It is well deserved.
I figured as much. Maybe you can show a not so good one at some point just to let us know you are humanI only show the good ones though!
Nikon 180-600 - Photo Share & Discussion Thread
- Thread starter MatthewK
- Start date
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Sorry they are deleted immediately! LOLIt is well deserved.
I figured as much. Maybe you can show a not so good one at some point just to let us know you are human
Got an AlphaGvrd wrap for the 186:
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How long did that take? I've thought about these skins before but curious how hard they are to apply and how long they last.
They’re fairly easy to apply, but the slower and more careful you are, the better it turns out. This one took a good 2 hours; starting out it’s slower going, but as you get confident applying, it moves faster. If you were to do two lenses in a row, the 2nd would be quick.
The vinyl is tough, would take a very sharp edge to scratch through it, so it’ll probably last years. Doesn’t protect against drops or blunt force trauma though.
The vinyl is tough, would take a very sharp edge to scratch through it, so it’ll probably last years. Doesn’t protect against drops or blunt force trauma though.
Here's a Red-bellied Woodpecker, shot in that syrupy, goey, Autumn golden hour light.
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Sunrise doe on a frosty morning.
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Very ethereal and peaceful, Bruce. How cold was it that morning? Is that snow there in the background?
maverick777
Member
Here is mine dressed up with a 3M decal from AliExpress. Same style as AlphaGuard but half the price. Performance has been great. A good upgrade over my 100-400 + 1.4 TC for birding.
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Skin looks good! Is that the Obsidian Camo? The lens took a while to wrap, much more challenging than my 800PF was.
lol they straight-up ripped off Lifeguard/Alphagvrd. I mean, wouldn't expect anything less.
lol they straight-up ripped off Lifeguard/Alphagvrd. I mean, wouldn't expect anything less.
I have had a chance to try out my Z 180-600mm and I think I am going to return it. I took some photos last week in strong sunlight (the buck shown below). I went out on my ranch today for one last shoot to make a final decision. Birds were scarce so I focused on whatever I could find. I was very pleased with the beetle photo. The minimum focus distance is really good on this lens. Taking pictures of bugs and such was rather easy. I did find the focus hunted a little bit more than my 500mm pf lens. Today was an overcast day and it was good to tryout the f6.3 to see how it would do. I was pleased with how much light I could capture but it still might be a problem in deep forest situations. As I was walking back to the cabin, all of the sudden a Red Tailed Hawk soared overhead. With little time to change settings, I snapped several decent (not spectacular) photos against the horribly bland gray/white sky. My keeper rate was not as many as I would like. By the end of the day, I decided to return this lens. There are a severals reasons for this decision and all are my personal preferences or issues. I'm posting them in case any may apply to someone else.
1) While I like having the zoom capabilities, I think I have become a prime snob (for all lenses except for my 70-200mm f2.8). I seem to be gravitating towards primes since I moved to mirrorless.
2) It may be my technique (which I'm sure comes into play) but photos are not as sharp as I would like.
3) But the biggest complaint from me is the weight. Being a little older and having arthritis, weight can be a challenge, especially since I like to handhold. I can comfortably handhold my 500mm pf for long periods of time but the 180-600mm is causing a lot of strain, making my hands even more shaky than they normally are (which is probably an issue in #2 above).
4) At times the lens was a little longer than my tiny hands can manage. The short throw is great but focus was a hair slow. When I moved my hand to manual focus for a stationary subject, the lens became front heavy making it harder for me to manage.
Things I like about this lens:
1) The price point is super, especially for the range you get.
2) Love the flexibility of having the zoom with this much range.
3) The throw to zoom in and out is easily managed. This is especially important for those of us with smaller hands.
4) Minimum focus distance is really good for this size of a lens.
I think overall this is a great lens, but it is more weight and length than I can manage handholding. It's a shame because I really loved the range and having a focal length of 600mm. Now I just have to decide if I can find the extra $$$ to get the 600mm pf.
1) While I like having the zoom capabilities, I think I have become a prime snob (for all lenses except for my 70-200mm f2.8). I seem to be gravitating towards primes since I moved to mirrorless.
2) It may be my technique (which I'm sure comes into play) but photos are not as sharp as I would like.
