Because this lens is so new, its the only one here that our team at Photography Life hasnt used yet. 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. lighter. The Nikon 500mm f/4E VR is sort of a sweet middle between the 400mm and 600mm lenses. Important command dials for wildlife and bird photography are located on the camera body itself. It also makes it very easy to use teleconverters, especially the built-in 1.4x TC. Although it is an F-mount lens, it is still used by many Z-mount users with an FTZ adapter. 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. Why you can trust Digital Camera World 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. Theres no other difference between the two versions. Weighing a whopping 3.8 kilos, it is about as heavy as Nikons longest 600mm f/4 lens (more on the 600mm below). 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. These include a refined optical path with fluorite and Super UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements and high-tech Air Sphere coating. Reviews - The Best Wildlife Photography Budget Lens Sigma 60 - 600mm f/4.5 - 6.3 Specs Type: Zoom Aperture: f/4.5 - 6.3 Dimensions: 4.7 x 12.7 x 10.6 in Focal Length: 60 - 600mm Weight: 4 lbs. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sport, 14. ED glasses are Extra-Low Dispersion Glass, an optical glass developed by Nikon to reduce or remove chromatic aberration. Both DSLR and mirrorless full-frames should be considered. Nikon has made several innovations to make this lens lighter, but it is still quite a large lens, so you will benefit from a sturdy tripod setup to hold it steady. The second edition of the lens has a more typical twist-action zoom ring and a host of upgrades. Nikon budget: Nikon Z50. It really depends on the types of subjects that you shoot. Nikons 300mm F2.8 is fondly called a super-telephoto lens. There are plenty of options available for everyone who has a good Nikon camera body in bird photography lenses. B&H offers a good rundown of how to build your camera kit for birding, and a Nikon ambassador Moose Peterson shares his favorite setup to give you some ideas. Download our FREE Macro Photography Quick Start Guide. The Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 is a compact and ridiculously sharp lens that is perfect for larger birds and birds in flight. The lens needs to be ready for the same. You are a bit mixed up. And I dont want to spend thousands more on new zooms. Still, it is heavy and big to carry around and takes time to set up. 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C for Canon, DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 ASPH Power OIS, Massive telephoto reach in a compact, affordable package, The latest premium super-telephoto zoom for EOS R mirrorless cameras, This shouldn't be ignored for bird photography, Best own-brand Nikon lens for bird photographers, Nikon's mighty 600mm prime is a beast of a lens, A monster performer, if you don't mind the modest aperture and weight, Sonys biggest and best super-telephoto zoom for birding, Tamron's affordable tele-zoom for Sony boasts fearsome autofocus, Best Fujifilm lens for bird photographers, The longest X-mount lens is also lightweight and affordable, Sony E-mount and Leica L get a Sports lens to call their own, Best lens for bird photography for Canon & Nikon DSLRs, Best budget lens for birding for Canon and Nikon DSLRs, This Tamron lens combines the attractions of both Sigma lenses, A great lightweight, budget super-telephoto zoom, Best MFT zoom lens for birding, thanks to the 2x crop factor, Best prime lens for Olympus and Panasonic MFT cameras, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. This is the lens that many wildlife photographers get, especially those that photograph birds. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! How to Improve your Bee Photography and Capture Amazing Photos? As of January 2022, Nikon just released their latest addition to the Z mirrorless system lens line-up. Although the very light 500mm f/5.6 PF has replaced it for many shooters, and the 400mm f/4.5 in an attractive alternative for Z-mount users, it is still lest costly than both (especially used), and so it is worth considering if you need quality in a very small package. Nikons 200-500mm f5.6E has carved a space of its own among hobbyist and semi-professional wildlife photographers. The price is quite hefty though, at close to $14,000. Camera body with a lens without zoom for shooting portraits. Small and light for such a long zoom, the lens retails for about $1,000. If you're looking for affordable options, these are the best budget telephoto lenses (opens in new tab). Id argue that the 400mm f/2.8 is actually more versatile, because sometimes youll really need that f/2.8 maximum aperture. B&H offers a good rundown of. The autofocus is extremely fast, thanks to an internal focus element, and you can easily override the autofocus if you want manual control. It is easy to get carried away by the camera body. Theres also considerably lower quality owing to the higher number of lens elements. The lens is designed for Canon and Nikon DSLRs but is also an option for Canon RF and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras using a mount adapter. One can also double their effective focal length using teleconverters. 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. Fujifilm XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 12. What are the best Nikon lenses for wildlife photography? Fortunately, your camera offers a neat solution: Auto White Balance, also known as AWB. The VR II provides up to 3 stops of insurance, resulting in sharper images overall. The 400mm f/2.8 lens is ideal for situations where even an f/4 lens would be too slow. This telephoto zoom lens can capture beautiful images of birds far in the distance as well as birds who fly closer to you. 