what next-Nikon 100-400 f4.5-5.8 or ????

[Eternal Camper]

So, Good afternoon to One & All!

I have been a Nikon shooter for most of my life. When I sold my D850 & all of my lens that went with that system, I was confident that I was going to go to Sony, as I had met with a few Sony reps, was able to get a BIG reduction if I switch from Nikon, and decided that was my next st\ep! Spent a lot Time deciding which body, and choosing 3 lenses, it was an exhilarating time, but when I went to my Camera store to put down my $$$$, I just could not switch, so I got myself a Z9 with the following Nikon lenses; Z 4-30 f4, Z 24-70 f2.8, Z 70-200 f2.8, and have over the past year or so got the following used lenses; Z 85 f1.8, Z 105 f2.8 macro, and the 24-120 f4.

About 6 months ago I decided to trade my 70-200 as I really felt it was too heavy with my Z9 body, so ended up getting g the new Tamron Z 35-150 f2-2.8, which was a little heavy her than my 70-200, which as I look back I feel that that's a HUGE mistake, but I assume we all make mistakes in our need to get "just another lens" for my collection.

I am retired so I love to go out shooting with a few buddies, and am always looking to improve my shooting. I love to shoot people, and for past 10 summers I am a camp photographer, including this past summer, where I probably shot about 38,000 pics, putting up many of them on the camp website so parents can see their children daily. Actually, I guess my most used lens this past summer was my Tamron!

I also like to shoot landscapes, street, or whatever each day will bring when I venture out with some friends from either a photo club where I belong or some buddies I have met over past number off years that love photography as much, or more than myself!

I have found a very clean used Nikon Z 100-400 locally, but was wondering if anyone out there who is reading this has been in a similar situation, has some similar experience like me, and has an idea to suggest where I should be looking at this time!! I have made arrangements with the seller of the 100-400 that I would pick up the lens on Monday, so I need your advice ASAP!!

Looking forward to reading your suggestions very soon!!

Stephen

 

[BillW]

I have the Z 70-200 and the Z 100-400 and several other Z mount lenses.

The 70-200 and 100-400 are about the same size and weight. In fact, I think the 100-400 is a couple of ounces heavier. Both are very good lenses.

If I am shooting landscapes or people, I tend to take the 70-200. Or perhaps a prime (85 f1.8, 105 or 135). If you occasionally need 400 mm, the 70-200 takes the Z 2x TC pretty well. I used that combo on a couple of wildlife trips before the 100-400 came out. The 70-200 gives you f2.8 for low light.

If I am shooting wildlife, I usually take the Z 100-400 before the 70-200, unless I want f2.8 for low light. (And when I take either lens for wildlife, I usually have a longer lens along too.) The 100-400 has a nice close focusing distance and is thus quite useful for small subjects like butterflies, dragonflies and frogs. I like the 100-400 a lot and used it on a recent trip to Botswana on my Z8 with the Z 400 mm TC on my Z9. The 100-400 takes the 1.4x TC pretty well, although you lose a stop of aperture. I suspect, but have not tested, that the 70-200 is a bit better optically in the overlapping focal lengths. And the 100-400 is a bit better at 400 than the 70-200 with the 2x TC. I know one professional photographer who often uses the 100-400 on landscapes (he also does wildlife work). And if I recall, the Canadian wildlife photographer Brad Hill sold his Z 70-200 when he got the 100-400 (he now uses the Tamron 100-500 for the light zoom role).

Given the amount of wildlife work I do, if I could have only one of the two lenses, I'd probably pick the 100-400. If I did more people and landscape work, I'd probably pick the 70-200.

As to the Tamron, several people used it on my Botswana trip, including one of the leaders, as a second lens with a longer lens on another body. They seemed to like it. If it was a mistake for you, perhaps sell it and get more what you want.

 

[Nimi]

Alternate take: if you shoot mostly people, consider the 50/1.2. Neither light nor cheap, but an incredible lens with a very useful field of view.