RandyR wrote:
great idea....I never use those focus buttons on a lens so I better have a look....using the focus ring on the 500pf w/ a lenscoat is a PIA and not much better than trying to force AF
Just set the switch to "Memory Recall" and use the Memory Set button near the lens mount on right side of the lens to set the distance after you have focused to that distance with AF (or MF).
RandyR wrote:
no shutter noise for my backyard birds.....I'm filing the frame with a mockingbird at 500mm so the D5/D850 shutter is so loud they fled fast
Ah, I see. I have noticed that some birds are unconcerned with the shutter noise, some it even helps as they look at the camera and make eye contact. Some others are very flitty and will fly away at any noise. It just depends on the bird species and you need to get to know which ones are more nervous. However, on the Z7 I try to use the EFCS as much as possible, even the slight shuffling of the EFCS is enough to get their attention.
Lance B wrote:
Ah, I see. I have noticed that some birds are unconcerned with the shutter noise, some it even helps as they look at the camera and make eye contact. Some others are very flitty and will fly away at any noise. It just depends on the bird species and you need to get to know which ones are more nervous. However, on the Z7 I try to use the EFCS as much as possible, even the slight shuffling of the EFCS is enough to get their attention.
every bird in my backyard (typical southern US selection of song birds) jumps at the sound of the D5/D850 shutter. The z6 in normal mode has a shutter sound that actually is OK but silent is better and I can't find any negatives.
A negative of the silent shutter is that if the subject moves, or any part of the scene moves, within the read time of the electronic shutter (should be about 1/40s to 1/20s for Z6, if I recall correctly), then the geometry of the subject will be distorted.
I've been off the forums for a while but a technical glitch with a Sigma lens brought me back looking for info and I've been browsing around since.
I've been shooting with the 500PF since last October and I don't know that it's been off one of my D500 bodies for more than a day, and that's usually for travel. Hope to share some of shots (mostly literal backyard birding) and dig deeper into some of the discussion here. Some really lovely shots.
I've been playing around with my D500 and 500 PF lens for awhile now, and I just can't get any consistancy out of it.
I stood in the same place yesterday and was shooting an eastern Kingbird. It pretty much syaed in the same place just going up and down.
I shot two sequences, first one all 8 shots came out out of focus, second one a few minutes later same place all 6 shots came out fine and in focus. Some of the shots had the bird still and not even flying and still out of focus.
Shutter speed was 1/2500 at F6.3 in AF-C mode.
I had the same issue before and after Dot tuning it, sometime it nails the shot and other times just all out of focus duds. I just can't put my finger on what it is. I get the sense its maybe a setting I have wrong, but with all the reading I've been doing about it its just a confusing mess at this point.
When it is in focus its nailed, its just those Out of of focus ones that confuse me to the point of frustration.
Is there a way to check something in the images that might give me a clue ?
Bsmooth wrote:
I've been playing around with my D500 and 500 PF lens for awhile now, and I just can't get any consistancy out of it.
I stood in the same place yesterday and was shooting an eastern Kingbird. It pretty much syaed in the same place just going up and down.
I shot two sequences, first one all 8 shots came out out of focus, second one a few minutes later same place all 6 shots came out fine and in focus. Some of the shots had the bird still and not even flying and still out of focus.
Shutter speed was 1/2500 at F6.3 in AF-C mode.
I had the same issue before and after Dot tuning it, sometime it nails the shot and other times just all out of focus duds. I just can't put my finger on what it is. I get the sense its maybe a setting I have wrong, but with all the reading I've been doing about it its just a confusing mess at this point.
When it is in focus its nailed, its just those Out of of focus ones that confuse me to the point of frustration.
Is there a way to check something in the images that might give me a clue ?...Show more →
Which VR mode are you using? If it is not on standard the viewfinder will jump between shots causing you to focus on things you didn't intend to (although the 1st shot should be close).
I guess we should know the other settings you are using (AF points etc) and maybe some samples of the problem. That may help the forum troubleshoot.
palmor wrote:
Which VR mode are you using? If it is not on standard the viewfinder will jump between shots causing you to focus on things you didn't intend to (although the 1st shot should be close).
I guess we should know the other settings you are using (AF points etc) and maybe some samples of the problem. That may help the forum troubleshoot.
I get this occasionally too. Generally I find that it's because I've got the focus mode set with too large an area for something that's not moving.
With the D500 I find that for perched birds using just Single Point works best although D25 should be okay also.
If you are shooting them in flight I'd go to Group AF or Auto AF (if you have a more clutter free surroundings). Even using Group AF for perched can be very effective. I rarely use D25 or the other D modes.
That center spot on the focus points sure is big. Sometime I wonder If thats the issue, especially for the smaller birds I'm shooting. I tried the Group and it just didn't do it for me anyways, always wound up with something else in focus, but not the bird.. I haven't tried Auto, as I always have something going on in the background.
Its the Birds in flight I have the most issues with.
Is there a way to tell where the focus point was set after the picture was taken ?
You can see the focus point that was selected by the user in Nikon ViewNX-i by turning this feature on.
However, it won't show which focus point was actually used in dynamic area modes, only the user-selected point. Bsmooth wrote:
That center spot on the focus points sure is big. Sometime I wonder If thats the issue, especially for the smaller birds I'm shooting. I tried the Group and it just didn't do it for me anyways, always wound up with something else in focus, but not the bird.. I haven't tried Auto, as I always have something going on in the background.
Its the Birds in flight I have the most issues with.
Is there a way to tell where the focus point was set after the picture was taken ?
I am out on a road trip w/ my teardrop camper, Tamy (my wife and photo partner), and Luca... the dog (for those of you who are biologists, my dog is named w/ the acronym in mine ). We spent five nights camping in the Badlands and were treated to a variety of light and weather conditions. The landscape photography was predictably good, and the wildlife photography was better than expected. I'm in a hotel for a few nights of real sleep (early mornings for wildlife shoots) before heading to the Tetons. Here is a small sample from the 500PF (laptop processed, so apologies if colors are wonky).
EDIT: June 16 - At my request, Fred moved this thread from the general Nikon Forum into this Nikon 500 f/5.6 PF lengthy post.
Been too lazy lately to contribute much of anything of late as a lot of us are stuck at home not traveling anywhere interesting, or in my case, I'm not getting on any planes any time soon at my age. British Columbia and the BC coast is my favorite destination, but has been off limits with the border closed to US visitors. So, thought I'd reach back to some images from a marine mammals trip to the Queen Charlotte Straight area north of the far end of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. I was there two years ago and enjoyed it so much that I booked a return visit in 2019. What I found this trip was a terrific growth of the numbers of Sea Otters. They were everywhere. So, thought I show some images all taken with the 500 PF lens and either the Z6 or the D500. Enjoy.
This is an eating machine - if it's not sleeping it's eating. Here a stern pose.
"I'm just crazy about Crabs !!!"
"I have an urge for Urchins !!!"
"I'm cuckoo about clams, especially Giant Clams !!!"
" ... Show 'N' Tell ... !!!"
"But I love quality time with junior."
" ... and private time nursing my pup in the shoreline shadows ..."
). We spent five nights camping in the Badlands and were treated to a variety of light and weather conditions. The landscape photography was predictably good, and the wildlife photography was better than expected. I'm in a hotel for a few nights of real sleep (early mornings for wildlife shoots) before heading to the Tetons. Here is a small sample from the 500PF (laptop processed, so apologies if colors are wonky).
