Re: "Official" Nikon 500 f/5.6E PF Discussion and Image Thread
apertur3 wrote: arbitrage wrote: rick2906 wrote:
I have a fairly new 300PF copy...way newer than the supposed "fix"....I certainly have VR issues in the 1/100-1/160 range where the percentage of sharp shots drops off. I use the D500/grip and no grip and D850 grip and no grip to test....all have the issue to one degree or the other. I can handhold my 200-500 and 500E in that same range and see no issues. One solution on the D850 is to shoot in Qc mode with EFCS....that gets rid of the issue but is only suitable for certain situations where high FPS isn't required.
That sucks! I was planning on buying the 300 pf and thought the vr problem has been fixed! I would use it with my D850 and D500
It is still my favourite lens of all time despite the VR issue....but if you want to shoot in that SS range and don't want to use Qc in the D850 then you may want to consider something else. But it doesn't mean you can't get sharp shots in that range, you just get way less in any given burst than you do outside of the range....I even think the problem range pushes up to 1/200 and maybe 1/250 to some extent....I think I will do some more controlled testing of it soon and see if it is as bad as I think and to better see if grip/no grip makes any difference as some claim it does....when I did some brief testing many months ago I didn't see much difference.
The 300PF being so light does make stabilizing it harder than a heavier lens like the 200-500....vibrations aren't dampened as much and I think this is where the issue lies....the shutter vibration travels through the lens at those SS and the VR doesn't sync with it properly....I have a feeling the 500PF won't have these issues being a totally different design, length and weight....so far it seems it doesn't from reports on this thread....
My big worry is MM's findings with the 1.7TC....can anyone else test the 1.7TC for me....I know many will shame me for wanting to use that on a f/5.6 lens but I'm just like that and this may sound stupid but if it doesn't work with the 1.7TC I may not even buy the lens.....
That was my problem. If I was in poor lighting under a tree canopy, I'd frequently drop down to around 1/80, and even then, ISO could be 4000+. The 300PF could not handle this situation. I think the issue was there on the D850, but it was much more of a problem on the D7200. Not sure I really buy the lightweight thing being the cause. I have a 70-300 AF-P, which is even lighter, and it's VR is great at all speeds.
And they show issues at exactly the same speeds the 300 had trouble. This was on a D500, and I have a D850, so I'm hopeful it won't be a problem. I really, really want to like this lens, but I can't see myself keeping it if the VR doesn't work right. I will know by this evening since mine is arriving today. I might even take a few shots at lunch if the FedEx guy shows up by then.
I'm actually less concerned about VR accuracy than I am about sharpness and AF speed. Despite the size, I will be using the lens on a tripod, but will be fine with a sidekick rather than the big gimbal. I will use the lens handheld from moving platforms (canoe, kayak, zodiac, etc...), but I predominately an "old-school" tripod guy and just care if the lens is sharper than anything else I am currently using.
In many ways, I am most concerned about sharpness from the near to far range without compromise, as I love both wildlife portraiture and wildlife landscapes.
This weekend I will be testing it as best as the weather and subject will permit.
On another note, I am going to a Nikon Z presentation tonight and will be checking out the Z6 and compatibility of the FTZ converter... I am more curious than anything else.
cheers,
bruce
Sep 19, 2018 at 11:56 AM
Previous versions of OwlsEyes's message #14601604 « "Official" Nikon 500 f/5.6E PF Discussion and Image Thread »
I would use it with my D850 and D500