First Images With the 180-600

Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
I know, I was going to wait for Christmas to unwrap and use the 180-600. I was doing really well, then our nature photography club had to move the monthly outing this Saturday to Magnolia Plantation. This time of year birds are the main draw, unless they have the Model A cars this weekend. I just couldn't go shoot birds with my old lens.😱 Everyone gave me the go ahead and I pulled it out and installed my Arca style adapter and balanced it on my gimble head. I decided to go out in the back yard and take a few test shots.

There was a tree rat in the crepe myrtle tree out front, so I shot him first. This was handheld and was processed with no cropping. He wouldn't let me get any closer without scampering off.

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This was just a test of close focusing magnification. 600mm at minimum distance. Good enough for large insects and small birds. Especially with the cropping the Z8 sensor will allow.

DSC_2436-topaz-rawdenoise.jpg


I was fortunate to have a red shouldered hawk fly overhead for a bit. AF is much faster than the old 200-500. Time will tell if it locks and tracks better. This image as VERY heavily cropped, as well as being shot handheld.

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BF Hammer

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Ehh, made it within 10 days. You are practically late opening it by retailer timetables!

I will watch with envy. Have property taxes eating up my new lens funds now. But I might go harass some eagles this weekend with my Sigma.
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
We are flexible with birthday/Christmas gifts. Sometimes I'll get something for my daughter several months before her birthday, and if it's either a needed item, or something she will use a lot, I'll give it to her early. This was a deal where it was going to be given something toward me buying this lens as part of my Christmas. It was the deal from the start that I could use it right away, or put it under the tree for Christmas day. I decided on the later, but couldn't resist an early usage for this outing. I will probably box it back up and put it back under the tree after Saturday's outing.

I'm hoping this will be a significant upgrade from my 200-500. I really like the internal zoom. I hope to have a better idea after the outing on whether the AF locks focus more reliably or not. It's definitely faster. Not sure if the VR is going to be noticeably better or not. Only time will tell on that as well.

I really wish Nikon would make their collar feet Arca Swiss compatible. I hate using plates. I need to remember to get some Loctite to make sure it doesn't come loose. I've been meaning to do that for a while.
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
BF Hammer said:
Ehh, made it within 10 days. You are practically late opening it by retailer timetables!

I will watch with envy. Have property taxes eating up my new lens funds now. But I might go harass some eagles this weekend with my Sigma.
Click to expand...
I can make you a good deal on a nice Nikon 200-500 with an FTZ adapter!
 
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