Nikkor 500mm f4 AFS IF-ED MkI tripod foot.

I've been offered the above lens but the tripod foot sockets seem to have weird helicoid thread inserts, 2 of which are broken.

 

Anyone know what Nikon were doing with the threads on the bottom of the tripod foot or is this a recent 'fix'?

 

I have a 600mm f4 AFS Mk II and it has 3 big (brass?) inserts nicely set into the alloy foot with the expected 1/4 BSW socket.

 

The one i'm looking at looks like this one..

 

https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-lenses/used-nikon-fit-lenses/nikon-af-s-500mm-f-4d-if-ed/sku-778493/

 

....so suspect it's a genuine Nikon 'trial' that they chose to discontinue.

 

The thread in the alloy foot itself looks to be something like 5/16 BSW or maybe M8??

I used to have the old 500mm/f4 AF-S, from 1998 to last year. (Therefore it was the first-generation one introduced in 1996.) It comes with two tripod feet; one is intended for monopod I believe.

 

The standard foot has three threaded holes. Back in 1998 I bought a RRS quick release plate. That plate has three screws with fixed positions to match the foot.

 

In any case, that foot is interchangeable, but this is a fairly old, ~20 year lens. There is plenty of time for something to get damaged.

The standard foot has three threaded holes

Were they the standard 1/4 x 20 ie same as camera body socket?

 

Do you remember whether the holes went right through? ie if you carried it by the foot you'd feel them?

Since I don't have that lens any more, I would rather not give a precise answer since I could easily be wrong. As that lens has been around for so long, I would imagine you can find better answers on the web.

That's OK, I just wondered whether you remembered it as being unusual.

 

All the pics i found show this odd insert arrangement with the over-sized tapped holes going right through the foot and a helicoil 1/4 x 20 insert.

 

It does seem to be an 500mm f4 IF-ED MK I oddity.

 

I've emailed Roland to see if he knows.

I got someone to send me a pic of their mint foot...

The 500mm/f4 AF-S I had was consistent with the two images shown above.

Brilliant, thank you.

 

I've just gotta find some new inserts now...!

Mike, First of all congratulations. I sold my version one Nikor 500mm AFS a couple of years ago and miss it dearly. It's a smokin sharp lens. The threaded inserts are a common practice to prevent galling though I imagine precision drilling / milling to create smoother contact surfaces along with heavy anodizing have superseded this practice. My lens foot had three inserts with 1/4 inch threads. I never used it because I went to a replacement foot that was much lower profile. Kirk, Wimberley and Really Right Stuff make good replacement feet. There is a Wimberley low profile arca style replacement foot available for your lens at KEH for $43 if you use the Arca Swiss quick release system. Hiring a qualified machinist to properly tap and replace the inserts might cost you more. Good hunting.

because I went to a replacement foot that was much lower profile

Yup indeed!. The feet on the 500mm and 600mm f4s are just crazy high. What were they thinking?

 

I can fully understand the aluminium galling issue, but note that they went for permanently mounted brass inserts after this trial.

Wimberley low profile arca style replacement foot

 

Is that the AP-554?

It's a 553 on the KEH site that has an even lower profile than the 554. The 553 is what I had for my 500 and is now on my 200-400. I have a RRS foot for my 600. The the price is a bargain. Wimberley quality is very good if not the very best. The advantages/disadvantage is that it accommodates Kirk and RRS complicated flash brackets as well as their own more elegant design, is very close to the lens and fits well in a clam shell or butterfly type back pack but it is difficult to use the foot as a carrying handle. The new version 554 has more clearance for carrying but still has a low profile. As an aside I use a soft hood on my 500 long lenses for many years and set my Nikon hood aside. I think the costly Nikon rigid hoods are OK but inferior to the Canon design, but the soft hoods made by AquaTech and LensCoat lay flat for travel and can be bumped without consequences. Canon users confidently stand their lens up on the hood and that us something I would never do with the Nikon hoods. Again congratulations. Stay frosty.

I've been offered the above lens

Curious, how much is the offer? Would like to know as I can't seem to sell mine (great condition with Wimberley foot) and I don't think I can go lower.

