Tag Archives: gear

Nikon 180-600mm : Examples with Z teleconverter 1.4

The lens + teleconverter combo is sharp, but autofocus slows down

I went out again with the Nikon 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 Z Nikkor, and this time I used the Z teleconverter TC 1.4x. This combination delivers the equivalent of a 250-840mm f/7.8-9 lens. Again, I’m still using a Nikon Z6 body, so autofocus performance is slower than what you’d see with a Nikon Z8/Z9.

Autofocus definitely slowed down a bit when using the teleconverter, but once focus was acquired it did a good job of staying locked in. What I found from my test shots was that sharpness across the frame was still excellent, even wide-open. Stopping down to f/11 improved edge sharpness slightly, but not enough to make me feel like I needed to do so. I feel that if you can handle the light-loss penalty (1-stop), and reduced AF performance, go ahead and use this combination wide-open. It’s very very good.

Here are a few full-resolution sample images from the Nikon 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 Z Nikkor + Nikon Z teleconverter 1.4x. Click on any image to view it full-size.

Nikon 180-600mm Z Nikkor Lens: Casual Testing

Looking at sharpness and bokeh with neighborhood subjects

Walked around the neighborhood yesterday with the Nikon 180-600mm Z Nikkor and my Nikon Z6 body just to test the lens and see how it handled. I plan to get out to a better location soon, but my casual backyard tests suggest that this lens is quite excellent. Obviously, I need to find some better subjects (coming soon). But I just wanted to post a few un-cropped images from the Nikon Z6 so you can get a sense of sharpness and bokeh. I’ll have a Z9 to test with this lens in the coming weeks.

Juvenile flycatcher
Juvenile flycatcher in the neighborhood (un-cropped image). Click to see the full-size image. 1/2000s f/6.3 ISO 560 at 600mm
Barbed wire fence. This photo does a good job of showing the edge to edge sharpness with the Nikon 180-600mm Z lens. 1/2000s f/6.3 600mm (click to enlarge).
No parking sign: I took this photo to look at how out of focus highlights were rendered by the 180-600mm Nikkor Z lens. 1/2000s f/6.3 ISO 720 (click to enlarge)

The Image Doctors #200

Photographing the “Supermoon”

Did you see the “supermoon” this week? We’ll offer some tips for photographing the moon and tell you why you don’t need to wait for a “super” event to get out there and shoot it. Check out Jason’s Night Sky Photography Handbook for more night shooting tips!

New products from Sony & Tamron

Sony has introduced two new full-frame mirrorless cameras, the A7CII and A7CR, along with a newly redesigned 16-35mm f/2.8 lens.

Tamron announced that their 35-150mm f/2.0-2.8 lens will now be available in Nikon Z-mount.

The Image Doctors #199

Should you consider a macro lens?

This week, we revisit a topic that both of us enjoy: close-up photography. Macro lenses are just one way to get closer to your subject, and we’ll take a look at whether a true macro lens is right for you.

The Image Doctors #197

The Best Lenses for Zoo Photography

Your local zoo can be a great place for honing your wildlife photography skills. From exposure to autofocus, zoos are loaded with great animal subjects. This week, we offer our tips on the best walk-around lenses for zoo photography, including affordable options for most of the major camera brands.