best lens for bird photography nikon

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. Although it is an F-mount lens, it is still used by many Z-mount users with an FTZ adapter. Important command dials for wildlife and bird photography are located on the camera body itself. Sharpness is very good at or near 600mm but less impressive towards the short end of the zoom range. The D850 is Nikon's best all-purpose DSLR, striking a great balance between capability and affordability. If youre looking for the longest reach without teleconverters, the Nikon 800mm f/6.3 is your lens! ED glasses are Extra-Low Dispersion Glass, an optical glass developed by Nikon to reduce or remove chromatic aberration. Our readers often ask us about lenses for nature photography, and while I have already written about which Nikon lenses I consider to be the best for landscape photography, I have received numerous requests to write about lenses for wildlife photography as well. Introducing the 7 Best Nikon Lenses For Wildlife Photography Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED - Best Overall Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR - Best for Pros Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3G ED VR - Best on a Budget Nikon AF-S Nikkor DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR II - Landscape and Nature in One Nikon COOLPIX P1000 Super-telephoto digital camera It offers the quality and construction of Nikon, a top-notch auto-focus, and unparalleled versatility. Using DO (Diffractive Optics) and a relatively narrow f/11 fixed aperture rating, it's also pretty light at 930g. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Sporting a clever retractable design, this lens collapses down to 200mm. Best camera lenses of 2023 | Popular Photography Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens is one of the sharpest and fastest lenses available. Your prices on the three lenses are off by over $2000.! This lens gives you telephoto superpowers in a relatively lightweight package. Sony a7 III ILCE7M3/B Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera. Its also not quite as sharp, but it comes very close and its overall image quality is pleasing. These cookies do not store any personal information. 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. Other features include an OLED display, plus a customisable function button. Has a 20.9MP resolution and records 4K video in ultra-high definition. Forget about trying to hand-hold it, even if you have arms as big as Schwarzeneggers. See my detailed Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II Review for more information on this lens. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. I agree with all the conclusions, my thoughts are the same, why and how. VR is Vibration Reduction that minimizes blur due to camera shake. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography - Photography-Raw.com One can also double their effective focal length using teleconverters. It's one of the best 150-600mm lenses (opens in new tab) overall. 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. Extending the focal length gives it even more reach, though the trade-off is a pretty modest maximum aperture of f/7.1 at the long end. 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. The Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 is also an insanely sharp lens, so it still looks good at 560mm and thus is suitable for many varieties of wildlife. It provides an edge-to-edge sharpness and compatibility with all Nikon teleconverters for greater reach. Its wide range and 0.38x magnification (minimum focus distance of 75cm) make this lens well-suited to larger wildlife and pseudo-macro shots of insects. This fast lens features snappy autofocus, a 400mm telephoto, and top-quality lens construction by Nikon. It is a great buy that will get you to 300mm at just under $600 USD. This lens will let you shoot birds up close, and although the zoom isn't the longest out there, it will still allow you to capture birds in the distance. very long. Or would you prefer the 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, which is a 400mm f/2.8 and a 560mm f/4? I have in fact met some people using this lens on a monopod. 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. It is fairly wide on a full-frame camera at 180mm so it can also be used to capture tighter landscapes. But lenses are an expensive purchase, so its important to really think through your decision about which Nikon lens to buy for bird photography. Which Nikon Camera Is Best For Bird Photography? Guide To Nikon Cameras Buy Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens: $2,696.95 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama. You now know how to do the calculation: the 200-500 is the equivalent of 300 mm to a whopping 750 mm. Sold all other FX lenses to get a full set of Z lenses. You need a pretty good reason to trade up from Panasonics 100-400mm zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it might just be this Olympus prime. The silent wave matter is added for an extra-fast and noise-free bird photography experience. New York, A camera that takes high-definition images and comes with a lens for up-close shots of subjects. The VR II provides up to 3 stops of insurance, resulting in sharper images overall. If one plans to use the camera hand-held, it is better to look for lighter lenses while compromising slightly on the range. An image stabilization system that reduces the effects of camera shake and the consequent blur that causes. 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. Best Lenses for Bird Photography of 2022 - The Adventure Junkies It has fully professional-grade build quality with comprehensive weather-seals and a dust-, freeze- and splash-proof construction. In addition, you will have to buy a good heavy duty tripod + accessories (batteries, memory cards, etc). It renders the lens incompatible with older Nikon DSLRs. For Z-mount users, the Nikon 100-400mm seems far more attractive at 1.4kg, and the 500mm f/5.6 PF is a great alternative if you are mostly at 500mm. 5 Best Nikon Mirrorless Camera Lens For Bird Photography The first is that the maximum aperture of f/5.6 on the long end doesnt let in as much light as an f/4 or f/2.8 lens, which also makes it harder to use teleconverters. At 400mm, it's a powerful super-telephoto lens suited to wildlife and action photography, with or without a tripod. Coupled with the Nikon Z9 you can use the newly developed Silky Swift VCM (SSVCM), which enables fast, highly accurate, and quiet AF control. Its my favorite because i can get it up and shooting anytime Im in a hurry, which is often. If you always find yourself at the long end of your zoom, it definitely makes sense to get this lens instead of the 100-400mm. Sony premium: Sony 1. A VR lens helps create sharper pictures and provides three stops insurance. What are the Best Lenses for Bird Photography? - Nature TTL It is a massive lens for a reason its large aperture of f/2.8 requires huge glass elements to transmit so much light into the camera. Even so, the difference isnt particularly noticeable in practical terms and the Nikon lens has the advantage of a constant-aperture design, so f/5.6 remains available throughout the zoom range, rather than dropping to f/6.3 at the long end. Sigma also has two similar versions of the same focal range, Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary and Sigma 150-600mm Sports. 