500mm A question

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sawman

Private James Frazer
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I spend a lot of time in woodland & can have problems with AF when there are twigs etc in the way.
I have the chance to buy a manual focus 500mm & wondered if it would be worth having a go with that?
 
Just Dave said:
Hi Charlie

Cant remember off hand what your mm lens is but cant you just use that as manual
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Its a 300 & I have been offered a 500.
I do use the 300 in manual when crawling about in the woods. Lost a Roe full head filling the frame because the AF picked up a twig in the way. By the time I had switched to manual he had moved.
 
I will see if I can road test it in a wood. Doubt the owner will like the idea much though.:lol:
 
Just a thought but does your camera have a seperate AF button?
I can't see what camera you're using but on my 40D i can disable the AF on the half press of the shutter button and use the back thumb button instead.
This enables me to AF and then quickly recompose to take the shot (without the camera refocussing on twigs when you press the shutter button).
 
I have a MF focus 500mm which I use for moon shots, I have to say its a real pain to focus esp if you have dodgy eyesight!
 
Mangelwurzel said:
Just a thought but does your camera have a seperate AF button?
I can't see what camera you're using but on my 40D i can disable the AF on the half press of the shutter button and use the back thumb button instead.
This enables me to AF and then quickly recompose to take the shot (without the camera refocussing on twigs when you press the shutter button).
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Sorry I have not explained myself very well. I have the chance to buy a manual focus 500 (which is a good bit longer than I have just now) I use the lens in woodland & just wanted to know what you all thought of the notion.
I would have to use it at all times in mf though. Is it worth going down that road is really what I am asking.

I have bad shoulders these days & am also wondering about the handholding bit of such a long lens as I have never tried one.
 
sawman said:
Sorry I have not explained myself very well. I have the chance to buy a manual focus 500 (which is a good bit longer than I have just now) I use the lens in woodland & just wanted to know what you all thought of the notion.
I would have to use it at all times in mf though. Is it worth going down that road is really what I am asking.

I have bad shoulders these days & am also wondering about the handholding bit of such a long lens as I have never tried one.
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I understood your original post. I was just enquiring if you might save some money by getting around 'the twig issue' with a few custom functions in camera :)
I can't help with long lenses. I only go up to 250mm *walks off feeling inadequate* :lol:
Hope it works out for you :thumbs:
 
I can get around the twig issue ok. It is just that I have the chance to also get a wee bit more length as well.
My guess is though that a longer lens will take a bit of handling & am not sure if my wonky shoulders/arms would be able to handhold such a thing while stalking etc.
 
Charlie, I will be up in Scotland at the end of the month,you can try my Sigma for a few hours if you like.I do MF with it at times especially in the surroundings you mention.

It weighs slightly less than my old 600 F4,even so, handholding would become very tiresome very quickly.
 
sawman said:
I have bad shoulders these days & am also wondering about the handholding bit of such a long lens as I have never tried one.
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sawman said:
Nikon 500 f4.
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No chance. For most people a 300mm f/2.8 is about on (or beyond) the limit of hand-holdability. To hand-hold a 500mm f/4 you need to be really strong - even more so if it's an old MF lens without IS/VR. I don't think this lens is right for you.
 
fracster said:
Charlie, I will be up in Scotland at the end of the month,you can try my Sigma for a few hours if you like.I do MF with it at times especially in the surroundings you mention.

It weighs slightly less than my old 600 F4,even so, handholding would become very tiresome very quickly.
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Cheers for that. I have a feeling though I will be away when you are up this way.
To give an idea how bad the shoulder is now, if I hold a phone to my ear for a few minutes it gets sore. Left one is worst though I have pains going down both arms now from the shoulders. Got a lot worse over the last month or so.
Ach I am just getting auld!:lol:
 
StewartR said:
No chance. For most people a 300mm f/2.8 is about on (or beyond) the limit of hand-holdability. To hand-hold a 500mm f/4 you need to be really strong - even more so if it's an old MF lens without IS/VR. I don't think this lens is right for you.
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After this mornings escapade with my 300 I think you could well be right.
Tripods & deer do not mix though.:)
I am going to experiment with a bean bag as I do not have much success with a monopod either.
Thank you for your opinion though.:thumbs:
 
sorry to hear that Charlie
would a monopod to take the weight help?
easier to carry through the undergrowth than a tripod

are you arms worse in the cold, damp?
an old war wound?
or "just" industrial wear and tear? (given your username I'm guessing timber)

(please just ignore the questions if I'm getting too personal)

darn - too slow - just saw the monopod reply! :bonk:
 
Aye you go into the timber trade as strong as an ox & come out the other end a cripple. My old boss used to say that!
He was just about right.
Back,hip, left leg all a bit goosed now. Shoulders & arms next I think.
Nae point in going to your maker in good nick though it has been a great life among timber & I would do it all again.
 
sawman said:
Aye you go into the timber trade as strong as an ox & come out the other end a cripple. My old boss used to say that!
He was just about right.
Back,hip, left leg all a bit goosed now. Shoulders & arms next I think.
Nae point in going to your maker in good nick though it has been a great life among timber & I would do it all again.
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lovely attitude - good on yer! :clap:
 
sawman said:
Aye you go into the timber trade as strong as an ox & come out the other end a cripple. My old boss used to say that!
He was just about right.
Back,hip, left leg all a bit goosed now. Shoulders & arms next I think.
Nae point in going to your maker in good nick though it has been a great life among timber & I would do it all again.
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Shoulders,back and knees for me mate, all knackered.

I`ll be up for last week in May and first in June,if you are about i`ll buy you lunch......:thumbs:
 
If you are up last week in May I will allow you to buy me lunch.:thumbs::lol:
I have a date with a ditch the following week.:lol:
 
sawman said:
If you are up last week in May I will allow you to buy me lunch.:thumbs::lol:
I have a date with a ditch the following week.:lol:
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Well thank you kindly Sir.........:lol:

I need some advice for a cunning plan I have as well.........;)
 
fracster said:
Well thank you kindly Sir.........:lol:

I need some advice for a cunning plan I have as well.........;)
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I see. No such thing as a free lunch then.:p
Are you sure you have no Aberdonian blood in you.:lol:
 
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