p.64 #1 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
UV ( or NC) filter?
I'm something of a filter agnostic and I probably wouldn't choose to spend $150 on B+W UV filter or a Nikon NC but my new to me 200-500 came with a very nice B+W MRC filter and I wondered what the consensus here was.
Use it most of the time? ( remove when shooting directly into the light)
Use only in adverse conditions? - drizzle, salt spray etc
Forget about it and either put it in a drawer or recycle it on the B&S forum?
I don't really see myself using this lens without the hood.
p.64 #2 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
When I first got into 35mm cameras back in the mid-70's, I always had a UV filter on the end of my lenses. As I got older and wiser, I realized that all those UV filters were doing was hurting the quality of my photos. Mostly because the quality of the filters (mostly Hoya) did not match up top the quality of the lenses.
Even if you buy the best UV or clear filters, you are still introducing glass that can't do anything but lower the quality of your photos. Protect the lens front element by using the appropriate hood are just be careful. Proper cleaning will not hurt the coatings on the front element. Don't waste money on UV or clear filters.
p.64 #3 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
afm901 wrote:
When I first got into 35mm cameras back in the mid-70's, I always had a UV filter on the end of my lenses. As I got older and wiser, I realized that all those UV filters were doing was hurting the quality of my photos. Mostly because the quality of the filters (mostly Hoya) did not match up top the quality of the lenses.
Even if you buy the best UV or clear filters, you are still introducing glass that can't do anything but lower the quality of your photos. Protect the lens front element by using the appropriate hood are just be careful. Proper cleaning will not hurt the coatings on the front element. Don't waste money on UV or clear filters....Show more →
Thanks! I got my first SLR in the '70 and everyone was expressing the view that one needed a filter to protect that expensive lens. No doubt the margins on filters bolstered the camera stores enthusiasm for them too.
I first heard a dissenting voice when as a young backpacker I met a Nat Geo photographer working in the mountains of northern Pakistan ( this was 1977 when the area was actually quite hospitable to westerners). He was cleaning his lenses and looking at his magnificent collection of Nikkors I wondere why he had no filters. His response was why would he want to mess up a good lens? At didn't quite convert me to being a filter-phobe - I still worried about is front elements and I was young and did not have a Nat Geo budget. It did turn me into a sceptic about filters though and these days use them relatively little and certainly avoid anything without decent coatings - sometimes with lenses I want to get in and out of my bag easily without a lens cap nor one of those hoods that snag on everything.
I would not have been inclined to waste my money on a 95mm filter as I would assume the $25 Bowers etc are worse than worthless and I don't really see a problem that needs a $150 solution so the question is really if someone gave you a B+W MRC Nano .... filter for your 200-500 are there ANY circumstances under which you migh use it?
p.64 #5 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Lance B wrote:
D810 + 200-500 f5.6E VR, 1/200s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso2800 cropped about 30%
Eastern Yellow Robin
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/162971522/original.jpg
Awesome shot Lance ! Quite possibly the finest detail I've seen out of this lens so far. Could you supply some further information, something that I always think is important for people to know before they judge;
a) how close was the bird ?
b) I see 1/200, was that handheld or on a tripod c) burst or single shot ?
c) And if burst how did the others turn out (just interested because of the 1/200 which normally would show any movement, especially in a small bird since they generally move faster) !
p.64 #6 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
FWIW, the VR implementation of this lens permits handholding down to shutter speeds we used to enjoy back in the day of the 12 MP sensor! This was the best of five or six shots, most of which obviously showed some movement on the bird's part.
p.64 #7 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Thanks all for the filter advice - it will be "recycled".
Have only had my 200-500 for about 4 days and need way more practice (especially zooming out!) but it was fun to grab these just now on an evening walk with my wife. Cropped but otherwise SOOC.
p.64 #8 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Frogfish wrote:
Awesome shot Lance ! Quite possibly the finest detail I've seen out of this lens so far. Could you supply some further information, something that I always think is important for people to know before they judge;
a) how close was the bird ?
b) I see 1/200, was that handheld or on a tripod c) burst or single shot ?
c) And if burst how did the others turn out (just interested because of the 1/200 which normally would show any movement, especially in a small bird since they generally move faster) !
Thanks !
Kevin
Thank you for your kind comment, Kevin.
a) The bird was possibly 5mts away at a guess.
b) It was handheld, resting my left elbow on my left knee as I bent don't my right knee.
c) It was a burst of about 3 shots, but I wound down the shutter speed as I did the first burst at 1/640sec, and then wound down to 1/200sec in order to drop the ISO for better IQ as I was in Auto ISO. In other words, I went high shutter speed to make sure I got a good one of the bird and then dropped the shutter speed in the hope of getting even better IQ with lower ISO. I have done this with other shots of birds etc as VR works well, you only then have to worry about any subject movement. The others at 1/200sec were similar, but this was just a touch sharper by a smidgen around the beak - looking at pixel level - possibly due to slight bird movement. This bird can sometimes stand still for a few seconds watching for worms/bugs and didn't seem to be concerned with my presence. It was there for possibly 10 seconds.
p.64 #9 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Lance B wrote:
Thank you for your kind comment, Kevin.
a) The bird was possibly 5mts away at a guess.
