The Nikon 200-500/5.6 is a budget gem

[O]

Got my paws on a 200-500 over the weekend to test out! Borrowed it from a colleage.

Lens is pretty heavy, within a few grams of my 800PF actually.

AF can be described as "leisurely" if it needs to make big moves, I also think the zoom ring has too much throw on it, you really gotta crank it. That said, optically it's really not terrible for the price. Combined with a Z50II, I think it's a pretty great deal if you can find one used. 700mm equivalent for under $2000, with the shutter speeds afforded by f/5.6? I can think of worse places to be! Outside of maybe tracking cheetahs, I really can't imagine much you couldn't do with this.

Detail rendering and backgrounds really remind me of the 400/4.5Z w/ 1.4TC (at least around the center). I'm not sure I would want to attempt a 1.4TC on this. At that point, I think this lens would have a tough time rendering detail at anything wider than f/11.

Optically speaking, when it's stopped down to f/7.1-ish, I'd say in the real world this lens is just as good as the Canon RF 100-500L. Except that Canon can't open up to 5.6 ;-)

Is the 180-600/6.3 better? For sure. Definitely an ergonomic improvement, but it's also quite a bit more expensive. All in all I'm pretty impressed with what this tank could do, even if it's really heavy for what it is.

View attachment 105017

Like any Tool the 200-500 is only as good as the person using it.

The difference for myself between the 180-600 and the 200-500 is there, but i wouldn't say its massive, in my case i have a very good 200-500 copy, and that can be the case with all products.
I haven't found the difference to not be worth of selling and buying.

New, I paid years ago when it was released only $1300 - $1290 AUD or about $800USD, then the price jumped and jumped. It’s a tool that does very well what is needed, in fact its excellent. Yes its heavy but I always use a ultra-light mono pod anyway.


Only an opinion

 

[O]

A couple recent shots taken near my bird feeders with my newly acquired D500 and the 200-500mm.

Excellent

 

[O]

Got my paws on a 200-500 over the weekend to test out! Borrowed it from a colleage.

Lens is pretty heavy, within a few grams of my 800PF actually.

AF can be described as "leisurely" if it needs to make big moves, I also think the zoom ring has too much throw on it, you really gotta crank it. That said, optically it's really not terrible for the price. Combined with a Z50II, I think it's a pretty great deal if you can find one used. 700mm equivalent for under $2000, with the shutter speeds afforded by f/5.6? I can think of worse places to be! Outside of maybe tracking cheetahs, I really can't imagine much you couldn't do with this.

Detail rendering and backgrounds really remind me of the 400/4.5Z w/ 1.4TC (at least around the center). I'm not sure I would want to attempt a 1.4TC on this. At that point, I think this lens would have a tough time rendering detail at anything wider than f/11.

Optically speaking, when it's stopped down to f/7.1-ish, I'd say in the real world this lens is just as good as the Canon RF 100-500L. Except that Canon can't open up to 5.6 ;-)

Is the 180-600/6.3 better? For sure. Definitely an ergonomic improvement, but it's also quite a bit more expensive. All in all I'm pretty impressed with what this tank could do, even if it's really heavy for what it is.

View attachment 105017

Try a used bargain priced D850 on the 200-500, it will possibly change your world beyond expectations.

 

[Photo Yakin']

Really great pictures in excellent quality! I absolutely love the one in the snow.

Thank You, your shots look great as well.

 

[Agustin]

The 200-500 has an excellent VR module according to my experience...yes, it's rather heavy so one cannot handhold it for long times but with a Black Rapid strap it is possible to walk without problems. The real problems with this lens are two: the AF is on the slow side and the zoom ring requires an extensive rotation on going from 200 to 500, so it results not the best one for fast action. I used it with my D7500 with excellent results static and slow moving subjects. I like it, but I have added to my bag a second hand 500PF, which is a lot of lighter and focuses much faster...and is sharper from the center to the corners...but all comes at a price....for the price the 200-500 has, I consider it more than a very good lens....and a zoom gives you the flexibility a fixed lens can't provide....

 

[DavidOPhoto]

I bought my 200-500 about a year ago after renting it and I don't regret it for a second. There may be newer and better setups, but a swear that I will die carrying my D500 and this lens.

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[O]

I bought my 200-500 about a year ago after renting it and I don't regret it for a second. There may be newer and better setups, but a swear that I will die carrying my D500 and this lens.

View attachment 105384

Excellent, this is what i meant about the tool is only as good as the user, this an exquisite demonstration reflecting what can be achieved.

I have no regrets with mine, and i use the 400 F2.8 - 600 F4 exotics from time to time.
The biggest issue i hear from people with the 200-500 is the long zoom throw, it’s too long and slow to zoom in and out on a moving subject.

I modified my lens to use as a push pull when needed, that solved problem, it also made the lens so good as i could lock onto a subject and keep it super tight in the frame constantly, this also helped so much with enabling the focus to stay on point, simple.

