By [NR] admin
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens review by Mohammed Ahmedullah:
I am a writer-photographer based in India and contribute articles to local travel magazines and newspapers on wildlife. I recently bought a Nikon 200-500 F5.6 lens and used it for an assignment on bird photography. Below are my observations:
Ergonomics: The 200-500 F5.6 balances well on my Nikon D800 camera. You can use the tripod mount as a grip while walking. I usually place the camera in front and the lens at the rear so that the lens does not get scratched against thorny bushes. The weight of the lens plus camera is around 3 kilos but the perfect weight distribution in front and rear of the tripod collar/handgrip feels like a lot less. I have walked for 4-5 hours in the jungle with this combination.
Image quality: Having shot hundreds of frames with the 500mm F4, I can say for sure that the 200-500 is no match to it in image quality (IQ). When images from both shot at similar apertures are blown up 100%, the difference is clearly apparent. While F 5.6 on the 500mm F4 gives razor sharp images, the same aperture on the 200-500 is distinctly soft (in comparative terms, but good if you nail a correctly focussed, well-lit shot).
Portability: What you lose in IQ over the 500 F4 you gain in portability. With the 200-500 you can walk much further than with the 500 F4, bring the lens up to shooting position much quicker and hold the lens steady with far lesser pitch and yaw movement compared to the Nikon prime. I have got images with the 200-500 which I could not have gotten with the heavier and bulkier Nikon prime …read more
Source:: Nikon Rumors
