Used Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens

2025-07-08T06:25:07

The lens meets and exceeds all my needs. Too heavily invested in old technology to go mirrorless so this lens and a D850 does the job. I shoot wildlife so this lens gives me the length and sharpness I need.

GREG S.

2025-04-23T08:24:42

As everyone else states this rascal is big and heavy. But it sure is a fine lens. I have only had the chance to play with it round tge farm but my it is a fin piece of glass. The purchase was simple , my only suggestion is to put in a little more packing. The outer box was crushed on one side and I am thankful the Len wasn't damaged

KYLE C.

2024-06-25T09:59:21

5 stars for the lens. Minus 1 star for the extras from Adorama. The tripod is a bit unstable and I'm not confident it can really handle the weight of the lens, same with the gimbal. I may return those items if I can. The lens is excellent though!

KEVIN G.

2024-06-15T06:28:58

Purchased the Nikon 200 - 500 mm lens to use at three high school graduation ceremonies, held in large venues. Seated 150 to 400 feet back from stage, taking photos of on-stage activities or from a large projection screen. Used lens directly on D series DSLR and Z series mirrorless camera with FTZ adapter. Sharp images from either camera, using P, A, or S camera setting. Used my left hand to hold the lens tripod collar and my left arm against my body to effectively produce a monopod. Would recommend this cost-effective, great lens to others

ELIAS S.

2024-06-05T13:26:11

I REALLY wanted to keep this lens; however, the 95mm size (filter) was too big for my hands. I couldn't get the lens hood on/off, and it was unwieldy to handle. (Not b/c of the weight, but b/c of the size).

ANNE M.

2024-02-21T09:19:32

Superb lens when used with my D800/e. Outstanding sharpness and no chromatic aberrations. Any distortions present are automatically corrected by in camera processing or in post processing. I use mine primarily for birding and couldn't be more pleased with this lens' performance in my typically subdued lighting conditions.

Kenneth H.

Originally posted at

2024-02-13T07:36:47

Sharp images throughout entire zoom & aperature range. I would highly recommend it.

Steven O.

2023-11-09T04:29:15

I hoped to snag the 180-600mm Z, but decided to give this lens a try and it has been nothing less than superb. Love it. Focuses fast, even in low light and yields great shots. These pictures were all taken around 1 hour before sunset with the sun dropping behind trees, and came out well. All were handheld w/o a monopod.

TedVB

Originally posted at

2023-06-24T14:27:37

The lens worked great. The shots I was able to take were amazing. Well worth the investment.

HENRY M.

2023-06-13T08:19:49

Product arrived quickly. The sample pictures I have taken with this lens have been incredible. Very sharp and fast. It was also surprisingly quiet. Did great for tennis action shots.

KURT L.

2023-05-30T01:37:46

Powerful and versatile tool, at 2.3kg, it is quite possible to handheld it all day even with my Z9. I used this lens on the D7100 and Z9, it is sharp enough wide open for my purpose (nature photography). AF is a bit on the slow side but that's to be expected on a budget super tele. Owned the lens for 4+ years now, no issues whatsoever. One of the advantage of a zoom over prime is that sometimes you just need the 200mm when opportunity arises

Hillwins

Originally posted at

2023-05-23T08:27:49

Excellent zoom lens. Lightweight for its size and very sharp. You can shoot handheld with it. The only thing that could be better is the zoom, it takes a couple of strokes to get from 200 to 500, but its not a big deal.

JAVIER F.

2023-05-11T08:32:08

I owned this lens for some time. With a Nikon body with a crop sensor I got even more distance. I did have issues with automatic focus. It was not much an improvement with an adapter to use on my Z5. I switched to a 100-400 lens for my two Z cameras.

JOSEPH S.

2023-05-07T09:49:05

Good quality, moderately priced lens as expected from Nikon. Faster speed is desirable, but I understand the price differential. So for those of us who aren't professionals or exceedingly wealthy; it's well worth it.

Thomas V.

2023-01-07T13:52:52

This is by far the worst Nikon lens I have ever purchased. I have calibrated the AF on three camera bodies, the D7500, D850 and Z7II. None of these bodies produce a sharp image with this lens.

DAN L.

