What I love about watching all your videos is that yes you are excited about what you are doing but you do it with such a "Zen" quality in yourself that I always feel calm and rejuvenated! Thank you!
I absolutely loved the "two-headed" eagle pics. Those rosy finches were adorable. You're right in that getting shorebirds to come super close is one of the most exciting bird photography experiences! Everyone I know who shoots Nikon went for this lens, unless they only shoot with primes.
I love your approach to wildlife; it's nice to know that someone, even so far from me - I live in Italy, has feelings so close to mine about animals and the nature that surrounds us
Firstly 🎉 I Got the 180-600mm. I love it. I currently using it with a z 50 (I love the reach)! I’m looking at z50 II until Nikon brings pro APSC …if they do. I plan to also get full frame but most likely Zf . I’m I retired event based tog’ coming from F5, D3,D300,D700. I have the z24-70 |2.8s as I was intending to build the Trinity around the Z 50 before getting the latest full frame. But to my surprise the z50 really does 99 % of my current needs since I don’t shoot professionally anymore. Still loving the journey ❤
I currently have the Nikon 200-500 F5.6, I will buy the 180-600 lens when/if Nikon come out with the equivalent of a mirrorless D500. I got the 100-500 Canon lens which is a great lens but its such a pity that it does not have an internal zoom. Nikon have produced another great lens for wildlife shooters.
Great review, I've had my 180-600 almost a year as well and I really love that lens. It is so versatile and like you said it is very sharp and so easy to handle. I use mine on my Z9 and in conjunction with my 70-200, 400 4.5 and my 800 PF and it makes a great wildlife kit. I have been using my Z6ii as a backup but after seeing the results that you are getting with the Z6iii I think that is going to soon be my next purchase. In most cases the 24 mp is not a problem because I can usually fill the frame with the 180-600 because that is why I am using the zoom. Thanks again for a great review, it is especially worthwhile because you have used the lens for a year and have used it in many different situations.
Thank you for your excellent review! I use this lens on a Z8 for BIF photography, and concur with all of your points! That said, I’m also considering the Nikkor Z 100-400 S because of its stellar sharpness reputation and its more compact, easier to handle size, given that I’d lose 200mm on the long end.
Enjoyed the review. I purchased my 180-600 about 6 months ago. Love it so much I rarely use my Nikon 500 5.6 prime. On another note, thanks for your earlier video on photographing Musk-Ox out of Nome. You gave my wife and I the bug. So we booked a trip with a guide for next Sept. Really looking forward to it.
Loved this video. About the only down-side to this lens (at least for me) is the lack of a native Arca-Swiss format foot, requiring the addition of a plate - and more weight. I recently acquired a 1.4 TC, but have yet to take it for a test drive. I think this combo will require a goodly amount of light, which is not often found here in the mainland UK for most of the year.
iShooter makes a replacement foot with the Arca Swiss foot. amzn.to/493V857 f/9 isn't hard to get light really. just work your shutter and keep her under 10k 😮
Hey man never stop doing these videos. I shoot wildlife in Ireland with the same lens. I love seeing your videos. So very different to what i do here. I always wanted to get the Nikon 2.8 400mm with built in tele but find it hard to justify the price. One thing i like about the internal zoom lens is that you don’t get dirt ingress. I’ve always had that long term with the externally zooming lens I’ve had so I avoid them now
This lens is hard to beat for the price. It performs above its weight class for sure. Love the fact that they went with internal zoom as well. Nice hat too. I got one of those last year too. Thank you NPS.
Great video you sure do live in a lovely part of the world had my lens for 12 months love it just introduced it to a z8 love the combo been thinking about a teleconvertor and after seeing the difference on your otter pic I think my mind is made up keep up the great work cheers from down under
Thanks for another great video! Love the Rock sandpipers and Rosy finches. I absolutely love the 180-600! It is so versatile. I wish that Nikon had made it an S series lens, but the contrast and sharpness are excellent. The zoom ring is smooth and is well designed for rapidly changing focal length in the field. It is my go to lens for larger mammals like bears, deer, elk, and moose and for larger birds that are close. It is excellent for birds in flight! For smaller birds or for photographing at longer distances, the 800 f/6.3 lens is phenomenal! Kudos to Nikon for these excellent lenses and for the 1.4X teleconverter that is so sharp.
Great video! This has convinced me to splurge on this lens. I just purchased the z50ii and wanted a good telephoto for bird and wildlife shooting. A little more than what I want to spend but I think it’ll be worth it
Great shots man! I love how your always doing your reviews and videos out in the elements. You Alaskan folks are build different. I'd be in by a warm fire talking about the lens but your just out there cat hing rays in 20° weather and I respect t that big time. I'd love to come up there some time to photograph but not rich enough yet lol.
I absolutely love this lens. It delivers excellent results all around and the build quality is great. I’ve shot it all day in rain uncovered and it held up great. Coming from the old F mount 200-500 5.6 I have been over the moon in the balance, throw, speed, etc. If anyone is on the fence about this lens just get it and you’ll love it. It’s astounding how well it does and the cost savings over the Z 400 2.8 TC… it’s a no brainer.
I think this 180-600 is interesting and tempting with 1/4 turn on the internally zooming 600mm native Z mount but I already own the F mount 200 -500 with the constant 5.6 and it works great with the FTZ in my experience on my Z8 , sharp and great looking images with birds , with a higher res sensor like with the Z8 DX can be set for a 1.5 x boost to 750mm effective so I can't financially justify getting one unless maybe I used it a lot long term .
Nice stuff!!! My son has the 180-600, and I use the 400 4.5 We love them both! Love your videos! I am starting to do some video with my Z9 and would love to see you do a "setup" video for the Z series cameras. Looks like you have mostly Canon setup videos?? (Purple Sandpipers . . .)
I think my Z8/Z9 setup video has video settings in it. If not I will make one soon. It's nothing crazy. I like to keep things simple and repeatable in the field.
