Wow!

[KmH]

This piece got zero bids: (Scroll down to see it)

RARE! Nikon 800mm F/5.6 ED AIS Telephoto Lens + MORE! - eBay (item 380230826348 end time May-12-10 09:23:05 PDT)

 

[Formatted]

Its a manual focus lens

I wouldn't pay that much for it even if it is rare!

 

[Goontz]

:shock:

 

[Dallmeyer]

According to the April 2010 edition of What Digital Camera i have here.. Nikon no longer make a 800 (4/600mm being the daddy with a RRP of GBP6800). Sigma make an AF 5.6/800 for GBP6500, Tamron only appear to go as far as 500mm currently. I guess it depends on one's needs. MF isn't particularly versatile considering the price tag. On the other hand (guessing) this Nikon MF could be among the best made anytime up till now. But it would be an expensive assumption ! one way or another.

 

[Green Li]

that's a big one

 

[Derrel]

Well, with that minimum opening bid of $4799, they're kind of treading above the level of many eBay buyers. The economy is tough right now, and 800mm lenses are not very popular, so there are not that many buyers for them.

 

[chammer]

that's a big one

That's what she said...

(Couldn't resist. Sorry! :greenpbl

 

[c.cloudwalker]

that's a big one

That's what she said...

(Couldn't resist. Sorry! :greenpbl

My first thought was: Nice d*ck extension! :lmao:

Well, with that minimum opening bid of $4799, they're kind of treading above the level of many eBay buyers. The economy is tough right now, and 800mm lenses are not very popular, so there are not that many buyers for them.

The opening bid means nothing when you have a buy it now price. I would bet there would not have been an acceptable bid under $7,999.99 The old Reserve Not Met deal.

 

[Overread]

Heh I'm not surprised - I suspect quite a few who are after a lens like that would want to deal locally or at least get a look at it - esp at its standing price. And as said its a rare item with a high cost so fewer possible bidders - it also lacks the image that something like Hassy or Zeiss has to make it (as) attractive to collectors so that also limits the market a little.

Of course is nikon shooters want a nice 800mm lens with AF they could always do the proper thing and come to canon

 

[MrLogic]

It has 18 bids now:

Nikon 800mm ED f/5.6 AIS Lens - Manual Focus - eBay (item 360260013653 end time May-13-10 11:26:12 PDT)

No minimum opening bid anymore. And this time, it's only open to bids within the continental United States.

Of course is nikon shooters want a nice 800mm lens with AF they could always do the proper thing and come to canon

The 800 L is not tack sharp according to SLRgear.com:

That said, there aren't exciting results concerning the sharpness profile of the 800mm ƒ/5.6L, but neither will it disappoint. It's a sharp lens, but not tack-sharp: approximately 2 blur units between ƒ/5.6 and ƒ/11, and between 2-3 blur units at ƒ/16 or ƒ/22. At ƒ/32 it becomes a bit soft and slightly uneven, at around 5 blur units.

Compare that to their review of the (much sharper) Nikkor 70-200 VR II, for example. That's right... a zoom lens that is much sharper across the frame than a Canon prime (again... according to SLRgear.com)

But tack sharp or not, I'm not sure I like how the 800 L "draws" based on the hundreds of images I saw. That includes images by professionals, of course. In short, I'm not convinced it's one of Canon's best lenses, at least not optically.

Still... there aren't really any alternatives: it doesn't weigh a whole lot (as opposed to a 600mm f/4), the build quality is superb and it has AF... so I'm still considering it. Bokeh is very good, too.

 

[Overread]

I suspect canon might have sacrificed some quality (possibly unless the SLR gear.com copy was a poor copy - since chance are they won't have had more than one to test because of its unit cost) so that they could make it a little lighter to use. Though having an f5.6 as opposed to f4 of the 600mm also helps to keep the weight down -- and I did get the feelng that the 800mm was a serious lens rather than things like the 1000mm which (whilst fantastic and very serious) are made more for show than selling large numbers.

 

[Derrel]

Well, with that minimum opening bid of $4799, they're kind of treading above the level of many eBay buyers. The economy is tough right now, and 800mm lenses are not very popular, so there are not that many buyers for them.

The opening bid means nothing when you have a buy it now price. I would bet there would not have been an acceptable bid under $7,999.99 The old Reserve Not Met deal.

Yeah, right...
Winning bid: US $2,276.99

As far as I am concerned, somebody practically stole that at under $2,300!

 

[KmH]

Someone got a hell of a deal! Different seller than the one I posted and it doesn't look like this one didn't included the hardcase and backpack.

 

[MrLogic]

Overread -- "I suspect canon might have sacrificed some quality [...] so that they could make it a little lighter to use." -- that's what I thought.

Dallmeyer -- Sigma doesn't make a 800 f/5.6 anymore. They have the 300-800 f/5.6, though, but it's very soft at 800mm. At least, wide open.

Someone got a hell of a deal! Different seller than the one I posted and it doesn't look like this one didn't included the hardcase and backpack.

Oops... different seller, you're right about that.

It came with the hard case, though. See the photos. $ 2,276.99 U.S.?! I would have placed a bid if it had been open to international bidders. Damnit.





BTW... does anyone know what a Nikkor 500mm f/4 AF-S II is worth on the used market? (No VR, very good condition (9/10))

 

[Dallmeyer]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of it.