Thanks for posting so quickly Steve. I'm drooling over this lens
Nikon 800PF Review For Wildlife Photographers (Official Discussion Thread)
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Ivy
New member
I know you were not able to do lens comparisons but wondered what your thoughts were on Z9 with 800PF vs Z9 with 500PF/1.4TC (which I have). I just got the Z9 and have read your AF mirrorless book plus Thom’s Z9. Both helpful. Ready to start setting it up tomorrow so I can try it out. I never tried the 500PF with a TC on my 850 but since AF better on Z9 maybe a good combo. Appreciate your input.
Calson
Well-known member
I have a Wimberley AP-555 foot on my 600mm f/4 which is the same as is used for the 400mm and 800mm f-mount lenses. Evidently the 400mm and 800mm S lenses will require a different foot - according to the people at B&H. So I have ordered a 150mm Desmond plate for the 800mm so I can use it on a tripod when it arrives.
Bad enough that Nikon does not provide a Arca-Swiss compatible foot in 2022 but to keep changing the lens so third party manufacturers have to retool is difficult to understand.
Bad enough that Nikon does not provide a Arca-Swiss compatible foot in 2022 but to keep changing the lens so third party manufacturers have to retool is difficult to understand.
DaveR
Active member
I believe Canon and Sony lenses all suffer from the lack of an Arca Swiss compatible foot just the same as Nikon lenses. This has never made sense to me as the first thing any photographer does is adapt their new lens foot for a Arca Swiss footing. I notice in Steve's review he had screwed a plate the the lens foot in order to get it on a tripod. It just baffles me.
I wonder if Steve asked the Nikon rep about it?
sid_19911991
Well-known member
interesting....
View attachment 35788
The Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3’s Unusual Price in Context
The consensus seems to be that Nikon’s newly-announced Z 800mm f/6.3 is selling for a good price at $6500. But that assessment only scratches the surface. In fact, for the focal length and aperture it offers, this is the least expensive exotic supertelephoto in Nikon’s recent history, by far.photographylife.com
Hmm, do you think the 800pf will drop another 500 usd in a year's time?
hrv
Well-known member
With current challenges in supply chain I would expect it more likely to go up because of demand, rather than down...
fcotterill
Well-known member
Judging from the pattern in recent years, Nikon has offered 'Specials' on Some of its high end telephotos.
This has even applied with the 180-400 TC and notably 500 PF.
But we can expect them to milk high demand initially.
It has been similar with the D850 and also high volume Pro lenses - this is how I bought a new 70-200 f2.8E on of Nikon's regional Specials, four years ago (one of my F-mounts that's here to stay
)
This has even applied with the 180-400 TC and notably 500 PF.
But we can expect them to milk high demand initially.
It has been similar with the D850 and also high volume Pro lenses - this is how I bought a new 70-200 f2.8E on of Nikon's regional Specials, four years ago (one of my F-mounts that's here to stay
)
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ChrisM
Well-known member
Well Nikon wanted me back after just recently switching to Sony for birding/wildlife, that much is clear.
For me the consideration is as follows: I have the A1+200-600mm, and was planning to add the 600GM to use with the 1.4TC for longer reach at 840mm f5.6. The 800PF gets me there save 40mm and a third of a stop, but saves me 6749,- (€13.499,- for the Sony 600GM + 549,- for the 1.4TC= 13.948,-, €7.299,- for the Nikon 800PF), ánd saves me 822gr of weight (Sony 600GM+1.4TC= 3040gr+167gr= 3207gr, Nikon 800PF=2385gr), ánd saves me the large size of the 600GM front element as well as length: 44,9cm for the Sony 600GM + 3,4cm for the 1.4TC= 48,3cm, 38,5cm for the 800PF= 9,8cm!
Adding all the above up, and taking in mind that I will have to spend €2500-€3500 on a dedicated Nikon ff body (Z6III or Z7III) when the vIII bodies come out probably later this year, everything still points me to the 800PF. I will keep the A1 + 200-600mm though, for BIF, for the wonderfull AF of the A1 and because the A1 is now my single standard body for all photography.
I hope the coming Z6III/Z7III will have the expeed 7 processor, and significantly enhanced AF, including BEAF. Nikon simply cannot force all wildlife/bird shooters to the Z9 by not providing an alternative.
For me the consideration is as follows: I have the A1+200-600mm, and was planning to add the 600GM to use with the 1.4TC for longer reach at 840mm f5.6. The 800PF gets me there save 40mm and a third of a stop, but saves me 6749,- (€13.499,- for the Sony 600GM + 549,- for the 1.4TC= 13.948,-, €7.299,- for the Nikon 800PF), ánd saves me 822gr of weight (Sony 600GM+1.4TC= 3040gr+167gr= 3207gr, Nikon 800PF=2385gr), ánd saves me the large size of the 600GM front element as well as length: 44,9cm for the Sony 600GM + 3,4cm for the 1.4TC= 48,3cm, 38,5cm for the 800PF= 9,8cm!
