AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR

It is so compact that people don't believe it is a 500mm lens! It is also extremely light weight for a lens of this focal length, very sharp, and focuses instantly. I am 70+ years old and could never follow focus on birds in flight until I started using this lens. Another great benefit is that it fits in a normal camera bag for those rare times when it is not on the camera. I have not encountered any Flare issues but did notice that there is a PF option in NX Studio's Lens correction options.

This is a great lens that is light weight quality all the way.The focus buttons on the lens are very useful.Manual focus also works great.When used with the Z6 it is a great light weight solution to wildlife Photography

I recently got this 500mm, 5.6 pf lens. I wanted something with faster auto focus and sharper images to upgrade from my Sigma 150-600c lens.which I use with a 1.4 teleconverter. I was hesitant about sacrificing the length a got with my D7500 DX (850mm). But the enhanced sharpness allows me to crop in and have far sharper images than before. It only weighs 3.25lbs which makes it very easy to handhold for birds in flight. Works great with low light and tracking fast birds.

Paired with D850, ridiculously sharp lens. VR is great. Lightweight is a delight, easy to handhold for hours on end. Bokeh is great, subject isolation is great. It’s a dream to have, radically changed my quality of images. Had to write a review, it’s incredible to have.

Never posted a review but i can't resist on this Lens. I have a 200-500 mm for about 2 years now and i have good results but decided to upgrade to PF 500 and boy, the picture is so sharp! never regret to add this in my collection of lenses.

I have been shooting with the Nikon 200/500 for the last 4 years, and it is an awesome telephoto lens, however I hike in the mountains 5 to 6 miles over rough terrain and it is a heavy lens. This 500 F 5.6 lens in light weight, compact and fast. The focus is unbelievable for the price, very sharp images every time. I find that I am able to crop out dead space and still have superb detail even on the very small birds that I photograph at long distances. I recommend this lens to any serious wildlife photographer.

I finally got my new 500mm and am thrilled with what it allows me to do. The weight let´s me carry it and take shots without a tripod or monopod. Fast, crisp and clear. I shoot wildlife and Rugby, and this lens is great for both!

This lens is as sharp or sharper than any prime lens Nikon or anyone else currently makes. It maintains the highest image quality with all three tele-converters, the TC14III being the most useful. Although the maximum aperture is only F8 with this tele-converter attached, do not let that discourage you from trying it out. I will let you in a a little secret. If you use the 500mmf5.6.4TC on the new Nikon Z7 mirror-less camera, you can get high quality images from 700 to 1500mm equivalent focal length (if one accepts that 10mp is often enough pixels for a great image). The Z7 has several features that make this possible. First is the amazing EVF which is always bright no matter the maximum aperture of the attached lens system. No Optical viewfinder can even come close. Secondly, the ability to use the Electronic Front Curtain shutter (and still have a viewable image in the viewfinder) removes any possibility of shutter shock. Unlike the D850, this feature is easy to implement on the Z7. Thirdly, the advanced Z7 sensor VR system adds important stability that such a powerful telephoto lens requires. Turn of the VR system for a few seconds and you will get the importance of having it on all the time! Fourth, the focus system is not limited to just a few central points. You can go right to the edge and still get reliable focus as long as there is decent light. There is no worrying about accuracy of focus, nor any reason to have to fine tune this lens to this camera. If you focused on that bird´s eye, it will be in perfect focus. With 45.4 mp of sensor resolution, you can extensively crop (say to 10mp) and still have an amazing image. The weight of the camera and lens combination is just 5.7 pounds making it easy to handhold. Forget the tripod. All the above features make this system a breeze to just point and shoot. If you love to photograph birds of all types you will really love what this system brings to the table. Sure, this is not the best system for fast moving objects or for very low light situations, but you will be quite pleasantly surprised at the quality images that are possible and how many more times you actually find wildlife worth photographing. Unlike the big, heavy primes, you will actually have this lens with you most of the time.

Because I already owned Nikon´s 300mm f/4 Phase Fresnel (PF) lens, I couldn´t wait for the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 Phase Fresnel (PF) Lens to be released. This new 500mm PF lens does not disappoint. I have walked around protected wetlands photographing birds for five hours at a time with no discomfort or fatigue--the lens´s small size and light weight are truly an industry breakthrough. In addition to the benefits of size and weight, auto focus is lightening fast, contrast is excellent, sharpness is unequaled, and the Vibration Reduction (VR) is amazing. When coupled with my Nikon D500 camera body, I am shooting at a 35mm focal length equivalent of 750mm without the burden of a tripod or monopod--an optimal situation for wildlife and large stadium sports.