Nikon 500 f4 FL-E second impressions

I got this lens a few weeks ago but have only started to use it in the last fortnight due to an intervening holiday.

It is a lovely lens and seems to be built better than the previous model, with a better height tripod foot which is padded for easy carrying. The weight reduction this lens has is the star feature. I am able to use like I did the 300 f2.8vr and in the same type of situations too. It sits on a black rapid strap and allows me to use it handheld. It shoots birds in flights as well as static birds well.

IQ for handheld is equal to the previous model and AF function seems similar too. I do see that I have to up my game further if I am to get the best detail from this lens. It may handle like a 300 but it needs better technique on my part to get handheld what I used to get using a monopod or hide support with the previous lens.

Still I am starting to get the hang of this now I recognise it and this little bird got chosen for Flickr Explore today. Taken with a D810 at about 22 feet.

Tree Creeper 1/500, f5.6, iso 1600 1/8th crop




Tree Creeper

Portrait of a Bald eagle




Portrait of a Bald Eagle. Slightly cropped and jpeg compressed for web. To show eye detail.




Barn owl in flight




Peregrine Falcon flying at about 50 mph against fussy background




Lanner Falcon calling in flight




White headed Vulture




Peregrine Falcon




Robin again just minor crop and jpeg compression for web to show detail



I'm starting to have a lot of fun with this lens and a friend on this forum (Micloi) will be running some comparison images between this and Nikons new 200-500r later today, which should be interesting.

To summarise so far. This is a lovely lens to replace the previous 500, a delight to use. IQ is equivalent at least handheld. It offers new shooting opportunities because of it's weight and manoeuvrability and for me has been a useful switch for my 500 f4vr and 300 f2.8vr. If the weight is not an issue then it would not be a useful update to an existing 500 f4 vr.

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Cheers, Brandon
FlickR site
Flickr D810 & D800 gallery
Flickr D7200 & D7100 gallery
Flickr AFS- 80-400VR gallery
FlickR Nikon1 V1 & V3 gallery

Superb photos, Brandon! looks like the new 500 is a winner for sure!

Beautiful images Brandon, you have so much talent so the images show this as much as the lens. I will continue to use my Nikon 500 f4.0g vr lens on a tripod with a gimbal head. If I can get the auto focus fine tune to match the lens, the 500 will be better than I am ha ha!!! I'm not a professional, but photography is my main hobby and without deep pockets I will continue using my old ancient lens.

My d810 is in for hopefully a repair since it is back focusing on my ten lenses and a couple take a -20 fine tune to get them close to being sharp. I just hope the d810 is built as sturdy as the professional gripped cameras for field use, My last two cameras (d3s & d4) were very well built and I felt really secure with them, both very good cameras. Of course the d810 is a really excellent landscape camera with its 36 mp sensor and the auto focus is really good for focus acquisition and tracking, but maybe just a notch below the d4 or d3s.

Once again, just beautiful images Brandon and hi Lance.

Larry

Hi Brandon,
Really super shots taken, especially the owl beautifully exposed and lovely background. Thanks for sharing.
Brandon, you mentioned the lens foot - does one keep the original foot or should one get a Jobu, Kirk, ...foot as with the previous lenses?
Thanks,
Adrian

Thanks Lance.

I read your posts on choosing the 400 f2.8 with interest and was glad to see how happy you are with it. I went through a similar process when I had the 500 f4 vr and the 300 f2.8vr. I could take one but not the other. The one I could handhold didn't have the reach and the one that I couldn't did. The new lens has replaced both.

Are you planning another UK visit in the near future?

exRhodesian said:

Hi Brandon,
Really super shots taken, especially the owl beautifully exposed and lovely background. Thanks for sharing.
Brandon, you mentioned the lens foot - does one keep the original foot or should one get a Jobu, Kirk, ...foot as with the previous lenses?
Thanks,
Adrian

Click to expand...

Thanks Adrian. I am very happy with the new lens foot but then I handhold. If I was to use a gymbal I would just put a 6" arca swiss plate on it. Even then the new lower height of the foot reduces vibration I think.

larrywilson said:

Beautiful images Brandon, you have so much talent so the images show this as much as the lens. I will continue to use my Nikon 500 f4.0g vr lens on a tripod with a gimbal head. If I can get the auto focus fine tune to match the lens, the 500 will be better than I am ha ha!!! I'm not a professional, but photography is my main hobby and without deep pockets I will continue using my old ancient lens.

My d810 is in for hopefully a repair since it is back focusing on my ten lenses and a couple take a -20 fine tune to get them close to being sharp. I just hope the d810 is built as sturdy as the professional gripped cameras for field use, My last two cameras (d3s & d4) were very well built and I felt really secure with them, both very good cameras. Of course the d810 is a really excellent landscape camera with its 36 mp sensor and the auto focus is really good for focus acquisition and tracking, but maybe just a notch below the d4 or d3s.

Once again, just beautiful images Brandon and hi Lance.

Larry

Click to expand...

Larry,

thank you for your kind comments. Sorry to hear about your D810. I hope it gets sorted soon. I've never owned a D3 or D4 so don't know what I am missing ;-). I do love the 500mm lenses on the D810 though. Luckily the version you have is a superb lens for birds especially on a gymbal head and I'm sure will give you a great deal of pleasure for a few more years.

Brandon birder said:

Thanks Lance.

I read your posts on choosing the 400 f2.8 with interest and was glad to see how happy you are with it. I went through a similar process when I had the 500 f4 vr and the 300 f2.8vr. I could take one but not the other. The one I could handhold didn't have the reach and the one that I couldn't did. The new lens has replaced both.

Click to expand...

That's what it ends up coming down to, which lens suits you best for your requirements as they are all stunning as far as IQ is concerned. There is no right or wrong, just what suits you best.

Brandon birder said:

Are you planning another UK visit in the near future?

Click to expand...

I hope to, but not this year. Business has taken a downturn and having to re-invent myself, so to speak.