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Steve's definitely the man for a no nonsense, clear and unbiased review. Thanks for all the work you do for the photo community.

You are definitely the most sane photography KZfaqr out there and I am genuinely excited when you post a new video, knowing there will be objective insights and thoughts no-one else gives.

You'll never find more informative and real breakdowns than from Steve. Thanks for all you do Steve.

At last! I have been waiting for this as I'm planning to have it. Thanks a bunch, Steve! Your work are always my inspirations in my wildlife photography journey.

Excellent work Steve. Thank you for such a comprehensive review.

Intelligent, informative & above all impartial- gets my subscribe EVERY time! Congratulations on a fantastic review Steve!

Steve, you set the bar high with your reviews, thank you!

What an incredible and thorough review. So much work put into it!! I need to watch this more than once.

Thanks for the update on this lens Steve!

Awesome review as usual. Amazing photographs as well!!

Great review, I love the all details, real life shooting issues and including the construction.

Informative and practical review. Love the enthusiasm you have in all your reviews.

Bought this Lens due to this Video, absolutely amazing, all insights and tips are so appreciated. Thank you so much Steve! I carry along many things you say into my photography.

You deserve every view, follower and subscriber you have. Amazing review Steve, your hard work pays off and is greatly appreciated.

..and again a great review, Thanks Steve. Also the remarks between the lines about VR and its behavior are very welcome. And ofcourse the comparison between the Nikon optics is so valuable. Bought both books and the vids aswell… not only for the info but for support as well. Keep up the good work.

This is the best online review I've yet found on this lens. Fantastic. Thanks for producing such an exhaustive review on it.

Definitely the best wildlife photography reviewer on KZfaq. I don’t shoot Nikon but love your videos for the technic that applies to photography in general.

One of the best reviews that I have ever seen on a lens. Actually in the field use and not just a lab review. My next lens and thanks for such a great job.

Great review and beautiful images Steve! Thanks!

I enjoy your reviews - thorough and informative. Top shelf review here once again.

Thank you Steve for this detailed video Love your delivery style, making things so clear

This is by far the best review I have seen of the 500mm PF. Thanks Steve, for the "practical - in the field " approach. I hugely appreciate it.

Great review Steve. Thanks for doing this work for us.

I really like your video's Steve. I have been watching them for quite some time. Your tips are very helpful and your good at teaching them. I especially liked over the years the one on the back focus button and the one on auto-iso in manual mode. Thanks buddy.

I have no problem waiting a while for his videos because every time there is a video of him, its pure gold. They are all filled with very useful information.

The one review I was so impatient to see! From the most reliable source on youtube👌 Let’s get started👌

Outstanding work as usual, Steve!

Your reviews are so thorough and at the same time not full of useless information.

I found this review while looking for information on the 500pf. You literally answered every question I had. Thanks Steve. Well done!

Great video Steve. I was considering this lens for wildlife. Love the noise reduction video course. Keep up the good work.

Excellent review, thank you. Best videos I've seen on KZfaq to date.

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! Thanks for taking the time to properly test this masterpiece.

YOU ROCK, STEVE! I love your videos. Thank you for the time to make these videos!

Great honest and thorough review Steve! If I hadn’t already purchased the 200-500, I would consider saving up for the 500 but for the kind of shooting I do and my budget, it doesn’t make sense right now. Appreciate the time and effort spent on the comparisons. Very helpful.

Thanks so much for a well considered, detailed review with rational recommendations for several styles of shooting.

The images of the fox were absolutely stunning!

Excellent review! Very helpful. Thanks for producing it.

Another excellent in-depth review with stunning imagery. That coyote portrait - wow 👏

Wow! Packed with good information and lots of experience and tests! There should be more youtubers like you!

Like all his reviews, this one is clear, concise, and backed up by data. I appreciate how Steve cuts through marketing hype and psdeo-expertise flooding the internet photography space. You get essential information in a brilliantly summarized format. I'll get this lens based on this review as a companion to my Nikkor 200-500mm.

