200-500f5.6 Priced Under $1,400: Are You Excited?

DaveyJ

I second Msmoto's comment. I find often in the filed shooting wildlife with longer lens that I almost need a second camera with a wider lens as wildlife does not stand still. Sometimes they get pretty close and then a 500mm fixed lens is not very useful. Still I personally wish the 80-400 new Nikkor lens wasn't so expensive. I used to consider that price lens affordable. My use of the 16-80 Nikkor says right now it is my Go To lens. Nice though to have a longer rig available for the moment an eagle sails by but gives you long enough to pick up the longer rig and get a decent shot. The 200-500 I am certain now would meet my expectations.

DaveyJ

reference above is to field shooting not filed....where is the edit key now???

spraynpray

I think it will beat your expectations Davey as it appears sharper than the 80-400 and the 300 f4!

Ironheart

reference above is to field shooting not filed....where is the edit key now???

If you mouse over your comment, you will see a little gear. Click on that.

haroldp

There are 3 tiers of size that matter to me

1 - I can fit it into an airline secondary carry on bag. 80 -400G is about the limit for this.

2- I can hand hold it. hopefully the new 200-500 / 5.6 fits in.

3- I must tripod it. Both 200-400 / 4 and 400 / 2.8 fit this, which is why I only use the 200-400 / 4 for theater work. If I need reach, since I tripod both of them, the 400 / 2.8 usually gets the nod.

kanuck

As this new 200-500/5.6 is interesting to me for the compactness (relative to 400/2.8) and price, I can only suggest this is a great addition to the Nikkor line-up.

Also, the same lens as an f/3.5 would be very expensive I would guess... in the >$10,000 range.

+1 no question about it I am really glad (and surprised) Nikon has added this lens to their lineup. Perhaps they should work more often with 3rd party companies to produce great new products like this. I believe it was Tamron that they worked together on this with.

spraynpray

Not so excited to read that there are ALREADY quality issues with it tho. ~X(

Photobug

I hate seeing quality issues and now yet another issue from Nikon. See the main blog about this new 200-500 5.6 lens.

This sure looks like minimal prototype testing and bad QC in-process testing. How could they overlook something this easy. Been a Nikon user since 1969 and it just ticks me off when I see this on new products. Read between the lines and it sure looks like Nikon is rushing new products to market to increase sales and not releasing well tested products.

My D7100 and D750 have all had Nikon recalls/service bulletins and the 300 F4 had an issue so I waited for 3 months to flush out any other issues and now it's been 4 months since I ordered the lens and Adorama has no idea when they will get more in stock. :-S

proudgeek

Trying to remember the last time a Nikon product came to market without an issue like this. Maybe I'm naive, but I would think that this kind of thing should be avoidable.

Although I will say that the higher end E lenses appear to be immune.

BVS

Although I will say that the higher end E lenses appear to be immune.

I would hope that people who buy exotics get a higher level of service than just a service advisory, like a personal email/phone call followed up by a technician showing up at the door and fixing it on the spot or something.

pictureted

I got my lens in the first batch from B&H and it is far beyond the serial number listed. I wonder how many lenses are effected? Not many I'd imagine.

Ironheart

Well, it is serial numbers less than 2008365, so I'd bet 8365 have issues. That is probably a fraction of the number of lenses How far beyond is your serial number? I would guess they have made 100,000's of these lenses so far...

pictureted

That first digit is 6 on mine, not 2, so I believe it signifies something other than simple quantity.

Ironheart

The 6 as first digit is usually reserved for USA only models of lenses. Perhaps none of them have the problem. Anyone else have serial numbers for comparison?

kanuck

Yes, this is very disconcerting although the way things have been going with Japan since the earthquake disaster I am not surprised...http://nikonrumors.com/2015/10/06/some-nikkor-200-500mm-f5-6e-ed-vr-lenses-have-af-issue-must-be-sent-back-to-nikon-for-service.aspx/#more-98465

heartyfisher

Doesnt sound that bad .. not as bad as what the blog commenters are saying....

So it goes to manual mode "sometimes" but immediately goes back to af mode the next time you want to af. Now if the "sometimes is closer to "everytime" then it would get annoying but if the "sometimes" is closer to "rarely" then you just "miss focus" once in a while... if it was "rarely" I could easily see this escaping QC...

Anyway, I dont think many people AF while zooming... I dont think I have ever done it. So it wont ever have effected me.

snakebunk

Is there anyway to update the firmware on Nikon lenses, like you can do with Sigma lenses using the USB dock? If not I think Nikon should consider it, it is not very fun to have to send back your brand new lense.

kanuck

Yes looks like it would need to be sent back yikes!

"We have confirmed that with autofocus shooting using the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens, autofocus may sometimes become disabled and focus operation switches to manual focus* when the zoom ring on the lens is rotated while the camera's shutter-release button is pressed halfway, or the camera's AF-ON button is held down.

*Autofocus operation can be restored by pressing the camera's shutter-release button halfway again, or pressing the camera's AF-ON button again.

To address the occurrence of this, we will implement a service for updating AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens firmware.

Updating lens firmware
Those who would like to have their AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR firmware updated may take or send their lens to a Nikon authorised service center, where the firmware will be updated free of charge."



Read more on NikonRumors.com: http://nikonrumors.com/2015/10/06/some-nikkor-200-500mm-f5-6e-ed-vr-lenses-have-af-issue-must-be-sent-back-to-nikon-for-service.aspx/#ixzz3ntHUMSBj

CEBlueclouds

Can someone please help! What exactly does less than 2008365 mean. Can we safely assume that all US lenses starting with 600xxxx do not require any firmware update. My lens purchased in the us has a Serial no 6005xxx so wondering...

CEBlueclouds

No presently in the US but lens should be with me by today...or tomorrow

donaldejose

Mine, purchased from Amazon in the US, also starts with US 6005XXX.

spraynpray

Surely the question must be, if you do what the notification says causes the AF to switch off, does it still work?

Ironheart

The Nikon USA site has a URL to put your serial number in. I have played around with it and several serial numbers that start with 6 indicate they need to be upgraded. Note this is a US only site:
https://support.nikonusa.com/app/Firm_200_500/sn

Also the USA press release doesn't list any serial number as "good" it just says to go to the above site.

EDIT: Serial number 6000001 says it needs to be updated according to the above site

CEBlueclouds

Thanks for the link Ironheart.... Checked and yes mine needs to be returned....problem is lens presently waiting for me in the uk! Anyway first movers loss... Would try it out when in my hands and take it from there...

CEBlueclouds

But very poor by Nikon...very poor!