This is the sequence I've been waiting for.

[WesternGuy]

GRRREAT! Patience is a virtue and in this case it has been well rewarded. Don't you just love that feeling when something like this comes together.

WesternGuy

 

[coastalconn]

Thank you for all the kind words! And just think 4 short years ago it all began. #4 was actually the shot I wanted when I set out on my first Osprey quest back in 2012.. My fifth morning on the Osprey pursuit

 

[spiralout462]

Cha ching! Payoff!! Well done sir. I don't know where you find the time in the busy season.

 

[DarkShadow]

Nat Geo all the way.

 

[nakednature]

Awesome pictures. What size lens were those taken with?

 

[alv]

Excellent, al

 

[tirediron]

#4 ranks as probably one of the best bird shots I have ever seen. I hate you!

Anyone one wanna buy some Nikon gear...

 

[BlackSheep]

Wow, those are awesome! Bravo!

 

[coastalconn]

Cha ching! Payoff!! Well done sir. I don't know where you find the time in the busy season.

Thanks! Sleep is highly over-rated!

Nat Geo all the way.

Wow, those are awesome! Bravo!

Excellent, al

Thanks!

Awesome pictures. What size lens were those taken with?

I have the Nikon 500 F4 VR-G

#4 ranks as probably one of the best bird shots I have ever seen. I hate you!
Anyone one wanna buy some Nikon gear...

#4 is the shot IMHO. Probably my 2nd best Osprey image of all time.

 

[gckless]

Holy lensvy.

Amazing shots. 1 is my favorite, 3 and 4 are awesome too. Sequence as a whole is a wonderful capture.

Off topic, how do you feel the D500 compares to the D7200 noise-wise?

 

[coastalconn]

Holy lensvy.

Amazing shots. 1 is my favorite, 3 and 4 are awesome too. Sequence as a whole is a wonderful capture.

Off topic, how do you feel the D500 compares to the D7200 noise-wise?

Thanks! The 500 F4 sure is a nice chunk of glass...
I haven't compared them directly, but I bet there isn't any noticeable difference in real world shooting. They both are great for DX cameras. It really comes down to the little things. The D500 has the speed, AF and buffer I need for what I shoot. There are small things too, like having the AF-ON be set for group, having the joystick be set for single point and having the front be set for 25 point. So I can access 3 different AF setups by only pressing a different button. Some people really want the pop up flash. I view it as another thing to break for how I shoot.

I know with the D7100 I was lucky to get a use-able shot at 6400. Not that this is a wall hanger, but the fact I could salvage a shot for web use and maybe a 8x10 print at ISO 20K on the D500 is enough for me. It took a lot of background NR, but there was still enough detail in his head...
George Jr High ISO 7_19 20K by Kristofer Rowe, on Flickr

 

[gckless]

Holy lensvy.

Amazing shots. 1 is my favorite, 3 and 4 are awesome too. Sequence as a whole is a wonderful capture.

Off topic, how do you feel the D500 compares to the D7200 noise-wise?

Thanks! The 500 F4 sure is a nice chunk of glass...
I haven't compared them directly, but I bet there isn't any noticeable difference in real world shooting. They both are great for DX cameras. It really comes down to the little things. The D500 has the speed, AF and buffer I need for what I shoot. There are small things too, like having the AF-ON be set for group, having the joystick be set for single point and having the front be set for 25 point. So I can access 3 different AF setups by only pressing a different button. Some people really want the pop up flash. I view it as another thing to break for how I shoot.

I know with the D7100 I was lucky to get a use-able shot at 6400. Not that this is a wall hanger, but the fact I could salvage a shot for web use and maybe a 8x10 print at ISO 20K on the D500 is enough for me. It took a lot of background NR, but there was still enough detail in his head...George Jr High ISO 7_19 20K by Kristofer Rowe, on Flickr

The eyes on that one are crazy! Really nice shot though.

That looks really good. I'm really impressed with the color at that high of an ISO. Noise is very good as well. I agree with you on the flash, as probably most do that are buying this camera.

I was talking with a buddy of mine about an upcoming race we'll be shooting, and he currently shoots with a D500. The race goes into the night, and I told him I'd be shooting with my D7200 and renting a D750 for the low-light performance, and he said skip it, just rent the D500 and bring the D7200 as backup. He said he never shoots with his D4 anymore since he got it. I'm skeptical, as I saw a bunch of tests that show the D500 not far off from the D7200 once the images were sized the same. Can you chime in on the performance versus a solid FX body? I've been watching a lot of reviews, and most tests still show the FX sensors above it for noise performance. Since you said it's pretty similar to the D7200, I'll assume that an FX sensor will still outperform it by about a stop, and a D750 would still be a better choice there. I do want to use this as an excuse to rent a nice prime telephoto too though Maybe some 300 f/2.8 action, haven't decided yet.

Don't mean to derail this, maybe a PM works better.

 

[goooner]

This sequence is amazing, great shooting,as always!

 

[coastalconn]

Holy lensvy.

Amazing shots. 1 is my favorite, 3 and 4 are awesome too. Sequence as a whole is a wonderful capture.

Off topic, how do you feel the D500 compares to the D7200 noise-wise?

Thanks! The 500 F4 sure is a nice chunk of glass...
I haven't compared them directly, but I bet there isn't any noticeable difference in real world shooting. They both are great for DX cameras. It really comes down to the little things. The D500 has the speed, AF and buffer I need for what I shoot. There are small things too, like having the AF-ON be set for group, having the joystick be set for single point and having the front be set for 25 point. So I can access 3 different AF setups by only pressing a different button. Some people really want the pop up flash. I view it as another thing to break for how I shoot.

I know with the D7100 I was lucky to get a use-able shot at 6400. Not that this is a wall hanger, but the fact I could salvage a shot for web use and maybe a 8x10 print at ISO 20K on the D500 is enough for me. It took a lot of background NR, but there was still enough detail in his head...George Jr High ISO 7_19 20K by Kristofer Rowe, on Flickr

The eyes on that one are crazy! Really nice shot though.

That looks really good. I'm really impressed with the color at that high of an ISO. Noise is very good as well. I agree with you on the flash, as probably most do that are buying this camera.

I was talking with a buddy of mine about an upcoming race we'll be shooting, and he currently shoots with a D500. The race goes into the night, and I told him I'd be shooting with my D7200 and renting a D750 for the low-light performance, and he said skip it, just rent the D500 and bring the D7200 as backup. He said he never shoots with his D4 anymore since he got it. I'm skeptical, as I saw a bunch of tests that show the D500 not far off from the D7200 once the images were sized the same. Can you chime in on the performance versus a solid FX body? I've been watching a lot of reviews, and most tests still show the FX sensors above it for noise performance. Since you said it's pretty similar to the D7200, I'll assume that an FX sensor will still outperform it by about a stop, and a D750 would still be a better choice there. I do want to use this as an excuse to rent a nice prime telephoto too though Maybe some 300 f/2.8 action, haven't decided yet.

Don't mean to derail this, maybe a PM works better.

Oh man, that is a tough call. Obviously I think the D500 is the best camera in the world for what I shoot. A friend of mine also barely touches his D4S since he got the D500, However we are primarily wildlife photogs in fair to good light.

So a few things would come into play, what lens(es) will you be shooting with? Are you focal length limited at all or can you fill the frame on a full frame? I haven't really shot motorsports since there isn't really any nearby tracks. I'm guessing you will be doing more panning type shots at lower shutter speeds? Do you need 10 FPS and a big buffer?