Thread: Big zooms or big tele

G'day

I laboured over a similar decision when I moved to Cossack. The place abounds with wildlife and I just didn't have a lens to do the job.

Anything that Canon make was at a price that I simply could not justify and the reviews on everything else were just mediocre. In fact, to get a Canon lens you actually have to order one and then they manufacture it. They don't have them just lying around! So I settled for mediocre. I ended up buying a Sigma Lens 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 for around $1650.00 inc. This lens is available with whichever mount your camera has.

The lens achieves the desired result of bringing wildlife within reach but has obvious limitations with the f/4.5-6.3. An example: We had a family of Nankeen Kestrels born and raised in one of our buildings. We were documenting the whole cycle from egg to hatching to fledging to leaving the nest. Whenever we had low-light situations, with the aperture as wide open as the lens would go, we experienced depth of field issues so bad that when the eyes of the bird were sharply focused, the tip of the beak would be slightly out of focus and forget about the rest of the bird!

As well as that we experienced other issues that are well documented in the reviews for the lens. That said, we have managed to take some excellent shots, particularly where light is not an issue. It is all a compromise. I am happy that I made the purchase, but if I did it all over again, I would save the money and buy the Canon lens.

Cheers

Russ

Yep your mirroring my thoughts that's why I'm saving up but would hate to outlay that much only to find out it was the other one that would have been better. I can't even find a place to rent one to trial it

Have you considered a teleconverter? 1.4x will drop you one f stop, 2x will drop 2 f stops. For a 1.4x you could have 420mm equivalent on your d300 and at f4.

Originally Posted by slug_burner

Have you considered a teleconverter? 1.4x will drop you one f stop, 2x will drop 2 f stops. For a 1.4x you could have 420mm equivalent on your d300 and at f4.

Unfortunately everything I have read says the 80-200f2.8 is no good with converters

There is no contest, a telephoto lens is miles a head of a zoom lens even if it is the awesome 200-400.
My pick in the Nikon Range are:
600 f/4 which do an excellent work even with the X 2 consverter
500 f/4
300 f/2.8
If you are looking into avian photography I recommending you THIS Australian forum. The talent there is awesome and they are a very nice people as well.
Sar is one of the members there that use the 200-400 and the 600. He is an excellent photographer, have a look some of his work HERE

The attached photo is one of his @ 850mm. Remember to mde allowances regarding quality because the internet compresion

Blitz,my wife has been on about a telephoto as well,but as you have said the price is unreal,so watching this thread with interest.

There is a place you can hire one from,from memory it is a 400,but i can't find where it is at the moment.It was very expensive,something like $360/day,or less(per day) for a week.

I found them using google search.

If you can't find them send me a PM & i will look further.

i would prefer to get a good 400m zoom first to go on with and then see how we go.

I have the 300 f/2.8 and TC2.0-EIII. Fantastic lens. If I could justify it I'd get the 600 f/4. I've played with 300/400/500/600 and apart from the weight the 600 truly is beautiful to use and what you'd expect at that end of the price range.

The 200-400 is excellent but the 300 and a TC is even better. Super fast on the focus and a good length.

Here are a couple from the 300mm:

Brahminy Kite by DMdigital, on Flickr


GOV20120826_58 by DMdigital, on Flickr

And with the TC2.0-EIII (600mm)

Blue Wren by DMdigital, on Flickr


You do realise Nikon is releasing a new 800mm model?

Originally Posted by dmdigital

............................................
You do realise Nikon is releasing a new 800mm model?

The cost of that will be a divorce maker for sure, or if it is not that bad you will need to add to the cost the improvements on the shed to make it livable

Regarding the big lens I forgot to add that a steady tripod and a ball head is a must and will add to the cost of the equipment.