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I'd agree with you, it's about a 5 percent advantage to the 600. Given lens of equal quality and weight and price I'd sure like the 600, but if there were a better, lighter, lower cost 500 I'd think about it.
This recent image shows the size advantage in a real world situation, 600 vs. 500.
Sample shots from A1 +200-600 and D 850 +500 PF in the field
I am sharing below two shots from A1+200-600 & D 850 +500 Pf (both shot wide & taken at 600 mm & 500 mm ) taken in the field of a Brown fish owl in a jungle. I would like to know whether any one can find out which photo was from whcih combo just by looking at the shots.(quick & dirty...
My wife uses Tamrons with the FTZ adapter on her Z50 as her primary lenses an 100-400 for birding and a 18-400 (when she want to go really small light and portable) she thinks my Tamron 150-600 G2 is to big and heavy it replaced my Nikkon 200-500 years ago .... I have not used the 150-600 G2 since I got the 600 f/4E but I sure have a lot of wall hangers take with the Tamron 150-600 G2 including the 8 foot long eagle and fish image "The Great Escape" hanging our State Captiol (I have posted the image here before). So I would second the Tamron as an option. I weight were the issue and you wanted fast focusing etc. The 500 PF on my D850 works great and it did also on the D500 and D6.I was really happy with my original Tamron 150-600mm A011 on my D500. It was lightweight and I basically wore it out. The G2 version has taken that lens and improved it. So that might be an option to look at.
Might be fun and worthwhile to get your hands on one and a 500 PF and see how you like them.
Not sure how well third party lenses work with adapters.
I will never own another zoom lens over 200MM. I have the 300MM and the 500MM PF's and they stay on my 2 D500,s. When you get good at capturing your subject you will be a happy camper.
I did not know that. Good to know if one is expecting more reach from the 600.
Ooh-rah!Photographing small birds really requires the use of a blind or the 800 mm focal length. Both are somewhat cumbersome to carry around. In places such as central Florida shooting marsh birds, blind visitors such as water moccasins, rattle snakes and gators and generally being up to your rear end in mud and water makes the blind not the best pick for some. An 800mm f5.6 is a bit heavy but it is manageable for most to carry shorter distances by breaking down the lens from the tripod and head and having a bandolier carrying rig. When the 800 PF appears, if it is 2/3 the weight you will still need a gimbal head and tripod if you want greatest acuity and, with mating birds, the courtship shots will involve a hour or more of just standing and watching to get the rarer and interesting activity.
A couple of years being trained by the US Marines that a 20 mile hike with a 100 pound pack on your back is a great way to spend a bitter cold or a hot summer day will make the experience of using 800mm seem reasonable.
I have the 200-500mm 200-400mm and 600mm G lenses.
I was looking into renting one here (despite not having enough rental places in Switzerland), but then I watched Steve's Youtube Review again. There I can see that the PF is exactly as big as the 200-500 in collapsed mode (at 200mm). That size is great and very manageable. Plus it's 1 KG lighter.. it's looking quite promising.I was really happy with my original Tamron 150-600mm A011 on my D500. It was lightweight and I basically wore it out. The G2 version has taken that lens and improved it. So that might be an option to look at. Might be fun and worthwhile to get your hands on one and a 500 PF and see how you like them.
Not sure how well third party lenses work with adapters.
Thank you for the link regarding the Owl comparison, that was a good indication of the difference between 500 and 600. I think it does make a difference, but I agree with you in that it does not justify the additional size, weight and cost of the lens. I think a 500 PF which can be occasionally used on a TC14 is looking quite good right now.
True, Steve confirmed this as well when he compared the 200-500 with the 500 PF. The zoom wasn't a true 500 mm at the long end. I am really leaning towards the 500 PF now.. knowing it words well with Z9 is also a reassurance on compatibility in the future.
Yes it was worth it, thanks! it is crazy but the apple is the same size for both the 500 PF and 200-600 at 600mm. That proves once again that mm isn't alway the same when different lenses are compared. Maybe it didn't focus because you had you distance limiter on (6m-infinity)
Thank for the overview. Yes, I too have a feeling the 200-600 will be lighter or as heavy as the 200-500, but I guess it will be an F6.3 or more (seeing how they went with the 100-400). I do like the constant F5.6 of the 200-500 zoom. That's why one part of me is saying 500 PF is praised from many and checks all boxes, and is the way to go. But a curious part of me is telling me to wait for the 400 PF.. since it may be a F4 or F4.5, and that would be quite valuable too, considering I shoot very early or late in the day, that's when critters are most active in my region. This way I may get the 400 PF + TC so I will have the flexibility of shooting at 500 F5.6 (with TC) or 400 F4 (no TC). That would be great.
This is a great answer! I couldn’t agree more. It really comes down to planning an preparation after 500mm. Most of the fantastic images of birds you see online or in galleries are between 600-1000mm, but, the difference is they are well planned, sometimes staged, and almost always premeditated.
Your Welcome ... here are links to a couple of previous threads I posted taken with the 500PF on a D500 and a D850
I actually came to realize this when I saw this video today, seeing the different birds all perched on the same branch.
That is my style wandering in nature and hunting with a cameraI actually came to realize this when I saw this video today, seeing the different birds all perched on the same branch.
Considering that photography for me is the opportunity of capturing beautiful moments / interactions with animals while I roam free in nature / connecting with my surrounding.. I tend to avoid planned / staged shots. So for now I will stick with 500 mm, since anything bigger / heavier would result in less mobility. Maybe down the road staged photography might become something of interest…who knows
That is why I posted those two links above to the wildlife photography forum since they were taken with the 500 pf while doing just that.