NOOB QUESTION

namvet66 · Apr 29, 2010

I have a Nikon D70 and am looking for a middle of he road telephoto lens for capturing pictures of birds nesting across a swamp. Any help with suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
namvet66

namvet66 · Apr 29, 2010

I Failed to mention I have a Nikon VR-Nikkor 80-400mm, but not strong enough, to shoot that distance for nesting birds

icassell · Apr 29, 2010

There are a few options, none of them cheap.

You can buy a longer lens -- the first that comes to mind that is not astronomically priced is Sigma's 50-500mm. Even then, the distance is going to hurt you.

You can buy Nikon's longer lens (prepare to mortgage your house)

You can buy a teleconverter to use with your 80-400. I think Nikon makes a 1.7X (I'm not sure since I shoot Canon). It will lower your IQ and slow your lens a bit, but may get you the reach you need in bright sunlight. (Would give you a 680mm equivalent).

The least expensive option and the one that will return the highest image quality, is to work on your field-craft and get closer to the birds.

I'm pretty sure EricD shoots Nikon at 400mm (although it's the expensive version: Nikon 200-400mm F.4 VR, ED, IF Lens with a 1.4X T.C)

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/nature-wildlife/158965-eagle-nest-inflights-image-heavy.html

namvet66 · Apr 29, 2010

Thanks for the info icassell.

I will look into the lens you talked about.

As far as getting closer to the nesting birds, this is a bird sanctuary and we can only photograph them from the shell road around it.

Thanks again
namvet66

namvet66 · Apr 29, 2010

icassell I enjoyed looking at your photos, very very nice. Thanks for sharing them

Derrel · Apr 29, 2010

The modern-era Nikon 1.4x, 1.7x and 2x autofocus TC's are incompatible with the rear element design of the 80-400. The only Nikon TC's you can use on the 80-400 are the older,manual focus-era TCs like the TC-200 or TC-201. The rear element of the 80-400 is very far back in the barrel and the front elements of the Nikon autofocus teleconverters will cause "crash n bash" on the 80-400. You'd have to look into a Kenko TC to use on the 80-400. I have an 80-400 and have can verify that the Autofocus Nikon brand converters are not physically able to mount to the 80-400, even if you mill off the safety tab...

Like icassell says, the options at this range are not cheap...there is simply not much middle of the road in the above 400mm length...

Cheapest option in Nikon is to scrounge up a 600mm f/5.6 ED-IF Nikkor, or the 500mm f/4 P Nikkor manual focus lenses, or buy a 400/3.5 ED-IF Nikkor and a TC-300 or TC-301 (both 2x converters) and get an 800mm f/7 with the 2x attached. That has pretty decent quality for maybe $1300-$1600 total outlay. Sigma 500mm f/4.5 AF lenses are available in the $2k range used.