@WILDALASKA Ha! Yes, I just viewed it. Thanks! I wondered what your frame size/rate/type etc. was for these videos (they look good!) and I want quality but not overkill . . . . good to know.
@@elmerhochstetler9410 everything is recorded in 4k 120 fps for all my cameras for wildlife. then I can keep it at normal speed or slow to 20% for super slow mo.
Great video and I couldn't agree more! Its a really great lens especially for the price. Even takes the 1.4xtc well . Also Nikon VR for long lenses is just so good. And its really mote than good enough for almost all applications. I only switched to the 800pf personally, because wildlife in Europe is always too far away and I apparently hate having money. Probably will get another one for traveling to places where the animals can sometimes get closer.
Very nice Scott, I have this lens and I love it sharp enough if you ask me, Waiting for you to compare it to the Z 600PF;) Also I have the R5II and the RF 200-800 and I like the Z lens quite a bit better.
Great video. When considering this lens + Z8 vs R5II + 200-800mm which do you prefer? Which do you get a better result with in photo and handheld video? In your R5II vs Z8 video it seemed like they were neck in neck overall but once you add these two zoom lenses to the equation (and maybe the 100-500mm) which setup do you prefer overall? If both companies released a game changing new lens today (like a 200-500mm f4 with built-in TC), would you purchase the Z mount version or RF mount? (I know Canon is rumored to release this lens soon but I have a feeling Sony and Nikon will eventually start matching some of these interesting zoom designs, kind of like Sony did with the 28-70mm f2).
I don't know what Canon is doing but they haven't released anything pro related for wildlife since DSLR days. Everything for wildlife has been low to mid level stuff. It's all good but not pro end. Nikon has been pushing pro wildlife pretty hard. THE 200-500 F4 WITH TC im still not believing is a reality. Maybe without the tc. But im not a fan of that idea myself. Id rather it be a prime with a TC like Nikon. Just better quality of image due to the type of glass in those primes. For getting right in camera, I am better with the Nikon even though I have always been primarily a Canon shooter until a few years back. the 200-800 and the 180-600 are just way to different to compare really. That's 600-800 range is unique for us wildlife guys.
@ thanks for the insight. I agree with you that the RF 200-500mm f4 WITH TC is probably not reality but it would be tempting. I think it'll end up without the TC and/or f5.6 instead and still be astronomically expensive but tempting regardless. The 600-800mm lens on the 200-800mm is really nice but I hate the long zoom throw and external zoom compared to the Sony 200-600mm and Nikon 180-600mm. Nikon does seem like it may be the way to go moving forward for wildlife but Canon still excels in some areas (raw pre-capture, clog2, possibly better animal eye-AF in some circumstances). And some unique lenses like the 100-300mm f2.8 for those that prefer them over primes. Some other youtubers like Fabian Fopp seem to really love that 100-300 and it pairs well with the TCs, and also safari guys seem to love it. I think I'd find it a bit short for wildlife, especially birding, but incredible for some sports.
I have the Canon R7 with 100-500 lens. Hope to be adding the Z8 with 800PF soon. Not crazy about the weight of the 180-600 so I will hold on to my Canon set up for back packing and hiking. By the way, love the music !
Thanks a lot for the review! As if you could read my mind 😉I am currently using the z6iii and a Tamron 150-500 z lens, but this lens has issues with the newer nikons regarding the image stabilizer so I was thinking to sell this lens and get the nikon instead. Just the size and weight are still keeping me…😊I really love watching your videos, even if it would be just for armchair travelling❤Thank you again & greetings from Germany !
As a Canon shooter, I'm really jealous of that lens. What were the sandpipers at around 15:00? They look like Sharp-tailed Sandpipers more than anything else I can find in Sibley. Thanks!
Great content, love it. I own also 180-600mm but for me it's a little bit heavy and high iso BIF with cloudy weather. Perhaps I'll trade in for the 400mm 4.5 much lighter and brighter.
Stick with the 180-600 is my advise. you are gaining like only about 1/3 of a stop of light with the 400 4.5 if both lenses are @ 400mm. The 4.5 is a good lens, but I don't see the gains overall. Ive used both a lot, and id grab the 180-600 95% of the time.
great review but had a question how did you differentiate the tundra and the trumpeter swans - you called them tundra swans but beaks didn't show any scooping and no yellow on side of beaks( though not diagnostic) and the eyes were not as seperated from beaks - I am constantly trying to differentiate these two subspecies so am curious what helps you tell the difference - thanks ,my 18--600 is in the mail and your review was quite helpful
Oh did I say Tundra. They were trumpeters for sure. We see tundras, but not this time of year. The tundras head somewhere else, but the trumpeters stay throughout the winter in open water. Didn't realize I goofed that. Good eye The quickest way is the yellow at the eye/beak and they have a smaller head and the eye meeting the beak at the point blends. If they don't have the yellow it's usually size that gives them away.
As a Sony user I have the 200-600 and like the Z 180-600 I think it has fantastic performance/quality for the price and it's probably the lens I pick up most when I'm not sure what wildlife I'll find to photograph
Fantastic review and telephoto lens, thanks. Without considering the price, for photo + video sessions like in your video with some more BIF, which combo do you find more fun and pleasant to use and which provides better results between Nikon Z8 + 180 600, Canon R5II + 100 500, Canon R5II + 200 800? ... I'm considering which combo to buy. Thanks in advance for the suggestion
Ive had mine for 15 months and these are my thoughts and experience as well.... with that said I still want the 400 2.8tc light vacuum.... Im torn on when I get that, do I want the 100-400 or keep the 180-600. The close focus distance and S line benifits of the 100-400 has me leaning towards that.
nah keep the 180-600 unless you hike a lot and then you are going to miss the 400-600 range. IQ wise they are a wash. Now the 400 2.8 TC *drool* I'm tying not to buy it myself. it's the best lens on the marker. I will be reviewing it very soon also.
