Equipment
Nikkor
500 F4 AFS-D
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Photography with any 500 mm lens is difficult due to camera motion, haze, and focusing accuracy. However, under good conditions, the 500 F4 AFS lens will produce a unique image that makes it well worth the extra difficulty and high price.
Canon recently introduced a 500 with image stabilization (IS) for about the same price. Ugh. However, while the IS will help produce a greater number of sharper images at slower shutter speeds, in actual shooting, the subject is often moving which negates the advantage of shooting at the lower shutter speeds.
The great feature of the lens is the ability to instantly override the auto focus with manual focus prior to releasing the shutter. For example, when photographing stationary birds in a forest, the auto focus will get the bird in focus and the manual override will allow to make sure the bird's eyes are in focus. This feature is so useful, it will be a personal requirement on future lens purchases.