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. Its my favorite because i can get it up and shooting anytime Im in a hurry, which is often. It took a while, but Sigma's 150-600mm Sports lens finally got a mirrorless makeover. It's tough to do, especially when photographing moving birds. 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. 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. November 14, 2018 May 6, 2019; . Although significantly less expensive to buy, it features the same range of dual-mode stabilization, dual-mode autofocus and custom setup options, as well as fluorine coatings on the front and rear 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. Check out our, For more of our top wildlife photography gear recommendations, check out the, For the best experience turn your device horizontally, BEST FOR: BUDGET-CONSCIOUS BIRD PHOTOGRAPHERS, BEST FOR: TAKING YOUR PHOTOS TO THE PRO LEVEL, THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING NIKON LENSES FOR BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY, A decent lens is an essential piece of camera equipment for capturing beautiful bird photos. Surprisingly u didnt included Nikon 200-500 /f5.6 lens one of the best selling lens for wildlife photography. When looking at lenses, consider how they'll interact with your camera sensor. If you are looking for the best lens for bird photography with extreme capabilities, then this universal model is worth considering. Buy Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens: $2,696.95 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama. With its MFT mount, it will work on Olympus mirrorless cameras, as well as compatible Panasonic Lumix models. We've tested the best lenses for bird photography to bring you options for a range of prices, from budget telephoto lenses to professional lenses. A cheap APS-C macro lens is coming, for almost all mounts, Shots fired! 7 Best Camera for Bird Photography. More so, it has a focal range of 70-300mm. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). I have in fact met some people using this lens on a monopod. No also f/1.4. Having VR is a definite plus when hand-holding the lens. Additionally, 2 ED glass elements work towards eliminating chromatic aberration. very long. The addition of highly effective optical VR that works in tandem with IBIS in Z system full-frame cameras should ensure exceptionally sharp avian images. It brought everyone into action with this insane zoom range of 150-600mm. Due to its massive size, this lens requires a good tripod setup. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook. The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD is a lens designed exclusively for Sony E-mount; it's made for full-frame bodies, but will work with APS-C, delivering an effective focal length of 225-750mm (though it will produce a pretty unbalanced setup). Compatible Camera Mount: Canon EF Features Dust And Water Resistant Design Autofocus Is Both Smooth And Quiet Wide Focal Range Allows A Wide Variety Of Shots When engaged, it turns the lens into an 840mm f/5.6. 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. View at Amazon. Guide To Nikon Cameras For Birds. What is the best one you would suggest for wild life (perched birds) with Z6 and FTZ adapter ? Triple-mode image stabilization is switchable for static and panning shots, with an additional option for applying stabilization only during exposures. But, since you have a crop sensor camera, a lens zooming to 400mm, 500mm or even 600mm would be an option. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Still, its hard to beat the price of this lens at $1400. However, the price tag is hefty at just above $12,000. If you love birdwatching, visit our best bird feeder camera (opens in new tab) guide! Optical quality is first-rate as you'd expect for a high-end Nikon prime, while the autofocus performance doesn't disappoint either. The camera makes the images. 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. For Nikon, a good choice is the Nikon 200-500mm lens for DSLR cameras. This is a very specialized tool. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. But if youre photographing small birds that are 10-15 meters away from you or greater (30+ feet), 800mm will be ideal. As always, this makes it a challenge to keep everything steady while shooting, but the Panasonic has excellent build quality and comes complete with a zoom lock ring, tripod mounting collar and optical image stabilizer, to help beat the shakes. Astrophotography in March 2023: what to shoot in the night sky this month, "Thats the beauty of photography, it is a democratic medium", AI portraits are hard work, says deceitful Instagrammer with 28K followers, The Lumix S5 II is a serious tool for content creators here's why, GuruShots: Winning photos from the Beautiful Nights competition, Sony's new camera is a "baby A7S III for vloggers", Motorola's mini $99 widget turns any phone into a satellite communicator, Good news! For most wildlife, the move from f/4 to f/5.6 will not impact image quality, and it is a fair trade for the increased versatility of never needing a tripod. The uprated ring-type autofocus system is faster and more accurate, and a fluorine coating is added to the front element. Nikkor 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR is the next-gen model of the 2007 Nikkor 400mm f2.6G ED VR. Taking inspiration from the Nikon 180-400mm F-mount lens, the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 was Nikons first Z-mount lens to feature a built-in 1.4X teleconverter. Costing $6500, this lens is the cheapest way to reach this focal length. Sharpness, contrast and other image attributes are excellent and very consistent throughout the entire zoom range. I get 10 times more keepers with this lens than with my 500mm, and 20 times more keepers than with my 80-400. Overall performance and image quality are excellent, although outright sharpness drops off a bit at the long end of the zoom range. Simply, getting close is the best way to get a bigger subject in your viewfinder. Then again, for maximum image quality at the longer focal lengths, the 600mm f/4 TC VR S would be the one to beat. An eliminated ghosting and flare while shooting backlit or semi-back-lit subjects results from this improved optics capability. 