{"id":53352,"date":"2018-01-29T04:48:05","date_gmt":"2018-01-29T08:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=53352"},"modified":"2018-01-29T09:56:37","modified_gmt":"2018-01-29T13:56:37","slug":"is-the-nikon-af-s-nikkor-200-500mm-f-5-6e-ed-vr-lens-a-piece-of-crap-and-a-bit-of-bad-luck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2018\/01\/29\/is-the-nikon-af-s-nikkor-200-500mm-f-5-6e-ed-vr-lens-a-piece-of-crap-and-a-bit-of-bad-luck\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f\/5.6E ED VR Lens a Piece of Crap? And a Bit of Bad Luck?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Stuff<\/h3>\n<p>We had better luck with the pelicans on the first official day of the second San Diego IPT especially with some decent chances on flying birds. Then we had some excellent opportunities with the California Sea Lions. Lunch at Rubio&#8217;s, a nap, a Photoshop session, and a late afternoon with the gulls and Willets and too many people at Coronado. The relationship between this group and me could best be described as a love fest; lots of sweet folks who are interested in becoming better photographers and who ask lots of questions.  <\/p>\n<p>It looks as if I will get to bed before 9pm this evening, Sunday 28 JAN. Good night!<\/p>\n<h3>Nikon Part Help Needed <\/h3>\n<p>If you can find me one of these in stock anywhere: <strong><em>Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB-D12 Battery Pack<\/em><\/strong>, please contact me via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a> immediately.<\/p>\n<h3>The Streak<\/h3>\n<p>Today makes one hundred eighty-two days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not &#8230;), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 &#8230; Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing. <\/p>\n<p><center><A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/buy\/Photography-Deals\/ci\/18560\/ipp\/48\/N\/4143096970\/view\/GRID?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=bestdeals-am.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/bestdeals-am.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=bestdeals-am.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Booking.Com<\/h3>\n<p>Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July&#8217;s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you&#8217;d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/s\/ea1bab74\">here<\/a> and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service. <\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez_banner_container_28_10\" style=\"margin:auto;position:relative;width:300px;height:250px;overflow:hidden;\">\n   <script src=\"https:\/\/ajax.googleapis.com\/ajax\/libs\/webfont\/1\/webfont.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n   <script type=\"text\/javascript\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/mer54715.datafeedfile.com\/ez_banner\/?b=28&#038;v=1.0&#038;aff_num=7226&#038;sid=EZBANNER\"><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Gear Questions and Advice<\/h3>\n<p>Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.birdphotographers.net\/forums\/content.php?s=52d51423c223b39bdca1765c6839ffc2\" target=\"_blank\">BPN<\/a>, are&#8211;out of ignorance&#8211;using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads&#8230; Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and\/or lens choices and decisions.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>This image was created on the morning of Friday, January 26 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1175034-REG\/nikon_af_s_nikkor_200_500mm_f_5_6e.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NI20050056VR\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNI20050056VR\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f\/5.6E ED VR lens<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1052071-REG\/nikon_2219_af_s_teleconverter_tc_14e_iii.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NITC14EIII\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNITC14EIII\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III<\/a> (at 650mm), and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1351688-REG\/nikon_d850_dslr_camera_body.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NID850\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNID850\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon D850 DSLR.<\/a> ISO 400. Matrix metering probably at -1\/3 stop: 1\/2000 sec. at f\/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:49am on a clear sunny day.<\/p>\n<p>d25\/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Image #2: Western Gull head portrait <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"728\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"90\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/mer54715.datafeedfile.com\/widget\/aff_widget_prdt_generate-2.0.php?aff_num=7226&#038;aff_net=1&#038;size=728x90&#038;mode=m&#038;bucket_num=7812&#038;link_target=y&#038;sid=\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\"><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iFrame.<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f\/5.6E ED VR Lens a Piece of Crap?<\/h3>\n<p>Is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f\/5.6E ED VR lens a piece of crap? Many internet experts would answer yes And many folks who have actually shot with the lens would say yes. Ans many who use it with the 45-mega pixel beast, the Nikon D-850 would say yes. And most who have used it with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III would say yes. I have been using my 200-500 for less and a week and I would say that it is a versatile, relatively lightweight, superbly sharp photographic tool with either the D5 or the D-850. With or without the TC-14E III. Take a close look at today&#8217;s two featured images and you be the judge. <\/p>\n<p>Yes, I know that the images made with my soon-to-arrive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1166859-REG\/nikon_af_s_nikkor_600mm_f_4e.