You'd really have to ask them. I've purchased quite a few items from them, but never had to do a return.
Nikkor 600mm f/4 or Nikkor 500mm F/5.6 PF
- Thread starter PAUL50
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I’ll definitely buy from them again. Very friendly and helpful.That's awesomeThey really are one of the best to buy from.
They didn’t charge me tax. I think they are referring to the return of an open box discounted item. They state they accept returns on defective items. If it’s a bad copy, it’s defective, and would expect they’d exchange it. But nevertheless I will have The Nikon USA Warranty, so I’m not concerned. But thanks for the heads up.
Sure is. I wasn’t expecting much when I called so when they said they had two in stock I jumped on it!
Hard to add anything to this thread with so many good replies but I'll add my 2 cents worth. Having both of these lenses and using them mostly on smaller mammals than anything else I'd always be more inclined to shoot with the 600. The 600 F/4E is pretty well hand holdable for me but this will vary for individuals as it is still a chunk with D850 and vert batt grip attached. However I just feel more like I'm going to nail the image and lets face it early morning and late afternoon, f/4 is the ducks nuts! I do love the 500pf and have it in reach ready to run and gun.
I wonder what the Sony FE 600mmm is like
edit BTW I didn’t read the last few pages of this thread way to much hurry to get off computer. LOL Enjoy the 500 it’s a beauty!
I wonder what the Sony FE 600mmm is like
edit BTW I didn’t read the last few pages of this thread way to much hurry to get off computer. LOL Enjoy the 500 it’s a beauty!
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kenafein
New member
I think you're right, and I couldn't resist the no tax deal. I hope I got the last one. Now, the hard part, I have to sell enough gear to pay for it.
It was a no brainer for me. An extra $8600.00 more for the 600 wasn’t worth it. You are right about the extra stop but the way these newer bodies handle high ISO is amazing and there are other ways to get the extra 100mm in reach. And the extra weight goes without saying for the 600. And that was also a serious consideration for me.Hard to add anything to this thread with so many good replies but I'll add my 2 cents worth. Having both of these lenses and using them mostly on smaller mammals than anything else I'd always be more inclined to shoot with the 600. The 600 F/4E is pretty well hand holdable for me but this will vary for individuals as it is still a chunk with D850 and vert batt grip attached. However I just feel more like I'm going to nail the image and lets face it early morning and late afternoon, f/4 is the ducks nuts! I do love the 500pf and have it in reach ready to run and gun.
I wonder what the Sony FE 600mmm is like
edit BTW I didn’t read the last few pages of this thread way to much hurry to get off computer. LOL Enjoy the 500 it’s a beauty!
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ThanksHard to add anything to this thread with so many good replies but I'll add my 2 cents worth. Having both of these lenses and using them mostly on smaller mammals than anything else I'd always be more inclined to shoot with the 600. The 600 F/4E is pretty well hand holdable for me but this will vary for individuals as it is still a chunk with D850 and vert batt grip attached. However I just feel more like I'm going to nail the image and lets face it early morning and late afternoon, f/4 is the ducks nuts! I do love the 500pf and have it in reach ready to run and gun.
I wonder what the Sony FE 600mmm is like
edit BTW I didn’t read the last few pages of this thread way to much hurry to get off computer. LOL Enjoy the 500 it’s a beauty!
Karm Redland
Member
I have the 500mm f/5.6 and love its flexibility. Being able to walk around and handhold this lens is its charm. I agree that it is not of the same quality as the 600mm f/4. However, it would drive me crazy to be tethered to a tripod 24/7. All camera equipment is about trade-offs that are individual to the photographer. Paul50, the right answer to your question depends on how you like to take your images.
Warren D
Well-known member
Just placed my order for the 500 PF, hope to have it tomorrow. I don't think it will cut into my 600 EFL usage but suspect the 500 EFL won't be seeing much use from now on.
kenafein
New member
Glad to hear it. Enjoy.