I sold mine for the 100-400, as I bought the 800 PF shortly after receiving my 180-600, and carrying both those heavy, big lenses around isn't really an option. But if it's your primary lens, the 180-600 is pretty much a no-brainer. It really is a brilliant lens, my copy was very sharp, almost indistinguishable to the 800 PF in the centre.
Ya I'm not sure about that trade off. You're saving less than a half pound and your aperture is less than a 1/3 stop difference. but I guess half pound is half pound lol
@WILDALASKA It was mainly about the size, the 100-400 is significantly smaller and I can just take it with me in my normal backpack additionally to the 800 of + z8
@KungPowEnterFist I did some comparisons between the 800 PF and 180-600 before selling, and in terms of sharpness, at least in the center of the image, I couldn't tell them apart. The 180-600 definitely is a great, very sharp lens, and if not for the 800 PF, I'd absolutely choose it over the 100-400 👀
Just some cabalas bon hunting gloves. Not extremely warm to be honest. I haven't really found anything that works well other than flip over mittens for really cold stuff. The buttons on cameras are just too small for anything but light gloves or bare fingers. so trick is to have electric hand warmers in your pockets to re-warm your hands between adjustments.
So, I only have 1 F-mount lens left, and it is the 200-500 5.6. I shoot it on my Z8 with ftz adapter. Do you think it is worth it to upgrade? I get fantastic results from it.
The 180-600mm is a great lens when you need a zoom, if I know I’m gonna be shooting at 600mm all day, I’m going with the super sharp and nice and light 600mm PF, it has more controls like a memory recall button and is a lot lighter to carry around, but when a zoom is needed the 180-600mm is the way to go and the price is right.
Have you used the 180-600mm lens with both the Z8 and the Z9? If so, do you find that the additional weight of the Z9 helps the handhold-ability of the lens by moving the center of gravity back further, or does it just seem like plain 'ole additional weight? I'm going to buy one or the other, and that's going to be part of the equation.
Nice shots! I love those Rock Sandpipers! How common is it to see flocks of them up there? I really really like the 180-600, my main lens. Wish it was a bit lighter though. Are you planning on reviewing the new Z50II? Hope so! BTW, do you do tours or workshops up there?
So rock sandpipers will winter here along the coast, so they re a favorite target in the winter. Get ready to be sick of seeing them in the next 10-20 videos lol. The z50II? If Stewarts gets a rental copy, we'll look at it, but the reviews haven't gotten me excited yet. but you don't know til you use it really. Workshops? We haver been talking about it, but it's just an issue with time mainly. If you are up in AK shoot me an IM on instagram and we can figure osmrhting out for your time up here.
I struggle with brown owls against green background or sand, what settings are you using to acquire AF? Mine hits and loses the AF mid burst despite the bird flying closer. Sometimes the owl will turn their head and look at the camera, I will lose AF too despite the eyes now showing.
Raise the exposure by a lot or something to get contrast. Once you are locked then drop your exposure back to where you went it. If the owl is not moving away or toward, you don't need to hit the AF button again as you focal plane is where it needs to be.
I have this lens, moving from my 500mm pf to have a z-lens. Heavier than 500mm pf but of course 100mm extra. Works flawless with the TC14. Don´t like the collar and the focus ring placement is not good. But overall great lens with my zf.
I had the 180-600 and returned it. I loved the image quality, but it was a bit too big and expensive for me. Instead, I'm going to try the 150-500 Tamron. That lens is a total of $950 cheaper when considering the accessories and taxes, because filters, lens bag, are cheaper for it and it already has the arca swiss mount. It should arrive today and I'll see if it's a better fit for me.
I just bought the 180-600mm because I thought the autofocus of the Z lens would be signficantly better than my 500 PF lens and FTZ adaptor. My one outing so far was disappointing in that regard. Good news for the 500 PF lens, I guess. Human nature, of course, dictates that I now question if the 400mm f4.5 or the 600mm PF would have been better. I am old enough that the 600mm f4 is really too heavy any longer. That is whey I sold my F mount 600mm and bought the 500 PF and that change was a game changer. A good video topic would be to pair the new Z50ii with the 400mm 4.5. I can't imagine why D500 shooters would hesitate to go for the 3D tracking and bird detection.
The FTZ makes the f mounts very close to z. where I se the difference is in always accurate hits on birds and BIF, but the F mounts on the Z are still very good. with the PF 600 and there 400 4.5 you will loose flexibility, but gain weight savings. As far as sharpness they are a touch better but nothing you're really going to go WOW about.
Today I shoot the R5 with the 100-500. The Z8 with the 180-600 tempts me away from Canon. In your experience for stills only. Which would you choose and why.
I like the Nikon setup but for canon the 200-800 is my choice over the 100-500. more reach, basically the same or better aperture and sharpness is basically the same at the end of the day. The 600-800 range on that lens gets very nice bokeh. But both setups are very good.
The only downside is that the AF STM motor is slower than the sony 200-600. The speed of the nikon from MFD to infinity is 0.8 sec, while the Sony is 0.45. That’s significant.
Ya nah. I've used both lenses and the Nikon is snappier than the Sony. it may be the camera plus the lenses, but the Nikon is snappier by far.
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First, watching your videos is not good for my work, I want to be outside instead of working haha cuddles to your great photos! Second, when I bought this lens I wasn’t expecting it to be that good. There is only one problem with it, the lens foot should be better. When you are using a tripod and tries to rotate the lens, it is not so smooth. And after losing the nob, if you forget and walks around, it might get even looser and the lens could fall. Nikon should address this problem. Except for this, this lens could cost 3,000 usd and would be worth it!
