The Nikon Z 100-400mm is currently the only Nikon zoom for Z-mount that has some reach. This lens will let you shoot birds up close, and although the zoom isnt the longest out there, it will still allow you to capture birds in the distance. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sport, 14. See sample zoom photography (View in a lightbox) View the COOLPIX P1000 Product Tour . This is especially true with mammals, which like to come out during such times. They are reporting the actual lens specifications, 16mm f1.4, 30mm f1.4, and 56mm f1.4, which is irrespective of the sensor size they are to be used with. It is also quite lightweight for a lens, so you can easily take it with you into the wild. Would love to hear the reasons, if any. Hand-holding, the Nikon D500, feels better. Capturing stunning images of birds is not easy, and you definitely need the right lens to be able to do it. However, the price tag is hefty at just above $12,000. Getting a gently used model could save you many thousands of dollars, which would go a long way towards other gear. More so, it has a focal range of 70-300mm. Read the full Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C review (opens in new tab). It's tough to do, especially when photographing moving birds. Diaphragm control via electric signals from the camera body provides reliable AE control. very long. They improve the all-weather shield for shooting in the most severe conditions. A long lens to capture subjects in the distance. For Z-mount users, the Nikon 100-400mm seems far more attractive at 1.4kg, and the 500mm f/5.6 PF is a great alternative if you are mostly at 500mm. The best telephoto lenses (opens in new tab) are generally getting lighter, and optical image stabilization systems make it possible to capture sharp images at the outer edge of a telephoto zoom, without having to use a tripod. But no matter what camera system you use, we've found the best lenses for bird photography. It is possible due to the diaphragm blade unit with a drive mechanism. View at Amazon. There are two potential downsides with this lens, and they go hand-in-hand. Nanocrystal provides for even better construction. If youre new to wildlife photography and you have only one lens in your kit, a zoom lens is the best option since it provides you more flexibility, But if youll be switching lenses out, you can use a variety of prime lenses based on the situation and terrain you find yourself in. Extending the focal length gives it even more reach, though the trade-off is a pretty modest maximum aperture of f/7.1 at the long end. A prime lens may force you to, though, unless you know the exact bird locations and schedule. Undoubtedly, the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 is the most popular budget lens for bird shooters. Its also the sharper lens at 400mm, although the 100-400mm is no slouch. Give your opinion for 80-400 G ED VR on D850 and D500. Best Budget Lenses for Wildlife Photography of 2022 One of my favorite lenses for photographing birds at my feeders is the AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED. An image stabilization system that reduces the effects of camera shake and the consequent blur that causes. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. Due to its slower f/4 aperture, it is a much lighter lens than the 400mm f/2.8E VR. The effects of camera shake are minimized by vibration reduction VRII. Additionally, some good wildlife lenses simply are not available for Z-mount, such as a 300mm f/2.8 or 500mm f/4. The second is that 400mm isnt always long enough for smaller or more distant birds. Sharpness, contrast and other image attributes are excellent and very consistent throughout the entire zoom range. and a game-changer for birders, sports and wildlife enthusiasts, travel photographers and even those aspiring to venture to the moon and beyond without leaving their backyard. It results in faster and more precise exposure control and exposure consistency. Birds are often tiny, very fast, and since it happens in the wild, theres no control over the light. At 400mm, it's a powerful super-telephoto lens suited to wildlife and action photography, with or without a tripod. I am a wildlife photographer, started in the 70s. Tamron 150-600mm Review and how to use it for Wildlife Photography, 24 Tips for Fantastic Flower Photography (2022), Video Courses from Friends of Photography-RAW. Dont worry, this article will be updated in October! Its autofocus is pretty good in daylight and its versatile zoom range of 70-300mm is great for large animals and perched birds. As of January 2022, Nikon just released their latest addition to the Z mirrorless system lens line-up. Bird photographers carrying a lot of gear find the 500mm f/4 a bit easier to travel with compared to the 600mm f/4. In particular, its much easier to use a 1.4x teleconverter with this lens, turning it into a very reasonable 560mm f/6.3. Aperture: A faster lens like f/2.8 or f/4 allows you to use faster shutter speed, which is essential for bird photography. This means that with the teleconverter switched on you have a 560mm lens. This is 1.4 stops faster than the Nikon 400mm f/4.5 and thus will perform much better than slower lenses, both in terms of light-gathering and autofocus. Lots of opinions why this and that lens is not on the list. However, its weight and size are its biggest enemy. