I think I've reached the paralysis by analysis stage. I'm trying to decide between buying a 600 f4 AIS Nikkor for $2200 and a 500mm f4 P Nikkor for $2500. Both are in excellent shape, come with cases, etc. I've pondered this choice for so long and hard I think my brain is going to explode.
What would you guys do? I'm leaning (today, anyway) toward the 500.
I'm a Canon shooter, but if it were a Canon choice it would come down to reach vs weight. The Canon 500 f4L IS is 8 lbs, give or take, the 600 f4L IS 12 lbs, give or take. Without looking up the specs I'm going to assume something similar with the Nikonian stuff.
For me, the 500 would do the job just fine, especially with a 1.4 TC (and I hear great things about Nikon's 1.7 TC as well), and because I'm out in the woods trekking all the time, the ability to handhold the lens when needed swings me to the 500.
Way back when, I rented Nikkor 400 f/2.8, 500 f/4 P and a 600 f/4. For my needs the 500 was the most versatile. Lighter, smaller, plenty of reach and just as sharp as the others. The 600 and the 400 are BIG lenses, and they cut way into my carry routine.
One thing to consider is that any of the classic advantages of the 500 over 600 are lost when you consider that it is a MF lens. I am referring to hand-holdability. So, one way or another you are going to be focusing manually on a tripod for portraits of static subjects. Why not have more reach to make up for this disadvantage?
John, I've owned and shot both and it depends on your subject choices. The 500 is a great lens and works wonderfully with the TC-14B teleconverter. In my opinion the 500 is sharper than the 600 to start with and the 500 performs better with the TC-14B than the 600 does. In addition the 500 is a P lens and gives you some additional metering and feedback capability with the newer bodies over the 600 unless you have the 600 modified with a cpu chip. Having said that I now own just the 600 because of needing the additional reach for birds. I continue to use film bodies with it so I don't get the cropping factor of digital. Hope this helps.
I keep the Nikkor 500 f/4 P close by at all times when doing wildlife photography. It is an excellent lens and perhaps one of the sharpest ever made by Nikon. Manual focussing doesn't bother me very much, as even with AF lenses, manual touchup is sometimes required. (Especially when the subject is surrounded by vegitation.) The 500 P is especially light compared to the 600. It also focusses much closer. It's great with the TC14B or TC14E. The TC14E is preferable as it retains matrix metering, otherwise image quality is about the same as far as I can tell. I have also used it with the TC301 with acceptable results.
You may wish to get the 39mm drop-in polarizer at some time in the future. I don't use one all the time, but once in a while...
Be sure that you have a good tripod and head to stabilize it. Either a full Wimberley head or good ball head and Wimberley Sidekick (my preference) is almost mandatory.
You should have a great time with this lens, and wonder why you didn't get it earlier.
Discussion
5 repliesWhat would you guys do? I'm leaning (today, anyway) toward the 500.
For me, the 500 would do the job just fine, especially with a 1.4 TC (and I hear great things about Nikon's 1.7 TC as well), and because I'm out in the woods trekking all the time, the ability to handhold the lens when needed swings me to the 500.
You may wish to get the 39mm drop-in polarizer at some time in the future. I don't use one all the time, but once in a while...
Be sure that you have a good tripod and head to stabilize it. Either a full Wimberley head or good ball head and Wimberley Sidekick (my preference) is almost mandatory.
You should have a great time with this lens, and wonder why you didn't get it earlier.