2023-01-07T13:50:29

This lens is inherently soft and will not provide a sharp photo. I have used this on three different cameras and have calibrated the AF for this lens on each camera and it still doesn't provide the sharp image I have come to expect from my nikon equipment. I have used this on a tripod to try and eliminate user error, but the image quality does not change.

DAN L.

2023-01-07T12:25:19

I bought it very excited, I'm from Chile and when it arrived 3 weeks later, the box came with bumps and the lens works but it doesn't have the sharpness it should. I had this lens years ago and I know it didn't come good. it's really disappointing :(

Javier D.

2022-12-15T06:26:55

Love this lens!

Michael S.

2022-12-14T16:58:09

Huge range with this lens. I use it with a Z 7 II/adapter II and all you loose is AF. With that lens I prefer manual focus anyway for more control. Really like the sharpness and how you can bring things in really tight without being that close. The more that I use it the more it is becoming my go to lens. Great commercial applications, so many ways to use it's potential.

Michael H.

2022-12-14T08:43:15

It?s a great lens - very sharp. The only downside is that it?s pretty heavy, but for the quality of the images, I?m willing to put up with the extra weight. Nice to have the bundle with the filters and the cleaning kit.

LISA B.

2022-12-08T07:11:43

Bought this refurbished from Nikon in November. So far it has proven to be a wise investment. I am satisfied with the decision to stick with the fixed aperture vs the variable one throughout the focal lengths. Not saying that's a terrible thing but I prefer the fixed. I bought this for wildlife, primarily birds. It will be going onto a Gimbal as it is quite heavy, especially attached to my D750...The VR helps tremendously when hand holding. All in all, if you're looking for a lens that is not going to break the bank or take half of your life savings to buy for birding, wildlife, etc this will suffice. Pictures I have been taking are sharp and clear with no Chromatic aberration, purple fringing, etc that I am seeing in them. AF is decent and keeps up with subject. The cons I would guess is the lens is not fully weatherproof, it is quite heavy and the zoom adjustment from 200-500 seems to take forever to get there, it takes me almost 2 full turns. Other than that, it's a great lens at a great price and I would highly recommend it.

Hankwilliams101

Originally posted at

2022-12-04T08:10:02

best telelens with fair price

Kaiyuan N.

2022-11-21T18:05:28

Very sharp. VR worked very well with D780. Only downside is the size and weight.

AARON S.

2022-11-20T14:57:27

Works well! Still getting the hang of it! One we get it dialed it it will be awesome.

john a.

2022-11-06T07:52:03

Delivered as advertised. Fast AF with 5.6 throughout. Paired with my D5 sharp details shooting outdoor sports. A monopod is a must for fast action sports.

Ron A.

2022-10-19T06:14:46

I primarily use this lens on my D780 for wildlife and sports photography. I'm amazed at the contrast and sharpest at all focal points and aperture settings including low light conditions. The materials of construction are top notch and have no issues with the lens. I'm considering a prime telephoto however with the performance of this lens, it's difficult to justify. I've uploaded a recent photo of a Bull Elk in the Chequamegon National Forest taken on a cloudy and rainy evening in very low light conditions at a distance of ~60 yards.

Kevin

Originally posted at

2022-09-27T08:32:05

This is the perfect lens for someone interested in starting out in wildlife photography. Its clarity is excellent, and fixed aperture not suggests its quality of construction and potential image quality, but also makes it much easier to capture challenging photos, as you don't have to think about the changing max aperture while zooming. While heavy, it's not unwieldy. It's versatile and the best access to 500mm you'll find at this level of optical performance.

Zach B.

2022-09-22T08:19:50

I do lots of wildlife photography and this is a great lens for it. I couldn't be happier.

Danny H.

2022-09-11T04:03:31

Great lens for the value and reach as a Zoom and wildlife lens

RONALD L.

2022-07-18T14:05:30

A masterpiece lens from Nikon for sure. I have used this lens extensively on my Z6 for the past couple of years and recently with the zfc (crop). It performs super well and fast. The sharpness is consistent from 200mm throughout 500mm. With a crop sensor the reach is more with the same sharpness. i have been using this lens mainly for wildlife, sports and moon photography. Super happy. It's heavy but the build quality is worth it.

Sheeyam

Originally posted at