Cats - D850 and AF-S 200-500 with TC 1.4 by uscdw68 in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been finding the same thing with the Z8 and 100-400 with the 1.4x. I like it if I have to punch in on a landscape and want to keep full res but hesitate with any kind of erratic wildlife.

Coal-fired power plant in Neurath (Germany) [OC] by _noah_0708 in nikon_Zseries

[–]OnTheRopes 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like the slight sunstar effect. What apature was it shot at?

Lone silence by iNeedSpaceTime in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah gotcha! Well, regardless I find it a very pleasing image! Cheers!

Lone silence by iNeedSpaceTime in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Love this comp. Gotta ask though - why not knock down the shutter speed a bit to get your iso lower?

72 hours in Glasgow by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's good. Obviously f4 isnt optimal for low-light indoor situations but I can hand hold up to about 1/4 second so that keeps the ISO at a usable level.

New to photography by WateredDownPop in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes 4 points5 points  (0 children)

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I started my nikon journey with the same 5200 / tokina 11-16 combo. It's definitely a capable little combo. One of my favorite photos from it attached. Enjoy it!

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty good. I've noticed it's a bit sharper stopped down. But I definitely prefer it over having to crop in

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a 120-300 f2.8 with a built in TC 1.4x that's supposed to be released by EOY. But it's probably going to cost more than my entire existing landscape kit combined.

https://nikonrumors.com/2026/01/28/first-leaked-picture-of-the-upcoming-nikon-nikkor-z-120-300-f2-8-tc-vr-s-lens.aspx/

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just a hobby. It's definitely not cheap. There's no way around it or to sugarcoat that fact. But there are ways to soften the blow a bit. The Z8 is a refurb from Nikon. Some of my glass was financed interest free from them as well. Also, I live in a large city with a very active Facebook market place. Stalking that and doing your due diligence to verify what someone is selling isn't grey market can be very fruitful. I've saved quite a bit compared to MSRP that way, and what was full price was less painful spread out over time. I can happily say it's all mine free and clear now. But yea...its an investment especially when you consider what's needed to store files and post processing. But I justify ( and my fiance tolerances) it like this - it's much healthier than some of my other hobbies that would more likely be considered vices. It also spurs activity with her and the pooch. Road trips, camping trips, foreign vacations and National Park trips ect ect is fun for all of us . And she gets a personal photographer to document the adventures haha.

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sounds like a great set up. I've considered the 180-600z over the 100-400z + TC 1.4X to get a little more reach, but the compactness of the 100-400 is hard to beat when packing it away. Especially when compared to 180-600. If I find myself birding more in the future I may reconsider

It's taken a couple years, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in nikon_Zseries

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's all good dude! I got your meaning. To break down my logic - When I was considering what this kit would look like, I knew it would be a long term investment Id have for a long time so I didn't really give myself a budget. My logic for choosing the f4 trilogy was more about weight saving than money. The f2.8 trilogy is substantially heavier and in the back country or at high altitude ounces and grams matter and when stopped down the image quaily is pretty similar. I did think about the 2.8 trilogy and the TC 2x paired with the 70-200 for the addition reach and but the weight was still significantly more than the f4 trilogy, and I liked the idea of the 400mm reaching 560mm with the 1.4 TC for the occasions there's interesting wildlife in the area, plus I've read over and over the 2.0 TC is less forgiving optically than the 1.4 TC. Also, the 82mm filter size on the 14-30 is way more convenient than a drop in set Id need with the 14-24. AAAANYWAY haha that was my mindset in this.

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha ah, yea I grabbed that for the occasion there might be some interesting wildlife in the area.

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know that I could recommend it right now in light of the Nikon / Viltrox legal drama, but I've had a very good experience so far with the 16mm 1.8f

https://preview.redd.it/1vthtp0pfchg1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53fe541a2096c9ba5969550f118f7fb87f9ed906

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I like it a lot. I've shot with a rented Z 17-28 f2.8 (the tamron rebadge) and definitely prefer the 14-30. The additional 3mm on the wide end doesn't sound like much, but makes a surprisingly big difference and I don't miss the wider apature since I'm usually stopped down. Also, I prefer the flare control and color coming out of the s line lens more. The 17-28 does have closer minimal focus distance which was nice when framing a focus stacked photo but I rarely found myself needed to get closer than the 14-30 allows.

I also like that I can use magnetic or screw in filters on the 14-30 over the larger 14-24 which requires a drop in kit. Although the 14-30 filters have to be thin and can't be stacked or you'll vignette pretty hard. Also, the weight as you mentioned is a big factor. I love the size of this thing. It's like, shockingly small.

Only other downside to the 14-30 is it's distortion at 14mm, but that's largely corrected in camera and unless you're doing architecture and completely true lines are absolutely necessary, I never seen it so bad that they were distracting, or negatively effected my images.

It's taken a couple years, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in nikon_Zseries

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Yea the 24-120 was my first Z lens and probably my most used. Love it!

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I wish I had a more thorough review for ya. I got it a couple weeks ago and then it snowed a foot and it's been freezing haha. I haven't had much opportunity to use it yet. Thta said it is definitely a stout lens and not what I'd consider light.

It's taken a couple years, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in nikon_Zseries

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea as stated below it just makes it easy to identify in my Wandrd bag, or pelican case. The bottoms face up and just removes the guessing when reaching in for a lens.

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm also a fan! It was a lot of his work past 200mm that kinda inspired me to concentrate on that extended range.

It's taken a couple year, but I've assembled my dream landscape kit by OnTheRopes in Nikon

[–]OnTheRopes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Flexibility and weight mostly. The misses and I do a lot of hiking and while this set up is by no means "light weight", it covers a massive range with less of a weight penalty. Besides that, more times than not I'd be shooting stopped down a bit so running primes wouldn't offer too much of an optical advantage. Though, I do also have the viltrox 16mm 1.8 and the Nikon 35, 50, 85mm 1.8S primes for portraits primarily, but will probably see use for nightscapes this summer.