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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fortkentdad" data-source="post: 542541" data-attributes="member: 24285">Well I didn't think I'd end up in this club but here I am. Went to McBains Camera in Edmonton to look at 150-600mm lenses thinking I'd upgrade from my vintage Tamron 200-400 5.6.  That lens got me hooked on shooting long - only had it a year and a bit, but I only paid $140 for it.  (It is available used at McBains if anyone wants it as I traded it in).  But after showing me the Tamron and Sigma long lenses the sale clerk asked if I had considered the 200-500mm Nikkor?  I had not.  He brings it out to me and I give it a go.  And wow.   It was very nice. But it was shorter on both ends 200 vs 150 and 500 vs 600.  Hmmm that is a compromise.  And while it is a half stop faster on the long end is that really a deal maker?  The clerk must have been well schooled by his Nikon suppliers as he pointed out the "e" on the F/ 5.6e.  Apparently it is a better 5.6.  I can't say I followed the technological explaining all that well but I it sounded good.  What really got me was the speed of A.F. on my D610.  BTW - anyone else mounting this beast on a 600/610 body? To cut to the chase - we left the store, did some internet research over lunch and the consensus of the reviews I reviewed seemed to be saying they are all good, but it seems the edge goes to Nikkor.   But they do charge a bit more.  I dropped $1600 CDN on it.  (About $1230 US$ today).  And another $199 for a Nikon 95mm filter.  Fortunately I had a hard shell case from my film days that happened to be long enough for the lens - I can even mount it on my camera and put it in loaded and ready to go.  With enough spare room to squeeze in my AF-D 50mm just in case I don't want to go long.  For that kind of change you think Nikon would give you a descent case for the lens.  Then this week we've had lots of snow.  And it's been cold,  And I'm a fair weather photographer - so not a lot of shots. I do have to work on my technique and on my knowledge yet.  First time out, unintentionally left VR off.  Next time for some odd reason I had switched from RAW to basic JPG - not even fine JPG.  I never shoot that way - not sure what happened there.  But finally double checking I did get some properly set images.  Here is a few samples. I did see "old Glory" featured earlier in this thread so I thought I best do the Maple Leaf.  [ATTACH]203477[/ATTACH]I shot some birds in the back alley - not a lot of bright plumage about this time of year in these parts but they are birds. [ATTACH]203479[/ATTACH][ATTACH]203480[/ATTACH]Both of those are cropped a lot. And the Canada Geese are back - even though the lake is still frozen. [ATTACH]203481[/ATTACH][ATTACH]203482[/ATTACH]First impressions - this isn't my old Vintage Tammy 200-400 - and I need to hone my skills - but I love this lens.</blockquote>

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