Nikon 500 or 600mmVR?

I am close to pulling the trigger on a super tele lens. I shoot a range of wildlife, including birds, using a D300. My longest lens currently is a 200-400mmVR, and I often find myself adding a TC to this lens. I am trying to decide between a 500VR and 600VR. The size and weight of the 600 are a little concerning, but I don't ever see owning both so I need to make a choice. My bias is to go with the 600, since I see a lot of folks end up shooting the 600 with a teleconverter on an FX body, approximately the same field of view. I would also expect to travel carrying both the super tele and the 200-400mm.

What are your thoughts and experience with these lenses on a DX body?

Thanks,
Larry

I bought my 500 first after comparing the size/weight differences against the 600. There have been a few occasions I wish I had gotten the 600 but they are very few. I later picked up a 200-400 and I have been extremely pleased with it. That said, I would advise you to get the 600 as the 200-400 is quite good with the TC14 and will cover the 500 mm focal length. Having the 600 will give you that extra reach when you need it.

In your own vehicle, travel is no problem. If you fly, there are bags out there that will carry both lenses together but be sure to hit the gym as that's a lot of weight to carry on your back!

I have the 600VR and the 200-400 which makes a great combo, I think the 500 is too close to the 200-400 to make it worth while, Saying that you can hand hold the 500, Either is great but i wouldnt sell my 600, I use both FX and DX bodies

Dave

Hey Larry

I agree - if I had the 200-400mm as well, I'd go with the 600mm. I don't, so I went with a 500mm. It depends on what kind of shooting/travel etc situations you end up in though .. what works best for me might not be the best option for you.

Cheers

Carl

If availability plays into the equation, current waiting time even for an NPS member for a New 600VR is as much as a year and are virtually unattainable for non NPS members. 500's are generally available inside a month for NPS members and three months for non NPS members. Like you, travel and just plain carrying around a 600 and it's heavy weight is an issue so I opted for the 500. There is a pretty significant difference between 400 and 500mm. 25% more linearly comes to 56% more area coverage in the frame of your subject. Now if Nikon were to introduce a significantly lighter 600 as Canon has suggested there new one will be, then I would probably change my tune.

E.J.....Any idea on the reason for the long waits for the 600? It's been released for 2 years now I think.

Larry,

I've used both and now rarely use the 500. The 600 is heavier, but when everything is considered not by much. All tallied (head, legs, body, lens) you've got a 19 lb. or a 22 lb. rig. Carrying either for more than 1/2mile gets heavy.

I prefer the a full frame camera (it just nicer to look through), but often use the DX body as a free 1.5 teleconverter of sorts.

As for travel, I use Think Tanks airport international. The 600 fits, but just barely with some room along the side for a body and a couple lenses. The 200-400 will have to travel somewhere else.

Although I don't own a copy of the 200-400 f4, I do have friends who own a total of 3 and I'm able to borrow one when needed. That plus the fact that I'm shooting a D3 and D3x led me to go with the 600 rather than 500 f4G VR. It was good decision for me. Yes, the 600 is anything but lightweight but it hasn't been prohibitive for me. I'm 56 years old, stand 5'8" and weigh about 150lbs. Lately, I've taken a number of 3-4 mile round trip hikes with a 600, D3x, and Gitzo 3540LS tripod slung over my left shoulder and didn't feel significantly overburdened. Granted, the terrain was level but, again, I didn't feel overburdened.

Jon Swanson wrote:E.J.....Any idea on the reason for the long waits for the 600? It's been released for 2 years now I think.

Nikons notorious lack of capacity for their products. It took 4 years to catch up to demand on the 200-400. Only single digit volumes of 600's are allocated to the US per month and those all go to people in the NPS queue.

I have the 500 the 200-400 and the 600. Sometime ago someone referred to the 600 owners as sedentary shooters, a few yards around the car. Yes the difference in the reach is significant, but that significance becomes imperceptible the longer you own them. I have let a friend use the 500 when I am out and I did not see any major differences in the shots I took versus hers,but there was a whole lot of difference in carrying it. I short you may well be happier with the 600 initially but later the 500 would be the best all round choice. This is why i am still keeping the 500.

Tony

E.J. Peiker wrote:If availability plays into the equation, current waiting time even for an NPS member for a New 600VR is as much as a year and are virtually unattainable for non NPS members. 500's are generally available inside a month for NPS members and three months for non NPS members. Like you, travel and just plain carrying around a 600 and it's heavy weight is an issue so I opted for the 500. There is a pretty significant difference between 400 and 500mm. 25% more linearly comes to 56% more area coverage in the frame of your subject. Now if Nikon were to introduce a significantly lighter 600 as Canon has suggested there new one will be, then I would probably change my tune.

Hey E.J.,

Or, call Allen's Camera. I called, asked for a new 500mm, and it was at my house the next week.

Cheers

Carl

It might well have been just a stroke of luck or coincidence but my 600 f4G VR came from Allen's Camera as well. I'm not a NPS member either.

The 500 story isn't that far out but the.600 you were extremely lucky. I doubt you can get one right now as NPS quote times are a year.

How strict is Nikon in regards to NPS qualification? I've had a 600 on order as a non-NPS member since late July through a shop that was able to fulfill a lot of orders early in July. I have the equipment to qualify but not the sales yet.

It depends on your dealer in part but as I understand it, the only 600's that are being allocated to dealers are ones for NPS members currently and even with that, the wait can be as much as a year. Basically the way NPS works is that you order one through a dealer and then contact NPS with the dealer info and then they ship them one in your name as it becomes available based on where you fall in the queue. Now I am sure there are some that have figured out how to game the system but that's the process. I have it from several larger dealers that this is the only way you will receive a 600 these days.

Both are currently available through several european stores.
I had the 500VR, sold it and get the 600VR, because reach is more 20% and IQ a little better and with TC1.4 you get 840 f5.6
The 500VR is portable to a certain extent, and not much lighter then the 600VR. The foot is also better on the 600VR. Carrying on bags like the Kiboko is not bad, but you must be fit.
Big, huge difference, is on your bank account... but you won't to be the richest dead on the graveyard

But Nikon USA or Canada will not, under any circumstance service a non USA lens in the USA or a non Canada lens in Canada so buying one outside of the North American country you live with is very unwise.

When i moved to the States i was on waiting lists for 3 months with the usual big boys, I phoned Nikon and was told that a 600 just wasnt available and that they dont get told when and what will arrive, it just arrives, I was talking to a guy at my local Wolf cameras and after a quick phone call he found 3, They didnt show on the Wolf camera web site as they were sitting in shops, 3 days later i had one in my hands, Just call as many shops as you can

Dave

As dougc suggested above, the 200-400 works well with a converter so it covers what you would get with the 500. I use the 600 and the 200-400. I like the extra reach I get over the 500. I photograph mostly birds so that should be factored into the equation. Most bird photographers opt for longer focal length lenses. I also shoot Canon and use the Canon 800mm 5.6 more than any other lens. I mention this so you will see where my prejudice lies with regard to focal length. If I did wildlife other than birds, I might be more likely to go with the 500. The 200-400 plus 500 would give you a great choice of focal lengths for larger animals without having to resort to TCs.

After messing around with the 800/5.6, I sure wish Nikon had one, but if they did it would be, oh, about $16,000 and the US would get allocated one about every two years. Nikon's inventory management is just an absolute disaster as is their warranty policy.