No better place to get advice than to reach out to the thousands of viewers/photographers on this channel that have years of experience with gear that I may be interested in. Plus I follow many of the viewers/photographers on Instagram and other platforms, I've been out in the field with a lot of the guys that watch this channel. I trust them. So...Yes. people suggested I go for it and I did. Thanks for your concern.
I think someone once said, “there’s no free lunch”…never a truer phrase when it comes to photography. However, that one-stop loss of light I think is an acceptable trade-off for what the 500 mm PF otherwise gives us. I recently added one too and have been thrilled with it in my limited shooting with it so far. Congrats on adding to your kit. Methinks you’re gonna have some fun when that Z9 arrives. Thanks as always, Josh.
A 5-minute commute is the greatest gift you can give yourself ever. Congrats! I am very much looking forward to your Z9 videos. I suspect you'll love it. And thanks for your comments on the 500mm PF, and thanks for putting the slowish max aperture of the lens in some context. And great photos!
Been shooting this lens for two years now. Absolutely love it. It pairs excellently with Z bodies. I was looking at a 500 f4 (not the FL version) the other day but the idea of a lens that weighs three times as much is not appealing. So I'm keeping the PF and going for the z9 with the idea of a compact high powered package.
@@BayouJosh Just my 2 cents but with the higher megapixel body you will need that F4 more than with the Z6. The tighter pixel pitch will give you noise issues which get magnified when you crop. I have an A9 and A7R4, the A9 can cleanly go to 6400 which helps with the fast shutter speeds, the A7R4 I wont shoot over 1600. The Z9 may be clean to 2000 but I will bet at 3200 when you crop an image you will see it. You can run Topaz(robs a little sharpness) which helps but the Z6 and F4 will still have a big advantage
@@longrider9551 Or you could just put the Z9 into crop mode, giving app 21 m pixels at 750mm with the 500pf when in low light situations , yes there is an initial greater expence with a higher megapixel camera but you end up esentially with 2 cameras in one.
@@stephentaylor6328 Yes, that is true but it still doesn't change the fact that you comparing a 5.6 verse and F4 lens and losing that stop alight. Maybe critical if you're shooting early in the morning or late in the afternoon. In those situations the z6 will give you a cleaner file because of the pixel pitch. When you try to shoot in bad light with a crop camera or a high megapixel full frame camera, the noise can get magnified really badly there is a website called photons to photos and the fella is a Harvard professor. He analyzes just about every camera for noise levels first ISO. It's a very good reference to it
I have a Nikon 500mm f 4 G lens that weighs 8.6 POUNDS. It is super sharp with unbelievably good contrast for little warblers. I use it exclusively during spring migration when I am mostly shooting from my truck window or on a tripod in a blind. I also have an 80-400 f4.5/5.6 lens that I use for EVERYTHING else. It is so handy and so versatile. I'll be 80 years old in a couple of months and I can't walk around with a monster lens, regardless of it's qualities and advantages. But I can walk around quite well and shoot handheld with the 80-400. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far and the image quality is quite good for flowers, birds and insects.
Getting a Nikon z9 will have another advantage... An awesome creator like yourself will share his experience with us... Helping us with our decisions as well... Stay blessed...
Congrats on the new lens and new camera body. Like you I took the plunge on both lens and body. Great review. With these new systems, you can make up for that lost stop of light in post-processing. Keep up the great content.
@@BayouJosh you deserve it if you believe you do. The way I see it, you seem to be a hard working person who will do what it takes to provide for the family. Achieving that is worth more than its weight in gold. You definitely do deserve it. Keep up the great work good sir.
Wow, Josh! Splurging, huh? A new house, Z9, and 500 PF. I pre-ordered the Z9 as well. I have the Z6 II and Z7 II. I believe, the Z9 is what all Nikon shooters are waiting for a Nikon mirrorless. Looking forward to the next generation of non-flagship Nikon mirrorless so that enthusiasts and prosumers with no deep pockets could experience most of the Z9 tech. Cheers!
Congrats on the new lens and on the decision to go ahead and order the Z9. I have thought about getting the 500mm PF numerous times to replace my 400mm f2.8 but always come back to the reason I bought the 400mm in the first place, shooting at dusk. When shooting with my 150-600 f6.3 I missed a lot of shots when birds were coming in to roost just after sunset. With the faster lens I can capture them almost to dark with the f2.8 prime. It is a hassle to haul around though and best suited for blind shooting rather than carrying around on hikes. Enjoy the new lens, and hopefully we will all see our Z9 orders come in soon!
