Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
What Buyers Say
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
This budget telephoto lens receives mixed reviews. Many users praise its value for the price, noting clear focus and decent image quality for occasional use like moon photography. However, several verified buyers report issues with soft focus, dust contamination, and poor build quality, especially with the 2x teleconverter. It is best suited for those with realistic expectations who are willing to use a tripod and manual focus.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Clear focus for occasional use
- Decent image quality on tripod
- Good for moon and eclipse photography
- Solid adapter and converter machining
Cons
- Soft focus on some units
- Dust contamination from 2x teleconverter
- Requires lots of light (f/8 max aperture)
- No image stabilization
- Adapter lacks back cover
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
The Nikon 16-85mm VR is widely praised as an excellent all-around zoom for DX cameras, delivering sharp images across the focal range with effective VR. Users note it outperforms kit lenses like the 18-105mm and even rivals the pricier 17-55mm in sharpness, though it is heavy and somewhat slow (f/3.5-5.6). Build quality is solid with a metal barrel, and the 16mm wide end is a key advantage for landscapes. Some caution about vignetting with thick filters and barrel distortion at 16mm, but overall it is considered a worthy investment for enthusiasts.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness across focal range
- Effective VR II image stabilization
- Solid build with metal barrel
- Useful 16-85mm zoom range
- Great for landscapes and travel
Cons
- Heavy weight (3.1 lb with D90)
- Slow aperture (f/3.5-5.6)
- Expensive for an f/3.5-5.6 lens
- Barrel distortion at 16mm
- Vignetting with thick filters at 16mm
Scores
Specifications
| Big Mike's SLY500 500mm | Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | telephoto | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 500 mm | 16 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 1000 mm | 85 mm |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 3★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | multi-coated | Super Integrated Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/8 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/8 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | — | 7★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | T Mount | Nikon F |
| Format | — | APS-C★ |
| Weight | 1.16 kg | 0.48 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | AF-S |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 500 mm | 380 mm★ |
Pros & Cons
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
- Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong versatility (72nd percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average build (15th percentile)15th %ile
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
- Strong versatility (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong user sentiment (81st percentile)81st %ile
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 18 specs.