lighter. This helps you to change the settings quickly. ED glasses are Extra-Low Dispersion Glass, an optical glass developed by Nikon to reduce or remove chromatic aberration. The Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 is a compact and ridiculously sharp lens that is perfect for larger birds and birds in flight. Additionally, 2 ED glass elements work towards eliminating chromatic aberration. 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. If one plans to use the camera hand-held, it is better to look for lighter lenses while compromising slightly on the range. 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. 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. I have the 500mm f4g VR, a crazy sharp lens. The fixed zoom mechanism feels smooth throughout the entire range and is near silent, which is exactly what you want if you're stalking skittish wildlife and don't want to alert it to your presence. At 1,260g, its perfectly viable for long periods of handheld shooting, aided by a highly effective optical image stabilizer. My second best buy of my life. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. With birding, you will likely be using the lens with its built-in teleconverter all the time. Why you can trust Digital Camera World 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 Find out more about how we test. It is a workhorse tool used by professionals for sports, wildlife and portrait photography. Using DO (Diffractive Optics) and a relatively narrow f/11 fixed aperture rating, it's also pretty light at 930g. Thus, if you are still using a Nikon 200-500 on an F-mount camera and are looking to transition to Z-mount, I would wait for this lens to come out, instead of buying one of the other Nikon Z lenses above. The lighter weight helps in more rapid framing and composition, giving the extra few milliseconds to create the masterpiece. Usually, hobbyist photographers are happy with a good bird in natural surroundings. 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. Heres how it works. Would love to hear the reasons, if any. 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. The best lenses for bird photography let you get closer to birds and capture incredibly sharp, beautiful images. An eliminated ghosting and flare while shooting backlit or semi-back-lit subjects results from this improved optics capability. The auto-focus works a charm in broad daylight. Nikon AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR A good option zoom lens for bird photography and it comes at a reasonable cost. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, If you're looking for affordable options, these are the best budget telephoto lenses (opens in new tab). The construction involves 3 ED glass elements, minimizing chromatic aberration and achieving super sharpness. This is the lens that many wildlife photographers get, especially those that photograph birds. The one thing I would not use this lens for is birding. The Nikon 70 300mm telephoto lens with f/4.5 -5.6 maximum aperture is best for Nikon digital SLR cameras. This translates to a high price tag, with the lowest end of the spectrum averaging between $500 to $1,500, and the highest-quality / best reach lenses costing as much as $10,000+. The optical image stabilizer is effective on its own and even better when coupled with in-body stabilization, featured in later Sony Alpha A7 and A9 mirrorless cameras. If you are looking for the best lens for bird photography with extreme capabilities, then this universal model is worth considering. The best lenses for bird photography provide you with enough magnification to fill the frame with a feathery subject and have a fast enough autofocus to track it as it moves. The flip side is that no optional tripod mounting ring is available, which would have enabled a better balance, especially in portrait orientation shooting. If you are still shooting with a DSLR, then this might be a good option, since you cannot use the new Z-mount version. 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. A prime lens may force you to, though, unless you know the exact bird locations and schedule. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. They improve the all-weather shield for shooting in the most severe conditions. But it is only half part of the story. Pls. Nikkor 600mm is the no-compromise lens for bird photography. Sony budget: Sony 6400. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sport, 14. 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. A 70-300mm lens, providing them an effective focal length of 450mm. The uprated ring-type autofocus system is faster and more accurate, and a fluorine coating is added to the front element. Please keep in mind that the information I present below is a personal opinion based on my experience so far, which is subject to change. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Still, it is heavy and big to carry around and takes time to set up. A fixed f/11 aperture isn't quite as limiting as it might first appear as thanks to the Dual Pixel AF sensor-based autofocus systems of EOS R-series cameras. This lens gives you telephoto superpowers in a relatively lightweight package. Scouting for birds in national parks and bird sanctuaries is accessible with this range. Bird photography is unimaginable without the use of a quality telephoto lens. This is a very specialized tool. Still, weighing just 1,725g without the tripod collar, the Tamron 150-500mm is perfectly useable hand-held. Similar to the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II, it also works exceptionally well with all teleconverters, including the Nikon TC-20E III. Out of the many options available for you in the market, here are the bird photography cameras that are worth the purchase. 