Nikon 400 tc v 600 tc for weight and handheld use.

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TonyBrown

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Reluctantly I have sold my Nikon 600mm f4E lens. It was just too heavy and I always had to use it with a Gimbeal head on a monopod or tripod for my wildlife photography. Looking at a replacement I have been impressed by the weight of the Sony 600 G Master that seems handhodable Ona Sony A, but that would mean a significant change of gear. My Nikon options are the 400mm f2.8 tc or the 600mm f4 tc. My preference is for the 400 to get f2.8, but I cannot trial these lenses in the UK. So my question is are they handhodable for reasonable periods or do they also need some support.
 
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Have you compared the weight of your old 600mm E relative to both the Z 400 f2.8 TC and the Z 600 TC? That should give you a good idea since you found the 600mm E much too heavy.
 
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Sony lists the 600GM weight as 6.7lbs. The Nikon 400/2.8TC is 6.5lbs. The Nikon 600TC is 7.2lbs.

So if you think the Sony is handhold able for you then the Nikon 400TC will be also. The 600TC may not be. But it is hard to know.
I handhold my 600GM all the time but I also used to handhold the Canon 600/4 IS II which is similar weight to your Nikon 600E FL.

Even though the latest 400 and 600 lenses are significantly lighter than the last generation, they are still heavy and still can be too much for many. If you have access to borrow a Sony 600 or one of the latest Canon 400 or 600 lenses at least that would give you some idea if the Nikon 400TC would be light enough to get you away from the mono/tripod.
 
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Screenshot 2023-06-15 at 14.47.48.png
 
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Butlerkid said:
Have you compared the weight of your old 600mm E relative to both the Z 400 f2.8 TC and the Z 600 TC? That should give you a good idea since you found the 600mm E much too heavy.
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They are both lighter. However, without being able to try the new lenses it’s difficult to judge how handhodable they are. Also the balance of the lens has a bearing on ease of use.
 
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TonyBrown said:
Reluctantly I have sold my Nikon 600mm f4E lens. It was just too heavy and I always had to use it with a Gimbeal head on a monopod or tripod for my wildlife photography. Looking at a replacement I have been impressed by the weight of the Sony 600 G Master that seems handhodable Ona Sony A, but that would mean a significant change of gear. My Nikon options are the 400mm f2.8 tc or the 600mm f4 tc. My preference is for the 400 to get f2.8, but I cannot trial these lenses in the UK. So my question is are they handhodable for reasonable periods or do they also need some support.
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You could rent them for a weekend. The newer Nikon TC lens are better balanced
 
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I have the 600/4 TC and for me it’s handholdable. Last weekend I spent 3 days shooting at least 90% of the time handheld. The new 600/4 TC balances really well with the Z9 and not front heavy as the older lenses.
But what’s handholdable for me may not be to others though.
 
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I hand hold the 400/2.8 TC all the time with not much of an issue. Not saying I can hold it up for a half hour but 10-15min at a time is not an issue. I had a 600 f4 G lens and that was a tank, I could hold it to take a few shots only.
 
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thelordofthelight said:
Yes. I was using a 500 F4 FL and now use 400 S so to me both are hand holdable. 400 S has a slight advantage because with the 500 FL the FTZ slightly pushes the weight forward and this becomes slightly worse when you add a TC on top of the FTZ.
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How does the 400 perform. I’m looking to get one as a more usable lens than the 600. 400mm for use in hides, when 600mm would be too long and 560 for longer reach with the possibility of adding an external tc. I have heard that it performs well with a 2x’s at 800 f5.6. Would’ve interested to get your feedback.
 
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gdecamp said:
I hand hold the 400/2.8 TC all the time with not much of an issue. Not saying I can hold it up for a half hour but 10-15min at a time is not an issue. I had a 600 f4 G lens and that was a tank, I could hold it to take a few shots only.
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I am thinking of getting the 400 as a more usable/versatile lens than the 600. 400mm for use in hides, when 600mm would be too long and 560 for longer reach with the possibility of adding an external tc. I have heard that it performs well with a 2x’s at 800 f5.6. Would’ve interested to get your feedback.
 
