The F-Words of Bird Photography & Buying the Right Lens for your Budget
Birds move.
Often fast. They Fly, Fight, Float, Flit, Forage, and Flee!
With all
of these “F-words” one needs to think carefully about quality, magnification,
and budget when selecting the right lens for your Digital Single Lens Reflex
(DSLR) camera. I will help save you money as well as help you make informed decisions about the lenses
you buy.
FIRST: Ask yourself the
right questions:
Equipment
and technology constantly evolve. Recommendations for specific equipment are
obsolete in months. Your best bet is to
always ask yourself the right questions to guide your purchase. I’ll bend my
response toward lenses for bird and wildlife photography; however, the logic
behind your purchase will generalize to other categories of lenses and
photography as well.
(Note: All prices are
in US Dollars and estimated as of June 3, 2012)
- What is your short and long-term budget: What is your budget today? What if you saved for 6 months? 12? Saving to dedicate even $300 more can improve
the quality of lens you buy-- especially for lenses under $1000.
- Rent or Own? Could you save money and
increase image quality by renting the lens locally or through a mail-order
rental company? Especially if you
only will use it a handful of times a year or for a special trip?
- New Body vs. New Lens? Does your body have a sensor
less than 8-10 megapixels? An upgrade to a newer body with a higher
quality sensor or more megapixels (for better cropped results), better
autofocus, higher ISO, etc., could compensate in ways that would allow you
to attach a less powerful telephoto or zoom lens and still retain good
image quality.
- New Lens vs. Used Lens?
Check
out the Used Departments of your camera store. Most evaluate and assign resale
gear a rating based on its condition, and sell it typically for 10-50% off
the “new” price—sometimes even with an optional warranty. You could get a 400mm lens for the 300mm
price!
Local photography clubs and classifieds also often have a “for sale/trade”
section on their websites or forums.
Be cautious if purchasing from unknown private sellers. Test the equipment in advance (bring
your camera to test lenses). Take
safety precautions when meeting a seller (or buyer, if you’re selling),
and if a deal is too good to be true, there’s a good chance the item
you’re buying is either stolen or the seller has ulterior motives.
- Double or nothing?
Teleconverters
further enhance magnification of a lens and, if the quality of both the teleconverter
and the original lens to which it is coupled is high, can produce
beautiful, sharp images with minimal lens distortion effects. Teleconverters are relatively
inexpensive ($100-$500). Though
they are not compatible with all lenses—especially if you want to use
autofocus—they do work well for certain lenses and bodies.
Pros:
- Extends the utility of your
current zoom or telephoto lens
- Increases magnification with
relatively little additional cost
- Inexpensive (compared to cost
of lens)
Cons:
a. Not compatible with all lenses (investigate
compatibility before you purchase.)
b. Certain teleconverters add/magnify lens
distortion effects that impact your image.
Do your research.
c. Most teleconverters result in a loss
of light equal to 1-2 stops, depending on the magnification you choose.
Informing your Decision---What do you need
to do the job:
- Remember: Birds
move. Often fast. They fly, fight, float, flit, forage,
and flee. The more
“f-words,” the more one needs to remember how critical shutter speed and aperture
(f-stop) are for bird photography in order to stop action and expose
properly.
Shutter Speed & Aperture
(f-stop): To allow for useful shutter speeds of 1/500sec up to
1/1200sec (minimum for most birds in flight) the lens needs to let in
enough light to expose the shot properly while freezing that action within
the tiniest fraction of a second.
Aperture (F-stops) adjust the
size of the opening within the lens’ blades that permit light to reach the
film or sensor, while shutter speed
controls the duration in which the sensor or film is exposed to that level
of light.
Thus, being able to shoot at dawn or dusk (when birds are often most
active) using maximum (lowest) aperture, (i.e “wide open”), will allow for
maximal light on your sensor and thus permit you to shoot with higher shutter
speeds to stop action and properly expose the image. For example, a lens with a maximum
aperture of f/4 will enable you to shoot and properly expose and stop action at dawn/dusk much longer than a lens with a
maximum aperture of f/8.
Not all lenses offer the same maximum aperture, so this will be a factor
in your final lens selection. For a
more detailed understanding of the relationship between light and f-stop
(aperture), click here.
- Birds are often “far away” and you want tight
shots! This does not mean you cannot
achieve success in photographing birds with a 50mm or 100mm lens. In fact, birds photographed when the
photographer includes the environment can be very beautiful. The added
context makes for compelling photographs that tell stories. Take, for example, this Great White
Egret peeking out from behind cypress trees in a Louisiana bayou (below):
In contrast, however, many bird and wildlife photographers
want (and need) to get frame-filling shots of their subjects in order to have
images valued by wildlife photography consumers (left):
Images ©2009 Lisa Langell
Unless you choose to regularly photograph birds in close proximity to you
(difficult), your “hit rate” for capturing frame-filling shots will be
relatively low in the wild without the benefit of a substantial telephoto or
zoom lens. Without one, you are at risk
of spooking the bird and/or getting too close for the safety and comfort of
both you and the animal.
Magnification: Is more always better?
Answer: Not always.
Certainly, the close-up (tight) shots often draw the most “oooh’s” and
“aaah’s!” It was the renown photojournalist
and war photographer, Robert Capa, who became famous for saying, “If
your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” (Sadly, Robert lost his life while
photographing the first Indochina war at close
range.)
