Z 180-600 Setup

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hike2photo

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My first long telephoto (previously used my D300s with 300 f/4 AF-S) and have general user questions:

1. I was offered an expensive UV filter when I purchased lens as "cheap" protection insurance, but declined as seems counterproductive to put a piece of glass in front of good glass and have never previously used a UV filter - do use circular polarizer and ND filters on occasion. Wondering what's thought on UV filters on telephoto lenses?
2. I had control ring set to exposure compensation, but since I'm currently mostly shooting handheld I found I too frequently unknowingly nudged it and messed up exposure so now have it simply disabled, what if any setting are being used for control ring?
3. Have not set up lens Fn button, seems like could be useful and wondering how users are setting this.
4. Along previous line, on Z8, are there any camera Fn button settings find useful specially for wildlife custom shooting banks I should consider.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Matt
 
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1. I don't bother.

2. Manual focus, and leave it there.

3. Recall focus distance, but I don't even use it. I find it not usable most of the time when shooting handheld.

4. It really depends on how you have your camera set up. Steve has great videos to get you started on the subject
 
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1. I don't use filters routinely on my telephoto lenses. I fid the lens hood (that I always have on) protects the lens against small knocks. Loke you I would worry that adding a filter might degrade image quality.
2. I had my control ring on the 100-400 set to apperture control but like you kept changing it accidentally so it's now disabled :)
3. I've not set up my lens Fn button mainly because I've never felt the need to.
4. I have a Z9 and have set the three function buttons beside the lens mount to change focus areas (as I think was suggested by Steve in one of his books).
 
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A UV filer is useful at a salt water environment to protect from salt spray and sand. Otherwise not so much. However I always have the lens hood on to protect the front element from sticks, bumps, etc.

I shoot manual exposure and have the control ring set for ISO. Works for me, but I’ve trained myself not to bump it… Disabling it is certainly a viable option.
 
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I'd set your on lens control ring for manual focusing, in some situations being able to manually adjust your focus will help with quicker autofocusing and target acquisition. I have my on camera body function buttons set to quickly cycle through my preferred focus areas, others to quickly swap to a specific one and then one to swap between DX and FX image area instead of having to crop in post.
 
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I have the control ring set to manual focus, but also find it's easily unintentionally activated when shooting hand held. I've thought about disabling it but it is handy to have when needed. I have focus peaking on-red, so i know immediately if I've nudged it. FN1 & FN2 set to AF area and subject detection as per Steve's instruction. That's all I can remember(barely) to use efficiently.
 
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I will leave questions 2-4 for users who are more proficient than I. However, for question 1, see these threads on the topic:

UV filters for protection?

I've always used a UV filter on non-telephoto glass but I just received a 24-70 2.8 and thinking of not filtering anymore. I feel that when paying for good glass, maybe I shouldn't put a filter unless I plan on roughing it. I've used hoya in the past and I don't see a difference, but to be fair...
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UV Filter

My Nikon 180-600mm lens has arrived and so far I’m loving it. My question has to do with using a UV filter as protection for the front element. I currently use Urth filters for my other lenses, but I am not tied to Urth. Are Urth Plus filters quality filters, or am I better off getting a...
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Steve Perry - UV Filters

Question: Do you use UV filters on your lens?
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Use of UV Filters

The question is are they any good with todays DSLRS.And the ND Filters I have been advised to buy a 10 stop and to be honest forgive me being a dummy Novice would appreciate advice thankyou
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1. I use a protection filter on my 100-400 Nikon but do not bother with the 180-600
2. I not use any other function on any of those control rings on any lens
3. So many options, so many choices. I have a function button to have a single AF point for instance, a recall function button for BIF, ... Steve is a firm believer of having DX/FX on one of the function buttons, ... It shall really boil down to you own style of shooting.
4. I do not use banks for the reason these settings are stored on a memory card. Second, I shoot almost exclusively wildlife and do not bother with different settings.
 
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1. I don't personally use UV filters for the same reason you mentioned.
2. Similar to others I set my control ring to manual focus as I sometimes need to pull back on focus to get camera to stop focusing on something.
3. Like others I don't use lens FN right now. I just haven't found a need for it yet. I don't photograph animals/birds as much as others do so that could be part of it.
4. I use a Z9 and have my three funtions buttons set to FX/DX toggle, Toggle through auto focus boxes, and starlight mode. 1 and 3 have been the same for a while but I have changed Function 2 a few times as new functionality has come out.
If you are anything like me it will take you a while to get camera set up and even then you will probably tweak things and you discover new functionality. There is so much to these cameras.
 
