my news lens arrived...............................

My new (slightly used) Nikon 500mm f/4 P lens showed up yesterday evening. I must admit that I did not know these guys are this big! It's a monster! Good thing I talked myself out of getting a 600 or 800mm lens! Anyway, it's a beautiful lens indeed. I had some daylight left so I took it out in the back yard looking for feathers. It's a good thing my new monopod showed up at the same time. There was one scruffy looking bird out so I started with it. I don't even know what it was. The three bird photos are the same photo. Then the moon was big and bright so I tried my luck with it. I hope to get out next week and get some more serious shots.

Later,
Chris

next

Very nice Chris. Congratulations!

I can't seem to get the other photos to post. Something is not working.

moon

same photo

Congratulations!! Great shots. You will have fun with this one.
Johanna

Lucky lucky you cs! Sigh. Some day. Have fun.

Beautiful moon shot.

Nice picture, csh. Isn't that some kind of Thrasher? Maybe Brown or Sage

That's me holding my new baby.

Good golly, Chris. Is that one of those mirrored ones? I know they seem to be larger.

Wow Chris;how much does it weigh?

YIKES!!

I'd have to take up weight lifting!! Sure takes nice photos though.

Holy Cow! I'd like to know how much it weights to? Do they make a stand that specificlly holds up the lens as well?

The weight is not bad, about 6 1/2 pounds and NO, it is not a mirror lens! I would not own a mirror lens. They are not even close when it comes to picture quality. My opinion only. :-)

Chris

here's another shot of the main lens.

If a sudden opportunity comes along, can you whip that thing up and take a shot? Or does it have to have a stand of some sort?

I can take some shots without a stand before getting shaky but most the time I will be using a monopod for support. I am getting used to it but it takes some practice. I love it!

Chris

That's a beauty. Do you have the image stabilization on that camera?

Beautiful photos by the way!

This message was edited Jan 10, 2009 8:39 PM

Holy Smokes!!

cshirsch, congratulations ..... I know you probably know this but I will repeat it for the benefit of others. I noticed that you have the camera strap (attached to the Camera) around your neck. With a large lens like that, any camera strap should be attached to the lens and the camera body becomes an attachment to the lens. You never want to put the weight of that lens on the camera body. It's a recipe for disaster.

Does that lens have an automatic focus or do you have to use strictly manual focus ?

linthicum, thanks for the good advice. I just got the lens and have not had time to attach a strap to it yet. I always wear the strap in case I drop the thing. They make a harness set up that I am looking into also.

This lens is a manual focus with the CPU chip. I prefer the manual focus for birds and other wildlife photography. I can focus on exactly what I want and do it a little faster for snap shooting.

Chris

Great new toy!!!

I need to wipe the drool away.... what a fun new toy!

I think your mystery bird is a mockingbird

What a beauty..do you have a license to carry that thing? Enjoy it, I am sure it is much deserved! Great pics also!!

Hey rntx22, I think you are right about the mockingbird. It was cleaning itself and the feathers were ruffled up so it is tough to tell from the photo. I am in Sugar Land, not far from you.

Later,
Chris