Are you happy with your 600mm digital Nikon lens

[jerry_kepus]

<p>I am considering purchasing a Nikon 600mm digital lens and would like feedback to see if the results are worth

the investment. Also where did you purchase your lens? Thank

[jerry_kepus]

<p>Is the significant investment in a Nikon 600mm digital lens worth the cost?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>What sort of subject matter are you interested in shooting? What sort of camera are you using, or planning to use? What's your experience with camera support systems (large tripods, ballheads, etc)?<br /><br />It's a nearly $10,000 expense that will all but useless unless you use it right, including both careful technique and serious support hardware. Anyway, back to what matters: how do you see yourself using it?</p>

[bsd230]

<p>I get most of my lenses from Adorama, B&H, and Amazon.</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>I have friends who own that lens as well as the older versions. I don't know anyone who's not happy with it.<br>

And if I had the money to spend on it I would. I'd order from Adorama or B&H most probably.<br>

Lil :-)</p>

[waltflanagan]

<p>What lens are you actually looking at? There is no specific "digital" lens that is 600mm. Nikon has made manual focus and auto focus 600mm lenses. I believe the AF lenses are all f4. I think there was an AF-I (older AF style), an AF-S, and just last year it was updated with VR. That lens is $10,000 at B&H. If you are willing to buy an older manual focus lens you can get one for $1700 from KEH. Nikon also made an 600 f5.6 manual focus lens which would probably be even cheaper.</p>

[jerry_kepus]

<p>Thank you for your responses. The preferred model is the Nikon 600mm f/4d ED-IF AF-S VR II Telephoto Auto Focus Nikkor. This lens is intended to be used for wildlife and bird photos and mounted on a Wimberly II Head with a Gitzo tripod. The camera is a Nikon D700. Both B & H and Adorama websites indicated a 2-3 month wait period to purchase.</p>

[Robert DeCandido PhD]

<p>Hi Jerry,<br>

This might help...my significant other has the 500mm VR lens...and had used the wonderful 500mm MF AIP lens previously (F4). The new 500mm VR lens is noticeably better than the 500 F4 (manual focus)...and the latter is highly rated. So yes, the new VR telephotos are better...but the cost is indeed steep. She bought hers through Calumet when they were discounting it about 25% off the B/H and Adorama price (October 2008). It took 5 months to get it in stock...so be prepared for a long wait if you order it.</p>

[Barry Clemmons Photography]

<p>Jerry<br>

I ordered mine through Calumet last year and received it a couple of months ago. It is attached to a Wimberly Sidekick mounted on a Really Right Stuff BH55 Pro ballhead. My tripod is the Gitzo 5541LS. I have been very pleased with the performance and build of the lens. It is THE lens to have for bird and nature shots, and takes pretty wicked shots of the full moon as well when mated with a TC 1.4. Remember when putting your budget together that all of the peripheral items will add about another $1,500.00, but they are essential to capturing the sharpest images.<br>

Barry Clemmons</p>

[niccoury]

<p>It's heavy, even a bit on a monopod. I never used it on a tripod as I hate tripods. It also works for a quick hand-held shot....</p>

[slopoki]

<p>All of the 600/4 af lenses are great performers. I'm still using the AF-i version that I purchased years ago and will do so until it breaks and cannot be repaired. I still use it on the first version of Wimberley full gimbal and a Gitzo G1410. Heavy, I'm use to it. I'm still using DX camera's because I love the reach. If you need more reach use the 14 or 17e. The 20e works as well but af speed slows down quite a bit.<br>

Regards<br>

<a href="http://slopoki1.smugmug.com/Nature">http://slopoki1.smugmug.com/Nature</a></p>

[p_m12]

<p>Why do you call it a DIGITAL lens? The 600mm lenses do not come in a DX version, right? Let's not make things more confusing.</p>

[mats nilson photography]

<p>I own the latest 600/4 and use it a lot. It's nothing short of marvellous. But it is truly a beast to be carrying around and it is quite easy to get mediocre results unless you're meticulous with your technique, so owning the lens is not a guarantee to success. I'm saying this because it's all too easy to blame the lens if your results aren't up to scratch, but the lens itself is rarely the problem.</p>

<p>One thing to understand is this: when designing a consumer lens, there must be a trade-off between quality and cost, otherwise too few would buy them. When it comes to highly specialised lenses such as the super teles, those who truly need them will pay whatever they cost and therefore no compromises are made in their design. They're as good as Nikon is technically able to make them, with a price-tag to match.</p>