I got someone to send me a pic of their mint foot...[ATTACH=full]1272074[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1272075[/ATTACH]

Just found the original foot and this is how both sides look like. It seems a little different from the one you have.

It's the same except the crackle finish has been flattened by love and use to a much smoother foot!

 

You can see the little coil thread inserts, especially on the right end 'socket' that don't go all the way through, so you can't really see them on the 'above' view, just the black threaded bigger socket.

 

Interesting to see the little notches in the side of the foot to help align the 1/4" on the QR late or tripod head with the socket.

 

All the inserts are missing on mine....:-(

 

But I have found some replacements.

 

I paid just under £1400 or about $1750.

It used to be a common arrangement to have a 3/8"(?) socket with a 1/4" helicoil insert. I've seen this on many old Nikon lenses.

 

I presumed it was so that the helicoil could be removed and the lens used on a 'professional' 3/8" threaded tripod. However, I never found the need to try and remove the helicoil to find out. They look quite well embedded.

 

Or it might just be a way of providing a harder-wearing thread surface than could be got directly from Dural. Either way, it's not the sort of question that ever kept me awake at night.

That's kinda what i thought....but no! :(

 

A helicoil insert must be the same pitch, which happens to be 20tpi, so nope the master thread is completely non-standard. It's very close to 5/16 x 20 BSW, which apparently is a classic car/bike thread.

 

3/8" is what they did (or didn't do!) for the bigger solid insert.

 

And yes, removing a helicoil is a right bastard. My foot had 1/2 out of 3 remaining, but luckily I was able to wind the stub out. So i now have a 3 threaded socket foot that nothing will thread into, except a new helicoil. Which luckily I managed to find.

 

If I couldn't source any, I would have bored out and re-threaded to 3/8 Whit, so i could use the normal 3/8 > 1/4 threaded bushing. It's bizarre Nikon didn't do that in the first place??

 

Either way, it's not the sort of question that ever kept me awake at night.

It's better, and more productive, than counting sheep!

Curious, how much is the offer? Would like to know as I can't seem to sell mine (great condition with Wimberley foot) and I don't think I can go lower.

Happy to report that I just sold mine. :) It's in pristine condition as I never used it aggressively and, naturally, the price is much lower than what I paid. But hey, it's better to part with it than keeping the dead-weight forever. Time to move on. :(

and, naturally, the price is much lower than what I paid.

So, what was the depreciation like? Did you buy it new?

So, what was the depreciation like? Did you buy it new?

Mike, approximately 50% depreciation. I bought it "used" several years ago - could not pass up the deal as it practically had no sign of use. I ended up not using it much (should have known that) as I always ended up taking the 200-400mm lens instead to travel (taking both would be ridiculous). I wanted to sell it for quite a while and finally made that decisive decision, now that the lighter 500mm pf is available.

So what did you get for yours?

So what did you get for yours?

I knew you were going to ask that. ;) And I am embarrassed to say I sold it for only USD$2,500 + free shipping. Will end up with much less after eBay and PayPal fees. But I am glad it's over, and it goes to someone who will probably use it better.

So, about £2K before fees. Not so bad!

 

It's an odd balance between thinking the long, fast Non-VR teles, like your's and mine would get a new lease of life with the IBIS in the new Z series cams

 

... and the new lightweight 500mm 5.6 PF VR, filing the same need.

 

How much is the 500mm PF where you are?

 

It's £3700 official price, so $4625!

.... and I think maybe airline 'carry-on' weights for super teles are significant factors.

 

f4 to f5.6, ah, it's only 1 stop! but 2.5KG difference, and that's just the lens, not inc. the carry case!

 

I'd almost be happy to wrap the PF in a thick fleece in my carry-on; can't say the same for the f4!

It's £3700 official price, so $4625!

List price = US$3,596.95 -> £2,826.70.

 

Weight almost 5 lbs less than the 500mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S :eek:

So yes, $1000 more here!

 

And yes, 5.5Lbs lighter amazingly......:cool: