Mongo's Nikon 200-500mm has arrived !

[mongo]

for Kumbnutz......here is the side by side comparison

DSC_7967.jpg

As you can see , the difference is substantial.

- 1.6kgs Vs 2.3kgs
- one is significantly wide and longer (particularly when you remember to add about 80mm to the length of the 200-500 when fully extended to 500mm (see image #5 above) whereas the 70-200mm does not change length when zooming)
- both are reasonably well balanced but the 70-200 holds its balance well at all focal lengths whereas the 200-500mm is likely to change a little when fully extended
- they are quite different lenses for different purposes and have their own character and handling characteristics.

[bigshowoz]

Congrats on your new toy , look forward to your review and pics . will this lens be good for sports ?

[mongo]

Congrats on your new toy , look forward to your review and pics . will this lens be good for sports ?

thanks bigshowoz. Mongo will be testing it largely on birding and surfing. That should be a reasonably good test for sports generally. Even now, Mongo thinks it will be an excellent sports lens (much as the 200-400mm was intended) . However, this is on the basis of a bare lens without teleconverters. Mongo he is pretty sure he can say that even now. However, that is not to say that it will not also be great with converters but this latter possibility remains to be tested.

[knumbnutz]

Thanks Mongo.
Super looking weapon. Interesting in comparison, i think while heavy-ish, it will balance well enough i suppose. It seems very similar to the sigma120-300F2.8 i have and I am sure the 600mmF5.6 of the sigma with TC will not be as good as 500F5.6 of the nikon. I have the older model, and keep thinking about options.... but I think the new model sigma may still appeal to me, but I would love side by side on this setup!

[mongo]

Thanks Mongo.
Super looking weapon. Interesting in comparison, i think while heavy-ish, it will balance well enough i suppose. It seems very similar to the sigma120-300F2.8 i have and I am sure the 600mmF5.6 of the sigma with TC will not be as good as 500F5.6 of the nikon. I have the older model, and keep thinking about options.... but I think the new model sigma may still appeal to me, but I would love side by side on this setup!

It would be nice to get a side by side comparison as you say. Now that the lens has been released and actually in stores, it is only a matter of time before you will find all the comparisons you can think of on the net. BTW, Mongo was all ready to purchase the Tamron 150-600 or the Sigma sport 150-600mm on the very day the new Nikon was announced. So, Mongo has no doubt that these other lenses would also be a fine choice for this sort of lighter long range quality lens. Good luck with your choices

[knumbnutz]

Good luck with choice.....na the luck needs to be with the money that i dont have for it!

[cupic]

To follow on from Mongo assessment here another from a pro Roy Mangersnes


https://roymangersnes.wordpress.com/...500mm-f56e-ed/

Im impressed as I thought so and not with too many shortcomings

cheers

[cupic]

With more to come from Mongo testing I found a few more for any in doubt of this bargain zoom lens

http://www.feddestudios.com/blog/500

http://jesuise.tumblr.com/post/12971...-f56-telephoto



If this was done earlier I would have been just behind Mongo on this lens hanging out so bad for this bad boy to come

cheers

[mongo]

a note of caution re some AF issues. Lens is now with Nikon to be assessed and calibrated.

Will let you know the outcome

[J.davis]

I wrote a huge thread reply to Mongo about the lens, but the system had a hic-up.
In a nutshell, The nikon lens would be equivalent to the Sigma 150-600 C.
The Sigma USB Dock will adjust many things including, focus at different ranges and distances , and AF and speed.
This is IMO a better setup for the average user, and about $!k cheaper.
Mongo, I believe the old saying about 'changing bodies' is now null and void, as the bodies resolve much better these days and are getting better.
Todays bodies give a far better picture, even with basic lenses.

[cupic]

Spoke to the shop where the orders pending and it seems the slow boat from
Nikon is even slower for the unlucky ones down under......I mean cmon Nikon
Our money dollar/yen is still good .Send over more ASAP before the Sigma 150-500 S gets a call up
Signed
Im Depressed

[mongo]

Spoke to the shop where the orders pending and it seems the slow boat from
Nikon is even slower for the unlucky ones down under......I mean cmon Nikon
Our money dollar/yen is still good .Send over more ASAP before the Sigma 150-500 S gets a call up
Signed
Im Depressed

remember what Mongo said above re the potential AF issues. Mongo would hold off if he were you until Mongo finds out what is wrong. Mongo has the feeling his 200-500 was not the only one to report an AF problem.
Mongo will let you know soon enough what the outcome is. Until then, Mongo would not be in such a hurry if he were you.

