30 days with the Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens by Bill Ferris – a wildlife/bird photographer in northern Arizona who recently upgraded from a Nikon D500/Nikkor 200-500 combo to a Nikon Z9/Nikkor 800mm PF system: A coyote and newborn elk calf face off in a northern Arizona meadow on a summer’s day. (Nikon Z9 with 800mm PF at f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 320) OK, full disclosure…it’s not been exactly 30 days. Federal Express delivered the camera, lens and accessories on May 7. Today’s date is June 10 and my most recent shoot with the new kit was yesterday, June 9. But what’s a couple of days amongst friends? Before getting into my early impressions, I want to share the backstory on the photography I do and what led me to purchasing this system. I’m a wildlife and bird photographer living in Flagstaff, Arizona. Phoenix and Tucson are farther south in the desert where the high will be about 110 °F (43 °C) today. Flagstaff is on the Colorado Plateau at 7,000 feet (2133 meters) elevation. A typical June day has a high in the mid-eighties. I’m also a long time Nikon user. Since 2018, I have been shooting with a Nikon D500 and Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E VR. I’m on my second copy of the 200-500. Nikon replaced the first under warranty, due to multiple service trips to repair a failed zoom mechanism. That combo has served me, well. The D500 has the DX version of the...
Published By: Nikonrumors - Sunday, 7 July