I’ve wanted to switch to full-frame for a long time now, and Nikon is clearly the way to go. They have the best lenses, and that’s exactly what I want.
My photography:
I photograph almost exclusively wild mammals. Wild birds come in a close second. I do all of this quietly and don’t seek out action photography, as that doesn’t really appeal to me.
As a rule, I shoot from a hide and haven’t done any “walk and shoot” for a long time. I don’t plan on changing that either.
I shoot either early in the morning or late in the evening. So I arrive or leave in the dark to get the best light. Of course, this is also because most animals aren’t around at other times.
I’d also describe myself as someone who places a lot of value on perfection, and I’m dissatisfied with many of my photos because the quality isn’t quite right or the composition isn’t pleasing.
I’ve been saving for a long time, and I think I now have a decent amount set aside for something good. The lens is my top priority, but unfortunately, Nikon really does have a lot of great options here
I take most of my photos at 600mm. But I do appreciate the advantage of 800mm, for example. I also think 400mm and a bit more light intensity have their appeal. But I’m still ruling out the Nikon 800mm f/6.3 as well as the 400mm f/4.5 because they seem too unsuitable to me.
So the options are still a 500mm PF with an adapter, a 186mm zoom lens, and the 600mm f/6.3.
I’d tend to rule out the 186mm because, while the image quality is good, it’s not outstanding.
I’ve really set my sights on the 600mm f/6.3...
Primarily because I consider 600mm to be perfect and because the lens is of such high quality that it still performs very well with the 1.4x teleconverter.
I see the use of a teleconverter primarily for bird photography. I know the aperture is clearly no longer fast, but I don’t think I necessarily need that for bird photography (no BIF).
My budget is €6,500, though, and the the 600mm f6.3 costs around €5,200 new. I think you can sometimes find it used for €4,500.
As for the camera, I’d want to pair it with either the Z5II, the Z6III, or possibly the Z7II. The Z6III has a nice silent shutter, which would be a plus, but the Z5II is a bit cheaper and still has good AF. Also i think the IQ is a little bit better on the Z5II. But the Z7II would have 45MP and perhaps the best image quality for the final shot?
An alternative would be to adapt the much cheaper 500mm PF. I can get that used for under €2,000. With a TC and adapter, I think I’d still have enough left over to use a Z8. But is that really worth it for me? Because I don’t actually need the absolute best AF performance. But buying a lens for the next few years that I’ll have to mount with an adapter—I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. And also a Z8 will be cheaper in a few years or a Z6IV or Z5III will be avaible in a few years. So i think forget the camera and buy best lens?
Which option would you choose and recommend to me to get the best BQ?
I have the 600mm f/6.3 PF and the 1.4 TC and happy with that combo on my Z8 for birds and local wildlife. I would try to swing the Z8 for extra cropping, which can be an issue for small birds. I would pass on the Z7II unless it is mainly for landscape. You could pick up the Z5II, and then a Z8 later. Or if budget is tight, the 180-600 is also a great lens, just heavier but with added versatility.
I'd prioritize the 600. That said, I have both the Z7ii and Z8, and for use I'd take the Z8 every single time. So, perhaps used on both would be the way to get there. A quick check here on FM would get you both for under your price, but perhaps it would be harder to find them for good prices in the EU. Still, I would go that way. New or used on the 600mm and used on a Z8.
I agree that for this very specific use case, there is no point in considering anything below the Z8. The Z7ii AF is pretty dire compared, and you really want the megapixels of the higher res bodies. What lens you settle on is totally up to your remaining budget, but the 600 PF does seem like a good start.
