Although the quick connection and Arca mount are nice , if I'm actually carrying the lenses by the handle the OEM foot is more comfortable , at least for the bigger lenses. Not much of a difference with the zoom.
Although the quick connection and Arca mount are nice , if I'm actually carrying the lenses by the handle the OEM foot is more comfortable , at least for the bigger lenses. Not much of a difference with the zoom.
Do you feel this Leofoto is an upgrade in operation over the OEM ? My big gripe with the stock collar is you have to loosen it up so much to get the lens to rotate. By then it's too loose and there's too much play between collar and lens (wobbly). If you tighten it up to get the play out then you can't rotate it. Does the Leofoto solve this or will I have to spend for the Kirk ?
p.43 #5 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
No , same terrible design for the clamp , I don't know that Kirk solved that problem either. I would just assume save 165 vs the Kirk, there are cheaper options also for around 50 bucks on Amazon.
p.43 #6 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
JustShootMe wrote:
No , same terrible design for the clamp , I don't know that Kirk solved that problem either. I would just assume save 165 vs the Kirk, there are cheaper options also for around 50 bucks on Amazon.
That's what I was afraid of. I have all kinds of plates laying around and that's what I'm using now. I don't like the extra piece but also don't want to spend $100 bucks if it doesn't solve the problem. I'll wait to hear from jrscls to see if the Kirk performs any better. Thanks for the reply. Appreciated !
p.43 #7 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
Resolution of the 180-600 @ 600 wide open is quite good resulting in over 88 lp/mm (0,6) centrally and slightly lower at the right upper corner with 72 lp/mm (0,3) primarily due to some astigmatism. Not shown, but measured at the left edge also resulted in 88 lp/mm. Shot at 100 feet with a Z9 on a tripod with long lens rail to minimize vibration. There was no degradation if VR was engaged. To put it in context, even the best primes I tested top out at slightly over 100 lp/mm with a 46 MP sensor found on Nikon's Z7/8/9. I suspect a 60 MP would show even higher resolving power when testing lenses.
p.43 #8 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
I will post my experience with the Kirk plate when it arrives later this week. I also ordered a Kirk base plate for the Z8 as I couldn't seem to find many options.
p.43 #10 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
Went out today for a walk in the woods and I forgot how much I like this lens paired to my Z8. Plenty of passerines including grosbeak, yellowthroat, bluebirds, scarlet tanagers, etc. Fun, fun.
p.43 #15 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
jrscls wrote:
Just ordered a Kirk lens collar/plate to replace the stock one. Anybody else replace the lens collar?
I just ordered one. Besides providing flexure-free support and Arca design dovetail, it has a new captive locking knob design to prevent accidental unlocking, the Achilles heal of Nikon's collar. I don't know if cheaper replacement collars have this feature but you can never go wrong with Kirk Enterprises.
p.43 #16 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
nextlife1 wrote:
These are great and exactly what I have been wanting to see! I have a bit of a different question—any idea how the 180-600 at 400mm wide open compares to the 100-400 at 400mm wide open (both without TCs)? I am trying to decide whether to take the 100-400 or the 180-600 to Botswana as my mid-range zoom (in addition to my long prime) and would want the 180-600 to be roughly as sharp in the mid-ranges. Haven’t seen anyone comment on that including Ricci in his initial review. If you have any thoughts on this I would love to hear them. Thanks again for posting these!...Show more →
Although I haven't had time to field test the 180-600 yet, I did some initial resolution testing with my trusty USAF resolution charts comparing both lenses at their respective long ends when shot wide open. The short answer is that both are extremely sharp even at their longest focal lengths. The 180-600 lenses reached the limit of 88 lp/mm resolving power with my Z9 (before pixelation set in) at the center and edge of the frame. At 600, the 180-600 demonstrated a slight softening to 72 lp/mm which was probably due to field curvature. The 100-400 performed similarly at 400 with 84 lp/mm at the center and corner and over 76 lp/mm at the edge. Since the long end of these zooms are typically the softest, I would expect the 180-600 to outperform the 100-400 at 400 and at certainly at 560 when a TC-14Z is employed. On a recent photo shoot with the 100-400 with a TC-14Z, sharpness was surprisingly good provided good lighting and subject contrast but bokeh was a bit harsh.
p.43 #19 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
alanwilder wrote:
I just ordered one. Besides providing flexure-free support and Arca design dovetail, it has a new captive locking knob design to prevent accidental unlocking, the Achilles heal of Nikon's collar. I don't know if cheaper replacement collars have this feature but you can never go wrong with Kirk Enterprises.
My Kirk lens collar came in today, and I am very pleased with it. It is much better than the Nikon one- the arca plate is a nice length and allows for a great handle to carry the lens, it is much better built and the locking mechanism is a better design. You do not need to unscrew all the way to rotate, although still not as smooth as lens designs with a built in collar.
Yes, it is expensive, but I need to trust it to carry not only the lens, but the Z8 as well. The cost of this lens with the Kirk collar is less than $2K, which is still a good value. This is a much better solution over the original collar and an arca plate bolted on. Worth the cost, IMO.
p.43 #20 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread
jrscls wrote:
My Kirk lens collar came in today, and I am very pleased with it. It is much better than the Nikon one- the arca plate is a nice length and allows for a great handle to carry the lens, it is much better built and the locking mechanism is a better design. You do not need to unscrew all the way to rotate, although still not as smooth as lens designs with a built in collar.
Yes, it is expensive, but I need to trust it to carry not only the lens, but the Z8 as well. The cost of this lens with the Kirk collar is less than $2K, which is still a good value. This is a much better solution over the original collar and an arca plate bolted on. Worth the cost, IMO....Show more →
