p.1 #1 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
I have been shooting with long lenses for many years, it is time for me to shoot with light weight handheld lenses -- my budget for lens is around 1000 USD regardless of brand, has to be sharp and easy carry. (500 to 600mm)
p.1 #3 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
"Lightweight", "500-600mm", "under $1000" are three things that are hard to reconcile in one lens. Here are a few thoughts.
For years the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM was considered a top lens for hand-held BIF photography. (Aurthur Morris used to carry this on a second body while shooting with a tripod mounted longer lens.) It weighs 1250g or 2.7lbs. It is sharp and certainly cheap (now days). It is not stabilized, however.
Next lightest is the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USB, at 2100g / 4.6lbs. This lens is sharp and takes TCs well. Not that cheap, but more affordable than it used to be. Far outside of your budget, though, even used.
If you don't care about aperture, the oddball fixed-aperture RF 600mm F11 IS STM weighs just 930g / 2lbs. I have no idea how this lens works for rapidly moving things, but there is a lot less light for the autofocus system to use. It does give you a lot more reach than a 400mm lens.
On the zoom front, there is the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM which is 635g / 1.4lbs. A good choice maybe if you can manage the slower aperture. The older EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM zooms are in the 1600g / 3.5lbs range. The Mark II is considered to be excellent, but the original model is also fine if you get a good copy and could be a bargain.
If cost and brand were no objects, then Nikon really has the lock on lightweight long lenses with usable apertures. There is the Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, which is 1460g / 3.2lbs. And the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S is 1470g / 3.25lbs. These lenses will not be in your stated budget though.
I'm not familiar with any third-party zoom options, but I assume there are some. Perhaps some others can comment.
p.1 #5 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
I am using the RF100-400 lens with the R6II for bird photography.
I shoot it at 400mm f8 and with decent light get great shots. Many of which are bif. large or small birds, with good hand held panning I get a majority of them in focus. For the price you can not go wrong.
Feb 01, 2024 at 10:27 AM
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p.1 #6 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
Several 150-600's out there, the Sigma C used to be considered the one to get. Not particularly light at about 4lbs, but not bad for a 600mm, and easily available under $1k.
if you use mirrorless the 600/11 & 800/11 fill the bill. Handled 800/11 on r5, build seemed nice, balanced well imo. 100-500 is about the same weight as 500pf, but zooms, a bit slower , but not much
400, 300, 100-400's out there, if you are interested in going a bit less than 400mm.
p.1 #7 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
+1 for sigma c-ontemporary 150-600mm, f/5-6.3. for me, it's light. i can hand-carry all day with a pro-body. v/r is weak; but apparently it can be adjusted via a usb-hub.
sharp, robust, no weather seal. but it's inexpensive enough to get a replacement if needed!
p.1 #8 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
No, you don't want to get any 150-600mm lens if you are concerned about weight & size, nor do you want to get a 600 f11 or 800 f11 unless you want to be stuck at a single focal-length and at a single f-stop of f11.
p.1 #9 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
It would be interesting to see a comparison for sharpness between the RF100-400 at 560 mm and the RF 600 f/11, at longer distances. On a crop body, I am not sure if the 100-400 with teleconverters fits the bill for "sharp".
p.1 #10 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
The RF 100-400 works very well on the R5, R10 and R7. Especially on the croppers the reach and pixels per duck is excellent compared to anything in this price and weight class before.
I used it mostly on the R10 as half of my light gear. Got a few test shots with the R7, but the 100-500 is/was my lens of choice, obvious reasons. If I was looking for a light birding camera with max bang for the buck, the R7 + RF 100-400 is hand down the winner keeping the camera in the other. Add the 1.4x. I have the 2x and got very nice results with the combo on the R5 but guess it is border line on the R7.
But the 600/11 is a true gem on the croppers. 960mm field of view, _very_ small and light for a 600mm and sharp enough even on the R7, with temperature shimmer as the main obstacle at the distances the super focal length tricks you into trying. Sometimes it works with stunning results. At closer range or in shimmerless conditions there is no lighter, cheaper and more capable "1000mmm" lens!
p.1 #11 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
alundeb wrote:
It would be interesting to see a comparison for sharpness between the RF100-400 at 560 mm and the RF 600 f/11, at longer distances. On a crop body, I am not sure if the 100-400 with teleconverters fits the bill for "sharp".