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. Its three-mode stabilisation system helps out here too birders will probably get the most use out of Mode 3, which only applies the stabilisation effect during actual exposures, making it easier to track erratically moving subjects. There will barely be anything you cant catch that you cant see with the iconic Nikkor 500mm F4G ED R. It is rugged, having a magnesium die-cast barrel which makes it highly resistant to dust and moisture. Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 From the basics of My 350 Nikon Wildlife Photography Kit D300 300mm F4 Af Lens to the latest trends and innovations, you'll find a wide range of articles that cover all aspects of this field. This lens is the real winner for use on any Nikon body: a 200-500 mm zoom with vibration reduction. Sir, Pls. The best cameras for bird photography in 2023 As each birder's requirements are a little different, there is no one perfect camera and lens for bird photography. Many hobbyists are foraying into this field who start with a crop frame body. With birding, you will likely be using the lens with its built-in teleconverter all the time. 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 youre new to wildlife photography and you have only one lens in your kit, a zoom lens is the best option since it provides you more flexibility, But if youll be switching lenses out, you can use a variety of prime lenses based on the situation and terrain you find yourself in. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. 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. 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 This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Its more comfortable for long periods of handheld shooting and you can also use it with the camera body mounted on a tripod or monopod. So get the best lens you can afford, then learn to use . __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__. The best bird photography lenses help you grab those moments. It's an easy-to-carry, (relatively) affordable, and fast-focusing long lens, which makes it ideal for photographing birds in the field. Lens Weight: Heavier lenses are challenging to use without tripods. DOWNLOAD THE ADVANCED AFFINITY PHOTO COURSE NOW! Best lenses for bird photography in 2023 | Popular Photography Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM. The 8 Best Lenses For Birds And Wildlife Photography 2023 - Avibirds.com Is This the Best Bird Photography Lens? | Fstoppers Let us know which is your favorite lens for bird photography. Due to its slower f/4 aperture, it is a much lighter lens than the 400mm f/2.8E VR. Guide To Nikon Cameras For Birds. 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 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. The VC Mode II is specifically for panning, aiding the birds-in-flight photography. Give your opinion for 80-400 G ED VR.I believe the autofocus issue is on the D version. Capturing stunning images of birds is not easy, and you definitely need the right lens to be able to do it. If you like the idea of a 300mm f/2.8G II but in a zoom, this is your lens. It was originally introduced as an answer to third-party large focal length telephoto zoom lenses. Moose Peterson: The Challenge of Bird Photography | Nikon Corner-to-corner sharpness and vivid colors are essential for bird photography. It is also dust and moisture resistant, and built for rough conditions, like the home of the birds. Download our FREE Macro Photography Quick Start Guide. The downsized build has been achieved by a modest f/6.3 aperture rating and a Phase Fresnel optical element, a technology thats commonly used to focus the beam in a lighthouse. The Nikon 70 300mm telephoto lens with f/4.5 -5.6 maximum aperture is best for Nikon digital SLR cameras. Nikons 200-500mm f5.6E has carved a space of its own among hobbyist and semi-professional wildlife photographers. Still, weighing just 1,725g without the tripod collar, the Tamron 150-500mm is perfectly useable hand-held. Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography Nikon 200-500 mm Telephoto. 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. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 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. 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. It has a vibration reduction of up to 5.5 stops. This is especially true for mammals that are often active during these dark periods. This lens keeps pushing the boundaries. The 800mm focal length, while not easy to use, certainly shines when it is used properly. More so, it has a focal range of 70-300mm. 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. 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. This Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM super-telephoto lens for Canon EOS R-series full-frame mirrorless cameras gives phenomenal reach but is much smaller and more lightweight than competing lenses for DSLRs. Both DSLR and mirrorless full-frames should be considered. The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C (opens in new tab) is more manageable for long periods of handheld shooting, without the aid of a monopod or tripod, and easier to carrier around. Wildlife situations come and pass quickly and this lens is easy to deploy quickly, fast optics, feather weight, and has VR. The electro-mechanics diaphragm mechanism works in conjunction with the cameras shutter. I have been shooting with the Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR lens for the last 4-5 years and I can assure you that the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II is overall a better lens to buy (unless you shoot large animals from a close distance, like bears in Alaska). Would love to hear the reasons, if any. Its main advantage over the 600mm f/4 is its weight and its length. A decent lens is an essential piece of camera equipment for capturing beautiful bird photos. This is especially true with mammals, which like to come out during such times. There are plenty of options available for everyone who has a good Nikon camera body in bird photography lenses. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! Nikkor 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR is the next-gen model of the 2007 Nikkor 400mm f2.6G ED VR. 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. Our Top Picks Best Price: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Best Choice: Nikon 300mm f/4E PF VR AF-S ED-IF Telephoto Nikkor Lens Best Overall: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 80-400mm f.4.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens Most Durable: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens There are two potential downsides with this lens, and they go hand-in-hand. This is not the lens you would pack in a backpack for hiking. The lens is under $600 and is among the cheapest lenses to achieve any bird photography. 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. 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. Additionally, 2 ED glass elements work towards eliminating chromatic aberration. 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). A lens that can vary between focal lengths. And feeders, offering . Nikon: Nikon Z9. 3 Best Nikon DSLR Cameras - Mar. 2023 - BestReviews 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. 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. Auto White Balance requires zero input from you, the photographer. Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Deputy Director of Audubon North Carolina Walker Golder uses the discontinued Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR lens on his Nikon DSLR to capture images of birds. AF performance is top notch, with super fast and accurate autofocus acquisition, even in low-light situations. Nikons Silent Wave Motor AF system allows for super fast autofocusing, but with just a turn of the manual focus ring, you can take control yourself. Autofocus itself is very fast and image quality is fabulous. If you're looking for affordable options, these are the best budget telephoto lenses (opens in new tab). You will be able to capture all sorts of birds in the perfect frames with these cameras for sure. When done well, you can get some truly magnificent photographs. The only downsides of the mirrorless version are that the Z 800mm f/6.3 is a PF lens, it is very slightly slower, and so may show slightly worse bokeh in some rare instances. Interestingly, it is 3.25kg, which is not much heavier than the 2.9kg of the 300mm f/2.8. 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. Nikon 200-500mm f5.6E redraws creative boundaries with a constant-aperture telephoto zoom. Add 4.5 stops of vibration reduction, and this lens qualifies as a mini beast for bird photography. Shell climb just about anything, from leading fun sport to projecting boulders to following multi-pitch trad (as long as its not slab). I hope youll excuse the lack of sample photos, but by all indications, this lens is just as sharp and versatile as the 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S. Would you find more use with this lens, which is a 600mm f/4 and an 840mm f/5.6? 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. The lighter weight helps in more rapid framing and composition, giving the extra few milliseconds to create the masterpiece. It is capable of producing relatively good bokeh, especially on its longest end, although its sharpness performance also drops quite a bit at 300mm. The flip side is that no optional tripod mounting ring is available, which would have enabled a better balance, especially in portrait orientation shooting. Birds are often tiny, very fast, and since it happens in the wild, theres no control over the light. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Personalized Recommendations Show All AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4E FL ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR 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. Do you want a zoom lens that offers a focal range from up close to far in the distance? Camera body with a lens without zoom for shooting portraits. Id argue that the 400mm f/2.8 is actually more versatile, because sometimes youll really need that f/2.8 maximum aperture. 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. So you conclude with what you have- The article is intended for ALL.. judging and justifying availability with a Brand? And lastly, I present you the Cadillac of all Nikon super telephoto lenses: the Nikon 600mm f/4E VR. 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. Here at The Adventure Junkies, we have sorted through a variety of Nikon lenses to give you the lowdown on your options and help you choose the best Nikon lens for bird photography to keep in your camera kit. Bought it because it can be hand held. 17. The auto-focus works a charm in broad daylight. Surprisingly u didnt included Nikon 200-500 /f5.6 lens one of the best selling lens for wildlife photography. However, neither of them seems to have impressed you. The Best Lens for Bird Photography in 2023 (Updated) As in the Sigma and Tamron lenses, this enables more consistency in rapid-fire exposures but, with older Nikon bodies, youll only be able to shoot at the widest aperture. You are a bit mixed up. On your Nikon, the 300mm is 450mm equivalent (35mm), i.e. 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. Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is recognized as one of the leading educators in the photography industry, conducting workshops, producing educational videos and frequently writing content for Photography Life. Quick Answer - The Best Lenses for Bird Photography. Why you can trust Digital Camera World This telephoto zoom lens can capture beautiful images of birds far in the distance as well as birds who fly closer to you. 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. The Nikon 500mm f/4G VR works well with the TC-14E III teleconverter, giving an effective focal length of 700mm at f/5.6. Small and light for such a long zoom, the lens retails for about $1,000. Focusing is very swift on Canon's two new mirrorless cameras, but could be quicker on the R and RP. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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? 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. 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! It is the professional photographers who strive to go that extra mile and look for perfect pictures. Should you use a full frame or cropped sensor camera for bird photography (opens in new tab)? 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).