To get closer, lens “length” (i.e. magnification) definitely plays a role;
however, there are many more factors to quality “tight” shots than simply the
number of millimeters a lens purports to magnify. Speed of autofocus, maximum aperture, image
stabilization/vibration reduction, and engineering/glass quality all play a
role.
- The cheapest way to fill the frame: Typically, the cheapest means of getting those elusive
“tight shots” is accomplished by simply putting one foot in front of the
other. At an average of about $16
to $21 per millimeter for a professional grade Nikon or Canon 500mm F/4
lens, respectively, one can save thousands of dollars by taking a few
steps forward! This rule is essential and yet often
forgotten!
- All “mm’s” are not created equal.
i.
Least expensive ($100-$300 US):
Mirror and refractor-style T-mount lenses. These lenses start with a maximum aperture of
f/8.0 and go up to f/32. The average cost is around $150 (US). You get high magnification (from 300mm, 500mm
and up to 1000mm or more) for a low investment.
This type of lens is marketed under various brand names (e.g., Rokinon, Phoenix, Opteka, Bower,
Minolta, etc.), but appears to be virtually the identical lens across brands.
1. Pros:
a. Inexpensive; Powerful magnification
b. Light-weight; portable
c. There are many reviews on these types
of lenses available on the internet.
Read them before you buy.
2. Cons:
a. Fixed aperture at f/8 (thus limits: depth
of field, ability to shoot in lower light, ability to shoot at higher shutter
speeds due to loss of light, ability to shoot moving subjects)
b. Virtually always requires use of
tripod. Users report difficulty hand-holding lens (lacks image
stabilization/vibration reduction technology)
c. All Manual: Focus, aperture settings (may result in
missed moments)
d. Poor contrast; Images tend to be
soft
e. May result in unusual light patterns
in out-of-focus backgrounds (bokeh)
ii. Inexpensive Options ($300-$1000)
“Zoom” lenses with apertures ranging from about 4.5-6.3 and range
between about 50-300mm focal length. Examples
include (but are not limited to):
1. Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
2.
Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG APO OS
3. Tamron SP AF70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC
4. Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5 - 5.6G ED-IF
AF-S VR
5. Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX
VR II
1. Pros:
a. Inexpensive; relatively lightweight;
portable
b. Allow flexibility across a range of
magnification, resulting in needed fewer lenses to frame the subject properly,
plus fewer lost moments while you switch lenses during the action.
c. Many offer Image Stabilization
/Vibration Reduction technology
2. Cons:
d. Maximum aperture may diminish as you
zoom toward the lens’ maximal magnification.
Many zoom lenses have a “sweet spot” of aperture and magnification where
optimal results are produced. Commonly,
users report that images taken with “zooms” in the “end” ranges of apertures or
magnification often result in decreased sharpness, increased lens distortion,
etc., than when compared to the middle ranges.
Do your research.
e. With Canon, some are designed to
work with the full frame sensors, while others only work with crop-frame sensors. If you have both types of cameras, one lens
may not work with both bodies.
iii.
Moderately Expensive Options ($1000-2000)
Available in both “zoom” and fixed focal lengths, with most of the
highest powered lens options available only at a fixed focal length. Options in
this include (though not limited to):
1. Canon:
a. 300mm prime f/4 L
b. 400mm prime f/5.6 L
c. 100-400mm zoom f/4.5-5.6 L
d. 70-200mm f/2.8 L
e. 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L
2. Sigma: (Available
in Canon, Nikon, and other brand mounts)
a. 70-200 f/2.8
b. 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3
3. Nikon:
a. Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR AF
b. Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom
I suggest reading online reviews and specs on each lens
carefully before making your final selection.
1. Pros:
a. Fairly portable; Medium weight
b. Improved quality optics (glass)
c. Aperture ranges from 2.8 to 6.3,
allowing more light and control of depth-of-field.
2. Cons:
a. Cost
b. More difficult to hand-hold successfully;
may require monopod or tripod for best results
iv.
Serious Professional-Grade Options
($2000-20,000+) These powerful lenses are all fixed focus
(prime) lenses. They often are nicknamed
“fast glass” lenses because of their wider aperture, allowing in maximal
light. Options in this range begin to
narrow, yet include (though not limited to):
1. Canon:
a. Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
b. Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II
c. Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM
d. Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM
e. Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM
f.
Canon
EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
2. Sigma:
a.
Sigma 300mm f/2.8 APO EX DG
b.
Sigma 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO HSM
c.
Sigma 800mm f/5.6 EX DG APO HSM
3. Nikon:
a. Nikon 300mm f/2.8G ED-IF II AF-S
VR-II
b. Nikon 400mm f/4G ED AF-S Vibration
Reduction (VR II)
c. Nikon 500mm f/4G ED AF-S Vibration
Reduction (VR II)
d. Nikon 600mm f/4G ED AF-S Vibration
Reduction (VR II)
Pros:
a. High magnification
b. Reduced little lens distortion (high
quality glass);
c. Quality build
d. Wider apertures allow in greater
amounts of light
Cons:
a. Cost; Portability—they are heavy and
large
b. Typically requires a heavy-duty
tripod or monopod (hand-holding is possible for some, but for very short
periods of time)
c. Typically requires a Gimbal style
tripod head and/or a tripod head capable of supporting at least 10-20 pounds.
d. Homeowners insurance may not cover
the cost of these lenses. Consider
special policies.
--Lisa Langell
Have a question you’d like Lisa to
answer in a future column? Submit
your questions here. Though Lisa
cannot answer all questions submitted, she will respond to as many as possible.