I wouldn't recommend doing this to any 200-500 lens unless your prepared to take the risk of potential damage.

Used their so cheap to buy now.

Only an opinion

 

[DougC]

There were some bad copies when it first hit the market but after that it was, without a doubt, the best bang for the buck Nikon ever produced. Yes, it is heavy and a bit slow in the AF department when compared to the latest offerings but for the price, it couldn’t be beat.

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[O]

There were some bad copies when it first hit the market but after that it was, without a doubt, the best bang for the buck Nikon ever produced. Yes, it is heavy and a bit slow in the AF department when compared to the latest offerings but for the price, it couldn’t be beat.

View attachment 105389

And the problem with the 200-500 is ?????????????

Its sharp, has great colour, it has a 2.5 to one magnification ratio.

My 200-500 just delivered be it on a DF, D850, Z8, Z9.

 

[Abinoone]

The 200-500 f5.6 is an outstanding lens, and best in class in my opinion. When I acquired mine 6 years ago, I did a detailed comparison to its Sigma and Tamron counterparts (rentals), and found the Nikon to be superior in almost every way, except of course reach. Some might say that I'm an old fossil and perhaps not a "serious" wildlife photographer (I would argue otherwise, at least the non serious label ), but I still use my 200-500 on a D850 as my primary wildlife combination. It performs well, except for AF speed and in low light situations, and I really like having the flexibility of a zoom in the field. There are better super telephoto lenses to be sure (e.g. 600 f4), but at significantly higher prices and increased weights, neither aspects of which are appealing to me. I've often considered buying a 500 f5.6 PF, or transitioning to mirrorless and replacing the 200-500 with a 180-600, but that is an expensive proposition, and I'm not convinced that making the change would necessarily make me a better photographer and/or substantially increase my enjoyment of shooting in the field.

 

[viper699]

I owned the 200-500, great lens except for its known issues. No regrets selling it for the 180-600.

The biggest issue i hear from people with the 200-500 is the long zoom throw, it’s too long and slow to zoom in and out on a moving subject.

And that was my biggest pet peeve about it, too many revolutions, too slow on focus.

 

[Photo Yakin']

Well, I'm feeling pretty bummed out right now. About a month ago, my 200-500's VR seemed to not be working. I messed around with the VR On/Off switch and the Normal/Active switch and the lens started working fine again. I chalked it up to maybe a bit of corrosion on the switch contacts and thought things were all good again, until today when I went out to photograph some birds at my feeders. Messing with the switches sometimes will make it activate, only to deactivate almost immediately. Sometimes while shooting (VR switch on) it will randomly activate/deactivate while shooting.

I've just completed my repair request with Nikon to ship it in and get it repaired. This will be my first ever non-warranty repair with them. I've only ever had to use Nikon repair one other time way back in 2011 when I had to send them a Nikon D3100 for warranty repair and it was gone for over three months. Hoping it's a fairly quick turn around and that it doesn't cost me as much as I paid for it (used).

 

[DougC]

Well, I'm feeling pretty bummed out right now. About a month ago, my 200-500's VR seemed to not be working. I messed around with the VR On/Off switch and the Normal/Active switch and the lens started working fine again. I chalked it up to maybe a bit of corrosion on the switch contacts and thought things were all good again, until today when I went out to photograph some birds at my feeders. Messing with the switches sometimes will make it activate, only to deactivate almost immediately. Sometimes while shooting (VR switch on) it will randomly activate/deactivate while shooting.

I've just completed my repair request with Nikon to ship it in and get it repaired. This will be my first ever non-warranty repair with them. I've only ever had to use Nikon repair one other time way back in 2011 when I had to send them a Nikon D3100 for warranty repair and it was gone for over three months. Hoping it's a fairly quick turn around and that it doesn't cost me as much as I paid for it (used).

I’d get an estimate as Nikon repairs are notoriously expensive. You might be able to get a used lens for less than the cost of repairs.

 

[Photo Yakin']

I’d get an estimate as Nikon repairs are notoriously expensive. You might be able to get a used lens for less than the cost of repairs.

I'm sending it off to them to get the estimate first and go from there. 200-500mm lenses on KEH are sitting in the $800-$900 range right now which is actually slightly higher than I paid about a year and a half ago.

Even if the repair costs are higher than I'm expecting I'm leaning more towards paying for the repair as the lens would be completely refreshed by Nikon to factory specs and would hopefully be like a new lens when it returns to me.

 

[Oosty]

I also enjoy the D500 200-500 combination. Much as I'm tempted to go to the latest my usage is limited and at 80 field trips are curtailed. In South African game reserves one is constrained by the requirement to stay in a vehicle and safaris to more exotic locations are beyond my budget.
My latest addiction is dragonflies and damselflies which are easily accesible.
The two below are with the D500 200-500 combo.

