gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
|
 p.1 #10 · So what is your system of choice for wildlife/nature? | |
wastedimages wrote:
Im asking as I have spent the last 6 months volunteering at my local nature reserve and have really enjoyed it. This obviously led to how can I document this and also learn how to capture some of the amazing things I have seen.
I have a Nikon Zf, I don't own any AF lenses, my Zf has been my fun MF camera. However I do now want some AF lenses.
Initially I have 2 requirements, I want to dive into macro as there are some really cool plants/fungi/textures that I would love to play around with. I think I could get some really creative shots, and I want to take advantage of the Zf's focus stacking capability, I am not interested in a MF macro lens.
The Nikon macro is very well regarded.
There is also a chance of kingfishers appearing at this reserve, it isn't guaranteed but it does happen occasionally and I would love to capture that. So I will need a zoom, maybe a 100-400, or maybe the 180mm to 600mm. To be honest, the longest zoom I have ever owned was my Sony 24-105 so at the moment I have no idea how much reach I actually need for this. Birding is a completely new thing for me.
Someone suggested micro 4/3 to me, this could get expensive, another camera, but good lenses, alot lighter, more reach due to the crop factor, but not a cost saving as the good 4/3 lenses are as expensive as their full frame equivalents.
I would also be losing a few stops in light and have to deal with a smaller sensor
Anyone running a 2nd system purely for wildlife?
I just want to check before I buy the Nikon macro lens that this is the way to go, as then I am committed to buying whatever Nikons options are for a birding/wildlife zoom as well....Show more →
I photograph a lot of things, but for my wildlife/landscape/wildlife photography, my full kit includes the following — all Canon unless l otherwise indicated:
5DsR*
EF 16-55mm f/4
EF 24-70mmm f/2.8
EF 70-200mm f/4
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
1.4x TC
EF 100mm f/2.8 macro
A Pentax 80-160mm zoom used with a Mirex T/S adapter
Much of my wildlife photography is larger migratory birds — geese, cranes, Ibises, herons. For them 400mm is usually enough, and the 1.4x TC gets me to 560mm if I need it.
Is that ong enough for the smaller birds? Hard to say, since it depends on how you photograph and how much stuff you are willing to buy/carry. I will say that sometimes the ability to photograph the smaller birds is more about how you approach them than about the length of the lens — patience, stealth, and knowledge are your friends here.
I’d really recommend that you not try to rely on MF lenses for bird photography. Sure, you can do that, and people did it for years back in the 20th century. In general, these days I’d go for an AF lens in virtually all cases since you can still MF if you need to… and contemporary AF lenses are every bit as good as MF lenses. (For pure landscape photography done from the tripod, there might be a stronger case for being willing to really on MF-only lenses, but still…)
Good luck.
* Since someone may well bring it up, let me explain about using the “obsolete” Canon 5DsR when newer cameras exist. In fact, newer Canon R bodies have improved AF and other features that could be useful for bird photography. First, the 5DsR is still an excellent performer for my landscape photoraphy. Second, I don’t rely on super high speed burst for my wildlife photography. (I have a second system that does burst faster… and I am not persuaded.) Third, I’m considering moving to an entirely different system (quite possibly not Canon), so I’m stretching out the lifespan of the current gear while I consider my options.
|