Adding all the above up, and taking in mind that I will have to spend €2500-€3500 on a dedicated Nikon ff body (Z6III or Z7III) when the vIII bodies come out probably later this year, everything still points me to the 800PF. I will keep the A1 + 200-600mm though, for BIF, for the wonderfull AF of the A1 and because the A1 is now my single standard body for all photography.
I hope the coming Z6III/Z7III will have the expeed 7 processor, and significantly enhanced AF, including BEAF. Nikon simply cannot force all wildlife/bird shooters to the Z9 by not providing an alternative.
RoyC
Active member
That A-S "Compatible" plate you refer to really does not exist. From my experience, RRS, Wimberley and Kirk pretty much, kind of, work interchangeably BUT that is about it. Now if only screw clamps are used that widens things but quick release clamps will fail when mixing and matching various brands. The angle and nose radius radius of the dovetail just varies by maker. Reason is that there never was, a standard.
These are A-S type not compatible and which clamps would work reliability with a Nikon foot?
Who is going to do the testing?
Who is going to be liable when they fail.
I think we can forget about there ever being a A-S Standard since the company that owns the name appears to not care about it.
From RRS site:
"
A NOTE ABOUT COMPATIBILITY
There are a number of companies that sell gear based on the Arca-Swiss dovetail rail. In addition to Really Right Stuff, companies such as Wimberley, Markins, AcraTech, Foba, Novoflex, and Kirk sell gear that is commonly marketed as "Arca-Swiss style" or "Arca-type" or "Arca-Swiss compatible. Arcs-Swiss has never published a standard, so we developed our own and distributed it within the industry. In general, most of this gear is cross-compatible (but many Novoflex plates do not fit our screw-knob style clamps). For example, a Really Right Stuff L-plate will work just fine with the quick-release clamp on your Markins ballhead. And your Wimberley lens plates will work great with any Really Right Stuff clamp and ballhead. An exception to this is our lever-release clamp."
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fcotterill
Well-known member
see further https://bcgforums.com/index.php?threads/why-arca-swiss.7731/
Jobu have lost the link to their article which warned that not all A-S plates and clamps are equal. Rather the article explained how the machining of parts in the many different factories does not follow any standard. Although a few N American brands do so; as I recall the specs of Acratech and Jobu are close to Kirk and RRS
Jobu have lost the link to their article which warned that not all A-S plates and clamps are equal. Rather the article explained how the machining of parts in the many different factories does not follow any standard. Although a few N American brands do so; as I recall the specs of Acratech and Jobu are close to Kirk and RRS
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I did and he didn't know either.
thelordofthelight
Well-known member
ChrisM
Well-known member
Steve, since you also have the Sony 600GM, do you have any preliminary thoughts on the Sony 600GM+1.4TC vs the 800PF? That is going to be a very interesting comparison.
Saint
Member
I would be interested in that comparison as well
One of of the reasons I try to stick with one company (RRS in my case) for plates and heads. I have the 800 on order, and I have ordered an RRS universal lens plate to attach to it.
Love that optimism, Steve!
I may. At the moment, I don't have time. I would like to get one (either from them or renting it) and so some comparison tests between the 800PF and the 400 with TCs - as well as a ton of other stuff. I have ideas for several videos that'll require me to have access to the 400 for a bit. One I really want to do is the 400 vs 600mm topic.
I'm interested in doing a full comparison for sure. I think the 800PF probably has an edge, but man, that TC on the Sony is almost invisible so I really don't know. I have a feeling it'll be close - probably one of those things where the 800PF gets it in the corners but both are about the same in the middle. Still, I jus don't know - that 800 is sharp.
Love that optimism, Steve!
ChrisM
Well-known member
Thanks, that 800PF is just too hard to resist, and almost too good to be true. But here it is, and I will be looking out for the comparisons in particular.
arbitrage
Well-known member
The one thing I like that Steve drilled home in this review is that the best you can ever do with any other way of getting to 800mm is f/5.6. Anyone criticizing f/6.3 should really re-evaluate that thought. 1/3 of a stop is just so meaningless in this day and age. With modern sensors and crazy good denoising programs I just can't ever see that being a reason to not buy this 800PF.
John Navitsky
Well-known member
I don't know if anyone noticed in Ricci's video, one of the photos noted 1/30s
That, and if you can afford the 1/3 stop in shutter speed for the subject, the VR in this lens can easily compensate for the reduction in speed on the photographer's end.
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i kinda feel like the syncro vr or whatever they're calling it, where the lens and ibis work together is one of the best kept secrets about the z9 system