Interestingly, the most helpful part of the video for me was rethinking where the autofocus point actually is when using VR. Thanks for another thorough review, Steve!

Awesome review as per usual, Steve. I never used to be a fan of prime lenses (maybe I'm just lazy!) but I love my 300PF, and now I want Santa to bring me a 500PF! As you know, I have some difficulties with camera weight, and I think this would be an awesome addition to my lens collection (especially for RV travels!!)

Thanks for doing this Steve. Great review.

Another excellent review. Thanks Steve.

Just picked up a used 500PF. Can't wait to give it a field test. Shared this with friends. Love your videos Steve!

Great review as always Steve. Got your email yesterday about the updated version of your book. Thanks a lot 😊

Your site is my one stop shop for all photography information. Thank you

Great review Steve! Love the new noise tracking videos too. Excellent! Jim

I’m happy to see you also use manual with auto ISO! I discovered that I could do this and it’s been a game changer in the amount of keeper photos.

Steve, thanks for a great review and detailed information with fantastic samples. As usual your reviews are just at the very top for wildlife gear reviews. I plan to add this lens to my 300/4 PF as a light weight kit covering 300-420-500-700mm. Regarding the foot it has the same problem as the 70-200/2.8 FL foot, where a inside pin sometimes prevent it from been tightened enough with the tripod collar lock screw. If owners doesn't get a replacement foot from Kirk or RRS, they should check frequently, if the foot is locked down by pressing the tripod collar lock release knob in and check if the foot can move.

Steve that was a great review.. thanks so much for the effort. Can't wait for my lens to arrive..

Steve - Awesome review. I can’t wait to get my 500 PF. Well, I guess I can since I have been waiting over 2 months already. Keep up the great work!

I've been looking forward to seeing more reviews of this lens! Thanks, Steve.

Superb comparisons Steve. Exactly what I was hoping for since I plan to get my hands on a 500mm PF F5.6 ASAP to couple with my D850. Thank you for the video. Bill & Deb

Thank you for the segment on VR. I also experience the VR focus point reset and consequently losing my focus point on my 200-500. This is so helpful.

Gran trabajo Steve! La capacidad cognitiva, conocimiento, experiencia, síntesis y facilidad del lenguaje para explicar el contenido hace que esta revisión sea muy completa y agradable de escuchar. Saludos desde Chile.

You're the best Steve! :) I can watch your videos over and over again.

Very helpful, thorough review. Thank you.

Very informative video, facts presented with great clarity! I'll look forward to other content created by you. Thanks

To fix the subject isolation problem, you can put the photo in Lightroom and use the brush tool to individually edit the photo to isolate the subject more.... you can do this by lowering clarity, texture, and sharpness....

Thanks for this thorough review Steve. I really liked how you pointed out out its strengths & weaknesses - especially the different shooters' needs in mind. My 500 F4 is heavy, and I honestly don't use it much because I hate all the gyrations I have to go through in order to use it. This lens could make the 300 PF and 500 F4 expendable.

Nice to hear someone mention this 'jumping around' of the subject after taking a shot. I'm especially interested to hear that this is the VR causing this as I have been thinking it was my inability to hold steady even though I felt I was not moving at all. My experience with this is with the 200-500 and the D850/D810. Thank you for another great analysis Steve.

as always, one review(er) to rule them all. Super detailed and informative. Thanks Steve

Great review as always, Steve. Thank you. I'm a D500, 300PF and 200-500 owner with an itchy trigger finger for this upgrade. It looks as though this could finally be a good candidate for bridging the cost gulf between the 200-500 and the 500 f/4.

I read your AF book and have used back button focus since. No more losing focus when I try to recompose, and no more headaches. Great advice,

Thanks Steve, a great detailed review!

