Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Super Telephoto Prime lens with Optical Image stabilization and 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
F(FX) Mount cameras.
What type of photography is the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
Reasons to Buy the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
| Optical Image Stabilization |
| Weather-sealed |
| Autofocus |
| Compatible with Nikon Teleconverters |
| Hood supplied |
| Tripod Collar |
| Full-time Manual Focusing |
| Covers Full-Frame Sensor |
| 9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh |
| 500mm reach great for Wildlife Photography |
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Buy Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR from Amazon or B&H PHOTO
| Slow Aperture for a Prime Lens |
| Heavy |
| Pricey |
Lens Mount
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is compatible with cameras that have a Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
The size and weight are crucial factors to consider when searching for your next lens. Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a maximum diameter of 106mm and a total length of 237mm. It weighs 1460g / 51.5 oz.
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a filter thread of 95mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR:
You can also check All Nikon F Mount Lenses with 95mm Filter Thread Size to find the matching lenses.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a fixed focal length of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 750mm.
Teleconverter Compatibility
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is compatible with the Teleconverters below. With the use of these TC/extenders, you can find how the total focal reach and effective aperture of your Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR changes below:
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
Weather Sealings
The Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a weather-sealed lens, which provides extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have effective protection, you have to pair the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR with a weather-sealed camera body such as the Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D850.
Optical Image Stabilization
The Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting.
Tripod Collar
With a total length of 237mm and a weight of 1460g, the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a large lens. Fortunately, it comes with a tripod collar which you can use to attach the lens directly to a tripod or monopod instead of attaching the camera. This connection helps to better balance the lens/kit combination.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.18x with a minimum focusing distance of 3m. 0.18x ratio is quite low, making this lens unsuitable even for modest close-up photography.
Aperture
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR features a maximum aperture of F5.6 and can be stopped down to a minimum aperture of F32. While a maximum aperture of F5.6 requires a bit more ambient light or a bump in ISO when shooting indoors, it keeps the physical size of the lens much smaller and easier to carry. At 500mm, this lens provides a natural perspective, and opening up to F5.6 offers clean background separation for typical everyday shooting. The minimum setting of F32 is excellent for deep depth of field work like macro photography, though you may want to avoid the absolute smallest settings to skip the sharpness loss caused by optical diffraction.
Optical Formula
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's optical formula consists of 19 elements in 11 groups . The following special elements are used in this design:
- 1 PF + 3 ED elements
- Nano Crystal
- fluorine coatings
Lens Hood
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos.
Body Colour
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is available in Black color.
Popular Comparisons of Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR
Here are the 8 most popular comparisons of the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR Lens
In addition, it would be interesting to check which lenses from other mounts are most commonly compared with the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR.
Top Alternatives of Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR in Other Lens Mounts
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