Every single person that has bought the Canon 600 or 800 f11 disagrees with you. They, Toneh and Lady Toneh says your a fool for spending the extra coin on your short reach f2.8 GAS lens. LMAO. I am not one of them.
So glad to hear you took the plunge and ordered up the Z9- It's going to pair up beautifully with that 500PF. I look forward to comparing notes whenever my Z9 finally arrives in my hands. As for that PF, I'm sure your shoulders and back are thanking you for the purchase. I look forward to your upcoming videos with the new gear. Take care, Josh!
Congrats on the new purchases. I'm really looking forward to seeing your results with the z9. I think your going to love the mobility that the nikon 500 pf will give you. I don't own one yet, but want one! 🙂. I use the tamron 150-600 G2 and love stalking wildlife. Getting really close and getting the shot gives me a buzz. Great video as always 👍
Hello Josh, congrats for the Z9 and the 500PF. You will love this combo! Thank you for your videos, they are inspiring. Take care and be safe. Best regards Johannes
You won’t regret with the 500 MM PF lens .. it has incredible image quality. D500/D850 with this lens is super awesome combo for wildlife .. and now with Z9 it will be out of the park. Congratulations 🎉🍾
congratulations, this is a great lens. I use it on my nikon d500. i love it. you are going to enjoy it for the great quality and the freedom of mooving around with it.
I love my 500pf. My favorite lens currently . You can handhold it and hike for miles. It Works well with the 1.4 iii teleconverter also. I also have the 300pf and it is excellent too. Enjoy your new kit!
Great lens. I use it on my D850. Love the freedom of handholding everywhere. Have fun. PS. You’re absolutely right about the limitations at max 5.6. It can struggle in early morning, late evening light.
Congrats on the new gear, Josh! And looking forward to seeing your experience with flying birds using a Z9! Hopefully, it'll help you never miss a shot again!
Portability has a quality all its own. Given the high ISO performance of the Z9 and Z6II cameras I think you made a good choice that will help compensate for the loss of the f-stop. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of your new gear when you've had a chance to use it for awhile.
I can hike all day with my D500 paired with the 500 PF lens. I also own the 300 f/4 PF which is even lighter and able to capture subjects in lower light situations. But the 500 PF is the best option for photographing smaller birds.
Another great Video Josh. funny you did this after recommending this lens to me. glad you did at least makes it easier to know what it's like. Thanks Again and keep it up
WTG Josh, you are going to love the 500 PF it is an incredible lens and works well with a 1.4X teleconverter. I would recommend that you replace the tripod foot, there has been some incidents where it has come loose and the lens lands on the ground. Steve Perry actually made note of it when he did his review of the 500PF. I replaced mine with one made by Hejnar Photo and I highly recommend their product, it comes with the QR socket as well. I also recommend the 300mm PF, it is also an incredible lens and also takes the 1.4 and 1.7 teleconverters really well. Enjoy your new kit and I look forward to seeing the results.
Yay, I am so happy for you! I cannot wait to see your pretty images and videos with the new lens and the z9. You deserve to have the best to match your awesome photography. Oh yes, a 5 minute commute over a 35 minute commute! Happy for ya!
I have been using this since last year with D850 and its just amazing light weight everything you need for a walk around combo , looking forward to get my Z9 :)
Congratulations on your purchases. I have also ordered the z9 which will be my first flagship camera. Certainly looking forward to it and moving into the mirrorless environment. Really enjoy your videos as they have a "down to earth approach". Thanks and Cheers fro Australia.
Hi Josh, This video just popped up in my "Recommended to watch" list. Been so long since i saw one of your videos. I used to really enjoy your videos on bird photography. I hope you and your wife are both well and it would be great to see you back here on RU-vid.
The 500pf is a great choice. Using the same with the z6ii. And congratulations on the decision to get the Z9. This will help me a lot once I get mine 😁. Looking forward to your videos and especially images with it!
I hope your an NPS member and you ordered it priority, otherwise I doubt you’ll see the Z9 this year. Congrats on the kit upgrades, looking forward to the content.
Congratulations on the 500PF, I've had one for about two years now. Absolutely love it. Amazing image quality. The only issue with the copy that I have is that dang cheaply made lens hood. So hard to twist off it's frustrating. Other folks I know who have it, their's works fine. First world problem I know. The 500PF saved the day for me on a recent trip to Grand teton National Park when my tripod leg twist lock broke. I can't handhold my 600mm f/4 long enough to make properly exposed images... basically it's a spay and pray situation. Enjoy your knew kit!
Bro i am super excited for you. Ive always said upgrade only when you're being limited. I hope the unpacking goes well and the new home is a blessing. Cheers, man.
@@BayouJosh yeah that is definitely helpful in commuting. The less you're traveling for work and more you're home with family and.....birds....the better. 😃
I have a 600/4 which i use on a tripod. I also have the 200-500 /5.6 and the 500/5'6 PF and as you found these lens are the perfect "Walk around Lens" I especially like them when I walk on the beaches. I live on Long Island NY so I do a lot of my shooting at the beach.
Glad to hear you bought the lens. I have been shooting with it since it came out. The light weight and maneuverability really allow for more opportunities out in the field. The extra stop is not a hinderance with modern high end bodies, in fact I use it almost exclusively with the the 1.4x TC.....shooting F8...! The autofocus still locks in fast and reliably. Looking forward to marrying it up with the Z9.....mine is on order as well. Have fun out there....!
I've had this lens since the end of 2018. Amazing lens. My only gripe is that you get odd flaring if you shoot at certain angles into direct sunlight. I feel like it's a condition related to the PF design as it also occurs with the 300pf.
You got some really nice images with your 500pf. As others have commented on I also am looking forward to see how you get on with the Z9, hope you don't have too long to wait for it.
I have had this lens since its introduction and it is by far my favorite lens. Now get yourself a Black Rapid strap, really great for this camera. Makes this a great walk in the wood lens.
Hey Josh, I always enjoy the calm pace of your videos. I'm not a fan of 'review' or 'unboxing' vids, but when I'm at that point of deliberating whether or not to splash out on a new camera or lens, I invariably find yourself watching as many as possible! I've been using the 200-500 on my D500 for a few years now, and I've been mostly very happy with it. But I'm getting itchy for the 500pf. Anyway, after watching a number of review videos from all of those I trust most in these instances (Steve Perry, Mark Smith and yourself), I reckon you've helped me decide. Thanks!
Great to hear that you pre-ordered the Z9 and got a lighter lens. Hope and trust you’ll enjoy them. I just got my first monopod gimbal combo this week. Today I left it in the trunk just to find I really needed it😏
Hey Josh glad to see you picked up the Nikon 500 mm PF. I just want to warn you about the sensitivity of the tripod mount release on the tripod mount. I items 26, 27, and 28 in the user’s information document. I do not use a camera strap and have been caring my cameras using the tripod collar mount on the 500. The third day after receiving my Z9, I was out testing it with a 2X teleconverter mounted to my 500 using an FTX II adapter. I was carrying my camera and lens by the tripod collar, because I was using the 2X teleconverter the additional length and/or weight caused an imbalance, which caused my hand to make contact with the tripod release which resulted in the both camera and body hitting the ground. Broke the FTZ II adapter but camera, lens, and teleconverter seem to have survived. Good luck I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing your adventures.
I’m ordering the Z9 too! Can’t wait!! I have the 500pf and 600 f/4 e. I currently shoot with the D850 body and the 500pf more because of flexibility. I’m surprised you made the change but since you sold the home that extra cash had to go somewhere!! LOL! Glad you’ did it!! Awesome!!
Glad to see that you worked out your needs! I have shot Canon my whole pro life since 1983 and always had the Series 1 cameras but when we went digital , I have never even used full frame because I always had the same thought processes that you had in the last video, in that , what I had (APSC) works for me! The Z9 is the first full frame mirrorless camera that rocks my boat, so I am waiting for mine to arrive anytime! To ease the wait I have bought the f2.8 holy trinity and 105 macro!😎
If I enjoy using it, that coming 400 2.8 with extender has my name on it! This is the advantage of not submitting to GAS all these years, I have saved up for my dream kit that never came until now!😂
I’ve just bought my second PF lens having sold my first lens to help fund the purchase of a 400mm f/2.8 VR but I knew I’d regret it, having such a small, tack sharp super telephoto to walk round with. So with my Z9 on order, I’ve basically gone fully mirrorless (apart from keeping the 400mm and my 300mm f/2.8 lenses) and purchased my new 500mm PF. Looking forward to reacquainting myself with it this weekend on my Z7 ii.