Excellent video as always. Purchased your noise reduction video..... EXCELLENT, highly recommend. I'm a novice and learned a great deal.

Great review, thanks Steve.

I'm hoping to get this as a Xmas present for my D500. Great work as usual Steve.

Your videos are ALWAYS very good!

All great info! Thank you for all the good work.

Very useful review (as expected). Thanks Steve.

Besides the quality of the images, I can't image how you manage to track down all these animals - wonderful!

Great video Steve, thank you very much for the valuable information! I was doubting between the 500PF and 300PF on my D850...but I'm convinced now to go for the 500mm, this takes me over that line. Many many thanks!! (great video just as all the other ones, I subscribed on backcountrygallery and bought me some books so I have reading material for the coming weeks (we're just in lockdown so plenty of time now). Again... many thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!!

Wow Steve. First time watching a review by you. You have a new fan!! Really. Wow. Am soo tempted to switch to Nikon for this lens just based on your review..

Awesome review on this 500pf. We are headed to Yellowstone this Sept., I’m 71 and the weight is a major factor in hand holding. Your review pushed me towards this lens I think the pros out weigh the cons for me. Thanks again for the awesome and professional review Steve.

Excellent review. Thanks.

Thanks Steve, your videos and books are first rate!

Superb review. It answered the few remaining questions I had and then some. The acuity visuals were especially helpful. Thank you. I viewed this some time ago and returned before ordering. I will mount it on my D850. That image of you standing there with the lens collar foot in your hand made a lasting impression. I often use a shoulder sling with my zoom lens with a bolted footplate and tether. Still, I only rarely let go of it completely with my hand. :)

you always make the best reviews jaja. greetings from Chile!

Nicely done as usual!

The video I was waiting for. Thanks!

Great video. I just ordered one of these in mint condition for my slightly used D850. Can't wait to try this conbination out.

Great test Steve! Thanks a lot for doing this! I have been shooting with this lens for a week and are really happy with it and it replaced my 200-500 MM. As you point out, the great advance with this lens, is you are much more free to go handheld!

Thank you for this highly technical and informative video.

Really the most informative and honest reviews in the field 😂

Thanks for this great review!

Buying one for my Z9. Thanks for the quality review which gives confidence to pull the trigger to buy. I am presuming some of the AF features of the Z9 will more than compensate with some of the issues you identified in this video over 3 years ago.

Thank you for the review. Another enjoyable video

Thanks a lot Steve! Great work!

More excellent content. Thanks, Steve.

Thanks Steve, good review

Steve Thank you so very much for going the extra mile man we all appreciate the labor that goes into these tests and the uploads all together, I finally opted to go with a mint condition 300 f 2.8 VR 2 instead + TC, also came in a hair cheaper, what tip the scale for me was the F5.6 aperture, I just can't live with it.PERIOD........ I so much wish it was an f4.!!!

Nice video Steve and great info I have a 600/4 a 200-500 and I want this one for a walk around lens. I often use the 200-500 for that but sometimes the slow AF just does not cut it! As you say it will be a great addition.

Your number of subscribers, views, and likes are an order of magnitude lower than what your quality of videos would suggest. This is phenomenal content; I've watched this video alone probably a dozen times and it was a major deciding factor in my upgrade from the 200-500 to the 500mm PF. Thank you for this content! Keep it up!

Excellent piece of work 👏👏👏 just purchased two ebooks and two lightroom video tutorials as a thankyou for the info in this superb instructional video... I own the 200-500 and WAS undecided on the 600 F4 or the 500 pf... I will be going with the 600mm as after watching this I feel this will allow me more flexibility alongside my 200-500. Thanks so much 👍 money well spent Steve... thanks for the like btw

Great job, thanks for such a review

Awesome Video Steve!! You always produce top notch video! Lots of good information and right to the point!! I can't see why someone would downvote!! A+++

Hi, Just received my new 500 PF, your review is very useful and saves a lot of time getting used to the new lens.