The Nikon Manual Viewer has been updated and now includes the instruction books for the D5, D5 Custom Menus and SB-5000. Nikon has done a marvelous job getting this on our devices and still making them readable. As you can see, my iPhone is well stocked.
I’ve been squirreling around with the Nikkor 200-500 for the past week (sorry, couldn’t pass up the really bad pun) and have some more thoughts on it for you. Cutting to the chase, for the price, it’s a really great lens! Is it AS sharp as lenses like the 80-400VR3? No, not AS sharp but it’s just a tad less. My measure? A made some 24×30 prints and only then do you see the 200-500VR is just not as sharp. If you’re not making that large of print, then you have nothing to think about. But if you look at the eye of the squirrel that is sharp and the tail that is being blown in the wind, it does an amazing job.
You might be wondering with optics truly as sweet as these for this price, just where is the trade off? IMHO it’s with the handling and AF performance. For example, the photos you see here of the Douglas Tree Squirrel, I was shooting during one of our recent storms with winds gusts up to 24mph while it was snowing. I was shooting between 1/25 & 1/40 and while the VR did a really nice job, I was handholding and my wrist was sore after shooting. That’s because the balance of the lens is not perfect. Now if you’re shooting on a tripod, that’s not a big deal and in fact, not even really relevant. But with the more expensive Nikon telephotos, balance is a big deal. The 200-500 is built like a freakin rock and with that substantial build comes physical weight which is why I think the balance is not ideal.
The other area where the 200-500 is not like other more expensive Nikkor telephotos is its AF speed is not as fast. I sure wish there was a measure of some sort or scale to communicate AF speed. I had one person ask if it was as slow as the original 80-400 and no, it’s not that slow. But then again, it’s not as fast as like the new 80-400 or 300 PF. The big question is, is the the lens good enough for your bag and is it worth the price? The 200-500 is a performer and it would be an excellent addition to anyones bag. As for the price, I don’t think Nikon is charging enough! You want to get into telephoto photography or a versatile lens with a big range, this just might be the perfect lens for you. mtc
Simply put, these are the most amazing little mics I’ve ever used! The Nikon ME-W1 were announced quite a while ago and released last fall and for some stupid reason, they fell off my radar screen. I regret that now that I have them in my possession and I’m using them. The ME-W1 are a Bluetooth (that’s right, Bluetooth) wireless mic system for our DSLR video. They run A LONG time on a single AAA battery, instantly pair with themselves once turned on and plug into the Mic socket on our cameras for very easy use. I’ve done line of site sound recording over 100′ and being in other rooms at over 50′ with them. They are water resistant, Transmitter has its own wind sock (black looking case in photo) and being Bluetooth, aren’t subject to the normal audio interference wireless mics can have. You can use them as seen here or plug a lav mic into the Microphone, both ways providing really amazingly clear sound. And when you see their price compared to other mics … wow, they are inexpensive. If you’re looking for great mics, easy to use and carry at a killer price, the ME-W1 is the ticket!
I finally got my hands on the “new” Nikon 200-500f5.6VR lens these last couple of days. I have one for a couple of weeks for the express purpose of hopefully answering the many questions that have come in from your folks about this “inexpensive” Nikkor telephoto lens. Many ask, “Is it worth the price?” IMHO, it’s a great lens for the price. “Is it as good as Nikon’s “expensive” telephotos?” That’s the big question I want to put a quantitative answer to but might not succeed. I shot with the lens this past weekend for the first time at the Oklahoma Zoo and my first two big impressions of the 200-500 is 1: not very well balanced and 2: the AF is slow. And as you can see from these shots taken handheld though, the lens produces results. First impressions, it’s a really nice lens! mtc
The 70-200f4VR is a really great lens that I had given a test drive when it first came out. I didn’t acquire it then, had the 70-200f2.8 in my bag and its two unique features weren’t what I needed at the time. Current projects brought it back and this time, into the bag. What are the two special attributes why I wanted this version of 70-200? The real biggie is its closes down to f/32, the f/2.8 version only goes to f/22. Why is that important? In my air to air work and shooting in Shutter Priority, that f/32 really makes a difference. You might be wondering about the other end, wide open? If I need 70f/2.8, I’ll use the 24-70VR otherwise the f/4 is shallow enough DoF for me for this lens. The other biggie for me is it weighs just about nothing. It shares the same tripod collar as the 300PF which is nice but it’s filter size required the purchase of a new polarizer. Its optical performance, ease of handling and light weight, responsiveness make it a favorite of mine.
The New 24-70f2.8 VR had really, really big shoes to fill in the lens it replaced. This a really gorgeous lens that has produced gorgeous images for me. I’m one of the ones who replaced the original 24-70f2.8 with the new version. Why? My main reasons for upgrading were the few nuances I feel making it a better lens. It’s sharpness, AF speed, built and better lens shade. Its VR was also a consideration in my air to air work. Some have mentioned that the new lens is heavier and some, not as sharp. When the 24-70f2.8 came out, I remember some moaning it had no VR. Now it does and that VR requires a motor so ah, the lens is going to be heavier. The larger filter size at first was annoying as it required the purchase of an additional polarizer. But the lens brightness coming from it sure is welcomed shooting in low light. As for optical performance, this lens delivers what my clients demand from an image, it delivers what I demand so I can ask no more from a lens. The general purpose I use a lot, this is a marvelous addition to the camera bag.
