Sharpness at 500m

The sharpness tests for this review were carried out using a real-world subject rather than a test chart. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E VR lens was attached to a Nikon D750 body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. We also used a release cable and mirror lock-up to prevent any blurring that may result from camera or mirror movement. The 100% crops represent about 1/600th of the total frame area.

The full frame at 500mm

Centre sharpness is good wide open, and optimal performance is achieved at f11.

The borders are somewhat soft at f/5.6 but sharpen up very well by f/8. Peak sharpness is reached at f11.

Aperture	Centre Crop	Edge Crop
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
f/22