Review on 📷 Nikon NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED Vibration Reduction Fixed Lens with AF for Nikon DSLR Cameras by Doug Virden

So while I've had a 500mm f4G VR lens in the past, I actually switched to this lens after using the 400mm f2.8G VR for the last few years had turned. I decided to switch to 400mm f2.8G VR when I had the opportunity to swap with a friend for free! It needed less weight, and I needed the aperture and better IQ that the 400mm offered. I say better IQ but the truth is there isn't much difference but the 400mm and 800mm lenses are a bit sharper than the others. Now for the 500mm f4E FL which I am currently using and enjoying every minute of it. and my back is definitely smiling. That's the main reason I switched to this lens, its weight! I'm not an old man by any means, I'm a former Green Beret and before that an American football player with 11 years of experience. To say my body fell apart would be an understatement. I just couldn't carry or use the 400mm f2.8G VR anymore, my back was always sore and sometimes quite sore the next day. Having one or using one daily is not an option. Of course there's now 500PF and it's a great lens for someone who wants a super telephoto but can't afford the weight, size or price of a super telephoto. For me personally and my work, however, I need the f4 aperture of my D5 bodies. Especially the combination of this lens with the D5 or D500 is a dream come true for me and many others. I would say that AF tracking is slightly better on newer cameras like the D5, D850, D500 and now the D6. It's no faster than focus speed, but it certainly tracks and captures a little better, and that's saying a lot as all previous generations have been extremely fast. It's hard to put into words, but I see an improvement in autofocus. Overall performance and even more so in memory recall mode. It just instantly remembers the position you set, whereas previous VR lenses wobbled a bit and then focused, this lens does it instantly! Aside from the weight reduction and other small autofocus and sharpness improvements I'd say my other favorite improvements are better balance, much handier, better VR, sport VR which is amazing with the D5 btw and I'll keep going. As others have said, the new tripod collar rotates much more smoothly, and I'd add that it no longer needs to be pressed down hard to get crisp images. You can leave the tripod mount open and smoothly rotate the lens without affecting the sharpness of the image. It's good to have all VR on one switch and now I just leave VR on all the time. I don't use a tripod, I carry a monopod and leave VR on, usually in normal but sometimes in sport mode. Regardless of the shutter speed, even at 2000 seconds or more, turning on VR has no adverse effects on the final images. I added an expensive Zenelli carbon fiber replacement leg which is amazing in that it's lighter and absorbs vibration while still looking very sexy! I think that's the last aspect that I think Nikon has improved. This lens is just great, both inside and out. It's more sophisticated in every way, including looks and most importantly, functionality!