It's very very close and to be honest I tend to drop texture on a lot of my images as the sharpness is a bit much at times. @ 500mm the sharpness is almost identical also of the 2 lenses where the 180-600 is its best. But all lenses are more than sharp now pretty much and this sharpness comparison gets out of hand when pixel peeping. At edited crop its a wash on most lenses anymore. If you crop super tight then maybe you will see something, but not best practice for those large crops.
Hi Scott, Hello from France and many thanks for your videos. Coming from Fuji (X-S10 + 70-300mm), I'm tempting to change everything for birding. For my price range : Z6III+180-600mm or R6II+200-800mm (besides 24-10Xmm and a shorter tele lens like 100-400 for travels and holidays). It's really tough to choose (I have juste hold them both for 15 minutes each). The Z180-600mm is nice as an internal and quick zoom but Nikon has not state for an bird detection firmware update yet. Besides that Canon got the 600-800mm range and more advanced autofocus especially for birds. I have to choose a brand I will stick to for a long time, and as you are shooting both Canon and Nikon, I think your advice would be interesting. cheers
Like I said in the video the weight couldn't get much lighter. It's @ 4.3 now. If it got lighter then who would buy the 600 6.3 @ 3lbs. Plus it would rise in price. And yeah with the z9 (which is a brick) it gets heavy. The z6III was nice to run around with the lens though.
Don't wear it around your neck. Get a Cotton Carrier CCS G3 and place the mount on the bottom of the tripod foot, and mount the lens foot on the vest. This is more balanced and protects the camera connection from the weight of the lens bouncing around. Buy an extra mount to mount on the bottom of the camera itself. This allows the camera to be mounted on the vest when smaller lenses are used. For added security i use a double arm behind the back shoulder strap attached to the camera strap holder. 😊
If you’re shooting with either the Z6 or Z7 it will be painfully slow. They’re not really any good for action photography. Too bad Nikon took so long to come out with the Z8&9. If they got them out sooner maybe so many would’nt have bailed to Sony and Canon.
It's ok , but like all of these big zooms Sony ,Tamron , Canon they are just too slow and struggle in the afternoons and early mornings when light is low. So for wild life where its common to freeze action at 2000 of a second and faster your iso goes up and or shutters have to be slower to get good results. But middle of the day bright sun no worries all good . They are a bit limited and still cost a lot. But the price for proper fast F 4 's 400,500,600 mm is just bonkers stupid, more than the price of new small cars and is not justifiable for 99% or hobby people unless your are rich and or make consistent money from it .
What I love about watching all your videos is that yes you are excited about what you are doing but you do it with such a "Zen" quality in yourself that I always feel calm and rejuvenated! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words. Easy to be 'Zen' in the scenery here in Alaska 😁🏔️
I absolutely loved the "two-headed" eagle pics. Those rosy finches were adorable. You're right in that getting shorebirds to come super close is one of the most exciting bird photography experiences! Everyone I know who shoots Nikon went for this lens, unless they only shoot with primes.
Glad you liked the images. Was a fun time on the spit.
I love your approach to wildlife; it's nice to know that someone, even so far from me - I live in Italy, has feelings so close to mine about animals and the nature that surrounds us
Wonderful!
Nice that you are vegan ❤
You have convinced me with your honest appraisal of the lens and beautiful photographs! Thank you!
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Firstly 🎉 I Got the 180-600mm. I love it. I currently using it with a z 50 (I love the reach)! I’m looking at z50 II until Nikon brings pro APSC …if they do. I plan to also get full frame but most likely Zf . I’m I retired event based tog’ coming from F5, D3,D300,D700. I have the z24-70 |2.8s as I was intending to build the Trinity around the Z 50 before getting the latest full frame. But to my surprise the z50 really does 99 % of my current needs since I don’t shoot professionally anymore. Still loving the journey ❤
Very cool. That's the main part, love what you're doing. Wildlife photography is too good for the soul. 💕 🐻🦦
Is there a decent nikon apsc camera with ibis?
Nope @@AlexMcDougallPhotography
I currently have the Nikon 200-500 F5.6, I will buy the 180-600 lens when/if Nikon come out with the equivalent of a mirrorless D500. I got the 100-500 Canon lens which is a great lens but its such a pity that it does not have an internal zoom. Nikon have produced another great lens for wildlife shooters.
Great review, I've had my 180-600 almost a year as well and I really love that lens. It is so versatile and like you said it is very sharp and so easy to handle. I use mine on my Z9 and in conjunction with my 70-200, 400 4.5 and my 800 PF and it makes a great wildlife kit. I have been using my Z6ii as a backup but after seeing the results that you are getting with the Z6iii I think that is going to soon be my next purchase. In most cases the 24 mp is not a problem because I can usually fill the frame with the 180-600 because that is why I am using the zoom. Thanks again for a great review, it is especially worthwhile because you have used the lens for a year and have used it in many different situations.
Great info, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your excellent review! I use this lens on a Z8 for BIF photography, and concur with all of your points! That said, I’m also considering the Nikkor Z 100-400 S because of its stellar sharpness reputation and its more compact, easier to handle size, given that I’d lose 200mm on the long end.
Well made video and educational.
Thanks
Just bought that exact setup. Can't wait to put it to work. Thanks for sharing.
Glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy it!
I love your enthusiasm. Alaska looks like a lot of fun. I really like your channel.
thanks
Enjoyed the review. I purchased my 180-600 about 6 months ago. Love it so much I rarely use my Nikon 500 5.6 prime. On another note, thanks for your earlier video on photographing Musk-Ox out of Nome. You gave my wife and I the bug. So we booked a trip with a guide for next Sept. Really looking forward to it.
Great to hear!
Loved the music with this video nice
I am back to comment on this! Awesome!
Thanks. I will add the artists later today. In the field atm looking for owls again 🦉
Yup! Had it about a year. Lives on my z9! Incredible lens. Lovely video. Well done brother.
Awesome! Thank you!
Loved this video. About the only down-side to this lens (at least for me) is the lack of a native Arca-Swiss format foot, requiring the addition of a plate - and more weight.
