Earning my new lens(es)!

[Otto]

I'm creating this thread to post images that are in the telephoto range of 200-500mm. Since the beginning of 2021 I've used it 245 times to photograph various subjects, mostly birds but I've also done some landscape photography with this particular lens.

This will be my accountability thread so that at the end of six months or a year (depending on how much it takes me to save for that 'lens') I will know if I really need it or just want it. The deal with myself is that I must post at least three images per week using that focal range. If I go birding, it will more than likely will be the 200-500mm. If I go out and do general photography I'll disclose that (so I myself will not forget), cameras will be the Nikon Z6ii and D850.

p.s. I've added a third camera to this project. A Sony A6600 with adapter for Nikon lenses.

I have two images for this week this is the first one. The caption is : I'm going that way!

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Nikon Z6ii with Nikon 200-500mm with TC1.4 - 700mm 1/1000 sec at F/8.0, ISO 900 Panning furiously as the two geese do a flyby! This is one case where in retrospect I could have stopped down but again I was way too excited and forgot to breathe!

 

[Rassie]

Nice one Otto. How well does the teleconverter work on that lens with the Z6ii? I'm considering going the same way.

 

[Otto]

Nice one Otto. How well does the teleconverter work on that lens with the Z6ii? I'm considering going the same way.

I've used it both on the D850 and Z6ii. It seems to work better on the D850. The Adapter on the Z6ii plus converter turns the whole thing into a freak of nature These two images highly cropped can perhaps show you the difference.

Z6ii with TC 1.4III with 200-500mm. Low light made it even more difficult. Supposedly the mirrorless camera should focus better but no the case in my situation.

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D850 with the 200-500mm, not TC. This little one was high up on the wires across the road from me. Took to shots before he figured I was too big fora meal and left. Some other images I've obtained with the D850 and TC1.4III plus 200-500mm have been great but not too many for BIF.

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[Otto]

Image taken with Sony A6600 and Nikon 200-500mm. Focusing works better it seems with this combination than with the FTZ adapter for Nikon Z6ii.

I'll be doing more testing this week with it. I've used it before but did not pay attention as much as I am now. The one thing is that noice is worse on this camera when underexposed.

Settings with Nikon 200-500mm at F/7.1 fully extended at 500mm, 1/1600 sec at ISO 3200. I underexposed by at least 2 stops. That seems to be a theme on my images. User error!

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[Otto]

I got a second chance this day (01/17/2021) This time my exposure was much better. Consequently a much cleaner image. Sony a6600 with adapter for Nikon 200-500mm, 500mm at F5.6 1/125 of a second, ISO 800.

I stood near my backyard pond taking images of the four different birds on the tree right behind it. Meanwhile these other ones were dancing around taking a bath and I did not notice them till the last minute. I may start using this combination more once I refamilirize myself with Sony's focusing system.

FYI @Neil Laubenthal

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[Otto]

Note to self. Image taken with Nikon Z6ii, TC1.4III - Nikon 200-500mm F8, 1/1000 sec ISO 640. This means wide open and therefore a little soft. Since I have an adapter for Canon lenses to my Z6ii, I'll be checking for image quality with that combination. It seems that having an adapter may end up being what I need to do for the immediate future.

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[Otto]

20 mph winds sent all the birds packing. I went out later than usual and found one Egret in the area where I've been photographing Geee, Hawks and Red Shoulder Black Birds.

I took my Sony A6600 with adapter for Nikon 200-500mm. The series of images was made a little difficult by all the tall dry foliage around the Egret. Most were in good focus although there is a softness about the images with lens wide open at F5.6. Still I find them pleasing. There was not much opportunity to try BIF as there weren't too many out. At least where I was, I the distance the flocks of Red Shoulder Black Birds were doing their thing, but way too far for me to try anything.

I'm basically using the A6600 as a 1.5 adapter. Effectively making the lens a 700mm. And while that sounds good it is very difficult to find the objects in the frame while moving. I have better success with my D850. Viewfinder is larger after all.

As I proceed in this project of using the Nikon zoom with three different cameras over the course of the coming months I'll understand my limitations more and that of the gear. I'm happy to note that it's just a lot of fun to go out. I was not gone more than an hour. Adding processing time and sharing with my wife what I captured is a good three hours of photographic activity.

