Using Nikon 600mm f4E FL ED VR AF-S Lens with Z9 and Z8. Advice please or opt for Z 600PF?

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Roy said:
I still use the 600mm f4 AFS but its heavy and I'd trade it for a 600 PF in a minute - except I paid a small ransom for it ... 🦘
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Sunk cost. You will never get your money back and the lens will only go down in value so may be best to bite the bullet, hold your nose, and accept your lose and then enjoy the 600 PF
 
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Nature Files said:
I've had plenty of experience with long glass, and I'll stick by my statement that you can hold a heavier lens more steady than a lighter one. I'm not talking about for minutes at a time, but more like picking the lens up, finding target, and snapping several bursts...so like 20 to 30 seconds. Obviously, your arm will wear out sooner with f/4 glass over long durations, but I'm specifically talking about quick bursts.
I do a fair amount of archery shooting, so I know that weight makes a huge difference in how 'shaky' we tend to be when aiming. A lighter bow at full draw will always tend to be more erratic when aiming than a heavier bow in my experience. Weight displacement also has a huge role as you'll notice when watching Olympic archers and their long weighted stabilizers.
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Could it be that's why Leica in the old days before IBIS made their cameras out of a solid brass ingot
so it weighs a tonne in order to provide better stabilization hand held ?

I to find i can hand hold the Z9 with a 70-200 fl more stable than if the lens was on a D7100 or Df.
In fact i always use a light mono pod stick where and whenever possible, and at times i shorten it right up, have it attached to the lens foot so i can in its shortened state angle it slightly forward, it adds to stabilization, much like the stabilizers on a Bow.

"Enhanced Balance: Bow stabilizers add weight to the front end of the bow, improving its balance and reducing the tendency for the bow to tip forward during the aiming process. This added stability helps archers hold steady while aiming and executing their shots"
Of course 3 D tracking and IBIS kicks in here in many cases but not all situations are practical.

Larger lenses or even lighter lenses with frequency of use determines muscle toning and memory and of course strength but that's drilling down a little too far.

As people age often weight and stabilization becomes progressively a greater issue.
I am lucky I can use a Z9 with a 24-70 2.8 G hand held with one hand on an extended arm and nail what i need easily if want to as i have a very strong grip and good strength so it’s not an issue.
My unloading the Z9 for a Z8 hopefully soon a Z7III is due to not only doing different things now but mainly reducing cumulative weight for when doing 4 or 5 day hikes or extended traveling, its the overall weight and size that is the consideration for now, till things chnage again LOL.

As to the 600 F4 FL versus the 600 F5.6 PF, the decision is best made using before buying, so rent first, if the rental company is competitive they will offset the rental against the purchase price anyway.

The 600 F5.6 PF is optically in good light somewhat on the heels of the 600 TC version, again a question is if you shoot mostly all at F7.1 or F10 then its the F6.3 PF is a no brainier, if you’re like me and shoot only at F2.8 on a 300mm prime or F4 no more than F5.6 on a 600 F4 then your only consideration is size and weight.

Its all very personal, the newer cameras are moving from 5 stops to 8 stops IBIS, and low light focus from 3 stops to 5 stops, meaning ISO outcomes on a 600 PF should with slower shutter speeds needed actually narrow the gap to teh F4 around the ISO demand, so its Bokah at F4 that is now on the table, all these things will become tangibly clear using before buying...........

Money is like the rain it comes and goes, Time doesn't.

Only an opinion
 
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Nature Files said:
I've had plenty of experience with long glass, and I'll stick by my statement that you can hold a heavier lens more steady than a lighter one. I'm not talking about for minutes at a time, but more like picking the lens up, finding target, and snapping several bursts...so like 20 to 30 seconds. Obviously, your arm will wear out sooner with f/4 glass over long durations, but I'm specifically talking about quick bursts.
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What a ridiculous statement!
 
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Whiskeyman said:
I hear you, but I haven't done so well. Real estate has killed me.
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Here in OZ we have a unique system with real estate.
Understand it, do it right and you can create very good wealth.

I promote to the young kids still going school when they ask how to get financially rich, i say,

Work hard, be honest, pay your taxes..........

a) become financially literate
b) you can only create your own financial wealth in this country with real estate or your own business.
c) if you put your money in the hands of an institution they will make the money with your money and maybe pay you a pittance of what they earn, if they loose money it will be often at your expense.
d) with the stock market, if you cant afford to loose don't gamble.

30% of people here own their homes outright, 30% have a large mortgage, 30% are permanent renters.

When i say real estate it can be niche domestic or especially quality industrial units.

Get all this right and you can afford all the camera gear you want, but note, Digital products suffer massive depreciation LOL.

Only an opinion
 
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