best lens for bird photography nikon best lens for bird photography nikon

The Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3s main application is birds and other small animals. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to look at some lightly used F-mount lenses, the E-versions of which are still optically outstanding. A prime lens that excels for bird photography, the telephoto Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm is a quality addition to your camera kit. But no matter what camera system you use, we've found the best lenses for bird photography. 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. An extreme telephoto lens, it can beautifully capture birds at a very long distance. 17. The lens is light and compact, making it easy to carry it around when scouting for wildlife in parks and wildlife spots. 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. Built from the ground up as an APS-C format lens, it only needs to produce a relatively small image circle, compared with a full-frame compatible lens, but is still pretty weighty for a 100-400mm zoom. It took a while, but Sigma's 150-600mm Sports lens finally got a mirrorless makeover. 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. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. I added this lens to the list because it is so good, but it is also questionable whether it is still worth its price, given that you can get a Nikon Z9 and a Z 800mm f/6.3 and still have over $4000 to spare. If you are still shooting with a DSLR, then this might be a good option, since you cannot use the new Z-mount version. Give your opinion for 80-400 G ED VR.I believe the autofocus issue is on the D version. The Sports model is a superior lens for photographing birds. In many cases, it still does. It literally eliminates axial and transverse chromatic aberrations. Triple-mode image stabilization is switchable for static and panning shots, with an additional option for applying stabilization only during exposures. Pls. 7 Best Camera for Bird Photography. 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. It's the NIKKOR VR 70-300mm /4.5-5.6 for the Nikon 1 system. Takes continuous shots at 8 frames per second. +80Photoshop Actionsfor NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS. And feeders, offering . Combined with Canon's legendary L-series build quality and stunning optical performance, it's up there with the very best Canon zoom lenses we've tested. Guide To Nikon Cameras For Birds. However, the price tag is hefty at just above $12,000. Learn more about the Panasonic Lumix S5 at Adorama, Amazon, and B&H. FUJIFILM's X-T4 is the only APS-C sensor type in our round-up. The equivalent lenses in full frame would be approximately 24mm f2, 45mm f2, and 85mm f2. The lens needs to be ready for the same. The optical path is top drawer too, featuring no less than five ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements plus a Super ED element. Small and light for such a long zoom, the lens retails for about $1,000. Its a very good lens but rather expensive for a 100-400mm, and lacks the outright telephoto reach of more recent 150-600mm independent designs. It's tough to do, especially when photographing moving birds. I used the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II for several months and I was very impressed by its performance, especially when coupled with teleconverters. November 14, 2018 May 6, 2019; . 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. Id love to hear in the comments! Its also plausible that Nikon will eventually release a 300mm f/2.8 and 500mm f/4 to match the F-mount lenses it already makes. Image quality wise: an entry level Nikon DSLR matches the image quality you can get from any other camera in Nikon's line up . Usually, hobbyist photographers are happy with a good bird in natural surroundings. For example, the best 100-400mm lenses (opens in new tab) on a full-frame sensor will cover 150-600mm on APS-C and 200-800mm on Micro Four Thirds! What is the best one you would suggest for wild life (perched birds) with Z6 and FTZ adapter ? I have a personal sweet spot for the 200-500 mm for its versatility as well as sharpness as also for the 500 mm PF for its lightweight as well as sharpness. They have some great F-mount lenses that have been supplemented in the past few years with some amazing new Z-mount 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. For Nikon, a good choice is the Nikon 200-500mm lens for DSLR cameras. Nikon has one more wildlife lens on its roadmap: a 200-600mm zoom, which competes directly with the Sony 200-600mm lens. A system that automatically focuses on the subject to keep it crisp and clear. It is an upgraded version of the earlier lens. It has a 22.2x zoom and an 18-400mm focal length, its ultra-telephoto range matches 620mm in the 35mm format. The best cameras for bird photography will help ensure that your patience pays off. Image quality is fabulous throughout the entire zoom range. Its tripod-compatible VR offers up to 4 stops of Vibration Reduction. 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. Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lighter. The Best Canon Lens For Bird Photography Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L is II USM Lens, Lens Only Compact, high performance L-series super-telephoto zoom makes it ideal for sports and wildlife photography Rotation-type zoom ring allows for more precise composition and excellent balance when handholding Sony a7 III ILCE7M3/B Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera. It's pretty much the same weight as the Sigma and Tamron 100-400mm lenses for full-frame cameras. If one plans to use the camera hand-held, it is better to look for lighter lenses while compromising slightly on the range. Capture birds in flight or bears on the hunt without disturbing them with powerful, high-quality Nikkor wildlife photography lenses designed for the nature enthusiast. A decent lens is an essential piece of camera equipment for capturing beautiful bird photos. Generally, the longer the lens (in focal length), the better. The narrower aperture range of f/5-6.7 is going to restrict you a little in terms of how much light you need, which is simply something to be aware of and factor in. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Nikon ambassador Moose Peterson shares his favorite setup, If youre heading out into the backcountry, Best Lenses for Wildlife Photography of 2022, Best Tripods for Wildlife Photography of 2022, Best Point and Shoot Cameras for Wildlife Photography of 2022, Aperture Allows for Good Low Light Performance, Super Integrated Coating Reduces Lens Flare, Or Glare From The Lens That Can Show Up On A Photo, Electromagnetic Aperture Gives Good Exposure Control So The Lighting Level Doesnt Get Too Dark Or Too Light, Internal Focus Allows For Speed In Focusing, Provides Shallow Depth Of Field For Selective Focus, Tripod Mode Reduces Shake From Ground Vibration, Vr Image Stabilization Compensates For Camera Shake, Coating On Front Of Lens Protects From Water & Dirt. The lens has 11 elements (3ED) in 8 groups. Nikons 300mm F2.8 is fondly called a super-telephoto lens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. How to Create an Online Portfolio Using Format? But it is only half part of the story. At F2.8, it is the fastest lens for bird photography. This lens is great for general wildlife, especially if you often shoot the large kind like moose and bears. It is a workhorse tool used by professionals for sports, wildlife and portrait photography. Best macro lens: TAMRON 90MM F/2.8 Di VC USD. Canon felt that it would be hard to improve on the image quality of the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM so opted to extend the focal range even further with the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM. Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR The Nikkor 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR must be on the list of bird photography lenses purely to provide an entry. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, In this list, we've included some of the best telephoto lenses (opens in new tab) around right now. I have the 80-400, never use it. 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. I believe this article might have been written before that lens, not sure but an update to this article is coming soon. It is good. Theres also considerably lower quality owing to the higher number of lens elements. The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 is about the same size and weight as Sigmas competing Contemporary lens, but adds a more comprehensive set of weather seals, similar to those of Sigmas more exotic Sports edition while splitting the difference in terms of price. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It is optimized to deliver results quickly and perfectly. The D850 is Nikon's best all-purpose DSLR, striking a great balance between capability and affordability. Instead, it will automatically adjust as the light changes. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! A tack-sharp AF precision allows panning shots to be perfectly sharp. Your prices on the three lenses are off by over $2000.! __CONFIG_colors_palette__{active_palette:0,config:{colors:{62516:{name:Main Accent,parent:-1}},gradients:[]},palettes:[{name:Default Palette,value:{colors:{62516:{val:var(tcb-color-4) ,hsl:{h:46,s:0.87,l:0.58}}},gradients:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{active_palette:0,config:{colors:{62516:{name:Main Accent,parent:-1}},gradients:[]},palettes:[{name:Default Palette,value:{colors:{62516:{val:var(tcb-color-4),hsl:{h:46,s:0.8692,l:0.01}}},gradients:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__. These include a refined optical path with fluorite and Super UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements and high-tech Air Sphere coating. If you love birdwatching, visit our best bird feeder camera (opens in new tab) guide! Would love to hear the reasons, if any. Going up to 500mm, while not the longest lens on this list or even in the Sony section, is pretty handy, and it's helped by the Tamron lens's real ace in the hole: it's super-fast autofocus system. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A lens of a fixed focal length that cannot be zoomed. How to Improve your Bee Photography and Capture Amazing Photos? The 800mm focal length, while not easy to use, certainly shines when it is used properly. The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports isn't just a quick reskin of the DSLR version (below); it's actually been retooled from the ground up with mirrorless cameras in mind, and it's an impressive 760g lighter. Undoubtedly, the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 is the most popular budget lens for bird shooters. Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary. There are two versions of this lens: VR and non-VR. A unique Sport-VR helps take sharper images even while panning and using continuous shooting mode. 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. The Nikon 70 300mm telephoto lens with f/4.5 -5.6 maximum aperture is best for Nikon digital SLR cameras. Camera body with a lens without zoom for shooting portraits. The only downside of this lens is its eye-watering cost of $14000. A stunning lens if you can justify the price - see our full Nikon 600mm f/4E FL ED VR review (opens in new tab). For bird photography, the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 Contemporary is the perfect complement to the S5's light and streamlined ergonomics perfect for the hand-held photographer on the go. 