3) But the biggest complaint from me is the weight. Being a little older and having arthritis, weight can be a challenge, especially since I like to handhold. I can comfortably handhold my 500mm pf for long periods of time but the 180-600mm is causing a lot of strain, making my hands even more shaky than they normally are (which is probably an issue in #2 above).
4) At times the lens was a little longer than my tiny hands can manage. The short throw is great but focus was a hair slow. When I moved my hand to manual focus for a stationary subject, the lens became front heavy making it harder for me to manage.
Things I like about this lens:
1) The price point is super, especially for the range you get.
2) Love the flexibility of having the zoom with this much range.
3) The throw to zoom in and out is easily managed. This is especially important for those of us with smaller hands.
4) Minimum focus distance is really good for this size of a lens.
I think overall this is a great lens, but it is more weight and length than I can manage handholding. It's a shame because I really loved the range and having a focal length of 600mm. Now I just have to decide if I can find the extra $$$ to get the 600mm pf.
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maverick777
Member
I'm pretty sure it comes from the same place. It is called "field camouflage" with HineFilm.
It was 23 degrees F (-5C). We had a snowfall a few days prior to when this photo was taken. Fortunately, we've had a bit of a warm-up with 30 deg lows... Winter can come early in MN and when it does, it doesn't let go until late April or May.
bruce
I had forgotten there was a dedicated thread for the 180-600 and posted this sequence in it's own thread on Wildlife Presentations.
A selection of shots from a 34 shot sequence of an Osprey being harassed by a Magpie. The earlier shots cropped more than the latter shots, the last with little cropping. I only included the Magpie in the shots that had it close to the Osprey or the Magpie was not partly cut off.
Z9 + 180-600, all at 600mm f7.1 and 1/3200sec with various ISO's from 1400 to 3600.
A selection of shots from a 34 shot sequence of an Osprey being harassed by a Magpie. The earlier shots cropped more than the latter shots, the last with little cropping. I only included the Magpie in the shots that had it close to the Osprey or the Magpie was not partly cut off.
Z9 + 180-600, all at 600mm f7.1 and 1/3200sec with various ISO's from 1400 to 3600.
That wouldn’t surprise me either; thinking that AlphaGvrd is just a small company here in the US that resells and markets under their own name. Going to keep on eye out on Aliexpress from now on
We got our first snow on Halloween, but it didn’t stick. Thankfully, nothing but high-40’s for the next few days for us
Oldnintheway
Well-known member
How was the shipping experience? Did it come within the 14 days? It's actually a third of the price from what I find, deciding if I can wait that long.
maverick777
Member
Mine arrived in 10 days. I paid $28.
Oldnintheway
Well-known member
I signed up for emails so I got a 10% discount. It was $26.18
Thanks for the heads up! I was about to spend $79.99 with the other company. I've spent far too much money lately.
ajrmd
Well-known member
When I look at these images, they scream atmospherics. Yes, Zoom lenses are affected even more than primes in this circumstance and the images break down quicker if you crop. Filling the frame is critically important and the beetle image is a bit more representative of what I would expect from this lens. It is not a prime lens and your points regarding its weight are spot on. It is a couple hundred grams lighter than my 800 PF though it feels just as heavy. The 600 PF is a lightweight by comparison and I would buy one except most of my WL is at 800+ and I need a zoom to complement it. Though I just received the lens and was shooting it as the sun set, I had no problem with AF on small and large birds or static objects.
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ajrmd
Well-known member
Here are some examples from my 100-500 which is as sharp or maybe a tad better than the 186 demonstrating how atmospherics combined with distance are devastating...
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Super shots! This lens produces some razor sharp images. Well done LanceI had forgotten there was a dedicated thread for the 180-600 and posted this sequence in it's own thread on Wildlife Presentations.
A selection of shots from a 34 shot sequence of an Osprey being harassed by a Magpie. The earlier shots cropped more than the latter shots, the last with little cropping. I only included the Magpie in the shots that had it close to the Osprey or the Magpie was not partly cut off.
Z9 + 180-600, all at 600mm f7.1 and 1/3200sec with various ISO's from 1400 to 3600.
Thank you very much, Ralph. Much appreciated!Super shots! This lens produces some razor sharp images. Well done Lance
Patience and a lot of luck. Got a krestel just after take off. Tracking a kestrel is near impossible, at least for me.
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Thank you Ralph!! Always nice to see eagles!Awesome set!