p.92 #7 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
Updated the Z9 to 5.3 and attached the 800PF and went to my local spot. Definitely see an improvement with the new firmware, but this is about the 800 and the birds, and the occasional bobcat.
p.92 #8 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
jeffryscott wrote:
Updated the Z9 to 5.3 and attached the 800PF and went to my local spot. Definitely see an improvement with the new firmware, but this is about the 800 and the birds, and the occasional bobcat.
Beautiful images! May I ask what AF mode were you using and what you found to have improved (acquisition, tracking, ignoring B/G's etc.). Thanks.
p.92 #9 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
Alistair1 wrote:
Beautiful images! May I ask what AF mode were you using and what you found to have improved (acquisition, tracking, ignoring B/G's etc.). Thanks.
Thank you! In general I noticed acquisition was much quicker, especially against these busy backgrounds and it seems to stay locked on the subject better. AFC modes, I cycle through and use different fields as appropriate but generally start with all focus points and cycle between animal and bird detection (or rarely none) if I encounter something like the bobcat. I love that we can now delete humans, planes and cars from the selection and assign it to a function button. I had been using my newish to me Z8 (as that was what I’d attached to the 800 for the last month as I accustomed myself to that body) and saw the update was available so went back to the Z9 and it was a noticeable improvement using it in the same locations with the same cast of characters and conditions at my local spots.
p.92 #16 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
I will say I have no other lens that is as Jeckle and Hyde as this one.... I just got it back from service and it's tack sharp (again). Looks like it was calibrated only, seems to be very susceptible to calibration... which I feel would go some way to explaining the reviews that praise it as tack sharp, and others who feel its just ok. I've seen both characteristics out of it, from the same copy. My only other z lens that behaves the same is the 85mm 1.2... my copy was sharp... then less so, and had a "Moderate repair" under warranty and is tack sharp again.
p.92 #17 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
Took it out today and I’m just not a fan of 800mm… in Utah it’s a hard focal length with atmospheric and weather related distortion.
Hugging the lens goodbye and selling 🤨. (Doesn’t hurt that I’m a HUGE 300mm fan and Nikon announces one the day my 800mm comes back from its “Premium Cleaning Service” or whatever NPS is calling it 🤷♂️.
Blakehfreeman wrote:
I will say I have no other lens that is as Jeckle and Hyde as this one.... I just got it back from service and it's tack sharp (again). Looks like it was calibrated only, seems to be very susceptible to calibration... which I feel would go some way to explaining the reviews that praise it as tack sharp, and others who feel its just ok. I've seen both characteristics out of it, from the same copy. My only other z lens that behaves the same is the 85mm 1.2... my copy was sharp... then less so, and had a "Moderate repair" under warranty and is tack sharp again....Show more →
p.92 #18 · Official 800PF image and discussion thread
Blakehfreeman wrote:
Took it out today and I’m just not a fan of 800mm… in Utah it’s a hard focal length with atmospheric and weather related distortion.
Hugging the lens goodbye and selling 🤨. (Doesn’t hurt that I’m a HUGE 300mm fan and Nikon announces one the day my 800mm comes back from its “Premium Cleaning Service” or whatever NPS is calling it 🤷♂️.
