That more or less matches my experience with the Nikon 400mm f4.5. It's nice, but too short for birds, and once you add a TC it doesn't seem quite as sharp as the Sony 200-600. The Sony actually does okay at 840mm with a 1.4x attached, but the Nikon really falls down if you use a 2x to get to 800mm. I think a lot of people just don't realize how good that Sony 200-600 really is.
Indeed, the Sony 200-600 is an incredibly capable lens. Unfortunately, it's the only "prosumer" wildlife lens Sony offers.
How many do you need ?
The more the better! Ok, so Nikon really needs to get around to releasing their own 200-600 that's been on the lens roadmap for like 3 years now...hopefully it's coming soon and hopefully it will be as good as the Sony version. Fingers crossed. In the meantime I still have my Megadap adapter.
In terms of high-performance prosumer wildlife lens options Nikon offers:
300PF
400 f4.5
500PF
800PF (at half the price of an exotic, I consider this a prosumer lens)
There's nothing else on the market that comes remotely close to these in terms of size/weight/performance/price.
As camera performance continue to improve the biggest differentiator is becoming lens options, and for us wildlife shooters that makes Nikon a viable option.
As a wildlife video enthusiast, the capability/pound of the Nikon Z8 + 400/4.5 combo (5lb total carry), being able to record NRaw internal from 8.3k60p HQ all the way down to 4k120p DX (2.3 crop)! is truly cutting edge and completely unmatched. If Sony offered better high-quality video codecs and a good selection of prosumer wildlife lenses, I'd still be shooting it. I realize my interests are too small a market segment for Sony to worry about, but the facts are the facts.
That more or less matches my experience with the Nikon 400mm f4.5. It's nice, but too short for birds, and once you add a TC it doesn't seem quite as sharp as the Sony 200-600. The Sony actually does okay at 840mm with a 1.4x attached, but the Nikon really falls down if you use a 2x to get to 800mm. I think a lot of people just don't realize how good that Sony 200-600 really is.
Indeed, the Sony 200-600 is an incredibly capable lens. Unfortunately, it's the only "prosumer" wildlife lens Sony offers.
How many do you need ?
The more the better! Ok, so Nikon really needs to get around to releasing their own 200-600 that's been on the lens roadmap for like 3 years now...hopefully it's coming soon and hopefully it will be as good as the Sony version. Fingers crossed. In the meantime I still have my Megadap adapter.
In terms of high-performance prosumer wildlife lens options Nikon offers:
300PF
400 f4.5
500PF
800PF (at half the price of an exotic, I consider this a prosumer lens)
There's nothing else on the market that comes remotely close to these in terms of size/weight/performance/price.
As camera performance continue to improve the biggest differentiator is becoming lens options, and for us wildlife shooters that makes Nikon a viable option.
As a wildlife video enthusiast, the capability/pound of the Nikon Z8 + 400/4.5 combo (4lb total carry), being able to record NRaw internal from 8.3k60p HQ all the way down to 4k120p DX (2.3 crop)! is truly cutting edge and completely unmatched. If Sony offered better high-quality video codecs and a good selection of prosumer wildlife lenses, I'd still be shooting it. I realize my interests are too small a market segment for Sony to worry about, but the facts are the facts.
May 20, 2023 at 05:21 PM
Previous versions of Gary Irwin's message #16249411 « The new Nikon Z8 vs the Sony A7RV and potential A9III »
