Trying to get better zoom for my buck?

[charlottedunn77]

Hello All!
This is my first post. Please excuse my ignorance if I say something stupid. I have a Nikon D5100 with a 50 and 200mm lenses. I am by no means professional or even a novice, I am a beginner. I am doing a webstie for my boss who is opening up an exotic game ranch. We went out there last weekend and I took some great pictures. However, I have realized I need a lens or teleconverter with greater zoom. I have realized that lenses with greater zoom are out of my budget, and teleconverters could be tricky for me because I am not that good at manual focusing. Also, with the environment I may have to take the camera out and set it on a tripod quickly in order to get good shots. I am thinking the way Im going to be taking photographs is by riding around in an ATV until I see something, and If I get out I could spook the animal; or may not have enough time to set up. I would like to spend under $300.

What would y'all recommend for me and my situation?

 

[tirediron]

You're going to be hard pressed to get anything longer than 200mm for <$300, except perhaps for a used 70-300mm. If this is a 'one time' requirement, you might be better off to rent something like Nikon's 200-400 f4 for a week. As for access, I would skip the ATV; if these are truly wild animals, you're going to have a hard time getting within range, rather, I would opt for a horse, which will not only give you elevation, but much greater stealth.

 

[Derrel]

$300 and the phrase good telephoto lens simply cannot coexist, anywhere in the known universe. Your boss must be an incredible cheapskate, and likely a foolish businessman if he doesn't understand the need for publicity and advertising images of high quality for something like an exotic game ranch.

 

[charlottedunn77]

$300 budget is from my short pockets I would love to shoot from a horse but I don't think its possible at the moment. I found this lens and it seems like its a good deal. Looking at amazon reviews people with my model of camera love it (and the auto-focus is compatible!)

Nikon AF s 70 300mm F 4 5 5 6g VR Zoom Nikkor If Ed Telephoto Zoom Lens 018208021611 eBay

Do y'all think it would give me what Im looking for? Is the zoom capabilities a large or small improvement to my 200mm lens?

 

[tirediron]

It will help; since you're outside, the slower maximum aperture at 300mm shouldn't be a concern, but 300mm still isn't very much reach. A lot will depend on how close you can get to the animals.

 

[raventepes]

That's a good lens, and for the price, it might be worth it. My wife and I both have one, but I agree that 300mm isn't a whole lot of reach, and I will advise you that at 300mm, it tends to get soft across the frame. Realistically, I try not to push it much past 200mm.

 

[Joves]

That lens will work fine as stated above. At 300 mm it will give you more reach. Also I suggest you just set it to f/8, and then bump up your ISO to get some decent shutter speeds. That is what I do with my 80-400 VR old version. Since you said you are no good with manual focusing, that lens is not an option.

 

[Overread]

Suggestion;

Instead of marketing yourselves as purely an exotic game ranch consider branching out into eco-tourism as well. Game shots tend to have seasons of activity and seasons where you can't shoot (either because of legal barriers and/or because to do so would be to damage the viability of the stock). Thus it opens up an alternate use where you can market to photographers - they want similar requirements as the shooters and could easily be allowed in during those off-season periods.
Of course shooters and photographers might well have very different outlooks and could conflict in views and land use desires thus its an extra factor to consider.

As such you could then market toward that goal - a few "free" trips for marketing shots from a local photographer might give you the skilled shots you want for marketing at a reduced cost. You'd essentially be doing a trade for services - you providing the trip and the photographer the shots (thus you could "pay" a reasonable and fair rate in the service exchange - in addition to any cash allowance that you have for marketing).


Good wildlife shots are hard and I'd wager many ranches doing similar would use a few landscapes from their own site and might then simply use animal photos from photo stock agencies for the rest. It's not free, but it at least assures a level of quality in the product without spending ages getting the shots (although from a purely moralistic viewpoint most would prefer and should have authentic on-site shots of your own game).

 

[dennybeall]

A good hunter, even though you're hunting photos, uses a lot of tricks to get close to the animals. The easiest for you is to build a blind, place it where the animals go and then get in it and wait. The facility will most likely need them in the future so find some good spots.
You could also approach from downwind and get closer.
Don't try to use a horse. they are fearful of everything and are food for many of the animals.

 

[astroNikon]

$300 budget is from my short pockets I would love to shoot from a horse but I don't think its possible at the moment. I found this lens and it seems like its a good deal. Looking at amazon reviews people with my model of camera love it (and the auto-focus is compatible!)

Nikon AF s 70 300mm F 4 5 5 6g VR Zoom Nikkor If Ed Telephoto Zoom Lens 018208021611 eBay

Do y'all think it would give me what Im looking for? Is the zoom capabilities a large or small improvement to my 200mm lens?

I know people like the Nikon 70-300 VR, but I had one and had problems of it focusing on moving objects. Several people had problems of it focusing on moving objects such as horses too. I was amazed at how it had a "random focusing point" it seemed even on Single Focus Point ==> My observations of Nikon 70-300 VRII Photography Forum

I sold mine fairly quickly. It was good for everything but stuff moving fast. I recommend the Tamron 70-300 version of the lens. From reviews it's faster at focusing on moving subjects and costs less too.

I went up to a 300mm f/4 lens, then a Sigma 150-500. But those are above your budget.
The Tamron 70-300 might fit your budget better.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

I hunt. I see an assortment of game every time I go out, but I climb a tree. The point of view however would suck, so a blind is a must. I agree with tirediron. Go rent a long lens instead of buying one.

 

[TCampbell]

Is this a one-time need for long lenses -- e.g. to shoot promotional shots? Or this an ongoing need?

Because if this is a one-time need... don't buy... rent!

You can check LensRentals.com, BorrowLenses.com, and I think even some of the larger camera shops will rent gear (But LensRentals and BorrowLenses both specialize in this.)

If this is an ongoing need... well... there's a REASON nature & wildlife photographers invest in high quality super-telephoto lenses and it's not because their bank-accounts are over-flowing and they've run out of things to buy. When you need the lens... you NEED the lens. A budget lens is going to perform like a budget lens.