Re: So what is your system of choice for wildlife/nature?
Hello,
I'm a nature photographer and I have been one since the 1980's. My work has taken many paths that included shooting for stock in the 1990's to early 2000's, writing for magazines/blogs, and doing shows in galleries. I share this with you, because the term "nature photographer" is very broad. Included in the field is nature details, species-specific macro, landscape, wildlife, conservation, special projects and so on.
Based on your post, I would not recommend a macro lens for your first all purpose nature lens. There are other lenses out there that will allow you to do closeup photography while also shooting some of the general things you are seeking to do. In addition, because you seem to want to do some closeup detail work, I would NOT recommend any of the super-zooms... they are good lenses, but limit you a bit when it comes to near-macro photography.
Personally, if I were interested in "general" nature photography and wanted to build a simple and universal kit, I would go for something like the 24-120 f/4 and 100-400S w/ 1.4x converter in the Nikon world. For Sony, there is a similar set and in Canon there is the 24-105 and 100-500. For the latter, you could forgo the converter.
In the kits with the 100-400, the converter will give you increased magnification for both wildlife and close-up photography. Cropping and the 1.4x will allow you to make a 1:1 (life size) picture. If you are serious about doing details/macro, I suggest you invest in a good tripod and remote/cable release. Macro photography requires that you minimize your physical movement of the camera. While VR will help, it often leads to sloppy macro compositions when shooting handheld.
Finally, ALL the major camera brands will get you to where you want ago... find a brand that feels comfortable to use and meets your aspirational needs should you decide to invest more deeply into your kit.
cheers,
bruce
Jun 06, 2025 at 10:36 AM
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