Ok, this is a follow up on my hunt for the elusive 500 PF. As mentioned, I found one at Procam but when it showed up, it was defective! It wouldn’t focus and hunted like a hungry wolf. So I sent it back. Procam could not have handled it better. They sent me a return label and will be refunding the purchase price. So any concerns about their return policy is misplaced. I have found another one at Adorama, where I purchased it, and have been told they have a limited stock. So, if interested, you might want to try them. Unfortunately, they charge tax, where Procam did not.
kenafein
New member
Sorry to hear it. Mine is supposed to be here on Monday, my actual birthday. I hope I have better luck. I have to say, they ship as fast as the big stores like Adorama and B&H, but I hope I don't have to use their return services. Best of luck with Adorama.
Thanks
R.Philip
Well-known member
I know this thread is a little old and Paul has already purchased a 500PF, but I have a question. Many good things have been said about the 600mm f/4E on this thread and many others. I've been reading them all, but this thread appears to have been the most extensive. In my research I believe the 600mm f/4g came out in 2007 and the f/4E came out in 2015. With the advancements by other manufacturers in mirrorless cameras and telephoto lenses, do you guys believe that Nikon has a new 600mm on the horizon? And, so late in the f/4E's life, would you guys suggest waiting for a new and improved model before making a hefty investment? My camera body is a D850 and love it.
Yes for the Z mount. It’s on the road map to be release sometime in the next year or so.
R.Philip
Well-known member
I'm sticking with DSLR for now. Thanks though.
You won’t see a new 600 F mount. E will be last model. Frankly unless they have an F mount lens ready to release you won’t see any new F mount lenses anymore.
R.Philip
Well-known member
If so...
. Not sure why they would come out with the 600 in a z mount when the reviews indicate the performance of the z cameras for sports and wildlife is subpar vs dslr's. Is a pro mirrorless camera coming out at the same time?
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We (whe have two PFs) shoot lots of small birds & do lot of walking & 500 Pf is ideal for it.I take care of the bokeh part in post.Both lenses are great, but they serve different purposes in my opinion.
First, though - sharpness wide open. The 600mm is better along the edge areas, but in the "business" area of the frame I can't really tell my 600 E from my 500PF. Plus, both lenses are weather-sealed really well, are fully featured with function buttons, and in my tests AF speed was the same.
Also, the 600 + 1.4 TC is 840mm
The 600 F/4 is going to give you another stop of light of course, and that's huge - it can sometimes mean the difference between having enough shutter speed to get the shot or not. When I use the 500 PF, it always seems like I'm running into ISO and shutter speed limits, the 600 F/4, not so much. The F/4 also gives you better TC performance. Not only is it a stop faster than the 500 PF + 1.4, you can also still use all of you AF points as well. At F/8, even the best cameras only have 15 points that Nikon says are reliable and only one (the center) is cross-type (and that's even on the D6). If you're planning to use TCs, this is a big deal. When I was reviewing the 500PF, I actually stopped using the TC due to poor AF performance on my DSLRs - and F/8 is tough to swallow when you're in dim conditions.
F/4 also delivers better subject separation than F/5.6. It's subtle difference, but it's there for sure. I also tend to agree that the 600 F/4 has better bokeh as well. For my photography, backgrounds are just as important as the subject - so much so I'd list background separation and bokeh as my primary reasons for owning F/4 glass!
For me, the 500PF is great, but it's more of an addition - not a substitute - for faster glass.
All that said, you also don't want to underestimate the flexibility you get with the 500PF. The lens usually doesn't need a tripod, is easily hand-holdable, and can allow you to maneuver more quietly than a large lens / tripod / camera combo can. I'm often able to approach closer with the 500PF than I can with the 600 F/4. And the 500PF is just more fun to shoot too!
Still, if I were in your position and needed to choose, it's not even a contest - 600 F/4 all the way.
With 500 PF i have come to love the sequence shots (hand holding ) that i am able to take with hundreds of shots with 100 % keeper arte .I would not have been able to shoot hand holding a 6000 mm F4 lens for such opptunities(which in my case are many)
There is one more thing that i can add for 500 PF( i hope this never happens to any one). had dropped it twice & only the hood suffered damage & nothing happened to the lens.
How ever the lens proved it toughness when i had kept in on top of the car dicky & started the car(having forgotten about it) .The camera & lens fell with thud on the hard road when the car picked up speed & nothing happened except some scratches.