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 also helps reduce weight and is ideal for outdoor shooting. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S is a classic example, costing more than some new cars. With birding, you will likely be using the lens with its built-in teleconverter all the time. The best lenses for bird photography provide you with enough magnification to fill the frame with a feathery subject and have a fast enough autofocus to track it as it moves. However, its weight and size are its biggest enemy. At 400mm, it's a powerful super-telephoto lens suited to wildlife and action photography, with or without a tripod. Still, weighing just 1,725g without the tripod collar, the Tamron 150-500mm is perfectly useable hand-held. This makes the lens very versatile, giving 400mm and 560mm at the flick of a switch. Shell climb just about anything, from leading fun sport to projecting boulders to following multi-pitch trad (as long as its not slab). Let us know which is your favorite lens for bird photography. The effects of camera shake are minimized by vibration reduction VRII. The Nikon 600mm f/4E FL ED VR is one of the company's longest focal length lenses available, and with a price tag that's nudging five figures, it's squarely aimed at the professional sports and wildlife photographer. Zoom lenses carry the advantage of flexibility. Id love to hear in the comments! It is possible due to the diaphragm blade unit with a drive mechanism. longer. It is also quite lightweight for a lens, so you can easily take it with you into the wild. Lens Weight: Heavier lenses are challenging to use without tripods. 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). Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. A fast aperture of a constant f/5.6 works well in low light conditions such as sunset and provides the effect of a blurred background to highlight the birds. It is the professional photographers who strive to go that extra mile and look for perfect pictures. Nikon bird photography lenses Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Rating: 8/10 Mount: Nikon F Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring type) Stabilised: Yes (although it's labelled as "vibration reduction") Filter size: 95mm Minimum focus distance: 2.2m Weight: 2.3kg Cost: ~1250-1500 Pros: Great zoom range A special Phase Fresnel element (the glass is cut in concentric circles instead of a solid piece) in the lens significantly reduces the size and weight of this lens, so you can take it with you wherever you go to search for birds. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So get the best lens you can afford, then learn to use . For more of our top wildlife photography gear recommendations, check out the Best Lenses for Wildlife Photography. If youre heading out into the backcountry, you might not want to lug around a heavy lens, but if youre only planning to hike short trails, that might be okay. We also have bird lenses for Nikon and Canon. It is optimized to deliver results quickly and perfectly. We check out the best cameras for professionals (opens in new tab). Nikon has one more wildlife lens on its roadmap: a 200-600mm zoom, which competes directly with the Sony 200-600mm lens. And feeders, offering . The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm is a versatile lens that lets you get up close and personal with birds, whether they are nearby or far away. Nikon 200-500mm f5.6E redraws creative boundaries with a constant-aperture telephoto zoom. This is a lens you'll want to partner with a sturdy monopod for long periods of shooting. Best low light lens for Z-Mount - Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S (2,299) Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S. The Nikon Z 50mm f1.2 S is Nikon's premium 50mm lens for Nikon Z series cameras, giving excellent image quality, as well as beautiful bokeh. The Nikon Z 100-400mm is currently the only Nikon zoom for Z-mount that has some reach. If you dont have your lens with you, it cant help you capture stunning bird images, so youll want to factor in the weight of lens you choose. The Nikon 800mm f/5.6 is no doubt an astounding and absurdly expensive lens. Compared with Sigmas 150-600mm Sports lens, the Contemporary edition is smaller and almost a whole kilogram lighter in weight. These are 600mm, 750mm and 900mm equivalent (35mm), i.e. In fact, for many situations, it will be too long, and f/6.3 may not be bright enough. It's pretty much the same weight as the Sigma and Tamron 100-400mm lenses for full-frame cameras. Because the 300mm f/4 is so small and takes a 1.4X TC teleconverter reasonably well, it is a perfect lens for wildlife shooters who absolutely do not want to carry a huge lens. This fast lens features snappy autofocus, a 400mm telephoto, and top-quality lens construction by Nikon. Except that one. Add 4.5 stops of vibration reduction, and this lens qualifies as a mini beast for bird photography. Nanocrystal provides for even better construction. Fujifilm XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR, 11. And if you need an 800mm equivalent lens, you could always put a 2x TC on the 400mm f/2.8. On your Nikon, the 300mm is 450mm equivalent (35mm), i.e. The cost difference between the two is significant. Bird photographers carrying a lot of gear find the 500mm f/4 a bit easier to travel with compared to the 600mm f/4. Canon premium: Canon EOS R3. The only possible con for the lens is the electromagnetically controlled aperture. Other features include an OLED display, plus a customisable function button. This means that with the teleconverter switched on you have a 560mm lens. See sample zoom photography (View in a lightbox) View the COOLPIX P1000 Product Tour . A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. The Nikon AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm is a great introductory telephoto lens for bird photography at a very good price point. Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency (eBAND) coating and Broad-Band Anti-Reflection (BBAR) coating make the optics even more refined. The flip side is that no optional tripod mounting ring is available, which would have enabled a better balance, especially in portrait orientation shooting. Its tripod-compatible VR offers up to 4 stops of Vibration Reduction. Then there's the full frame pro or serious enthusiast DSLR body with a Canon or Nikon 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, or even an 800mm prime lens. When done well, you can get some truly magnificent photographs. Undoubtedly, the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 is the most popular budget lens for bird shooters. You now know how to do the calculation: the 200-500 is the equivalent of 300 mm to a whopping 750 mm. This lens of course belongs to the S-line, which means superior performance. The lens is under $600 and is among the cheapest lenses to achieve any bird photography. I agree with all the conclusions, my thoughts are the same, why and how. I may have got lucky because mine is very sharp. Whatever kind of wildlife you like to photograph, whether it be large mammals or small birds, you are sure to find the right Nikon lens. At F2.8, it is the fastest lens for bird photography. In particular, its much easier to use a 1.4x teleconverter with this lens, turning it into a very reasonable 560mm f/6.3. On the other hand, if you like to shoot when the sun is almost down or even set, f/5.6 is a little slow even with todays amazing sensors. That's why, in my opinion, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is the best bird photography lens for the money at a touch over $2000 (or significantly cheaper pre-owned). The upgraded VR II provides three stops of image stabilization. This is the lens that will get you to 800mm at f/5.6 with a 2x teleconverter! And you'll also find lenses for Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus cameras. I would say a much longer lens would be significantly harder to aim. If you like the idea of a 300mm f/2.8G II but in a zoom, this is your lens. The next big jump (in terms of size, weight and cost) gets us to the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II a phenomenal lens. Canon: Canon EOS R7. The best lenses for bird photography will help you get close to wildlife and there are great options for every camera mount Included in this guide: 1 Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM Check Price 2 Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Check Price 3 Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Check Price 4 Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM Check Price 5 Nikon The Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM (and the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM (opens in new tab)) is designed for EOS R-series mirrorless cameras and offers a very different experience to a typical prime telephoto lens. Digital Camera World is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. A lens that can vary between focal lengths. It is about $550 more expensive than the 100-400mm, so why would you get this lens instead? Sony: Sony a7 IV. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. But if you have the budget, then the Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR II is the best option for image clarity. Being around for much longer than the Z-mount, the F-mount currently has more lenses suitable for wildlife. Lenses are the second half, and in some cases, the better half. The 800mm focal length, while not easy to use, certainly shines when it is used properly. 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. If youre looking for the longest reach without teleconverters, the Nikon 800mm f/6.3 is your lens! Without a doubt, wildlife photography is a very expensive hobby to have (unless you are so good that you can sell your pictures and make good money), especially once you add up all the gear and travel costs. Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2, 16. Performs well at broad daylight with quick auto focus. A VR lens helps create sharper pictures and provides three stops insurance. This lens still has no equal in Z mount (or any other mount) and thus I have seen quite a few people adapting it to their Z50 cameras for a very lightweight and capable setup. They, however, are prone to more lens aberrations and vignettes. 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? Theres more, however, with the construction boasting an upgraded lens construction. It offers bird photographers an opportunity to capture almost anything in the wild. It's heavily weatherproofed, with oil-repellent coatings on the elements, and it's got 4-stop optical stabilisation to help keep things sharp at the telephoto end. but the lens you're using will quite obviously play an important part of the equation as well. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR At a glance: 95mm filter thread 2.2m minimum focus 268mm length x 108mm diameter Weighs 2300g Nikon F mount Price: 1,399 / $1396 His expertise with equipment doesnt end there, though. Wildlife situations come and pass quickly and this lens is easy to deploy quickly, fast optics, feather weight, and has VR. This zoom lens offers a range from portrait to telephoto, so you can always get the shot.