Rough Horn
- Thread starter Sambr
- Start date
RockyNH_RIP
Senior Member
Sam, excellent... thanks for sharing!''
Pat in nH
Pat in nH
Scott Murray
Senior Member
Excellent photo Sam.
Michael J.
Senior Member
An original Sam Shot - Superb
Thank you. Yes it is.
I'm strongly contemplating this lens as a Montana housewarming present (Coming from San Diego, I'm gonna need all the warmth I can get). And due to this nice little jump in house prices here in SD, la Hefe gave me the green light for the 500mm 4/f. Truth be told, I'm not sure I've got the brass to carry around a lens like that. In addition, I've never used anything beyond 400mm so I can't say for certain whether 500mm is overkill or not. So I'm back to pondering the 80-400mm again.
Which brings me to my next question - would you find an additional 100mm useful or is 400mm more than you need and you find yourself backing off that top number?
Dave the 500mm is the ultimate wildlife lens - however it's big heavy & you will need a big tripod with a gimbel head to support it. The 80-400VRII can be handheld, with a very versatile range. IQ is 2nd to none.
As for more mm well it's never enough. I just have to make it work with what I have.
My old Grandad (God bless his soul) once told me " Boy, you'll always be wanting longer, but learn to use the one you have properly, and you'll be right" He was a wise old man.
That's a really good point about the head. Not only that but even just thinking about walking around with that lens on my camera gives me the willies. Besides, I've been wanting a second camera for awhile now so going with the 80-400mm would open up some funds in that direction. What with the price of the 800E's coming down below $3k (which, btw, was the camera I wanted to buy in the first place but I talked myself out of it), maybe it and the 80-400mm would be the right choice.
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
Right, the 500mm, and in some respects the 80-400mm, wouldn't be so good for that kind of situation. My idea for a super telephoto would be when watching buffalo or mountain goats on the side of a hill or a nest waiting for mom to bring dinner home, a situation like that where I'll be waiting patiently for the shot. The funny thing is I'm stuck in place I don't often find myself in. In an unusual turn of events, la Hefe suggested I get this lens all on her own and without any lobbying on my part. Something that doesn't happen very often, or at all, to me. And while an 80-400mm and a D800E, despite the fact it represents a net savings of almost $4k over the 500mm, would probably be met with the "but you already have a nice camera" response. So.....maybe it would just be best to buy all 3 and spend the first few weeks in MT living in the dog house!! Yeah....that's the ticket! lol