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. It also has a dust- and moisture-resistant rubber gasket on the mounting plate, although it lacks the additional weather seals of the Sports lens. Still, its hard to beat the price of this lens at $1400. But, since you have a crop sensor camera, a lens zooming to 400mm, 500mm or even 600mm would be an option. DDSSM (Direct Drive Super Sonic Motor) autofocus is super-fast and comes complete with customizable focus-hold buttons mounted around the barrel. One can also double their effective focal length using teleconverters. Please keep in mind that the information I present below is a personal opinion based on my experience so far, which is subject to change. Weighing a whopping 3.8 kilos, it is about as heavy as Nikons longest 600mm f/4 lens (more on the 600mm below). Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD, 10. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The lens is under $600 and is among the cheapest lenses to achieve any bird photography. The best cameras for bird photography will help ensure that your patience pays off. The optical image stabilizer is effective on its own and even better when coupled with in-body stabilization, featured in later Sony Alpha A7 and A9 mirrorless cameras. Pros If you are passionate about bird photography, but want to keep your costs under $10,000, the Z-mount 800mm f/6.3 offers an insane amount of reach at a lower cost than the traditional f/4 primes. However, this lens is fairly hefty, so it will add some weight to your pack, which is something to consider if youre going on a long adventure in the backcountry. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The 800mm focal length, while not easy to use, certainly shines when it is used properly. If you have a favorite lens of yours for wildlife photography that is not listed below, please feel free to add a comment at the bottom of the page with some information and links to pictures (if you have any that you would like to share). After falling head over heel hooks for climbing in a gym in Boston, she moved to Golden, Colorado because the mountains were calling. Now Kate spends as much time as possible exploring the crags of the Front Range and beyond, usually with her camera in hand. They help cut down on any reflection, including the reflection of the camera sensor. For longer reach, you can use the Nikon TC-14E III, which will give you 840mm of effective focal length to work with at f/5.6, although it certainly does not reach the insane resolving power of the native 800mm f/5.6 as we have shown in our tests on Photography Life. Upgrades over the original Tamron lens include a revamped 4.5-stop optical stabilizer with three switchable options for static, panning and exposure-only modes, the last of which leaves the viewfinder image unadulterated, and makes it easier to track erratic movement. It has very impressive optical features and it delivers exceptionally good-looking images, especially at its maximum aperture of f/2.8. Many aspiring wildlife shooters will no doubt be aware of the stratospheric prices of supertelephotos. Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2, 16. It comprises 21 elements in 13 groups, having three LD (low dispersion) lens elements. These large animals often need much wider focal lengths around 200mm and it would be difficult to capture them with a fixed prime in all situations. Birds are tricky subjects for even the most experienced wildlife photographers; they move quickly, don't stay still for long, and they generally won't let you get very close without flying off. It really depends on the types of subjects that you shoot. Naturally, it has a fixed focal length, equivalent to 600mm in full-frame terms, and lacks the versatility of a zoom. If you want to get into wildlife photography on a tight budget, the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P is the lens you want to get. 11 Best Lenses for Macro Photography (2023) Sigma Announces Three Lenses for Nikon Z-Mount Cameras 10 Best Travel Tripods You Can Buy (in 2023) Upcoming E-Mount Lenses: . Ergonomically, the Nikon D500 feels just right. And you'll also find lenses for Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus cameras. It is more compact than the flagship gripped cameras like the Z9 and D6, and yet it still is very capable in the autofocus department. Bird Photography Camera on a Budget - Birdseed & Binoculars The Nikkor 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR must be on the list of bird photography lenses purely to provide an entry. If you love birdwatching, visit our best bird feeder camera (opens in new tab) guide! Download our FREE Macro Photography Quick Start Guide. Nikon 200-500mm f5.6E redraws creative boundaries with a constant-aperture telephoto zoom. But there are still good values to be found, and I hope that this article can point you in that direction, too, if