Jim S, I have the 600mm f/5.6 AIS and can attest to you to be a fine lens for wildlife. Not too heavy as the 600/4, but anyway it needs a tripod for better results like all long lenses above 400mm.
Taken around 8-10m of distance. D300 + Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 ais EDIF N supported on a beanbag at my SUV window. ISO 200, f/8 at 1/160s
The image was ~ 33% cropped. I think this is not bad for an \"old, outdated and garbage\" MF lens.
Note that even at f/8 just the head is in good focus, the tail and even the feet are OOF.
Palm Tanager
Nikkor AI-S 600mm f/5.6 ED-IF at minimum focus distance (5m), tripod + flash
D3 1/250 f/11 ISO 500
This lens can present a little more CA than the 800mm f/5.6 AIS, specially wide open at very harsh and contrasty light conditions, but PP can fix most if not all CA.
600mm f/5.6 ais EDIF CA removal in NX2:
The example is a 200% crop of a D2x crop mod (2x) shot.
In NX2 the default is at left: auto lateral CA correction only.
In the right, when I enabled the axial CA correction - default level was 50, the result is no red fringes and a removal of the green cast.
