I went to the baseball for the first time this year. And I brought with me my D500 and recently purchased 300mm f4E PF.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had never taken just a prime lens to the games. Usually I take my long 70-200mm zoom. But this time I wanted extra reach, and I was not disappointed. Let’s talk why.
The D500 was also a relatively recent purchase (last year to replace my D7200). The immediate impact it had was that my body was no longer struggling to keep up with the lens. I was getting shots but for baseball it was still too wide. And the 300mm on the crop sensor D500 means it is a 450mm equivalent. Before going I was also wondering if I would need a 1.4x teleconverter. That extra reach would be great … or so I thought.
While the D500 is 20.9MP sensor, small by today’s standards when the minimum in 2026 is 24MP, the crop photos showed no softness. In other words, the resolving power of the lens and sensor was giving me sharp images.
The 10fps was also enough for getting bat-to-ball shots (though I didn’t have a good point of view.
The body-lens set up was small and light also. The camera discreetly tucked in on my back. it was not as obtrusive as I first thought it would be, or as obtrusive as the larger heavier 70-200mm I usually use.
Overall, I would say from the images and enjoyment of the day’s photography that the D500-300mm PF combination was a success and a setup I’d use again for baseball. On my regular walks in my rural area I do take it around but I am not finding much to shoot. The wildlife are simply too shy.
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