- - - Updated - - -

I wrote a huge thread reply to Mongo about the lens, but the system had a hic-up.
In a nutshell, The nikon lens would be equivalent to the Sigma 150-600 C.
The Sigma USB Dock will adjust many things including, focus at different ranges and distances , and AF and speed.
This is IMO a better setup for the average user, and about $!k cheaper.
Mongo, I believe the old saying about 'changing bodies' is now null and void, as the bodies resolve much better these days and are getting better.
Todays bodies give a far better picture, even with basic lenses.

thanks John. Mongo would think that the 200-500 properly working is more parallel to the Sigma 150-600 sport which is much heavier and more expensive. Mongo is hopeful they will sort this out soon.

[cupic]

I spoke to DCW and the earliest shipment is Dec
As the Sigma S is mucho more I be waiting on your update
Hopefully wont have to wait too long on Nikon response to you
BTW where did you source it from?
cheers

[Cage]

Geez mate, I hope Nikon get it sorted for you pronto hasto.

How disappointing for you.

[Lance B]

I tried Mongo's 200-500 last weekend and I was most impressed by it's resultant image quality. It was only a short play whilst we concentrated on the Pardalote family in lowish light and the lens focused reasonably well, but it was on my D810 which in known to have better AF than Mongo's D800E. I don't mean to hijack Mongo's thread, but here are a few samples from that day.

D810 + 200-500 f5.6 @ 500mm, f8, 1/250sec, ISO1000 Monopod



A crop to a more pleasing size, IMO



100% crop of original photo:



D810 + 200-500 f5.6 @ 500mm, f8, 1/250sec, ISO2000 Monopod



Cropped to a more pleasing size, IMO:



100% crop of original photo:



D810 + 200-500 f5.6 @ 500mm, f8, 1/250sec, ISO2000 Monopod



Cropped to a more pleasing size, IMO:



100% crop of original photo:

[cupic]

To me IMHO it may be body problem and not glass
Time will tell
BTW lance I can almost see the birds smile when you arrive on the scene

cheers

[J.davis]

Lance, how far are you from the subject, and how much PP has been done.
The NSW versions of the birds seem to be more 'polished' than those I have found.

[Lance B]

To me IMHO it may be body problem and not glass
Time will tell
BTW lance I can almost see the birds smile when you arrive on the scene

cheers

Thank you very much for your kind comment, cupic!

- - - Updated - - -

Lance, how far are you from the subject, and how much PP has been done.
The NSW versions of the birds seem to be more 'polished' than those I have found.

I'd say I was about 4.5 mts away. My normal amount of processing is applied, the same as what I woud do for any other lens. That involves, saturation, WB adjust, exposure/highlight adjust in the RAW converter and saved to 16bit TIFF. Then in Photoshop I may use some noise reduction, levels adjustment and tweak colour balance, then reduce for web and lightly sharpen.

[J.davis]

Bit more work than I do, Thanks for the info.
I don't get that close, but I try.

[mongo]

I spoke to DCW and the earliest shipment is Dec
As the Sigma S is mucho more I be waiting on your update
Hopefully wont have to wait too long on Nikon response to you
BTW where did you source it from?
cheers

got it from Digital Camera Warehouse ($1700)

- - - Updated - - -

Geez mate, I hope Nikon get it sorted for you pronto hasto.

How disappointing for you.

Only a little disappointed for inconvenience. It should be sorted out.

- - - Updated - - -

very big thanks for posting your images with this lens and your 810 Lance - it will give the members a far spread of results.

Also, As Cubic has said, it may be body and not glass issues. The lens itself is sharp enough as Lance's results and some of Mongo have shown. IT IS THE AUTO FOCUS ACQUISITION SPEED AND ACCURACY ON MOVING OBJECTS THAT IS THE CURRENT PROBLEM. The lens works very well on stationary objects.

here is a simple image taken wide open at f5.6 at 500mm

DSC_8097.jpg