Sony A6600, Nikon 200-500mm -500mm at f5.6 1/500 sec ISO 250.

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Sony A6600, Nikon 200-500mm -480mm at f5.6 1/500 sec ISO 160.

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Sony A6600, Nikon 200-500mm -500mm at f5.6 1/500 sec ISO 160.

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​

Now I'm starting to think, what about using the Z50, it could be no worse than using the Sony A6600. Hmmm!

​

 

[Otto]

Another Sony + Nikon image.
Sony A6600, Nikon 200-500mm -500mm at f5.6 1/640 sec ISO 5000. Overexposed by 1.5 stops. Bird sat on the fence (get it), long enough for me to finally get focus. This experiment is turning out to be an exercise in patience and frustration. But again, willing to learn is the name of the game here. Besides is not like I can just say forget it I'll buy a new lens right now. The renting option is still there though, it will help in the long run. For now though, I just realized I don't know this camera well enough so I'll keep on going.

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[Otto]

I went out purposely on a very foggy morning last week to a pond near by. I crawled onto the edge of the pond and waited. This was a case of having too much lens, it was way too close and there were all this growth that got in my way. Bird was less than 10 feet away and so I enjoyed the sighting up close.

In the end I messed up the focusing so it's a little soft but I still remember the crawling and becoming this stealthy moving bush. That was fun!

Nikon D850 with TC-1.4iii and Nikon 200-500mm. 700mm, ISO 1000, F8, 1/320 sec.

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[Otto]

Reviewing some images makes me question the desire for different gear. This image for me is one of those that makes you glad you got up and spent time waiting and waiting. Not an action shot of course but the serenity of it and details are just amazing to me. It's not all about sharpness but the combination of being there and seeing something for the first time.

I had no idea that such a simple color scheme could be so alluring. I find that just going out and experiencing an 'intimate' moment like this where you did not disturb the bird and you are left with a memory is so worth it. I suppose even better if you can record it. Sometimes though is just best to drop the camera (not literally of course) and enjoy the moment which will not be capture but yet absolutely fulfilling. I did get this one though!

Nikon D500, Tamron 150-600mm. ISO 800, 850mm F9 1/1000sec.

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[Otto]

Early morning just after sunrise with the light giving the birds a slight golden look as the moon waits in the background to be touched! The air was crisp and I felt my hands a bit cold and uncomfortable but really the adrenaline made it subside.

Nikon D850, 200-500mm TC1.4iii 650mm F9, 1/1000 sec.

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[Otto]

Note to self.

The first image uploaded on this forum of the same subjects was taken with the Nikon D850 and Nikon 200-500mm with TC1.4III. Unfortunately because I was doing remote photography I did not check for correct exposure prior to beginning. The underexposed RAW file at ISO 128000 was way too grainy.

The image below comes form the Sony A6600 with a Nikon 105mm Macro lens in 4K video mode. Image extracted from video. The quality is, I feel, much more acceptable than the previous RAW file. In this case, being a little more creative in the use of gear got me what I was looking for.

The lesson here is that being adaptable is very important plus also learning the patterns of your subjects. I seem to find certain birds in the same areas and at specific times repeatedly. This allows for some planning in capturing better images rather than leaving it to chance.

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[Otto]

All the advancements in technology are making me rethink my choice of lenses. This image put noise acquisition and removal to the test. I've been tinkering with shooting very high ISO images and see what I can do myself and additionally run Denoise AI on certain images.

I would not have posted the original, perhaps the one I worked on but this one is so much better. Of course grain is not necessarily bad if that's what we are after. Sometimes that works as well.

In any case I've been shooting quite bit with my D850 and the Sony A6600 using the Nikon 200-500mm with and without the TC1.4Eiii. So the limitations of the adapted lens to the Sony are quite apparent as far as speed of focus is concerned. I'm renting a Sony 200-600mm lens for a week and see how things go.

Nikon D850, Nikon 200-500mm. ISO 12800, 500mm F/8.8 1/3200 sec,
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[Otto]

All the photographing I've been doing with the Nikon 200-500mm lens with extender and without, plus three different cameras has definitely given me a reference to what I'm going to do know.