I recently acquired a 1.4 TC, but have yet to take it for a test drive. I think this combo will require a goodly amount of light, which is not often found here in the mainland UK for most of the year.
iShooter makes a replacement foot with the Arca Swiss foot. amzn.to/493V857
f/9 isn't hard to get light really. just work your shutter and keep her under 10k 😮
Great video as usual. I love my 280-600. I am planning to take it with me during my next trip to India.
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Hey man never stop doing these videos. I shoot wildlife in Ireland with the same lens. I love seeing your videos. So very different to what i do here.
I always wanted to get the Nikon 2.8 400mm with built in tele but find it hard to justify the price.
One thing i like about the internal zoom lens is that you don’t get dirt ingress. I’ve always had that long term with the externally zooming lens I’ve had so I avoid them now
Very cool to hear. That 400 2.4 with TC to me is the best lens on the market. Such amazing images and flexibility
Thanks for your review. This is the camera + lens combo that I'm planning to get at the end of January. Cannot wait.
The camera is now 3499.00 why wait
@technodronesogxl9783 I won't have the cash till then.
Its a very good combo if you can get your subject large enough in frame.
@WILDALASKA Ultimately it comes down to cash and I can't quite stretch to a z8 unfortunately. Thanks
@@AlexMcDougallPhotography completely understand
This lens is hard to beat for the price. It performs above its weight class for sure. Love the fact that they went with internal zoom as well. Nice hat too. I got one of those last year too. Thank you NPS.
Yeah. Was a welcome gift from Nikon for the cold up here.
Great video you sure do live in a lovely part of the world had my lens for 12 months love it just introduced it to a z8 love the combo been thinking about a teleconvertor and after seeing the difference on your otter pic I think my mind is made up keep up the great work cheers from down under
The 1.4tc works really well and in those instances you need the enlargement, its nice.
Was about to pull the trigger on this but wanted to see your long term review first.
For the price if your a Nikon shooter, yeah its a buy for me.
Thanks for another great video! Love the Rock sandpipers and Rosy finches. I absolutely love the 180-600! It is so versatile. I wish that Nikon had made it an S series lens, but the contrast and sharpness are excellent. The zoom ring is smooth and is well designed for rapidly changing focal length in the field. It is my go to lens for larger mammals like bears, deer, elk, and moose and for larger birds that are close. It is excellent for birds in flight! For smaller birds or for photographing at longer distances, the 800 f/6.3 lens is phenomenal! Kudos to Nikon for these excellent lenses and for the 1.4X teleconverter that is so sharp.
Couldn't agree more. We are very lucky to be showing in this day and age with all the wonderful tools at hand.
Great video! This has convinced me to splurge on this lens. I just purchased the z50ii and wanted a good telephoto for bird and wildlife shooting. A little more than what I want to spend but I think it’ll be worth it
It is a great lens and should serve you well!
Just loved those otter images, such amazing creatures to watch👌
They are!
Great shots man! I love how your always doing your reviews and videos out in the elements. You Alaskan folks are build different. I'd be in by a warm fire talking about the lens but your just out there cat hing rays in 20° weather and I respect t that big time. I'd love to come up there some time to photograph but not rich enough yet lol.
Glad you like them!
I absolutely love this lens. It delivers excellent results all around and the build quality is great. I’ve shot it all day in rain uncovered and it held up great. Coming from the old F mount 200-500 5.6 I have been over the moon in the balance, throw, speed, etc. If anyone is on the fence about this lens just get it and you’ll love it. It’s astounding how well it does and the cost savings over the Z 400 2.8 TC… it’s a no brainer.
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Such a beautiful video! Well done, I was looking for that for so long!🫶
Thanks
I think this 180-600 is interesting and tempting with 1/4 turn on the internally zooming 600mm native Z mount but I already own the F mount 200 -500 with the constant 5.6
and it works great with the FTZ in my experience on my Z8 , sharp and great looking images with birds , with a higher res sensor like with the Z8 DX can be set for a 1.5 x boost to 750mm effective
so I can't financially justify getting one unless maybe I used it a lot long term .
Finances always dictate what you need to do with your camera buys of course. the 200-500 is a workhorse for sure.
These are the reviews I like (long term).
Thanks
What an awesome video!! Thank you!!👍
Glad you liked it!
Nice stuff!!! My son has the 180-600, and I use the 400 4.5 We love them both! Love your videos! I am starting to do some video with my Z9 and would love to see you do a "setup" video for the Z series cameras. Looks like you have mostly Canon setup videos?? (Purple Sandpipers . . .)
I think my Z8/Z9 setup video has video settings in it. If not I will make one soon. It's nothing crazy. I like to keep things simple and repeatable in the field.
@WILDALASKA Ha! Yes, I just viewed it. Thanks! I wondered what your frame size/rate/type etc. was for these videos (they look good!) and I want quality but not overkill . . . . good to know.
@@elmerhochstetler9410 everything is recorded in 4k 120 fps for all my cameras for wildlife. then I can keep it at normal speed or slow to 20% for super slow mo.
Thanks for the video and thanks for the music.
👍
Great video and I couldn't agree more! Its a really great lens especially for the price. Even takes the 1.4xtc well . Also Nikon VR for long lenses is just so good.
And its really mote than good enough for almost all applications. I only switched to the 800pf personally, because wildlife in Europe is always too far away and I apparently hate having money.
Probably will get another one for traveling to places where the animals can sometimes get closer.
👍
Very nice Scott, I have this lens and I love it sharp enough if you ask me, Waiting for you to compare it to the Z 600PF;) Also I have the R5II and the RF 200-800 and I like the Z lens quite a bit better.
yeah the lenses 200-800 and the 180-600 are different beasts. The 600-800 is a lot of fun and tight DoF @ 800.
Nice video. I like your comment about TC's.
Thanks!
