44 7 Se
H
ow time fl ies. By the time you
read this a year will have passed
since Nikon unveiled its Z-series
cameras to the world. Such was
the excitement surrounding Nikon’s entry into
the full-frame mirrorless market, the release of
the AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR that
was announced at the same time went almost
completely unnoticed. I still recall samples of
the lens sitting lonely in the corner of a room
as members of the photo press fought to get
hands-on with the then-new Nikon Z 6 and Z 7.
The lack of initial interest really wasn’t deserving
of a lens with so much promise and potential.
Unlike Nikon’s colossal AF-S 500mm f/4E
FL ED VR and AF-S 600mm f/4 E FL ED VR
lenses that cost £9,969 and £11,869
respectively, the AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E
PF ED VR is an ultra-small, lightweight and
considerably cheaper super-telephoto prime.
The £3,699 price tag might put you off buying
it, but compare it to other 500mm primes and
consider that it can be hired from £90 per day/
weekend from lens hire companies such as
hireacamera.com and you’ll soon realise
there’s no other lens quite like it. Currently the
world’s lightest 500mm full-frame telephoto
prime, it has found its way onto many serious
sports and wildlife photographers’ wishlists.
With my press accreditation confi rmed for
this year’s T20 cricket matches at Lord’s, it
seemed like a perfect opportunity to call the
lens in, give it a test and get a second opinion
from Matt Bright – a professional sports
photographer and long-serving Nikon user.First impressions
My concern of having to lug the lens across
the city by its tripod collar or in a Peli case was
quickly put to rest when I discovered it fi tted
comfortably inside my small messenger bag.
Measuring 237mm in length and weighing just
1,460g, it takes up less space and is lighter
than most 150-600mm zooms. Its size and
portability is all made possible thanks to the
inclusion of a Nikon-developed Phase Fresnel
(PF) element, which made its debut in
Nikon’s AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR back
in 2015. This special element is designed
to effectively compensate for chromatic
aberration utilising the photo diffraction
phenomenon. Compared to other lenses
that employ an optical system using the
photorefractive phenomenon, it allows a
remarkably compact and lightweight lens
to be made with fewer elements.
Taking up my shooting position on the
boundary edge and coupling the lens to my
Nikon D850 immediately highlighted a few
things. From the outset I noticed it’s very
comfortable to shoot with handheld. This is
great news for sports, action and wildlife
photographers who like to work freely without
feeling forced to support the lens on a
monopod. My fi rst few frames also highlighted
how well the 4-stop vibration reduction system
works. Out of curiosity I switched it off and
on a few times while handholding the lens
with the viewfi nder raised to my eye. Thedifference when it’s active is as clear as day.
Complementing the Normal VR setting, which
is intended for stationary subjects, is a Sport
setting that’s designed to be most effective for
subjects that move erratically or unpredictably.
I left it set to the latter and a quick referral to
the manual confi rmed both VR settings can be
used when a camera is used in combination
with a monopod with no ill effects.Testing conditions
A stop difference between an f/4 and f/5.6
telephoto prime may not sound like much,
but when natural light starts to fade and
you’re challenged by low light, just as I was at
Lord’s, it forces you to use higher ISOs
to compensate for the slower aperture.Middlesex players celebrate
an early wicket against
Essex in the opening game
of the T20 Blast at Lords
Nikon D850, 1/400sec at f/5.6, ISO 400