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TonyBrown said:
I am thinking of getting the 400 as a more usable/versatile lens than the 600. 400mm for use in hides, when 600mm would be too long and 560 for longer reach with the possibility of adding an external tc. I have heard that it performs well with a 2x’s at 800 f5.6. Would’ve interested to get your feedback.
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There are other threads on this -- plus my own testing SEE - for shots and test shots with every combination of TC combination of TC possible.

Summary it is exceptional, and so is the 600/4/TC. It is your use case that should determine which of these tools work best for you. Similar album with the 600/4 TC
 
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Andy Miller Photo UK said:
There are other threads on this -- plus my own testing SEE - for shots and test shots with every combination of TC combination of TC possible.

Summary it is exceptional, and so is the 600/4/TC. It is your use case that should determine which of these tools work best for you. Similar album with the 600/4 TC
Click to expand...
Thank you for making it possible to zoom in at 100% and allow everyone to make their own judgement.
 
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Andy Miller Photo UK said:
Any problems you find are entirely the USER and not the gear.
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What I meant is we often see pictures at web size to judge prosummer or prime lenses, when 100% size is needed for that.
I would really like to be able to see more images at 100% to make my own judgment. (the best comparison would even be with images without sharpness added).
But it's very rare to have this opportunity.
Or maybe I don't know where to search. I'm talking about real images, not labo tests.
And I'm from a country where it is impossible to rent those long lenses.
 
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TonyBrown said:
I am thinking of getting the 400 as a more usable/versatile lens than the 600. 400mm for use in hides, when 600mm would be too long and 560 for longer reach with the possibility of adding an external tc. I have heard that it performs well with a 2x’s at 800 f5.6. Would’ve interested to get your feedback.
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I use internal TC with an additional TC1.4X and yes it works great! I also have an 800pf so if I know I will be using 800 most of the time I will bring that instead but I have no problem using the 400 with the internal and external TC it gives me images that are very very good! If I don't know how far away my subjects will be I take the 400TC and the external TC1.4x that way I have everything from 400-800 covered! I would say if you know most of your subjects will be at the 800mm end I would get that, it's lighter and almost as fast! If you have subjects from 400-800 get the 400TC it's the best lens I've ever had!
 
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gdecamp said:
I use internal TC with an additional TC1.4X and yes it works great! I also have an 800pf so if I know I will be using 800 most of the time I will bring that instead but I have no problem using the 400 with the internal and external TC it gives me images that are very very good! If I don't know how far away my subjects will be I take the 400TC and the external TC1.4x that way I have everything from 400-800 covered! I would say if you know most of your subjects will be at the 800mm end I would get that, it's lighter and almost as fast! If you have subjects from 400-800 get the 400TC it's the best lens I've ever had!
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Thank you. That’s really helpful. I have made my mind up on the 400tc
 
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TonyBrown said:
Reluctantly I have sold my Nikon 600mm f4E lens. It was just too heavy and I always had to use it with a Gimbeal head on a monopod or tripod for my wildlife photography. Looking at a replacement I have been impressed by the weight of the Sony 600 G Master that seems handhodable Ona Sony A, but that would mean a significant change of gear. My Nikon options are the 400mm f2.8 tc or the 600mm f4 tc. My preference is for the 400 to get f2.8, but I cannot trial these lenses in the UK. So my question is are they handhodable for reasonable periods or do they also need some support.
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I Havé thé Z600 tc and I use it most of the time handhold. I am 1.63 m and I weight 55 kilos and I don’t have issue handholding it. And it balances well on the hands
 
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As being a Nikon shooter from origin , I made a step to Sony , because at that time the 600 GM was the lightest big lens in 600 mm.The point of gravity of the lens plays a role as well.For the 600 GM , it is more towards the camera , which makes it much easier to lift the lens in action.I don't know if the new Nikon 600/4 has the same advantage but this it at least as important as the weight itself
 
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