Simply stunning and magical - thank you. 🙏🤗💖
Glad you enjoyed it
Very nice video and review. I have a feeling Nikon is going to have trouble keeping up with the orders for the 180-600mm.
👍
Great video. When considering this lens + Z8 vs R5II + 200-800mm which do you prefer? Which do you get a better result with in photo and handheld video? In your R5II vs Z8 video it seemed like they were neck in neck overall but once you add these two zoom lenses to the equation (and maybe the 100-500mm) which setup do you prefer overall?
If both companies released a game changing new lens today (like a 200-500mm f4 with built-in TC), would you purchase the Z mount version or RF mount? (I know Canon is rumored to release this lens soon but I have a feeling Sony and Nikon will eventually start matching some of these interesting zoom designs, kind of like Sony did with the 28-70mm f2).
I don't know what Canon is doing but they haven't released anything pro related for wildlife since DSLR days. Everything for wildlife has been low to mid level stuff. It's all good but not pro end. Nikon has been pushing pro wildlife pretty hard. THE 200-500 F4 WITH TC im still not believing is a reality. Maybe without the tc. But im not a fan of that idea myself. Id rather it be a prime with a TC like Nikon. Just better quality of image due to the type of glass in those primes.
For getting right in camera, I am better with the Nikon even though I have always been primarily a Canon shooter until a few years back.
the 200-800 and the 180-600 are just way to different to compare really. That's 600-800 range is unique for us wildlife guys.
@ thanks for the insight. I agree with you that the RF 200-500mm f4 WITH TC is probably not reality but it would be tempting. I think it'll end up without the TC and/or f5.6 instead and still be astronomically expensive but tempting regardless. The 600-800mm lens on the 200-800mm is really nice but I hate the long zoom throw and external zoom compared to the Sony 200-600mm and Nikon 180-600mm. Nikon does seem like it may be the way to go moving forward for wildlife but Canon still excels in some areas (raw pre-capture, clog2, possibly better animal eye-AF in some circumstances). And some unique lenses like the 100-300mm f2.8 for those that prefer them over primes. Some other youtubers like Fabian Fopp seem to really love that 100-300 and it pairs well with the TCs, and also safari guys seem to love it. I think I'd find it a bit short for wildlife, especially birding, but incredible for some sports.
I have the Canon R7 with 100-500 lens. Hope to be adding the Z8 with 800PF soon. Not crazy about the weight of the 180-600 so I will hold on to my Canon set up for back packing and hiking. By the way, love the music !
thanks
Thanks a lot for the review! As if you could read my mind 😉I am currently using the z6iii and a Tamron 150-500 z lens, but this lens has issues with the newer nikons regarding the image stabilizer so I was thinking to sell this lens and get the nikon instead. Just the size and weight are still keeping me…😊I really love watching your videos, even if it would be just for armchair travelling❤Thank you again & greetings from Germany !
Thanks for the kind words. And yes I like the Nikon over the Tamron form my use of both lenses.
As a Canon shooter, I'm really jealous of that lens.
What were the sandpipers at around 15:00? They look like Sharp-tailed Sandpipers more than anything else I can find in Sibley. Thanks!
They are rock sandpipers. The winter around Kacehmek Bay.
@WILDALASKA winter plumage. Gotcha! 👍🏿
Great content, love it. I own also 180-600mm but for me it's a little bit heavy and high iso BIF with cloudy weather. Perhaps I'll trade in for the 400mm 4.5 much lighter and brighter.
Stick with the 180-600 is my advise. you are gaining like only about 1/3 of a stop of light with the 400 4.5 if both lenses are @ 400mm. The 4.5 is a good lens, but I don't see the gains overall. Ive used both a lot, and id grab the 180-600 95% of the time.
@@WILDALASKA Thanks for advise 👍I also own a Z8 and want a second camera, but the Z6iii has no bird detection. 😒
@@57sapkeits already doing great with birds and be sure nikon will add it via firmware.
Nice, I have the lens and love it. Saving for 14. convertor.
What is the white object on the hot shoe? (dot sight?)
No, its an insta 360 go3s to shoot video where down the lens you see in the video at times.
great review but had a question how did you differentiate the tundra and the trumpeter swans - you called them tundra swans but beaks didn't show any scooping and no yellow on side of beaks( though not diagnostic) and the eyes were not as seperated from beaks - I am constantly trying to differentiate these two subspecies so am curious what helps you tell the difference - thanks ,my 18--600 is in the mail and your review was quite helpful
Oh did I say Tundra. They were trumpeters for sure. We see tundras, but not this time of year. The tundras head somewhere else, but the trumpeters stay throughout the winter in open water. Didn't realize I goofed that. Good eye
The quickest way is the yellow at the eye/beak and they have a smaller head and the eye meeting the beak at the point blends. If they don't have the yellow it's usually size that gives them away.
As a Sony user I have the 200-600 and like the Z 180-600 I think it has fantastic performance/quality for the price and it's probably the lens I pick up most when I'm not sure what wildlife I'll find to photograph
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Fantastic review and telephoto lens, thanks. Without considering the price, for photo + video sessions like in your video with some more BIF, which combo do you find more fun and pleasant to use and which provides better results between Nikon Z8 + 180 600, Canon R5II + 100 500, Canon R5II + 200 800? ... I'm considering which combo to buy. Thanks in advance for the suggestion
Z9 with 180-600 and the r5mkii with the 200-800 are pretty close. Precapture plus 600-800 range sometimes gives the edge.
Ive had mine for 15 months and these are my thoughts and experience as well.... with that said I still want the 400 2.8tc light vacuum.... Im torn on when I get that, do I want the 100-400 or keep the 180-600. The close focus distance and S line benifits of the 100-400 has me leaning towards that.
nah keep the 180-600 unless you hike a lot and then you are going to miss the 400-600 range. IQ wise they are a wash. Now the 400 2.8 TC *drool* I'm tying not to buy it myself. it's the best lens on the marker. I will be reviewing it very soon also.
