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 p.98 #20 · "Official" Nikon 500 f/5.6E PF Discussion and Image Thread | |
I found there is a lot of vibration with Gitzo 3-series but this goes largely away when I switched to my 4-series Systematic. I use an Arca-Swiss Z1 and Sidekick, with Kirk plate on the Nikon foot of the 500mm PF. The viewfinder is perfectly stable (VR OFF) at eye level (as long as I get good contact of the legs with ground) and it's a delight to shoot with. With the 3-series I can only get a vibration-free viewfinder experience if I don't extend the legs and shoot from a low position.
I have been happy with the sharpness using the 4-series and gimbal setup. I have typically used 1/800s +- shutter speeds, at slower speeds (e.g. 1/200s) one can see the bird movement blur on many shots but I haven't noticed vibration that I could attribute to the tripod. At faster speeds (e.g. 1/1250s) movement blur is harder to see, but if the bird takes off, it does show up again.
I use VR SPORT when hand-holding, and VR OFF when using the 4-series tripod. If all I have is the 3-series, and I need to shoot from eye level, then I have turned VR SPORT, and it does at least help reduce vibration in the viewfinder, but I find with the bigger tripod, and VR OFF, it is a more pleasant shooting experience as no vibration is better than compensated for vibration.
buy a big, invest the money, and use it all of the time
Gitzo 3-series are intended for use with lenses up to 300mm (if you are shooting in difficult conditions, 200mm, if your conditions are good, maybe up to 400mm, though I haven't run into such conditions). With 4-series, the number indicates lenses up to 400mm can be used in normal conditions (500mm, 600mm in favourable conditions, only up to 300mm in poor conditions or if you want extra stability). 5-series: lenses up to 500mm can be used in normal conditions.
I felt 5-series was too heavy for me to lug around and found the 4-series to be an excellent compromise for what I use. If I don't bring a long lens, often I do use the lighter 3-series, e.g. for landscape. I'm surprised to see so many 500mm lens users use a 3-series tripod - perhaps it's because Nikon telephoto lenses used to have wobbly collars and the heavier tripod didn't help as much as it could have. The 500 PF tripod mount is quite stiff and excellent, in my opinion, and the effect of the more rigid tripod is dramatic.
Shutter speed... well, here's the rub. I find that when shooting from a tripod, some shutter speeds will produce average results while others will be brilliant. I can't help but wonder if internal shutter vibration is having a bigger than expected impact because the lens is so light. As a result, it seems as if the vibration is amplified by the tripod.
I should test this myself, but I haven't run into bad shutter speeds using the 4-series tripod. I think at slower speeds the movement of the subject dominates the blur and at faster speeds, excellent results are obtained consistently.
- Hand-holding... well, this is where things seem to be optimized. If I shoot with VR sport on, I seem to get the most from the lens.
I am sure the VR itself is optimized for hand-held use. I too like VR SPORT a lot, it gives the right amount of stabilization and doesn't hinder following moving subjects. But I turn it off when shooting from the tripod.
Why it matters? I like to shoot from a tripod, especially in the cold. The tripod holds the lens and frees me to think about compositions. It's been -15 F (-27 w/ the wind) during my last two shoots... it is nice to stick my hands in warm pockets and have the camera and lens ready to go to work from my tripod...
Yes, I agree, when having to wait for the subject, the tripod makes life a lot more enjoyable. I would recommend buying some hand warmers (bags containing stuff that when it gets in contact with air, it generates heat for a day's shoot) to put inside your gloves when shooting in those conditions, they are a miraculous invention.
is it that I am a dinosaur and need to get over the desire to work from a tripod?
Not at all. But you may need a bigger tripod.
I have converged my shooting with the 500mm PF so that for birds, I generally use the tripod and for sports, I hand-hold the lens. But after shooting the 500 hand held for an event that lasts several hours, I can say that my head is spinning from the experience. It is so much easier to work with a tripod and gimbal head if the shoot takes a long time. Of course, at sports venues most professional photographers use monopods and I have tried working with the 500 PF on a monopod, but while it helps reduce the weight one has to hold while waiting, and takes less space than the tripod, I find following moving subjects is easier either hand-held or using a tripod and gimbal. But I know some who always use a monopod, so my experience is not by any means universal.
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