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hike2photo said:
My first long telephoto (previously used my D300s with 300 f/4 AF-S) and have general user questions:

1. I was offered an expensive UV filter when I purchased lens as "cheap" protection insurance, but declined as seems counterproductive to put a piece of glass in front of good glass and have never previously used a UV filter - do use circular polarizer and ND filters on occasion. Wondering what's thought on UV filters on telephoto lenses?
2. I had control ring set to exposure compensation, but since I'm currently mostly shooting handheld I found I too frequently unknowingly nudged it and messed up exposure so now have it simply disabled, what if any setting are being used for control ring?
3. Have not set up lens Fn button, seems like could be useful and wondering how users are setting this.
4. Along previous line, on Z8, are there any camera Fn button settings find useful specially for wildlife custom shooting banks I should consider.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Matt
Click to expand...
I don't have the 180-600 lens. Of the long lenses, I have a 400 mm F2.8 TC VR S-line and a 600 mm F4 TC VR S-line.
1)Unless you are in the mountains, at sea or in areas with very transparent atmosphere, UV filter is not needed. If you hit the lens, it won't save you from the impact. Yes, the lens will not be damaged, but the electronic and mechanical components will suffer. In addition, it leads to a decrease in sharpness and contrast.
2) it is better to disable the ring. Considering that the settings are very easy to confuse, it is better to leave them disabled. It would be unpleasant to miss the moment when trying to adjust a parameter. And I'm tired of programming buttons. The function is useful, but when shooting, you start to go over in your head what functions are assigned in this or that mode.
3)I'm a professional photographer. I shoot for magazines, television, hold photo exhibitions. I shoot portraits, erotica, sports, animalistics. Developed a professional habit and solutions for specific tasks. Perhaps my style will not suit you at all. I on these buttons assigned the following top button Fn (front side, where the Nikon logo) on/off mute shooting, buttons L Fn 2 under the thumb, Fn 3 under the index finger - bank menu shooting mammals / birds with presets. L Fn4 (bottom button) under the little finger - forced disabling of autofocus detection on eyes, faces, animal faces, etc. On other lenses I have other functions assigned 70-200 f2.8 S - for portraits and erotica, etc. According to this logic of assigning functions.
4) Any programmable buttons can be adapted to any shooting style with a narrow profile. It's all down to your imagination and the settings you want to keep at your fingertips. The main thing is the desire and time to set it all up and use it. You also need time to work on the settings and change them or add/remove them.
 
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hike2photo said:
My first long telephoto (previously used my D300s with 300 f/4 AF-S) and have general user questions:

1. I was offered an expensive UV filter when I purchased lens as "cheap" protection insurance, but declined as seems counterproductive to put a piece of glass in front of good glass and have never previously used a UV filter - do use circular polarizer and ND filters on occasion. Wondering what's thought on UV filters on telephoto lenses?
Click to expand...
Perhaps there was an attempt to con you by a dishonest sales person who did not know what/she was talking about!
One reason why this type of filter is expensive is the markup is usually a few hundred percent.
Sometimes a retailer can make more money selling an expensive filter than on selling the lens!
UV filters work by cutting out some short wavelength violet and some blue colour gamut - and can affect colour gamut accuracy.
Most lenses incorporate UV filtration to get accurate colour in the cement used to bind single elements into groups, and most digital sensors incorporate similar UV filtration.
There seems absolutely no sensible reason except perhaps when shooting at an altitude above about 12,000 feet for adding a further UV adjustment - though instead you can adjust in post if you regularly shoot above about 12,000 feet.
If you choose to "protect" the front element with "more glass" a clear filter that does not reduce colour gamut such as Nikon NC or equivalent is appropriate.
If you had been offered a clear filter instead of a close to useless for digital UV in my opinion the retailer would carry more credibility.
Unlike good insurance a front filter does not provide any financial compensation for dropping and breaking a lens, theft et cetera.
Decent insurance on this lens could be available if you are not a professional for about $30 a year
 
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I feel as you do about uv filter. I use the lens fn button for swtching from fx to dx, and the control ring for manual focus as sometimes the lense needs help getting to the general distance area in order to lock on focus. The z9 fn buttons to 1. focus mode shifting, 2. shift to large focus area, 3. exposure lock and 4. playback. I find these to be my most frequently used functions that need to be quickly adjusted.
 
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I would just be aware that depending upon your shooting style and how you hold the body and lens, there is a possibility that you can inadvertently hit the fn button on the lens, and then engage, unknowingly at the time, whatever function you have set.

I had set the fn button to shift between fx and dx mode. Unfortunately, I did not realize how easy it was (for me anyway) to accidently press the fn button without knowing I had done so. This resulted in a switch to dx mode for what would have otherwise been some really good shots. I then switched to virtual horizon, not because that is a great feature on a telephoto lens, but to see how often and easy it was for me to accidently hit the fn button without doing any harm to the shots. It was easy and often. So now I just disable the fn button. YMMV. Ken
 
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1). No filters as mentioned by others.
2). Disabled focus ring on lens after inadvertently bumping it too many times.
3) fn on lens used for FX/DX switch. It works great for sports and wildlife. My favorite and most used option on the entire camera/lens setup!
 
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