I sold mine for the 100-400, as I bought the 800 PF shortly after receiving my 180-600, and carrying both those heavy, big lenses around isn't really an option.
But if it's your primary lens, the 180-600 is pretty much a no-brainer. It really is a brilliant lens, my copy was very sharp, almost indistinguishable to the 800 PF in the centre.
Ya I'm not sure about that trade off. You're saving less than a half pound and your aperture is less than a 1/3 stop difference. but I guess half pound is half pound lol
@WILDALASKA It was mainly about the size, the 100-400 is significantly smaller and I can just take it with me in my normal backpack additionally to the 800 of + z8
@@cy9nvs got ya. makes sense. want to go real light get that 28-400 lol and a z6III
@KungPowEnterFist I did some comparisons between the 800 PF and 180-600 before selling, and in terms of sharpness, at least in the center of the image, I couldn't tell them apart. The 180-600 definitely is a great, very sharp lens, and if not for the 800 PF, I'd absolutely choose it over the 100-400 👀
Can you reccomend some good cold weather photo gloves? What are you wearing in the video.
Thanks
Just some cabalas bon hunting gloves. Not extremely warm to be honest. I haven't really found anything that works well other than flip over mittens for really cold stuff. The buttons on cameras are just too small for anything but light gloves or bare fingers. so trick is to have electric hand warmers in your pockets to re-warm your hands between adjustments.
So, I only have 1 F-mount lens left, and it is the 200-500 5.6. I shoot it on my Z8 with ftz adapter. Do you think it is worth it to upgrade? I get fantastic results from it.
I think its worth the upgrade, but I would suggest you rent the 180-600 and see if it works for you also.
Nice video. I would suggest that you leave the camera settings displayed on screen a bit longer. They flash by too quickly. Thanks.
🤷♂️
Just click on the screen to pause it.
Scott what is mounted on top of the camera. Video? Thanks again..
Insta 360 go3s. amzn.to/3ZmGvqv
This video never felt like a review, rather felt like a Natgeo documentary to be honest.
Thanks
It is the best 600 telephoto lens till date
Zoom? yes. vs 600 f4 prime ? no 600 6.3? close
The 180-600mm is a great lens when you need a zoom, if I know I’m gonna be shooting at 600mm all day, I’m going with the super sharp and nice and light 600mm PF, it has more controls like a memory recall button and is a lot lighter to carry around, but when a zoom is needed the 180-600mm is the way to go and the price is right.
👍 Agree. Choose the right tool for the job.
I just got the Z8 with a teleconverter with this lens. In DX mode it’s basically a telescope.
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Have you used the 180-600mm lens with both the Z8 and the Z9? If so, do you find that the additional weight of the Z9 helps the handhold-ability of the lens by moving the center of gravity back further, or does it just seem like plain 'ole additional weight? I'm going to buy one or the other, and that's going to be part of the equation.
Yes. Go look back on my channel to last years reviews.
Which lens coat brand do you use? I plan on picking this lens up today - your review’s got me excited to get outside with this ASAP
Check out the video right before this one. Its in there and a few other items you may like.
@ awesome - thank you!
Nice shots! I love those Rock Sandpipers! How common is it to see flocks of them up there? I really really like the 180-600, my main lens. Wish it was a bit lighter though. Are you planning on reviewing the new Z50II? Hope so! BTW, do you do tours or workshops up there?
So rock sandpipers will winter here along the coast, so they re a favorite target in the winter. Get ready to be sick of seeing them in the next 10-20 videos lol.
The z50II? If Stewarts gets a rental copy, we'll look at it, but the reviews haven't gotten me excited yet. but you don't know til you use it really.
Workshops? We haver been talking about it, but it's just an issue with time mainly. If you are up in AK shoot me an IM on instagram and we can figure osmrhting out for your time up here.
@@WILDALASKA Thanks, looking forward to what you come up with. I will try to contact you if I get up your way.
I have a 200-500 and z8 ..what will be your recommendation to go for this 180-600
more reach, native compatibility, internal zoom, ....
What is the device in your hot shoe?
insta360 go3s. Jutst used for troll of the video angle down the lens.
I struggle with brown owls against green background or sand, what settings are you using to acquire AF? Mine hits and loses the AF mid burst despite the bird flying closer. Sometimes the owl will turn their head and look at the camera, I will lose AF too despite the eyes now showing.
Raise the exposure by a lot or something to get contrast. Once you are locked then drop your exposure back to where you went it. If the owl is not moving away or toward, you don't need to hit the AF button again as you focal plane is where it needs to be.
@@WILDALASKA Thanks for the tips, I will give it a try and let you know how it goes.
I have this lens, moving from my 500mm pf to have a z-lens. Heavier than 500mm pf but of course 100mm extra. Works flawless with the TC14. Don´t like the collar and the focus ring placement is not good. But overall great lens with my zf.
Very cool. And I prefer the focus rung placement. That just shows how different everyone is.
Glad you are enjoying the lens and thanks for watching.
I had the 180-600 and returned it. I loved the image quality, but it was a bit too big and expensive for me. Instead, I'm going to try the 150-500 Tamron. That lens is a total of $950 cheaper when considering the accessories and taxes, because filters, lens bag, are cheaper for it and it already has the arca swiss mount. It should arrive today and I'll see if it's a better fit for me.
I hve a review of the Tamron lens on here also. The Nikon one is much better in performance from my use of both.
@WILDALASKA i just got the tamron an hour ago and I can't get a nice sharp image for the life of me. I should have kept the Nikon.
@@jacobott4847 loool
Scott, was everything shot in this video done with the Z6II or most of it? Currious because the Z 6III is what I've got and concidering this lens.
Yes all the wildlife video was with the z6III and images
What is the gizmo on the hot shoe?
insta 360 go3s. Action cam. Its for the down the lens video.
