Reading mode: Light Dark

Let's talk Super Tele Lenses

Go to last post
W

Waterengineer

Leading Member
Messages
882
Reaction score
22
Location
AK, US
Bird season has started in Florida and the time is now to purchase.

Finding super telephoto lenses is really tough.

What is the annual production of these big lenses?

How many of them actually get to market beyond those in the Nikon pro arena?

And, how do you find them?

They are out of stock at BH, Adorama and even on the Nikon website.

Anyone have experience with the Sigma Supertele primes?

Thanks.
 
Finding a super telephoto is easy, I just checked one site and they have a 500/4 VR. Every one of the teles can be found with a little searching on the web, with the exception of the 600mm which will take you most of a month to track down. Just stay away from the super stores. Look at the larger regional stores outside of NY.
 
Looks good to me Brian. Is focus acquisition fast on your BIF?

did you try it with a 1.4?

Is there anything you don't like?

Thanks for responding
--
Rags
 
Let me offer you this quote, from an email my dealer sent me a few days ago:

"I sold a 600MM Canon F4 lens today with a 1.4 X convertor and a 580EX flash and a Wimberley head…. With a Eos 1D MK IV for NZ$19750.00 inc GST.. the 600MM Nikon he wanted would have cost
him the same….. without the camera…"

I was as flabbergasted as he was.
 
Is your thoughts the superstores are always low in inventory, or just you don't like dealing with them? They were the only places I could find my 500 f4 and 30 f2.8 when I needed them. In addition, I was able to buy grey market on both and save $100 in total. All my Nikon lenses are grey market. I estimate I have saved $2500. They have never needed a repair!
 
MPA1 said:
Let me offer you this quote, from an email my dealer sent me a few days ago:

"I sold a 600MM Canon F4 lens today with a 1.4 X convertor and a 580EX flash and a Wimberley head…. With a Eos 1D MK IV for NZ$19750.00 inc GST.. the 600MM Nikon he wanted would have cost
him the same….. without the camera…"

I was as flabbergasted as he was.
Click to expand...
It doesnt matter which tool you use, it matters to be able to do it. Not having it is a bit of a drag.

so yeah, seems logical enough.
 
I'm not sure how one can explain the difference in cost. That is what flabbergasted both the dealer and me.

A complete Canon 600mm system sold for the price of a single Nikkor.
 
my suggestion to the OP is to wait, and hunt for a nikon lens, specially if you can afford it. The VR in these lenses are well worth it.

I am not putting down the sigma, they are a great value for the money, I own the Sigmonster 300-800mm and it is very well built and super sharp ... but no vr and its huge.

The 200-400mm and the 500mm Vr nikkors are just awesome, I own them and my bird photography improved tenfold since I "bit the bullet" as the liberty of being able to handhold the lens or rest it on whatever I could, improved my odds of catching the bird or animal.

birds in my country are skiddish and will not wait for you to assemble your tripod, etc etc. I loss countless photo opportunities when I did not have VR teles just because of fiddling with tripod.

Having said all of the above, it is a shame nikon has such higher prices and less choices than canon super teles. And why are they so huge?

I am jealous of that 800mm IS lens, it costs what the nikon 600mm and it weighs less.

Best regards,
Waterengineer said:
Bird season has started in Florida and the time is now to purchase.

Finding super telephoto lenses is really tough.

What is the annual production of these big lenses?

How many of them actually get to market beyond those in the Nikon pro arena?

And, how do you find them?

They are out of stock at BH, Adorama and even on the Nikon website.

Anyone have experience with the Sigma Supertele primes?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
--

 
Minnesota_Steve said:
Is your thoughts the superstores are always low in inventory, or just you don't like dealing with them? They were the only places I could find my 500 f4 and 30 f2.8 when I needed them. In addition, I was able to buy grey market on both and save $100 in total. All my Nikon lenses are grey market. I estimate I have saved $2500. They have never needed a repair!
Click to expand...
B&H is my favorite retailer to buy from. However, the superstores are where a lot of people go 1st. Many people do not want to deal with lesser unknown retailers. As a result, the allotment of super telephotos is less than the number of back orders. OTOH, large regional retailers are still getting an allotment and the lenses are sitting on the shelves waiting for customers to buy.
 
There is no price savings with Cannon's newest lenses. The 400/2.8 and the 300/2.8 that were announced this year are $11,000 and $7,000 at Adorama. Both of these items are priced $1,500 more than the current Nikon lens.
 
Sorry, it has taken so long to get back.

Specifically, I am looking for the 500mm and prob'ly a 1.4 TC. Definitely, AF but still up on the air on VR. Oh, yes and it would bee really nice if it were used.

I have looked at all the usual suspects, BH, Adorama, KEH, Wolf, Ritz..........eBay.....

The hunt goes on.....
 
It's really not very hard at all.
Simply buy an older version of any 400 thru 600mm tele via eBay, etc.
Place an order for the new lens in at your source of choice - NOW.
It may take about a year, but you'll be in line - don't wait for stock.

When your new one arrives, flip the old one - you'll likely make a few bucks, too.

You will be very happy getting out there doing what you love to do with an older lens rather than sitting at the computer wishing you had AF-S VR-II Nano whatever.
 
Got it! Thanks.

Unfortunately, AF lenses do not come up very often on E-Boy.....mostly manual focus.....which will not work for BIF.
mozarkid said:
It's really not very hard at all.
Simply buy an older version of any 400 thru 600mm tele via eBay, etc.
Place an order for the new lens in at your source of choice - NOW.
It may take about a year, but you'll be in line - don't wait for stock.

When your new one arrives, flip the old one - you'll likely make a few bucks, too.

You will be very happy getting out there doing what you love to do with an older lens rather than sitting at the computer wishing you had AF-S VR-II Nano whatever.
Click to expand...
 
Waterengineer said:
Got it! Thanks.

Unfortunately, AF lenses do not come up very often on E-Boy.....mostly manual focus.....which will not work for BIF.
Click to expand...
Follow the advice of the person above who mentioned going with the larger regional stores and avoiding NYC. Nothing against the NY stores, I've been buying from BH for years, but there seems to be a dirty little secret for hard to get Nikon lenses, in that they are made available regionally on a fairly equal basis. What that means is that while the NY area stores might get 1 or 2, they'll be taken by the wait list, meanwhile some stores in your local market (if you're in a major city) will get the same 1 or 2 lenses offered to them, and they'll be sitting in the stock room unpurchased. That's what happened to me here in L.A.

Here's another secret. When you go to the websites for these regional stores, they will say out of stock, but in reality, they may have a lens sitting in the back. I found this at Samy's Camera here in L.A. You have to call.
 
If you can find a good used one..go for it..smaller, lighter, built like a tank and fast focusing. I don't need VR because I shoot it mostly on a Monopod/Arctech ballhead or Tripod/Whimberely with fast shutter speeds..forget a TC, tried them all including cutting the tab on the Nikon 1.4, it still will hunt erratically. Manual focus is ok but I never need or use it, it's my main birding lens when I need the reach on the D300. 500mm is a good all around FL, but you always want longer. I bought mine used and it would be hard for me to bite the bullet and spend 5K more for a Nikon 500mm VR. Friends of mine do have some focus issues with the 1.4 TC's on the Nikon in lower light for BIF. IF money's not a problem go for the Nikon definitely..
Here's a few Sigma shots:)

















--

'I am what I am and that's all I am' Popeye 1960. Favorite famous Hollywood celebrity. Don't have time for the rest.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top