JFK - 5/11/2011 (Backyard spotting with the 500mm)

Well............I finally pulled the trigger. After saving for a few years I finally purchased a Nikon 500mm f/4 VRII lens with some accessories. Firstly, this is one monster of a lens with the hood, and is very heavy (not something you want to carry around your neck all day). The focus speed is fast and the images pretty darn sharp. When you use a teleconverter, the focus speed is still resonable with 1.4 teleconverter, but then drops off with the 1.7 and 2.0 teleconverters. All the images below where taken the 500mm and or 500mm + 1.4 teleconverter from the backyard. Enjoy!!!

Qantas departing
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...231L500m-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...y201231L-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...1231L500-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L500mm-L.jpg

These two images where taken in the morning with the 500mm + 1.4 Teleconverter
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...y201231L-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...31L700mm-L.jpg

Last but not least...........a visitor in the backyard
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Bi...012500mm-L.jpg

Congrats on the new purchase. Awesome set and love the little chickdee shot.

Thanks Raj!!! Yeah.....this lens will be strictly for backyard spotting ..... 31L departs or 13L arrivals. I don't think it's going to see the mounds or bayswater, but it may see HoBe. Who knows......may be i can shoot the mounds from the backyard.

Um, wow. I'll go with wow. These blow my home shots out of the water. Congrats!

Congrats sir... Looking forward to some contrails at 1000mm :tongue: oh, and tell your wallet I said my condolences.

Congrats on the new purchase Sir !!! That's really exciting since you were talking about getting it for so long :)

Oh ya, awesome shots by the way !

Love the House Finch, i go on tour this week,hopefully i will start out of JFK and get a chance to go walkabout in S.Ozone Park,and Lawrence/Cedarhurst.

Thanks Manny, Kaz and Jason!!! My wallet is now light as a feather. Now to start saving for the next toy, maybe another lens (still waiting on the replacement for the 80-400mm lens) or a body.

Congrats Mark, Looks like its already worth the money....... Nice backyard view you have....


Rich B

Thanks Rich .... I was in your neck of the woods this week, but I didn't have any free time to do any spotting at BOS

The Qantas 744 shot is nice