Where did you get the Nikon touque?
Nikon
I just bought the 180-600mm because I thought the autofocus of the Z lens would be signficantly better than my 500 PF lens and FTZ adaptor. My one outing so far was disappointing in that regard. Good news for the 500 PF lens, I guess. Human nature, of course, dictates that I now question if the 400mm f4.5 or the 600mm PF would have been better. I am old enough that the 600mm f4 is really too heavy any longer. That is whey I sold my F mount 600mm and bought the 500 PF and that change was a game changer. A good video topic would be to pair the new Z50ii with the 400mm 4.5. I can't imagine why D500 shooters would hesitate to go for the 3D tracking and bird detection.
The FTZ makes the f mounts very close to z. where I se the difference is in always accurate hits on birds and BIF, but the F mounts on the Z are still very good.
with the PF 600 and there 400 4.5 you will loose flexibility, but gain weight savings. As far as sharpness they are a touch better but nothing you're really going to go WOW about.
Today I shoot the R5 with the 100-500. The Z8 with the 180-600 tempts me away from Canon. In your experience for stills only. Which would you choose and why.
I like the Nikon setup but for canon the 200-800 is my choice over the 100-500. more reach, basically the same or better aperture and sharpness is basically the same at the end of the day. The 600-800 range on that lens gets very nice bokeh. But both setups are very good.
The real question is if you had a choice between this and the 600 PF, which would you choose?
Coming very soon.
@ exciting!
The one Eagle Head to turns to 2
😁
The only downside is that the AF STM motor is slower than the sony 200-600. The speed of the nikon from MFD to infinity is 0.8 sec, while the Sony is 0.45. That’s significant.
Ya nah. I've used both lenses and the Nikon is snappier than the Sony. it may be the camera plus the lenses, but the Nikon is snappier by far.
First, watching your videos is not good for my work, I want to be outside instead of working haha cuddles to your great photos!
Second, when I bought this lens I wasn’t expecting it to be that good.
There is only one problem with it, the lens foot should be better. When you are using a tripod and tries to rotate the lens, it is not so smooth. And after losing the nob, if you forget and walks around, it might get even looser and the lens could fall.
Nikon should address this problem. Except for this, this lens could cost 3,000 usd and would be worth it!
I haven't had that issue with my copy. Kirk and iShoot do make a lens collar replacement also. here's the link to the iShoot one. amzn.to/3Z6oWcB
Recently rented this lens, compared to the 10-400 it’s just not quite as sharp.
It's very very close and to be honest I tend to drop texture on a lot of my images as the sharpness is a bit much at times. @ 500mm the sharpness is almost identical also of the 2 lenses where the 180-600 is its best. But all lenses are more than sharp now pretty much and this sharpness comparison gets out of hand when pixel peeping. At edited crop its a wash on most lenses anymore. If you crop super tight then maybe you will see something, but not best practice for those large crops.
What is 10-400?
If I have sell my nikkor lenses, I will still keep 180-600mm lens
😁
Hi Scott,
Hello from France and many thanks for your videos.
Coming from Fuji (X-S10 + 70-300mm), I'm tempting to change everything for birding. For my price range : Z6III+180-600mm or R6II+200-800mm (besides 24-10Xmm and a shorter tele lens like 100-400 for travels and holidays).
It's really tough to choose (I have juste hold them both for 15 minutes each).
The Z180-600mm is nice as an internal and quick zoom but Nikon has not state for an bird detection firmware update yet.
Besides that Canon got the 600-800mm range and more advanced autofocus especially for birds.
I have to choose a brand I will stick to for a long time, and as you are shooting both Canon and Nikon, I think your advice would be interesting.
cheers
Hard to really tell you ne way or the other. Both are extremely good. My advice is to rent each and see which fits you best.
My biggest beef is the weight, coupled with my Z9, it is a brick around my neck.
Like I said in the video the weight couldn't get much lighter. It's @ 4.3 now. If it got lighter then who would buy the 600 6.3 @ 3lbs. Plus it would rise in price. And yeah with the z9 (which is a brick) it gets heavy. The z6III was nice to run around with the lens though.
Don't wear it around your neck. Get a Cotton Carrier CCS G3 and place the mount on the bottom of the tripod foot, and mount the lens foot on the vest.
This is more balanced and protects the camera connection from the weight of the lens bouncing around.
Buy an extra mount to mount on the bottom of the camera itself. This allows the camera to be mounted on the vest when smaller lenses are used.
For added security i use a double arm behind the back shoulder strap attached to the camera strap holder. 😊
@ Yes, thanks, I do have a Cotton Carrier that I use, but it is still a brick with the Z9.
@@billbeverly2864 understand. Z9 is a chunky gal
This video begs for 4k reupload, please!
All my videos are uploaded in 4k
@@WILDALASKA the maximum resolution is 1080p for me for all your videos in YT
@@rodrigoshariff Ah crap...some reason this one uploaded @ 1080p...annoying
Yes, the 200-500 was slow, just like the 180-600mm.
Good lord, no they are not slow. Focus speed on both is very fast.
@@WILDALASKA maybe on the Z9 :)
If you’re shooting with either the Z6 or Z7 it will be painfully slow. They’re not really any good for action photography. Too bad Nikon took so long to come out with the Z8&9. If they got them out sooner maybe so many would’nt have bailed to Sony and Canon.
It's ok , but like all of these big zooms Sony ,Tamron , Canon they are just too slow and struggle in the afternoons and early mornings when light is low. So for wild life where its common to freeze action at 2000 of a second and faster your iso goes up and or shutters have to be slower to get good results. But middle of the day bright sun no worries all good . They are a bit limited and still cost a lot. But the price for proper fast
F 4 's 400,500,600 mm is just bonkers stupid, more than the price of new small cars and is not justifiable for 99% or hobby people unless your are rich and or make consistent money from it .
You don't say......