Nikon 500 PF Problems ?

[Andrew Lamberson]

1/1000+ if I can get away with it, f/7.1, auto ISO, both with and without 1.4 TC. I have really bad shoulders so even holding my empty hands up to my eyes is not all that good! I even have to use my really good 10 x 80 binoculars on the monopod if I am going to use them for any extended time.

Besides, the monopod makes a good walking stick!!!

If it is a quick shot, hand-holding works "ok".

I put an extension tube on the 300 PF a few days ago to shoot a Crocus and handheld was not going to give me the results I wanted! I even went as far as to get the tripod with a gimble head out of the truck and use it. But I only had to walk around the house!

I am super fussy about "tack sharp".

I have noticed that the quality of the shot really drops at shutter speeds below 1/500 except on a tripod. I wonder if that is also true of the 500 PF ?

I know it's "technique" more than the camera, but physical issues can play a big role it the technique you have to use.

 

[kbklarry]

Hey everyone I upgraded from a Nikon 200 – 500 mm to the Nikon 500mm PF, because I never was impressed with the results of the 200–500 and because of personal reasons I dont have to much time to waste I upgraded to get the most of my picture as long as I still can photograph. So now I use the 500 PF on my Z6 but maybe I want to much or I got an bad copy of the lens. Would maybe some nice person look at the raws I uploaded in my dropbox and could tell me if they are sharp or not. I tried everthing tripod no tripod all vr modes and this is my normal sharpness I get. I hope someone will help me and look at them. I already say thank you for our help

Here is the link to the files:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I examined the duck closely and found that the depth of field was too shallow. As you can see in this crop, the further leg is much sharper than the closest one. The eye looks fairly sharp but the duck has tilted its head back bringing it more in to the focal plane of the further leg which also proves my point.

I would use the Show Focus Point plugin if you have Lightroom to show exactly where you were focusing your camera.

Also, were you using VR with your slow shutter speed of 1/250? Much of the duck does look a little soft.

Last comment is the image is overexposed in the white area of the bird where almost no feather detail is visible.

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[CharlieR]

I transitioned from the 200-500 to a 500 PF last December; overall I find it much sharper than my 200-500 and much faster to focus. I use it primarily on my D500 where focus speed is noticeably faster. I've used it a couple of times with my Z6 and if the subject is fairly static (still), it returns a great image. Focusing with the 500 PF on the Z6 is not nearly as fast as the D500. I normally shoot a lot of birds, and BIF, and my 500 PF has yielded many more 'keepers' for me than my 200-500. Here's a recent shot of a blue-winged teal in flight taken with my D500/500 PF.

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[kbklarry]

The OP's subjects were static so speed of focus was not a factor.

 

[RoyZ]

Most look reasonably sharp but I see some noise. Noise may make then appear somewhat soft. I did not see what ISO they were shot at.

 

[James C.]

If you are handholding, a technique that I learned decades ago in the days of film, was to make an "O" with my lips and breath out slowly while pressing the shutter button. This may help you to dampen subtle body motion that could show up as photographer-induced motion blur.

Also, get Topaz Labs' "Sharpen AI." There are three sharpening functions: "Sharpen," "Motion Blur," and "Focus."

 

[Terry Debono]

Hey everyone I upgraded from a Nikon 200 – 500 mm to the Nikon 500mm PF, because I never was impressed with the results of the 200–500 and because of personal reasons I don't have to much time to waste I upgraded to get the most of my picture as long as I still can photograph. So now I use the 500 PF on my Z6 but maybe I want to much or I got an bad copy of the lens. Would maybe some nice person look at the raws I uploaded in my dropbox and could tell me if they are sharp or not. I tried everything tripod no tripod all vr modes and this is my normal sharpness I get. I hope someone will help me and look at them. I already say thank you for our help

Here is the link to the files:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I have rented this lens before - and I am currently planning on buying it. You are not the first person to have been dissatisfied with it (although I loved the copy I rented) if you are familiar with Videographer Mark Smith - he had the same issue and returned his lens -

fwiw, I am going to buy this lens soon (I am tired of lugging/ struggling with my Nikkor 400mm F2.8 on country walks) and I will keep the 500PF it if I like it - or return it if unhappy... I really want to keep it. P.S. I looked at your images and I agree that they don't have the snap that I would expect - but this is only my opinion).

 

[David Wilson]

Just a thought, Have you tried Auto Focus Fine Tune? Manually tuning the lens to the camera body. Steve has an excellent video on how to do this!!! Also on you-tube you can find videos such as Dot-Tune which can help do this. I noticed a huge jump in the number of in focus shots after fine tuning.

 

[Joody]

I shoot mostly birds and when I put that single point focusing box on its eye I will almost always get a razor sharp image. But there are times where I don’t. There could be movement or the camera didn’t get a good lock. Any number of reasons. If you have doubts, read Steve’s book about how to test the lens. That should eliminate any doubts you may have. But truthfully from what I see it looks like it is fine.

Ralph, when you say " read Steve's book on how to test the lens", which book are you referring to? I just bought the lens to replace my 200-500 because of weight. I've only used the new lens once & am really happy with it. A bit confused with how to use the Memory Lock buttons. Does Steve have a good explanation of their function somewhere. Thanks Ralph......Judy

 

[Ralph]

Ralph, when you say " read Steve's book on how to test the lens", which book are you referring to? I just bought the lens to replace my 200-500 because of weight. I've only used the new lens once & am really happy with it. A bit confused with how to use the Memory Lock buttons. Does Steve have a good explanation of their function somewhere. Thanks Ralph......Judy

Hi Judy,
There is a chapter on Lens control in his book”Secrets to the Nikon Autofocus System DSLR version. It starts on page 245 and he goes through the functions of the switches found on Nikon lenses. He is very thorough. I hope that points you in the right direction. In reference to focus lock check out Page 270. You can lock the focus by pressing the button on the lens but if you do BackButton focusing you don’t need it. Memory recall explanation starts on page 263.

 

[wild-pics]

Looking at a shot of the bird, the focus point has jumped and its mostly outside the head as you were in VR normal (assumed that the original is uncropped). At around 8M distance the whole bird will not be in focus at f5.6. DOF at F5.6 is around 9 CM. The focus plane at the top head of the bird and rear leg appears ok. I would look at other settings before the lens as the lens appears ok.

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[Andrew Lamberson]

Here is my suggestion:

To test the lens (and increase your confidence in it, or the need to return it) I would "minimize all the variables".

On a bright sunny day, put an object with some detail on a table in the sun. Something with an "eye" like one of your wife's owl collectibles (I wonder how many of us fit that category? !) Stand back at the distance you think you would normally shoot at, that "fills the frame". We don't want to introduce the variable of cropping a picture!!!

Shoot on a tripod, hopefully with a remote or use the Nikon App (which is terrible) but it would work for this test. We want NO trigger bounce. .

Alternatively, you could use the Live view but even that has bounce. Set the camera for a delayed shutter trip if you don't do the remote.

I was shooting Bald Eagles way off at the top of a tree a few weeks ago on the HEAVY, solid tripod and even using the back Live View it bounced for about 2 seconds before the camera settled.

NO wind! Causes motion blur!

NO laughing, coughing, or farting....causes motion blur!

Shoot at 1/1000+ of a sec. at 3 different f/stops (6.3 7.1 and 8) for my D5000.

Auto ISO

Include the Exif data on the jpegs you post of the best and worse image.

On your BEST image, do a little Lightroom work using the brush for sharpening and include that image. Stick to just the feather details.

The good one(s) should be super.

If not, exchange the lens. If so....invest in a really good tripod and gimbal head!!!

We want NO motion blur, No diffraction due to a high f stop.

We can argue the "can you hand hold" later, once you have confidence in the lens.

Ok?

 

[Andrew Lamberson]

By the way, I did the above for my 200-500 when I was having issues with it. It wasn't the lens!

 

[pderumine]

Hi, I use the same 500 mm PF with a Nikon D5/D6. You pictures, all seem ok. Eventually you could increase the micro contrast in LR ou DxO to make them appear sharper. The surrounding atmosphere also has an influence on your RAW images. Also, I believe that DSLR Nikons cameras are Faster and thus Focus much quicker on moving animals than a Z7. I tried the Z7 on wildlife, but find my results are a lot softer and more difficult to handle then my D5. Z7 is excellent on live stage shows, since it is really silent. But on my bird photographies ( black Kites diving around) , I loose track of the moving bird a lot more than on a DSLR. I will upload a picture taken a day ago amongst many with my 500 mm
_DSC0010.NEF
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D6
Software: Ver.01.00
Date/Time: 2021-04-01 12:37:52
Exposure Time: 1/2000 sec
F Number: f/5.6
ISO Speed ratings: ISO 280
Exposure Program: Shutter priority
Metering Mode: Center weighted average
Exposure Bias: 1 EV
Flash: No flash
Focal Length: 500 mm
35mm Equivalent: 500 mm
Lens Model: AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
Handheld camera
Raw adjusted with a simple program called "Fastone", I haven't yet developed my raws in LR Classic as I usually do.

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