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). Interestingly, it is 3.25kg, which is not much heavier than the 2.9kg of the 300mm f/2.8. The main downside of this lens is its 2.3kg weight, which is not very comfortable compared to some lighter options like the 500mm f/5.6PF. Its built-in teleconverter means you can reach 560mm. Forget about trying to hand-hold it, even if you have arms as big as Schwarzeneggers. An image stabilization system that reduces the effects of camera shake and the consequent blur that causes. Canons original EF 100-400mm zoom was something of a classic, but wasnt to everybodys taste, especially in regard to its trombone-style push-pull zoom mechanism. It is still just possible to handhold, and it offers a lot of versatility with its zoom and very decent image quality. This lens is somewhat on the heavy side, although it still can be used handheld, and the vibration reduction reduces camera shake whether you have it on a tripod or are holding it. The best lenses for bird photography let you get closer to birds and capture incredibly sharp, beautiful images. 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). In fact, it is significantly lighter than the F-mount 300mm f/2.8G II lens, which is very impressive! You are a bit mixed up. A specially shaped lens hood with a thumb and finger groove helps with this. If you're looking for affordable options, these are the best budget telephoto lenses (opens in new tab). The uprated ring-type autofocus system is faster and more accurate, and a fluorine coating is added to the front element. 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. If you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below: Getting F-mount Lenses in a Z-mount World, Best Nikon Lenses for Landscape Photography, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G DX VR AF-P Review, Best Nikon Lenses for Wedding Photography. Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. When engaged, it turns the lens into an 840mm f/5.6. 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 It provides an edge-to-edge sharpness and compatibility with all Nikon teleconverters for greater reach. Weighing a whopping 3.8 kilos, it is about as heavy as Nikons longest 600mm f/4 lens (more on the 600mm below). As each birder's requirements are a little different, there is no one perfect camera and lens for bird photography. One of the newest Nikon telephoto lenses at the moment is the 600mm f/4 TC VR S. Just like the 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, this 600mm lens has a built-in 1.4x teleconverter. 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. Sophisticated controls include switchable dual-mode autofocus options with priority given to autofocus or manual override, static/panning stabilization modes and dual custom setups. This large lens, when coupled with the DX-format sensor, gives him the optical equivalent of an 18x binocular. Image quality is impressive, while the size of the lens makes it excellent for handheld shooting and, overall, its a great choice for bird photography. Finally, the Nikon Z 400mm is also 190 g lighter than the 100-400mm, which makes a difference if you are carrying the lens and other equipment all day. It is the lightest native 800mm lens that Nikon makes. This lens keeps pushing the boundaries. If you just want one lens that can do it all for bird photography, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm is an excellent option. And if you need an 800mm equivalent lens, you could always put a 2x TC on the 400mm f/2.8. This helps you to change the settings quickly. A 600mm f/4 is the gold standard for birding and other types of wildlife, and its a lens that still does not exist in Z-mount. 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. Get the best camera deals, reviews, product advice, competitions, unmissable photography news and more! Its main advantage over the 600mm f/4 is its weight and its length. Some of the features that one needs to keep track of for bird photography lenses are: The above lenses cover a variety of focal length ranges and lens features, covering both hobbyists, semi-professionals, and professionals along the way. This has seen a weight saving of some 25%, though it still tips the scales at an arm-wobbling 3,810g. This is not the lens you would pack in a backpack for hiking. The auto-focus works a charm in broad daylight. Quick Answer - The Best Lenses for Bird Photography. Again, not much to complain about in terms of optics and features. Capturing stunning images of birds is not easy, and you definitely need the right lens to be able to do it. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); I have kept my Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P as I moved from DSLR to Nikon Z5 and Z7-II. If youre looking for the longest reach without teleconverters, the Nikon 800mm f/6.3 is your lens! Scouting for birds in national parks and bird sanctuaries is accessible with this range. For hobbyists, a zoom lens might be a better shot. Focusing is very swift on Canon's two new mirrorless cameras, but could be quicker on the R and RP. Bird photographers carrying a lot of gear find the 500mm f/4 a bit easier to travel with compared to the 600mm f/4. My second best buy of my life. Instead, the Nikon 180-400 f/4E lens is for those shooters who shoot larger mammals and landscapes, and wider shots of animals in their habitat. The Nikon TC-17E II nor the new Nikon TC-20E III can work but not as reliably. Then again, for maximum image quality at the longer focal lengths, the 600mm f/4 TC VR S would be the one to beat. Out of the many options available for you in the market, here are the bird photography cameras that are worth the purchase. 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. This is especially true for mammals that are often active during these dark periods. 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: . Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency (eBAND) coating and Broad-Band Anti-Reflection (BBAR) coating make the optics even more refined. It has fully professional-grade build quality with comprehensive weather-seals and a dust-, freeze- and splash-proof construction. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF lens was a breakthrough lens for Nikon. Seeing a gorgeous bird in flight is awe-inspiring, but it can be difficult to translate that beauty into a photo. But, since you have a crop sensor camera, a lens zooming to 400mm, 500mm or even 600mm would be an option. 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.