I'm going to rent four lenses in sequence, Sony 200-600mm, Nikon 300F4, Nikon 500pf 5.6 and the Nikon 500mm F$$$.

What I'm hoping to gain is a clearer perspective of what I enjoy. Now that I've started using Topaz Denoise AI on my higher ISO images I've been able to recover what I thought at first were unusable images. So far I'm going back through a whole boat load of them and try the different cleanup modes this software offers.

Still the goal is to get the exposure as close to perfect as possible and then if I have to shoot really high ISO images Im still Ok. The 12800 ISO images look pretty good after processing. Lower is still better and sharper.

Nikon D850, Nikon 200-500mm, ISO 12800, 500mm F/8.0 1/3200 sec.

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[Otto]

Late afternoon sun lowering in the horizon. These 'eagles' go round and round my block giving me many opportunities to do some more BIF testing.


Nikon D850 with 200-500mm, ISO 1000, 500mm F/6.3 1/2000 sec.

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[Otto]

Two more images for future reference when I compare results from this Nikon 200-500mm and a Sony 200-600mm which I'll be renting for a week. Lots of shooting ahead rain, shine, fog or in between.

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[Otto]

How to royally mess up a good opportunity!

I used my D850 to create a time lapse of cloud formations. Because I would later use a good 1000 images for the subsequent video I lowered the resolution to the lowest raw value. That was earlier in the day. I went out later just before sunset to an area where I knew there would be some bird activity. Lo and behold there was quite a bit more than I expected and so I was able to capture lots of nice sequences.

Trouble is that I forgot to reset the image quality to highest raw value and everything I did is now suspect. Below is one of those images that I thought would look great printed as it shows a little bit of the environment.

The lower resolution unfortunately will not let me go very big so this is a good as it gets or bad if you consider my mistake. The notes here will help me remember when I see this image again down the road. Meanwhile I'll reset my settings lest I forget again.

Nikon D850 with 200-500mm, 500mm F/5.6, ISO 320 with 3stops of compensation, 1/1600 sec

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[Otto]

I received my Sony 200-600mm lens rental today (02/02/2021) I'll be using it for an entire week ( perhaps not long enough) to see how I like it. This is using the A6600 cropped sensor. I've used twice today ( a little bit afternoon and before sunset), the limitations of the camera in low light may be more the problem here.

In any case I was quite happy for the first few tries in aiming at 600 and capturing some birds in flight. It is lighter than then Nikon 200-500mm by about 6oz but it almost feels lighter than that. Also the zooming ring does not need as much rotation as the Nikon lens to get to the top end. It is a 6.3 as opposed to 5.6, I've experienced that before with a Tamron 150-600g lens.

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/2000 sec at F/7.1 600mm ISO 6400 Denoise AI

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Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/2000 sec at F/7.1 600mm ISO 1600 Deoise AI

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[Otto]

The Sony Lens Rental Saga continues. Day 2.

Coming in hot, Egret version.

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/2000 sec at F/7.1 600mm ISO 250

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Posing Kites!

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/1000 sec at F/6.3 600mm ISO 3200 Deoise AI

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[Otto]

As of today (2/4/2021) I've used the rented Sony FE 200-600mm F/6.3 for 2300 images. Lot's of sequences and playing around with the different focusing modes. What I like about the lens is it's constant size. Since I'm using it with the Sony A6600 it is quite comfortable to use for extended periods of time.

I've encountered focusing errors on my part and switching between focusing areas is something I'm getting used to. In a few days I'll be sending it back, detox and try another lens (Nikon 500pf), I'll be using both the D850 and the Sony A6600 with that lens.

Unfortunately I did not get the Sony to Z mount adapter in time to see how it would work on my Z6ii. But that's fine, meanwhile I'm having fun with it. I have quite a few images from today, this one is something I've been envisioning capturing. Have missed a few times and almost missed the whole thing today. Half the images were not in focus at all because I had moved the zone off center for another sequence. I'm very fortunate to have recovered in time to get this landing.

Coming in hot, Blue Heron version!

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/1000 sec at F/7.1 600mm ISO 400 Deoise AI but it seems I did not really needed it.

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[Otto]

Belted King Fisher sequence.