thats what youre after. Still, it is heavy and big to carry around and takes time to set up. You will be able to capture all sorts of birds in the perfect frames with these cameras for sure. Small and light for such a long zoom, the lens retails for about $1,000. Do you have any recommendations or questions? A tack-sharp AF precision allows panning shots to be perfectly sharp. This lens will let you shoot birds up close, and although the zoom isn't the longest out there, it will still allow you to capture birds in the distance. Sharpness is really impressive throughout the zoom range, so you can push it to 600mm with confidence that you're still going to get some great images. Thus, if you are still using a Nikon 200-500 on an F-mount camera and are looking to transition to Z-mount, I would wait for this lens to come out, instead of buying one of the other Nikon Z lenses above. An accurate, high-quality focus powered by an upgraded Ultra Silent Drive (USD) motor results from fine engineering. A mixture of zooms and primes, these are the lenses that bring distant subjects closer, filling the frame with birds and animals and making the most of your camera's sensor to capture them in all their gorgeous detail. If any reason pls explain. A VR lens helps create sharper pictures and provides three stops insurance. Autofocus is fast and image quality is impressive in all respects, making this lens great value for an own-brand Nikon. This lens keeps pushing the boundaries. AF performance is top notch, with super fast and accurate autofocus acquisition, even in low-light situations. When photographing wildlife, whether capturing birds in flight or photographing bears in Alaska, one of the most important factors in choosing a lens is its focal length. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The lens is light and compact, making it easy to carry it around when scouting for wildlife in parks and wildlife spots. Impeccably turned out, the XF100-400mm looks and feels a high-quality item Looks arent deceiving either, as the internals include a super-fast autofocus system based on dual linear stepping motors, and a high-performance 5-stop optical stabilizer. Give your opinion for 80-400 G ED VR.I believe the autofocus issue is on the D version. This lens has a fixed aperture of f/11, and many birders might consider that rather too narrow, while others might be unimpressed that you cant alter the aperture. Many hobbyists are foraying into this field who start with a crop frame body. This grouping covers just about every bird-photography situation, from birds at rest to the most challenging erratically flying raptors. Its a superfast (f/2.8) 400mm lens with a built-in 1.4x teleconverter (thats what the TC, stands for in the lens name). Its also not quite as sharp, but it comes very close and its overall image quality is pleasing. A Guide to Birding with Long Lenses | B&H eXplora The second edition of the lens has a more typical twist-action zoom ring and a host of upgrades. It also lets you play with selective focus to highlight the birds in your shot, due to the aperture opening and the amount of light it lets in. Lenses are the second half, and in some cases, the better half. If you are in situations where you only shoot larger animals at dusk or dawn, and you really need the shorter focal lengths, then I can see a case for this lens. Still, weighing just 1,725g without the tripod collar, the Tamron 150-500mm is perfectly useable hand-held. Hand-held shooting is possible with the newer model. Introducing the 7 Best Nikon Lenses For Wildlife Photography Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED - Best Overall Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR - Best for Pros Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3G ED VR - Best on a Budget Nikon AF-S Nikkor DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR II - Landscape and Nature in One If you're shooting on the Nikon Z-mount system, then the newly released 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 is a good choice. You might be wondering, does it still make sense to get an F-mount lens now that Nikon is focusing its effort and support on Z-mount? The uprated ring-type autofocus system is faster and more accurate, and a fluorine coating is added to the front element. Re: And the penny drops: Sigma is making Z mount lenses: Nikon Z Sold all other FX lenses to get a full set of Z lenses. The Nikon 300mm f/4E PF is the smallest 300mm f/4 lens because of its phase-fresnel (PF) technology that has subsequently been used in the F-mount 500mm f/5.6 PF and the Z-mount 800mm f/6.3. 7 Best Camera for Bird Photography. +80Photoshop Actionsfor NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS. You cant move much during wildlife photography, as you may disturb the surroundings. I would suggest that for most people, this lens is a little bit short for wildlife, especially at $9500. Since this lens offers a 1.4X TC with still excellent image quality and significant 850g weight savings over the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E, this new Z mount 400mm f/2.8 could indeed be the ultimate wildlife lens.