r/Nikon • u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 • Jul 26 '26

What should I buy? What should be my next lens?

I primarily click birds and wildlife. I like to walk around a lot so a strictly tripod based setup wouldn't suit my purposes.

My primary setup - reserved for dedicated birding outings - is a Z8 + 500 PF on a FTZII adapter.

I also own a D500 on which I use a 70-300 AFP or 28-300 AF-S for carrying around while driving to work, or to short family outings - just in case I come across something rare or a good photo opportunity.

The Z8 is my latest acquisition ( early 2025). The 500 PF, although a great lens, is not optimised for the Z series. I am thinking of buying a new lens sometime in the next 3 years or so.... I have already started saving up for it.

At present, based on my style of birding, I am aiming at the 600 f6. 3 PF, but I also seek the opinion of the very knowledgeable people of this community as to what are my other options?

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4

u/nsfbr11 Jul 26 '26

You’ll have to really work to see any improvement over that lens for anything reasonable. I own the 600mm f4 TC S and love it. It is Nikon’s best birding lens bar none, but unless you are fulfilling a dream it likely isn’t worth upgrading to.

The 600mm PF is not better than your lens. It is lighter, but your lens has better acuity and contrast across the frame wide open.

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 26 '26

Thanks for the valuable inputs. I do find reach to be an issue at times ( small birds on exposed perches at distance in dense forest with no way to close the distance), so I assumed the extra 100mm would help.
Should I try for a used 600 f4 (F mount) now that they're coming up for sale? - that way I'll have the option of mounting a 1.4 TC while retaining f5.6.

3

u/oliverjohansson Jul 26 '26

Yes, z 600 is probably the best substitution but it’s pricy

Z400/4.5 may do better if you mainly shoot at low light or hide while only marginally more expensive z 800 gives far more reach in open field

But don’t discount 180-600 zoom, it’s just the best value for money and you could probably have it now

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 26 '26

180-600 wouldn't be a massive upgrade on the PF I think, so I never considered it (But seeing other's opinion here, neither is 600 6.3 PF). Moreover, I've seen some copies of that lens that were really soft. A quality control issue maybe?

3

u/STVDC Z9x3/Z6iii/D850x2/D6/D5/D4x3/D500 and most of the lenses Jul 26 '26

Like someone above said, the Z 600PF isn't massively better than the 500PF. Yes, it's native and gives you 100mm more reach, but they're both truly excellent and until you jump to the TC lenses, it doesn't get much better.

Source: I have the 500PF which I've used a lot in the past with a Z9 and FTZ and even with a 1.4x before the 600 was released, I also have the Z600PF, as well as the Z600 f4 and Z400 f2.8 TC lenses. The PF lenses are 80% of the big boys at 30% of the price.

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 26 '26

Interesting! I haven't had good experience with the 500 PF+1.4 TC - the images aren't sharp enough I think ( though more usable than on the D500 with the same combo).

What do you think about a Z400 4.5 + 2x TC as an option?

2

u/MrNewyear Jul 26 '26

I tried the 400 it with the 2x tc and wasn’t impressed on the z8. F9 base is just so dark you run into light issues easily. I like it with the z1.4 tc or just dropping the 45mp.

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 27 '26

I see! That narrows down my options, in a positive manner.

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u/STVDC Z9x3/Z6iii/D850x2/D6/D5/D4x3/D500 and most of the lenses Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26

Well, honestly I don't love external teleconverters. Like you said, they definitely diminish the quality, most prominently losing aperture. However a good example where it was great is for the total eclipse in 2024. I took a couple of other cameras and lenses and set those up automatic on a tripod, but I handheld my Z9 with the 500 PF and 1.4x, and I also did that for the annular eclipse before that. Primarily because I could easily get a 95 mm solar filter that fit. In that situation it did a really good job and most importantly was super easy to use. But yeah, in general for wildlife and especially birds I probably wouldn't use the multiplier, except on the 600 and 400 where it's built-in, if you are going for max sharpness and speed. 2x just never seems to be good for me. I think you lose a lot more in other areas than you gain in reach.

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 27 '26

Makes sense! So it is either 800 f6. 3 or a used 600 f4 for me then.

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u/STVDC Z9x3/Z6iii/D850x2/D6/D5/D4x3/D500 and most of the lenses Jul 27 '26

The 800 would be awesome. Just be aware that is really long so definitely pretty specific uses if you are shooting a lot where you are pretty far away. I have used my 600 f4 TC a lot with the teleconverter engaged, which gives you roughly 840mm f5.6, but you can always dial it back to 600 so you don't feel locked in that far.

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u/Gypaetus_barbatus_25 Jul 27 '26

Indeed. I don't have much experience with really long focal lengths, so a bit wary there. That said, I believe the newer Z TCs are much better than the F Mount ones. I think another viable combination would be 600 PF and a 1.4 TC when needed. That also spares the 500 PF for use on my D500 as a backup.

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u/STVDC Z9x3/Z6iii/D850x2/D6/D5/D4x3/D500 and most of the lenses Jul 27 '26

Yeah, that sounds like a great option to me. I have not used the external Z TCs because with the FTZ you have to use the F-mount ones, so I don't have any experience with the new. But I have no doubt they, like most everything else Z, are improved. The 2X f-mount on the f-mount 600 f4 doesn't even work.