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The Nikon 500mm f/4E FL ED VR has an MFD of 11.9 ft (3.6m), and the Nikon 500 PF lens stands at 3m (9.8ft). This difference tremendously impacts the versatility and usefulness of the Nikon 200-500 in the field if you can get very close to your subjects.
Above from left to right: Nikon 80-400mm + 200-500mm, Sigma 150-600mm Sports + Contemporary, Tamron 150-600mm
Using the Lens for Portrait Photography
The ∞-6m position prevents the lens from autofocusing closer than 6 meters (20 feet). Use this setting only if you're having a problem with the lens attempting to focus on irrelevant close items, or if for some reason the lens is "hunting" from near to far looking for distant subjects.
Still, you need to set up the camera correctly. After experimenting with different AF modes, I concluded that Dynamic Area was the best fit for my shooting style. This is where you choose a single focusing point that you prefer, and the camera uses surrounding focus points to help keep the target in focus as it moves. If not, use these values in Photoshop's Lens Distortion tool to remove the distortion. These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data. On my F6 (2004) and F5 (1996), AF, VR, 3D Matrix Metering and auto exposure modes all work perfectly, except that the only auto or manual aperture setting available is f/5.6. Otherwise the finder displays and everything works perfectly. A 150-600mm zoom like the Sigma 150-600mm “Contemporary” shown below covers a 4x zoom range. It captures a 25% wider vista on the short end and reaches 20% further than the Nikon at the long end. Longer teleconverters can severely impact autofocus accuracy! Also, because teleconverters effectively increase the focal length of a lens, there is also the added problem of the longer focal length – one has to know how to handle such issues as atmospheric haze, camera shake (see article on reciprocal rule), image stabilization and proper camera + lens handling. In short, the longer the lens, the more the potential problems. NIKON D750 + 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, ISO 1250, 1/1000, f/8.0At 5.07 pounds (2.3 kg), the Nikon 200-500mm is not the lightest telephoto lens on the market, but its weight is reasonable, given its capabilities. For those accustomed to shooting with prime lenses like the Nikon 300mm f/2.8, this lens will feel relatively light. However, if you're used to lenses such as the 70-300mm or the 300mm PF, the Nikon 200-500mm will undoubtedly feel heavier in comparison. Measuring 10.5 inches (267.5mm) long at 200mm and extending to 15.5 inches (393.7mm) at 500mm, the Nikon 200-500mm is relatively compact for its focal range. Note: While lens sharpness is important for wildlife photography, your technique often plays a more significant role in achieving sharp results. Whether you use a tripod or employ good hand-holding techniques can make a difference in your photographs, sometimes more so than the lens itself. What camera body will you use them on? I have generally used the 80-400 AF-S on a D500. The cropped sensor in that case means you are generally using the best part of the lens.
Lighter: At only 1440 g (3.17 lbs), the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S is nearly half the weight of the Nikon 200-500, making it easier to carry for longer periods. I did a subsequent trip to Costa Rica and took the 200-500 instead, as I felt that there, the longer focal length would be more valuable and we were not walking/hiking as much. It is impressive that Nikon was able to come up with a constant aperture lens design for such a long zoom lens. Lenses of similar class we have seen in the past from Tamron ( SP 200-500mm f/5-5.3 Di LD) and Sigma ( 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM), as well as the newer 150-600mm variants, all have variable apertures from short to long end of the range (f/5 to f/6.3), so the Nikkor 200-500mm is the first of its kind. The 80-400 is an entirely different lens. More compact in both size and weight, it covers a much more extended and versatile range, especially if you are shooting some animalscape or telephoto landscape shots. In addition, it is easier to carry and maneuver, (making it easier for you, the photographer, to be mobile) but loses out in absolute reach. It is a great one lens solution for a long hike, or other excursion/trip where photography is not the primary objective, but if an opportunity presents itself you still want to have top quality gear.I have both lenses and generally agree with Warren and Eric. At 400 mm, the 200-500 is sharper. The 80-400 focuses faster and is easier to carry and maneuver with. Both are good lenses and I have photos taken with each that I like a lot. Otherwise I'd use a German brass 95mm B+W 010 UV MRC filter or Japanese aluminum 95mm Hoya EVO UV to protect this lens. Both have special dirt, dust and smudge resistant multicoatings to stay cleaner longer, so it's your choice of brass or aluminum. The 95mm Hoya HMC filter is also superb, but doesn't have the fancy crud-resistant coatings. In my field and lab tests, I found the vibration reduction of the Nikon 200-500mm VR to be very effective. The lens provided sharp results even when shooting 3–4 stops below the reciprocal rule recommendation, which is what one would normally get with the latest generation Vibration Reduction system on Nikkor lenses. As usual, letting the lens stabilize and using a solid hand-holding technique was important in reducing the number of blurry images due to camera shake. The Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 has a close focusing distance of 2.2 meters (7.2 feet). That doesn’t make it a macro lens, but let’s compare it to Nikon’s 400mm f/2.8 and 500mm f/4.0 fixed lenses. The former lens lets us get within 2.6 meters of the subject, and the latter to 3.6 meters. In terms of magnification, that’s an impressive 1:4.5 on the 200-500mm, and a pedestrian 1:6.3 on the 400mm f/2.8 and 1:7.1 on the 500mm f/4.
Humidity of the tropics? Not a problem for the D500 (a bigger problem for my underwear). I regularly lay the D500 in dust, dirt, wet moss, and mud. No issues. The camera sealing apparently works. The Nikon 200-500 can easily double as a semi-macro lens. The ability to focus closer enables you to capture more of your subject in the frame and reveal intricate details that other lenses may overlook. An example is my photo above of an American toad in a forest. Vibration reductionSharper: As expected from a prime lens, Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S is sharper than the Nikon 200-500. However, this advantage disappears when using a teleconverter on the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S. I do a lot of photography from kayaks. In that case, I find the smaller size and weight of the 80-400 is desirable, although after I got the 500 mm PF I started using it in my kayak rather than the 80-400. Shooting with such lenses as the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E VR hand-held requires a solid image stabilization system, because you are dealing with a relatively slow aperture and long focal length, which puts a heavy burden on the shutter speed and ISO performance of the camera. To be able to keep up with fast shutter speeds, you will find yourself pushing your camera’s ISO quite a bit if you don’t take advantage of image stabilization, which is why it is so important. And now let me go through some of the strengths and weaknesses of this camera and lens, as I’ve experienced them over the years. Nikon D500 Strengths Autofocus Although our team at Photography Life has not had a chance to test this particular combination due to the unavailability of the D500 in the US, we have been actively using the lens on camera bodies like the Nikon D7200, D750, D810 and D4S for this particular review. We are planning to write a follow-up article covering the use of the lens on the Nikon D500, once we get our hands on the camera. Meanwhile, please enjoy the review of the Nikon 200-500mm VR lens, along with comparisons to Tamron 150-600mm VC, Sigma 150-600mm C / Sport and Nikon 80-400mm VR lenses.
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