b) It was handheld, resting my left elbow on my left knee as I bent don't my right knee.
c) It was a burst of about 3 shots, but I wound down the shutter speed as I did the first burst at 1/640sec, and then wound down to 1/200sec in order to drop the ISO for better IQ as I was in Auto ISO. In other words, I went high shutter speed to make sure I got a good one of the bird and then dropped the shutter speed in the hope of getting even better IQ with lower ISO. I have done this with other shots of birds etc as VR works well, you only then have to worry about any subject movement. The others at 1/200sec were similar, but this was just a touch sharper by a smidgen around the beak - looking at pixel level - possibly due to slight bird movement. This bird can sometimes stand still for a few seconds watching for worms/bugs and didn't seem to be concerned with my presence. It was there for possibly 10 seconds.
p.64 #11 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Lance B wrote:
Thank you for your kind comment, Kevin.
a) The bird was possibly 5mts away at a guess.
b) It was handheld, resting my left elbow on my left knee as I bent don't my right knee.
c) It was a burst of about 3 shots, but I wound down the shutter speed as I did the first burst at 1/640sec, and then wound down to 1/200sec in order to drop the ISO for better IQ as I was in Auto ISO. In other words, I went high shutter speed to make sure I got a good one of the bird and then dropped the shutter speed in the hope of getting even better IQ with lower ISO. I have done this with other shots of birds etc as VR works well, you only then have to worry about any subject movement. The others at 1/200sec were similar, but this was just a touch sharper by a smidgen around the beak - looking at pixel level - possibly due to slight bird movement. This bird can sometimes stand still for a few seconds watching for worms/bugs and didn't seem to be concerned with my presence. It was there for possibly 10 seconds.
Yes I nearly always use M and Auto ISO and, as a birder as much as a photographer, I also want a positive ID so getting that 'record shot' first is all important. Especially in China where, with warblers for example, there are often multiple possibilities, 51 species of the tiny Phylloscopus and Seicercus warblers alone (many very similar in appearance and often multiple species of one, e.g. Golden Spectacled Warbler has 6 variants) ! Therefore a higher SS for the record or to freeze wings and then drop the SS for IQ.
I was interested to see if you were relying on the VR or if (like most bird togs in China) you had it mounted.
p.64 #12 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
This Forest Kingfisher got a little upset when a Fantail tried to roost on his branch..... this shot demonstrates the "ruffled feathers" pretty well IMHO...
p.64 #13 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
I thought y'all might like to see the output from the diminutive Nikon 1 V2 body with the Nikon 200-500VR attached... with its 2.7x crop factor, at full zoom, it's the equivalent of a 1350mm lens. With the FT-1 adapter, only the centre focus point is available, but the excellent VR on this lens works very well, allowing hand holding at ridiculously low shutter speeds considering the focal length of the lens.
The next two captures are of the same Kingfisher I posted immediately before this post. Very little cropping was necessary.
p.64 #15 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
pwschladen wrote:
Thanks all for the filter advice - it will be "recycled".
Have only had my 200-500 for about 4 days and need way more practice (especially zooming out!) but it was fun to grab these just now on an evening walk with my wife. Cropped but otherwise SOOC.
Nice shooting, working very well for you. I notice your sensor needs cleaning, I'm sure you are aware but just saying.
p.64 #16 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Charles Loy wrote:
Nice shooting, working very well for you. I notice your sensor needs cleaning, I'm sure you are aware but just saying.
Thanks, yes I've ordered the sensor swabs and now need to get up my nerve to do my first wet cleaning. My D800 is next. It is a pretty egregious chunk on the D7100 which was either there when I got it a couple of months ago or it landed on the sensor the first day I used it. Either way the deal I got more than made up for it.
p.64 #17 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
dhamments wrote:
I thought y'all might like to see the output from the diminutive Nikon 1 V2 body with the Nikon 200-500VR attached... with its 2.7x crop factor, at full zoom, it's the equivalent of a 1350mm lens. With the FT-1 adapter, only the centre focus point is available, but the excellent VR on this lens works very well, allowing hand holding at ridiculously low shutter speeds considering the focal length of the lens.
The next two captures are of the same Kingfisher I posted immediately before this post. Very little cropping was necessary.
Cheers and good light,
David
David,
You are tempting me to grab another FT-1 on B&S!
I've had several over the years for my V1 then V2 and now my V3 but decided I didn't need one once I got the 70-300CX but that was when I didn't have the 200-500! I did get a few shots years ago with a 500p + FT1 + V1. Nice results but not practical with MF and no VR.
p.64 #20 · Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
pwschladen wrote:
David,
You are tempting me to grab another FT-1 on B&S!
I've had several over the years for my V1 then V2 and now my V3 but decided I didn't need one once I got the 70-300CX but that was when I didn't have the 200-500! I did get a few shots years ago with a 500p + FT1 + V1. Nice results but not practical with MF and no VR.
Best
Patrick
I hear ya Patrick.... I haven't used my FT-1 much since getting the CX 70-300VR either! That lens is superb in good light. I've had great luck with it birding recently as well, but in poor light, the D750 sensor shines compared to the V2, so I've tended to put the 200-500 on and go out shooting.... This was the first time I mounted the 200-500 on the FT-1 and V2 combo.... I'm relatively happy with the results.