I own this lens and it is awesome piece of equipment. Packed it already few times to my carry on lugage. It is also great option if you want to use portable hide and you have lot of gear to transport for a longer time in the difficult terrain. I'm sure you will love it!
Just read an article that Boise recently shot to number one in the country for home prices! New house, new body, new lens… you’re pocketbook must be crying, lol. Kidding aside, love the channel and congrats on everything! And great choice… I switched brands and the 500PF was the one thing that really hard to part with 😢
Hi from the UK. Great lens you'll love it, using mine with the d500 and Z50 for a couple of years! Watch the tripod foot, mine came loose, luckily I noticed it and screwed the 4 very small screws up tight again. If you remove the foot you'll see them. I know other people including Steve Perry who have had the same issue! That apart it's a belter!! Cheers David
Over the past few years my standard set-up has been the 600+TC on the tripod over my shoulder, and a second camera + 500PF on a black rapid strap. It's nice because you can walk away from your tripod without removing your camera when you see something else happening and still have a lot of reach.
@@BayouJosh 3 days after I received my D6 it fell off the black rapid strap and had to be repaired. For the record, it still worked fine, but the upper panel had cracked. I was not using the safety tether like I should have. Moral of the story - use the safety tether if you get a black rapid strap.
I bought a 500PF not long ago, and I love it. I use it a lot with a monopod and Wimberley Sidekick. You mentioned shooting at 1/100s in low light. Don't forget that you now have a fantastic VR system that was not on your 600F4. I've also had good experience using a 1.4x teleconverter on the Z6 II.
How’s the weather been? We have hardly any snow and 55 degree weather in Montana. It certainly has me concerned!! Woooooooo that 500 PF!!! I actually have my money saved for that bad boy!! Nearly pulled the trigger on that sucker during the sale! Doing my best to see what that 200-600 is gonna look like or that 800 mm incoming for the z mount. Congrats on the z9 pre order! Exciting times!!
Congratulations on the new toys and house. How awesome. You can always sell one of your vehicles to get that F2.8 I did a similar thing sorta. I ordered the 100-500 for my mirrorless body. It was due to arrive yesterday, but Canon and Fed Ex are 2 of the top disappointments in life. Not sure when I will get it? Dont forget to shoot Comet Leonard! Take care.
Congrats Josh, been shooting my 500pf for about 5 months now and loving every second of its image quality and portability. Good choice, can’t wait to see how the z9 works with it. That’ll be my next….BTW, wanna sell the 600 f4? 😉
Excited for you Josh and look forward to seeing more on both the 500mm and the Z9. My go to set up is the R5 with the Canon 100-400 L version 2. I love the flexibility of a compact set up and it looks like you're going in that direction. I use a Lucky Camera Strap that mounts to the camera with the left side camera loop and an arc plate that has a loop for a strap and it positions the camera at my hip like a six shooter. Extremely comfortable to hike with and my camera is always at the ready for those unexpected moments. Take care and look forward to some more adventures.
Jim - I do a similar setup with a Blackrapid side sling for my Sony 200-600. Lets me handhold while out shooting birds. I will use a tripod on occasion, but just prefer the freedom on handheld
@@LeeDillion Hi Lee, I think the only time I use a tripod is if I'm shooting landscape and need to extend shutter time. Just watching guys carrying big lenses and tripods makes my back ache :) Wishing you good light and abundant birds!
Woohoo...nothing like new gear to get your shooting juices goin! I had the Canon 400 5.6 on a 7D2 and it was a great combo. Still is! I think I subscribe to Jeremy's channel...if I do not I will.
Thank you my friend. I’ll definitely put a link to that mono pod. Not exactly recommending it yet. I have to put it through its paces. Kind of cumbersome so far.
You better check your invoice. It's already been three years! :D Late 2018 was possible to (pre)order, but the availabilty was bad and getting one of these lenses was like winning in lottery. :)
I used the older manual 150 - 600 mm nikon with my nikon camera d800 and the results are verey good. Thanks for u chanal.hope u are doing well with very good nikon lens.
Love the 500 pf great walk around set up, just watch the tripod foot some have had problems with foot coming adrift while carrying it by the foot with camera and lens ending up on the floor, changed mine for a Wimberley , no problem with it. Hope we will see you use the 105 z mc. Great channel thanks Josh