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. When done well, you can get some truly magnificent photographs. It has a 22.2x zoom and an 18-400mm focal length, its ultra-telephoto range matches 620mm in the 35mm format. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. If you want to get into wildlife photography on a tight budget, the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P is the lens you want to get. There are two versions of this lens: VR and non-VR. Or do you want a high-quality prime lens with a set focal length? It is an upgraded version of the earlier lens. Whatever kind of wildlife you like to photograph, whether it be large mammals or small birds, you are sure to find the right Nikon lens. 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. It literally eliminates axial and transverse chromatic aberrations. For more of our top outdoor photography gear recommendations, check out these popular buyer's guides: Kate is a climber, creator, and community builder. The best lenses for bird photography will help you get close to wildlife and there are great options for every camera mount. Birds are tricky subjects for even the most experienced wildlife photographers; they move quickly, don't stay still for long, and they generally won't let you get very close without flying off. And what about probably the most popular Nikon lens the 500 f5.6 PF, why would you not include this as it is actually sharper than the 200-500, 1/3 of the price and so much lighter than the f4 500mm which you would need a mono all the time. 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. The next best wildlife lens is Nikons heavyweight super telephoto bazooka, the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E VR. I would suggest that for most people, this lens is a little bit short for wildlife, especially at $9500. Weather Resistance: Bird photography is out there in the wild. The Nikkor 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR must be on the list of bird photography lenses purely to provide an entry. These cookies do not store any personal information. The effects of camera shake are minimized by vibration reduction VRII. 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. 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 makes the lens very versatile, giving 400mm and 560mm at the flick of a switch. 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. It is about $550 more expensive than the 100-400mm, so why would you get this lens instead? 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. 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. 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? 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. The best telephoto lenses (opens in new tab) are generally getting lighter, and optical image stabilization systems make it possible to capture sharp images at the outer edge of a telephoto zoom, without having to use a tripod. The second is that 400mm isnt always long enough for smaller or more distant birds. The VR II provides up to 3 stops of insurance, resulting in sharper images overall. For hobbyists, a zoom lens might be a better shot. A cheap APS-C macro lens is coming, for almost all mounts, Shots fired! This is especially true with mammals, which like to come out during such times. Because this lens is so new, its the only one here that our team at Photography Life hasnt used yet. Nikon budget: Nikon Z50. 1,725g (1,880g with tripod mounting ring), Amazing shot of angry birds wins Nature in Action Photo Competition, Sony releases first pictures of Earth from its Star Sphere space satellite, Hipster camera alert: A full-frame Nikon Z fc could be on the way, Should you use a full frame or cropped sensor camera for bird photography, 2. Bought it because it can be hand held. The Nikon 200-600mm lens in particular will be the generalist wildlife lens suitable for most shooters who need the versatility of a zoom. You will be able to capture all sorts of birds in the perfect frames with these cameras for sure. The Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is a lens that works really well in birds and wildlife photography, a great tele-zoom of choice, and whose weight, although very unbalanced, we do not believe to be excessive even for carrying out wandering photographic hunting activities. Let us know which is your favorite lens for bird photography. If you like the idea of a 300mm f/2.8G II but in a zoom, this is your lens. Aperture: A faster lens like f/2.8 or f/4 allows you to use faster shutter speed, which is essential for bird photography. His expertise with equipment doesnt end there, though. In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide. It goes without saying that you need a good support system for this lensa very sturdy Gitzo Systematic series tripod with a Wimberley Gimbal head is what I would get to hold this monster. It's pretty much the same weight as the Sigma and Tamron 100-400mm lenses for full-frame cameras. Fancy features include a dual-mode, 4.5-stop VR (Vibration System) system and an electromagnetically controlled diaphragm for adjusting the aperture. Its main advantage over the 600mm f/4 is its weight and its length. A stunning lens if you can justify the price - see our full Nikon 600mm f/4E FL ED VR review (opens in new tab). If you are one of those, the best combination for bird photography would be something like the Nikon D5 or D500 + one of the above-mentioned lenses + 1.4x TC ( TeleConverter ), which will give you the best performance and reach. Due to its slower f/4 aperture, it is a much lighter lens than the 400mm f/2.8E VR. But lenses are an expensive purchase, so its important to really think through your decision about which Nikon lens to buy for bird photography. It is capable of producing relatively good bokeh, especially on its longest end, although its sharpness performance also drops quite a bit at 300mm. Costing $6500, this lens is the cheapest way to reach this focal length. Give your opinion for 80-400 G ED VR on D850 and D500. They are reporting the actual lens specifications, 16mm f1.4, 30mm f1.4, and 56mm f1.4, which is irrespective of the sensor size they are to be used with. longer. It is the lightest native 800mm lens that Nikon makes. Theres also considerably lower quality owing to the higher number of lens elements. So you conclude with what you have- The article is intended for ALL.. judging and justifying availability with a Brand? 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. Starts with the 70-300, but ignores the 200-500 or new 100-400s also ignores all the pf lenses .. the 500pf being one of the best wildlife lenses out there. Read more about Nasim here. Focusing is very swift on Canon's two new mirrorless cameras, but could be quicker on the R and RP. Canon EF 100-400mm IS II. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Autofocus is very quick and highly accurate and image quality is excellent overall, although sharpness drops off a little at the longest zoom setting. Handling highlights include a customizable Lens-function button, a four-stop image stabilizer that gives up to a six-stop benefit when combined with in-camera stabilization, and an autofocus range limiter that can lock out either short or long focus distances. It boasts 2 focus modes with fast auto, silent focusing with a minimum focus range of 4.9 feet. Yet, professional bird photographers prefer prime. Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography Nikon 200-500 mm Telephoto. Image quality wise: an entry level Nikon DSLR matches the image quality you can get from any other camera in Nikon's line up . Still, its hard to beat the price of this lens at $1400. For absolute beginners with a lesser budget, a non-VR version may suffice. One caveat is the video recording button is located a bit oddly. Since this lens offers a 1.4X TC with still excellent image quality and significant 850g weight savings over the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E, this new Z mount 400mm f/2.8 could indeed be the ultimate wildlife lens. Reviews - The Best Wildlife Photography Budget Lens Sigma 60 - 600mm f/4.5 - 6.3 Specs Type: Zoom Aperture: f/4.5 - 6.3 Dimensions: 4.7 x 12.7 x 10.6 in Focal Length: 60 - 600mm Weight: 4 lbs. The NIKKOR 70-300mm lens functions very well in daylight, but performance notably suffers in low light conditions, so youll want to invest in another lens if you plan to shoot often at nightfall. See sample zoom photography (View in a lightbox) View the COOLPIX P1000 Product Tour . Continuous high-speed photography is achievable through this type of AE control. It results in faster and more precise exposure control and exposure consistency. First, it is 0.63 stops faster, which although small, does make a difference in challenging wildlife conditions. Birds are often tiny, very fast, and since it happens in the wild, theres no control over the light. For the first time, it allowed shooters to reach 500mm at a fairly low cost compared to the 500mm f/4, and it is an easy lens to handhold all day at only 1.5kg. Autofocus itself is very fast and image quality is fabulous. These enable different behaviors in the autofocus speed and stabilization effect, as well as fine-tuning for autofocus accuracy for individual camera bodies, plus the application of firmware updates. It's the NIKKOR VR 70-300mm /4.5-5.6 for the Nikon 1 system. This is especially true for mammals that are often active during these dark periods. Seeing a gorgeous bird in flight is awe-inspiring, but it can be difficult to translate that beauty into a photo. In daylight conditions the Nikon 70-300mm VR can overall produce great results, but its performance does suffer in low-light situations something to be expected from a slow variable aperture zoom lens. Except that one. Nikon: Nikon Z9. This means that with the teleconverter switched on you have a 560mm lens. For full compatibility with Canon EOS R and Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras, V2 or later firmware can be applied via Tamrons optional USB-linked TAP-in Console. Power O.I.S. 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! This telephoto zoom lens can capture beautiful images of birds far in the distance as well as birds who fly closer to you. Unique VR modes like the Sports VR take the VR game a notch higher. On your Nikon, the 300mm is 450mm equivalent (35mm), i.e. This lens has a fixed aperture of f/11, and many birders might consider that rather too narrow, while others might be unimpressed that you cant alter the aperture. Triple-mode image stabilization is switchable for static and panning shots, with an additional option for applying stabilization only during exposures. That makes it easier to capture sharp, frame-filling images of birds. 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. Generally, the longer the lens (in focal length), the better. Today's clever optical designs like the CanonRF 800mm F11 IS STM (opens in new tab) offer massive telephoto reach in a refreshingly compact and affordable package. 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.