Nikkor 200-500?

hypnotic said:
Also got a £10 discount by mentioning TP, bringing it down to £881 with the 3 year UK guarantee. Quite happy with that
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That's a fantastic deal. Got me thinking Nikon now as I'm going to start a fresh with DSLR later in the year. I've always been Canon but I'll have to give serious thought to changing over, just need to check the bodies out, full frame or crop. I know the D7200 has great reviews but the D800 is pretty reasonably priced now. Got a couple of months to decide between this and a Siggy Sport but my head is leaning towards the 200-500 right now.
 
I used to be a canon guy but sold all my gear after falling out of love with the hobby.
Decided to give it another go after a few years and Nikon seemed to have a slight edge for me.
To be honest there is no bad cameras now ... Just bad photographers!
 
hypnotic said:
I used to be a canon guy but sold all my gear after falling out of love with the hobby.
Decided to give it another go after a few years and Nikon seemed to have a slight edge for me.
To be honest there is no bad cameras now ... Just bad photographers!
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I agree with that, a lot of great shots taken with low end kit and equally bad ones with high end gear.
I fell out with myself, tried too many combinations of Canon kit chasing the perfect set up but realised that I should be spending my time using what I had and not reading about what I didn't have! Sold all my DSLR kit and bought a secondhand M43 which I'm using until I'm sure what I want. Once I decide, that will be what I'll work with going forward and no more wondering 'what if' - expensive game and soul destroying from my past experience.
 
They look good Stuart, weather has been terrible up here so haven't got much this week.
 
This seems like a nice lens. Be good for the zoo but it large lol
 
Just whack a black rapid strap on it and you'll hardly notice it mate.Very comfy on my rs7
 
Bad week weather wise so only this one, 200-500 @500 F8.

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My copy arrived by TNT yesterday .... It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. (Where have I heard that before.. )

I will take some comparison photos this weekend to show how big this is.

Can't fault Panamoz for their service and price (£881)
 
smudgie49 said:
Stuart - out of interest how was the AF for the football - in terms of speed and tracking?
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Hi Graham it was ok tbh..once locked on very good indeed.If I were to be honest its not the fastest focusing lens i have used but on the other hand I didnt feel it was causing me any issues.It tracked the subject very well indeed.I could have used the limiter as well but just left it on full.I was pleased with it.
 
StuartH said:
Hi Graham it was ok tbh..once locked on very good indeed.If I were to be honest its not the fastest focusing lens i have used but on the other hand I didnt feel it was causing me any issues.It tracked the subject very well indeed.I could have used the limiter as well but just left it on full.I was pleased with it.
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Thanks Stuart - I use mostly the 70-200 VR and 300 f2.8 VR but occasionally could do with some extra length....debating whether the 200-500 would as quick to AF as the 300mm with 2xTC or not.....
 
Your welcome mate..I used to use an 80-200mm 2.8 and a sigma 100-300mm f4 and have to say having the extra reach of the 200-500mm was fantastic! I didnt move from behind the goal throughout.For me I had no problems with the AF at all.:cool:
 
Nice Barry..thread has gone a bit quiet! looking to get out with mine at the weekend.
 
Ordered some bits from Wex which arrived today, along with a brochure full of lenses.

Idly scanning through it over lunch I was shocked to see the price of the 200-500 - £1465.

I knew there were some mooted Nikon price rises but this seems a hell of an increase.
 
£600 more than current Panamoz.
£286 more than current Clifton Cameras
 
I read somewhere that there was going to be a 18-20% price rise on their lens prices which would make WEX price about right.
 
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Have to say I've always been impressed with mifsuds when visiting them, was very pleasantly surprised at Christmas when a really nice book turned up in the post with a thank you for me custom note throughout the year inside :)
 
A mate had problems with them when he had a warranty issue with a Nikon body but I've always had decent service and prices/deals from them. Daren't go there too often... :p GAS ROOLZ!
 
Nod said:
A mate had problems with them when he had a warranty issue with a Nikon body but I've always had decent service and prices/deals from them. Daren't go there too often... :p GAS ROOLZ!
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Yes know what you mean lol don't think I've ever been brixham and not had a spend
 
Took my hired (from Lensesforhire) 200-500 out to Brownsea Island yesterday, really impressed with the sharpness.

The AF is a bit, well, slow but found it improved remarkably on the D750 using AF-C group AF.

Got a snap of this little cute critter. Very impressed given this was ISO5600!

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gramps said:
Just a bit slow, or very slow?
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It's hard for me to compare, as I'm not an experienced wildlife/action shooter, but when in the right focus range and it's just tracking something, fine really. If you are meters out on your subject, sometimes it would just hunt and never lock on.
 
Stu Meech said:
It's hard for me to compare, as I'm not an experienced wildlife/action shooter, but when in the right focus range and it's just tracking something, fine really. If you are meters out on your subject, sometimes it would just hunt and never lock on.
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Thanks, it is my only reservation on the lens :)
 
gramps said:
Thanks, it is my only reservation on the lens :)
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I have been spoilt from when I had a 70-200 f/2.8 though, obviously great AF speed but no reach. If I had £900 or so to blow on the lens, I'd probably get one for occasional wildlife/motorsport use. But I'm not convinced I'd use it enough.

However, the sharpness is great!
 
Stu Meech said:
However, the sharpness is great!
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Sort of reminds me of comments about the old Nikon 80-400, lovely and sharp but too slow to be effective for fast moving or erratic subjects.
 
StuartH said:
I had no issues with mine for shooting BIF or sports.
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Yeah, don't get me wrong it's not terrible, it's just not amazing. Alot of it maybe due to my lack of experience with stuff that moves - but I did prefocus a few times so the AF was in the right range to lock on, and at least on this lens they have put the focus ring in close proximity to the body.
 
Having shot with this lens extensively for over a month in the rainforest (link here in the wildlife section), I can honestly say that it's a very versatile lens for travel, but the AF speed is a real compromise. If you lose your subject during tracking, re-acquiring focus is very slow. In wildlife, and I'd imagine in sports also, it can mean missing a shot. Potential buyers should consider hiring before deciding.
 
This is why I think they kept the 80-400 price that much higher, I actually miss my 80-400 G focus was lightening quick and watching videos online think probably twice as quick at least
 
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