The lens Is is built like a tank & I would even call the lens as mil grade from my experience
!( i have never used 600 F4 mainly due to the weight factor)If Nikon releases a 600 PF i would be the first buyer
There has been a lot of discussion around the 500PF and I can not more than agree to what is said here and in other threads about the portability of the lens and the agility you are able to achieve with it. It is a breeze to use walking around and shooting handheld. Due to its size and weight it offers additional headroom to shoot under less than ideal conditions. Why ? If I compare it to my 500 f4 G I am able to steady the 500PF much easier in general, i.e. for longer periods of time and in more uncomfortable positions. This allows me to lower the shutter speed further than I would be able to do it with the 500 f4 G. This is not only because of weight itself, but also because of the balance (the 500 f4 G is very front heavy). If you combine it with a heavy pro body like my D4s, it doesn't feel too different to having 24-70 f28 mounted or one of the wide angle beasts like the Tamron 15-30. Of course the 500PF is heavier, but the way it is built makes it feel much lighter. It is a bit like with motorbikes. A well-balanced bike can easily feel 80 kg lighter than it really is, and a lighter but badly balanced bike give you a feeling like tipping over with a tennis refery chair in every corner .
Of course you have the limits with fast moving subjects where you need the faster shutter speeds for other reasons. Then you might miss the 1 stop of light.
The other issue is of course subject isolation via DOF and this especially applies to shooting DX, because the same aperture set for the lens doesn't create the same DOF impression i the picture. If somebody is interested in the background, at Photographylife Nasim and Spencer have written some really interesting articles about achieving equivalent shots with FX and DX (article 1, article 2).
Allin all I never want to miss my 500PF anymore.
. Of course you have the limits with fast moving subjects where you need the faster shutter speeds for other reasons. Then you might miss the 1 stop of light.
The other issue is of course subject isolation via DOF and this especially applies to shooting DX, because the same aperture set for the lens doesn't create the same DOF impression i the picture. If somebody is interested in the background, at Photographylife Nasim and Spencer have written some really interesting articles about achieving equivalent shots with FX and DX (article 1, article 2).
Allin all I never want to miss my 500PF anymore
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WOW - that's impressive. Glad the lens made it!!We (whe have two PFs) shoot lots of small birds & do lot of walking & 500 Pf is ideal for it.I take care of the bokeh part in post.
With 500 PF i have come to love the sequence shots (hand holding ) that i am able to take with hundreds of shots with 100 % keeper arte .I would not have been able to shoot hand holding a 6000 mm F4 lens for such opptunities(which in my case are many)
There is one more thing that i can add for 500 PF( i hope this never happens to any one). had dropped it twice & only the hood suffered damage & nothing happened to the lens.
How ever the lens proved it toughness when i had kept in on top of the car dicky & started the car(having forgotten about it) .The camera & lens fell with thud on the hard road when the car picked up speed & nothing happened except some scratches.
The lens Is is built like a tank & I would even call the lens as mil grade from my experience
If Nikon releases a 600 PF i would be the first buyer
With 500 PF i have come to love the sequence shots (hand holding ) that i am able to take with hundreds of shots with 100 % keeper arte .
If Nikon releases a 600 PF i would be the first buyer
I wish my keeper rate was that high…not being a smart ass, just wishful thinking…I'm just not skilled enough for that. I would consider a 600PF if it was Z mount, small/light enough to and hold, and it was within what I am willing to spend for a lens…although with the 500PF currently on order I would have to think about it before pulling the trigger.
My 500PF gets delivered Tuesday according to FedEx and B&H…and I'm sure that I'll love it…probably enough to sell my Tamron G2 I'm thinking.
Cool you will love the 500pf. I have used my 500pf on my D850 since June 2020 and my Tamron 150-600 G2 on my D500 since well before that. Both bodies are gripped with the big D6 battery. After all these months I still like both set ups. I find that if I know I am going to be in low light and shooting most likely shooting BIF the 850 and 500 PF are the primary and if I am "birding" and in good light but needing max reach then the D500 and the Tamron 150-600 G2 are the primary camera.