Even though I get more reach with the Sony A6600 with either the Nikon or Sony lens, I'm starting to see the resolution difference coming from the D850 when cropping.

Nikon D850, Nikon 200-500mm 500mm F/5.6 ISO 360 1/1600 sec.

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[Otto]

Sunset gold wing tips.

I've been shooting all week with the Sony A6600 and the Sony FE 200-600mm lens. The focusing speed difference is quite apparent after going back to the Nikon Z6II with the Nikon 200-500mm. I took about 13 frames of this slow and low flying vulture and was fortunate to get a couple of good images. Most were in this focusing range but my exposure was off again. I compensated +1 but that was not enough. Consequently had to do a little bit more post processing to clean up the noise but not entirely.

Next week I'll be returning the Sony Lens and wait a while and rent the Nikon 500 PF. I may get hooked. Technique is most important. I obtained some images this week that I'm happy with, definitely need improvement but being there was really the greatest thing.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon 200-500mm 500mm F/5.6 ISO 2500 1/2000 sec. Denoise AI

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[Otto]

This image is one of the last taken with the Sony FE 200-600mm F6.3 rental.

I've learned quite a bit about the Sony A6600 and the Sony FE 200-600 combination. For one thing, if exposure is just a bit off the noise levels become really difficult to work with. In the short week that I've had it, over 4,000 images were captured (many sequences) and some have been complete failures (mostly me) and some I really like. The weight combination has proved to be extremely light for 1-3 hour shoots twice a day.

This image here was taken around sunset on a very cloudy day (02/08/2021) with very high ISO values. I used Denoise AI to clear up the fine grain like noise in the background although there was not much. Basically I've come to appreciate the lens. I've used it mostly at 600mm and got much better at finding my subjects using tips from Steve on that issue. I read and heard that the lens was heavy but it does not seem like it to me. My Nikon 200-500mm feels much more heavier. I'll be doing one more outing before returning it and see what I can capture.

Next lens will be the 500PF. I hope I was not spoiled by the 600mm reach. Although with a higher resolution camera like the D850 it may be a wash. We will see.

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/1600 sec at F/6.3 600mm ISO 10,000 Deoise AI (hand held).

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[Otto]

Well the party is over. Went out early this morning to use the Sony FE 200-600mm F6.3 lens as it was the last day and need to return it. I was rewarded with a closer look at the Belted King Fisher. It's been the closest I've been to it in 9 days straight of looking for it. I started before renting this lens and this month was the first time in my life where I've seen such a bird. Pretty neat!

In a couple of weeks or so I may rent the Nikon 500pf and see how things go. I'll use that one on both the Sony and my D850 and Z6ii. I'll have plenty of time to experiment with it. This image is of course cropped from an already cropped sensor and I can devote a little more time to get the edges sharper. I went a little too far in feathering.

In any case I shot over 5000 images, Over 25 hours of video with it and I need to take a break now. I'll go over all the images more closely and discard the marginal ones and just keep what I really like.

There was another thread about what's more important in photography, certainly having nice gear helps but you have to get out there. I'm glad I did that. On to the next test and lots of precessing as well.

Belted King Fisher.

Sony A6600, Sony FE 200-600mm 1/2000 sec at F/6.3 600mm ISO 2000 Deoise AI (hand held).

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[Otto]

Note to self:

Financial reasons dictate that I stick with what I have. Renting the Sony FE 200-600mm lens was an eye opener as far as speed in focusing was concerned. My Nikon 200-500mm lens can't hold a candle to the Sony lens when I use it on the Z6ii. But with the D850 and 200-500 focusing is much much better.

Stop watching You Tube videos that promote much more expensive gear. Keep shooting with what you have. Get the most out of what you have. Outgrow it and then see.

The image below is perhaps a sample of what can be had. The actual capture contains this soaring hawk in a square of nine. Within that ninth rectangle the hawk is about half the size so 1/18 of the frame on my Nikon D850.

I deliberately tracked and captured it as it circled way above me. Nothing spectacular but amazing given the fact that I had to crop so much. As long as the exposure is good, noice levels are tolerable, all one has to do is look at the image at regular viewing distance.

Nikon D850, Nikon 200-500mm 460mm F/5.6 ISO 450 1/1600 sec.

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