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NI6004EEDVR\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNI6004EEDVR\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f\/4E FL ED VR lens<\/a> will be considerably sharper. That said both of today&#8217;s images are more than professionally sharp, sharp enough to sell, and sharp enough to make large, gorgeous prints <\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>This image was created on the morning of Friday, January 26 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1175034-REG\/nikon_af_s_nikkor_200_500mm_f_5_6e.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NI20050056VR\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNI20050056VR\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f\/5.6E ED VR lens<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1052071-REG\/nikon_2219_af_s_teleconverter_tc_14e_iii.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NITC14EIII\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNITC14EIII\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III<\/a> (at 650mm), and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1351688-REG\/nikon_d850_dslr_camera_body.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/NID850\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xNID850\" target=\"_blank\">Nikon D850 DSLR.<\/a> ISO 400. Matrix metering probably at -1\/3 stop: 1\/2000 sec. at f\/10 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:56m on a clear sunny day.<\/p>\n<p>d25\/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Image #2: Western Gull yawning<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"728\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"90\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/mer54715.datafeedfile.com\/widget\/aff_widget_prdt_generate-2.0.php?aff_num=7226&#038;aff_net=1&#038;size=728x90&#038;mode=m&#038;bucket_num=7812&#038;link_target=y&#038;sid=\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\"><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iFrame.<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>A Bit of Bad Luck &#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>I spent a full 30 minutes doing head portraits of this handsome adult Western Gull. I was working against a variety of background tones from deep blue to brilliant white and everything in between as the waves crested and broke.  It was, therefore, mandatory to work in Manual mode so that the changing background tonalities would not throw off the meter as would have happened had I been in an Automatic mode such as Av or Tv(S). The bird was amazingly cooperative so when I was sure that I had what I wanted I got up and walked over to Lee Sommie who had been photographing a Spotted Sandpiper. I happened to glance up just as my good gull friend let go a huge yawn. I love image #2 (that was a vertical crop of a horizontal original) but could not help but think of the image I might have gotten had I been a bit more patient. The large high quality of the original D-850 image file left me with a more than respectable 57.8mb flattened 8-bit master file. <\/p>\n<h3>Which Is Your Favorite?<\/h3>\n<p>Do you like the tight head portrait or the vertical yawn? Please let us know why. <\/p>\n<h3>Help Support the Blog<\/h3>\n<p>Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie<\/p>\n<h3>If In Doubt &#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>If in doubt about using the BAA B&#038;H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/?BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><center><A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/buy\/Nikon\/ci\/9811\/N\/4288586282+4291315846\/view\/GRID?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=bh_nikon_14-728x90.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/bh_nikon_14-728x90.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=bh_nikon_14-728x90.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<p><center><A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/promotion\/12352\/canon-rebates.html?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store \ud83d\ude42<\/h3>\n<p>To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&#038;H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/\">New BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a>, especially the <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/mongoose-action-head\/\">Mongoose M3.6 tripod head<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/plates-and-replacement-feet\/wimberley-arca-swiss-style-lens-plates\/\">Wimberley lens plates<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/digital-media\/\">Delkin flash cards and accessories<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/lenscoat-covers\/\">LensCoat stuff<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I would of course appreciate your using our B&#038;H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. <font color=red><strong>For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. <\/strong><\/font> Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/\">New BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n<h3>Facebook<\/h3>\n<p>Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.<\/p>\n<h3>Typos<\/h3>\n<p>In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a><\/center> or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stuff <\/p>\n<p>We had better luck with the pelicans on the first official day of the second San Diego IPT especially with some decent chances on flying birds. Then we had some excellent opportunities with the California Sea Lions. Lunch at Rubio&#8217;s, a nap, a Photoshop session, and a late afternoon with the gulls and Willets [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[626],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-626","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53352\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}