'Sharp' is a matter of taste and opinion. Apart from that, the RF100-400 gives you a choice of 300 different focal-lengths in one lens along with f-stops from f5.6 to f22, while the RF600 f11 gives you only one focal-length and only one f-stop. The RF600 f11 is hardly what one can call a versatile lens.
Canon EOS R6m2RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens400mmf/8.01/2000s1000 ISO0.0 EV
p.1 #12 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
On a full frame EF camera the 100-400L + 1.4 TC seems to suit your needs, but weight might be a problem, if so try the EF 400L 5.6 + 1.4 TC.
On EF crop either of the above lenses without the TC.
On an RF crop camera the RF100-400 seems a natural choice.
With an RF FF camera the above RF 100-400 with a 1.4 TC. I assume the 100-500L is out of the budget but this would otherwise be a first choice.
I have an RF R6 camera and find the adapted EF100-400Ls to be too short for birds unless I'm able to get very close. My adapted 150-600 'C' is a bit on the heavy side but it gets the job done. I will get the 200-800 at some time, but it too is heavy.
p.1 #14 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
Imagemaster wrote:
'Sharp' is a matter of taste and opinion. Apart from that, the RF100-400 gives you a choice of 300 different focal-lengths in one lens along with f-stops from f5.6 to f22, while the RF600 f11 gives you only one focal-length and only one f-stop. The RF600 f11 is hardly what one can call a versatile lens.
You may have noticed that the OP did not mention versatility as a requirement
p.1 #16 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
Imagemaster wrote:
Well I guess that is just a bonus for him then, eh?
Provided that it is sharp enough for his taste.
The 1.4 TC also costs as much as the 100-400. Since it is required to get to 500-600, the combo does break the budget.
It is up to the individual to decide if he wants a sharper, less expensive and less versatile option, but it is nice to know enough about the options to make an informed decision.
p.1 #17 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
Imagemaster wrote:
... The RF600 f11 is hardly what one can call a versatile lens.
Depends on your needs. If you constantly would benefit from longer FLs, then the 600/11 is one of the best, with the versatility coming from the for a 600mm lens superb handiness.
On full frame the 600/11 is noting special though, 600mm and f/11. Duh. It is on crop sensors it excels.
If, and this is one of the greater ifs in the Canon bubble, if C would make the R72 a crop sensor copy of the R62, I could very well dump the R5(2) and the 200-800 (that will arrive one day for sure). A R7X crop body without the annoying slow readout and a few other "features" would be a true winner be it with the 600/11 or 100-500 or 100-400 depending on budget. The R7 was very close, but definitely not there (sold it, reasons above, to fund the 200-800...).
p.1 #19 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
I have ef 100-400v1, rf 100-400, and 200-400, and 600 f4.
My view is -
- the rf 100-400 has good iq - similar to the original EF 100-400 eg great in centre, a little diminshed at edges that don't matter. But f8 where you use it the most
- the rf 600/f11 - is good but fixed 600 would be a problem for me. If you get 600/f11, you will need another lens. I used my 600/f4 and find that for big animals and occasional close in - way too long. It requires a 2nd lens for short shots. Maybe for birds it would be mostly okay but occasionally you will be frustrated by close items.
- the rf100-400 w 1.4x is f11 at 560mm. But it's a zoom which takes care of close in. But it's $500.
Tough choice. And only you can decide. If you have a r7 I think the rf100-400 is appropriate with 1.4x might be right. You could get a used 100-400v1 and ef 1.4x on r7 and it would be relatively inexpensive and pretty good - IS will be weak but keep your shutter at 1/1250 and it will be okay. But for small birds, if you have a ff, I think the 600f11 and just be ready for the frustration of missing close in shots.
p.1 #20 · Best light weight sharp lens for birds photography under 1000$ canon,sony,nikon,sigma etc
munzir.khan wrote:
Tony you can grab details from any tool !! -- Thanks for your feedback
Thanks Munzir and you are welcome. Hope you find the 'golden' combo.
The promoters of the 600 f11 or 800 f11 seem to miss the point about 'total' weight and the inconvenience of carrying around only one lens with only one focal-length and only one f-stop choice. I can personally tell you that on the few times when I take out only my PF 800 f11, I usually regret it.
I use my RF 100-500 with both extenders the most. Even though it is heavier and more expensive, I find it better all-around than the RF 100-400.
Add the 1.4x. I have the 2x and got very nice results with the combo on the R5 but guess it is border line on the R7.
