, I agree, the D500 is magnificent. I just feel I'd like the greater field of view with a 500mm lens. I used the 80-400 with the DX cameras and liked that, but I often feel the 500mm focal length often feels too narrow, especially when photographing erratic subjects in flight. I also live in a dull area in northern Japan, and think an FX sensor would give me cleaner results. That said, I'll keep the D500. I just want an FX body too. (I'm bit of a Goldilocks, I'm afraid)
 
Another vote for the D500 here it is truly a fantastic camera, I use it with the 300mm PF and 1.4 iii which it takes really well. A great combination, I was also in the Canon system with a 7d2 and the auto focus on the d500 blows it away, My hit rate for BIF with this camera lens set up is high too.
 
Yes, Mike, I agree, the D500 is magnificent. I just feel I'd like the greater field of view with a 500mm lens. I used the 80-400 with the DX cameras and liked that, but I often feel the 500mm focal length often feels too narrow, especially when photographing erratic subjects in flight. I also live in a dull area in northern Japan, and think an FX sensor would give me cleaner results. That said, I'll keep the D500. I just want an FX body too. (I'm bit of a Goldilocks, I'm afraid)
Hey Russell, FWIW I think the D850 is a magnificent camera as well. After having tried mirrorless with Sony A7R, A7RII and A7RIII and really embraced the mirrorless concept I jumped onto the Nikon Z7 when it first came out and never looked back. I sold all my Sony gear and eventually sold my D850 in favor of a Z6 to compliment the Z7. As I don’t do much in the way of BIF photography I can make do quite well with the Z’s but acknowledge that the D850 is much better for that type of bird photography. The Z series has many features lacking in the equivalent DSLR such as the ability to allow VR on older type lenses without VR built in, even manual focus lenses such as the Zeiss primes.
 
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