 

[O]

I owned the 200-500, great lens except for its known issues. No regrets selling it for the 180-600.


And that was my biggest pet peeve about it, too many revolutions, too slow on focus.

That's why i modified mine and made it safe to be a push pull as well, i use the zoom ring normally mostly but if i need to move quick i just push pull the lens and i have a tight frame to follow any thing be it wild life, surfing sports.
In its standard condition its detrimental to push pull, it will damage the lens.

 

[DougC]

I'm sending it off to them to get the estimate first and go from there. 200-500mm lenses on KEH are sitting in the $800-$900 range right now which is actually slightly higher than I paid about a year and a half ago.

Even if the repair costs are higher than I'm expecting I'm leaning more towards paing for the repair as the lens would be completely refreshed by Nikon to factory specs and would hopefully be like a new lens when it returns to me.

Check Fred Miranda or other reliable sites if you need a replacement. I’ve seen them as low as $500.00.

 

[Patrick M]

I too had the 200-500 but traded it when moved away from DSLRs.
I’ve got the z180-600 and while the weight is about the same (1) it’s optimised for the Z sensor (2) it’s got those great buttons and control ring (3) it’s an internal zoom, so doesn’t extend and get unbalanced like the f 200-500 and finally (4) the throw, the amount you turn from nearest to farthest, is only about 75° versus more than a full turn.

 

[Photo Yakin']

Check Fred Miranda or other reliable sites if you need a replacement. I’ve seen them as low as $500.00.

I'm more inclined to have Nikon fix my current one as I'm confident it will be repaired/refreshed to factory new specs before being returned to me. If I ever have to buy a replacement for it, I'm much more at ease ordering from a retailer like KEH or MPB due to their exchange and warranty policies. Have been burned a few times on items going through private forums and/or eBay and I simply do not want the hassle.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I'm more inclined to have Nikon fix my current one as I'm confident it will be repaired/refreshed to factory new specs before being returned to me. If I ever have to buy a replacement for it, I'm much more at ease ordering from a retailer like KEH or MPB due to their exchange and warranty policies. Have been burned a few times on items going through private forums and/or eBay and I simply do not want the hassle.

Good Luck

 

[Mark_Laidlaw]

There were some bad copies when it first hit the market but after that it was, without a doubt, the best bang for the buck Nikon ever produced. Yes, it is heavy and a bit slow in the AF department when compared to the latest offerings but for the price, it couldn’t be beat.

View attachment 105389

That's an insane looking bird!

 

[Nasos Kosmas]

Well, I'm feeling pretty bummed out right now. About a month ago, my 200-500's VR seemed to not be working. I messed around with the VR On/Off switch and the Normal/Active switch and the lens started working fine again. I chalked it up to maybe a bit of corrosion on the switch contacts and thought things were all good again, until today when I went out to photograph some birds at my feeders. Messing with the switches sometimes will make it activate, only to deactivate almost immediately. Sometimes while shooting (VR switch on) it will randomly activate/deactivate while shooting.

I've just completed my repair request with Nikon to ship it in and get it repaired. This will be my first ever non-warranty repair with them. I've only ever had to use Nikon repair one other time way back in 2011 when I had to send them a Nikon D3100 for warranty repair and it was gone for over three months. Hoping it's a fairly quick turn around and that it doesn't cost me as much as I paid for it (used).

I had the same issue with my 200-500 and made this simple fix: remove the lens from the camera and move the VR on-of switch from On to Off and back several times (20-30)
This will help to move corrosion from the conducts and work again normally.
This is happen mostly on a lens that is sitting on a shelf for a long time not used.
This lens was moderate used when I bought so a not so good copy, I used it for about two years with great success helping me a lot to start with wildlife photography
Later on I sold it to have the excellent 500 pf mainly because of the weight/ bulk difference and now I mostly use 180-600 as a new toy, losing again this difference..

 

[DBalaur]

Still very much my workhouse the last 3 years and in the near future. I don't think Nikon really cheap out on the optics, so corners were cut on the AF motor and the physical shell. My copy is physically good, but its external faults are apparent: the foot collar cannot be fully tightened and the internal barrel has jammed once... half a year out of warranty. The jamming is a well-documented phenomenon because of a fault screw design, and your ability to DIY repair depends on how extended the barrel is when it gets jammed.

To its credit though, it admirably survived a severe drop in Minneapolis a few months ago that was entirely my fault. The only consequence is that the zoom barrel is quite stiff now, but that just means I need to use it more like a prime these days.

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[Roaring 40s]

Yes it is.
The Australian army used some as rangefinders. They didn't cope with the rough treatment but that was off-label use.

 

[DougC]

That's an insane looking bird!

They are very common in south Texas and expanding their range northward every year. Crested Caracara, a member of the falcon family.