Taking wildlife photos

[Lorrilia]

Hi all!

Any wildlife snappers out there? I have a question. What's the best lens to use for birds and insects like butterflies, bees and dragonflies? I only own a 75-300mm and 18-55mm lens. I had used both of them. I do prefer 75-300mm as I don't have to get up close and frighten them away.

 

[john.margetts]

For insects, I generally use a 70 to 300 mm lens. As you say, there is no need to get too close and the close-focus distance is about a metre so I can still see the critters with my naked eye.

I have tried using my Sigma 150 to 600 mm lens but that has a close focus distance of around 3 metres and that is just too far away.

I also have a 90 mm macro lens but that requires me to get much too close in the field both causing shadows and frightening the critters. It is, though, fine for samples I have taken home.

Sent from my 8070 using Tapatalk

 

[beagle100]

Hi all!

Any wildlife snappers out there? I have a question. What's the best lens to use for birds and insects like butterflies, bees and dragonflies? I only own a 75-300mm and 18-55mm lens. I had used both of them. I do prefer 75-300mm as I don't have to get up close and frighten them away.

Birds and bees require different lens - longer focal lengths for birds - ( 400mm +) and a shorter 1:1 macro lens for insects
Untitled by c w, on Flickr


Untitled by c w, on Flickr

 

[BananaRepublic]

are extension tubes and layering a requirement for this type of macro

 

[Overread]

From the lenses you've got the 70-300mm is probably going to be your go-to lens for most of your wildlife photography. As you've found it gives you distance between you and the subject and the long focal length helps bring the subject closer through the zoom. For birds, beasts and most wildlife you'll likely be at the 300mm end most of the time and might even want a longer focal length lens (wildlife sadly often gets expensive fast because of the need for longer focal lengths).

For macro the 70-300mm should work well on butterflies and dragonflies, which are typically quite large in insect terms (at least for full body photos). OF course many kinds of insect are much smaller and thus you might well want to consider a macro lens. Or you can use a set of extension tubes on your 18-55mm to get closer shots. Of course getting closer increases the magnification (larger subject view) but also means you've more chance to spook the subject. So you'll often find many shoot insects during the cooler parts of the day - eg very early morning or (on some larger ones) after a rain shower (eg bees get crashed out fast by the sudden temperature drop). Still weather (no wind) also helps a lot with macro as still weather makes for surfaces (eg plants )to be more stable; although in my experience windy weather makes bugs "blinder" to a photographer; whilst still weather they are often more reactive to disturbance.

 

[Overread]

are extension tubes and layering a requirement for this type of macro

For a photo like this you would need a macro lens so if you didn't have one then, yes, extension tubes would be of great help in getting a more magnified photo of such small subjects.
Layering (I assume you man focus stacking?) is likely not needed. A small aperture (eg f13) for a good depth of field would help. But a situation like this were both insects are active would make focus stacking very hard as any movement makes focus stacking fail (although sometimes you can get lucky)

 

[Lorrilia]

Thank you all for passing your knowledge on to me. I had seen the extending tube from a friend of mine, but thought do I really need them. I will get them in the near future though. Thanks again guys.

 

[Overread]

Extension tubes come in three sorts

1) Own brand - these are generally very high priced for what they are. Well made, but very high price tag

2) Affordable good quality tubes with metal contacts. Kenko make a set (one set of 3 kenko is about the same price as 1 own brand- so a big saving) which is good quality and well made. Many people use these over the own brand.

The metal contacts are important as they carry the communication from lens to camera, which means that you retain aperture control (otherwise you can't close the aperture without using tricks).

3) Dirt cheap tubes. These are very cheap and of lower build quality. They still work the same (its just a tube with no glass in it), but they won't be as "safe" with heavier lenses (your ones would be fine though); however importantly they also lack metal connectors. Without them you've no control over the lens from the camera; which means no AF and no aperture control.


Whilst no AF isn't a problem, as most macro is done in manual focusing, the lack of aperture control is a huge issue as it locks you to wide open only (which means a very very thin depth of field at macro distances).


My suggestion if you get extension tubes is to get a Kenko set.

 

[Lorrilia]

I'll keep in that in mind. Thank you for your tip Overread

 

[Dave Colangelo]

I shoot a fair amount of birds and this is my go to lens it can be had really cheap on the used market and will fit on the vast majority of Nikon DSLR's and Film SLR's for that matter. 70-300 is a more than workable range for decent wildlife stuff.

But on any note my real advice for bird shooting has little to do with lenses. The real secret is simply to be patient, really really patient. Observe the bird (animal) movement, watch their prevailing behavior, plant your self along their path and wait, being quite helps quite a bit also. This will result in far better pictures than any 1000mm lens can get you. You will also be rewarded with beautiful images from reasonable throw lenses.

 

[Upadhyay]

Wildlife and Macro are two very different kind of photography and requires very different equipment’s and skillset.

It will be good idea if you mention your budget as best specially for wildlife which I guess is the most expensive in terms of gears can make a big hole in the pocket.

Mostly serious wildlife photographers use a camera body with lightning fast auto focus and 10 or higher frame per second shooting capabilities + 500/600 prime lens with tele converters sometimes + Gimbal head and a sturdy tripod.

 

[DSP121]

For birds:
100-400mm

For insects:
70-200mm

 

[Lorrilia]

Dave I can easily perch myself on a chair and watch. You have to let them come to you, as I was told by my hubby.

Upadhyay I had seen the these lens and the cost of them are too expensive for me at the moment. Using the 75-300mm lens is pretty good for me at the mo. There is no need to rush and get a bigger lens yet. I have done Macro in using my 18-55mm lens and happy with that one too at the mo. I had recently brought my camera and 75-300mm lens this year.