Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR Review

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR

A short review of my experience with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR lens, plus some example photographs.

Lightweight

As someone who hikes for miles to get to a good spot for photography, this lens is godsend. It’s as light as my Nikon AF-P 70-300mm lens, and smaller than my Tamron 150-600mm G2. I can carry this lens attached to my camera on long walks through the woods without needing to harness or adjust straps. It’s comfortable, and comfort is king when it comes to long days in the woods.

When it comes to actual photographing, handholding this lens is easy. I normally bring a tripod with me, but I’ve found that unless I’m doing a very long sit in the forest I don’t really need one.

I’ve put this lens through the paces, taking thousands of photographs at various levels of lighting and distance. I’m not one to give arbitrary ratings, but if I had to throw a number at it, I’d give it a 10/10, 5 stars, or whatever other value means you know this is a top pick for your wildlife arsenal.

Compact

Not the same as weight, but it needs to be said that this lens is compact for its 500mm focal length. Compared to the AF-S 500mm f/4, it’s 6 inches shorter. That’s a HUGE difference when it comes to setting up in a blind.

Razor Sharp

The best thing I can say about this lens is that it is RAZOR sharp at a wide-open aperture of f/5.6. When I had a whitetail buck in the field at 50 yards, all the small details were crisp. Even on long shots up to 100 yards I was able to keep subjects crisp.

At 50 yards, the clarity and sharpness is spectacular.

The Right Price

Comparatively, this lens is a steal. A 500mm prime for around $3200-$3600? Sold. The Nikon 500mm f/4 goes for $10,000+, so if losing one stop of light from f/4 to f/5.6 isn’t a deal breaker, the 500mm PF is on point.

Example Photographs

You can also view hundreds of other photographs taken with this lens combo on Instagram: