The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Have been thinking about getting some gear for bird photography for a while, but we are now going to Tunisia for a family holiday in the summer so have some decisions to make.

I have a Canon EOS 350D SLR but don't want to spend £1000s on a big lens.

Any suggestions & advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks
James

Hello James,

I suggest that you consider looking in at the camera shop in Cleethorpes, these places often have a supply of second hand lensess that have been part-exchanged. As you are wanting a lens for birds then you need to be looking at something at least 400 mm, otherwise image size with smaller species may not be large enough.
The Canon 400 mm F5.6 lens is highly rated and is not heavy to carry around. Sigma equipment is also very good quality and reasonably priced. I use a Sigma 50-500 mm zoom for much of my video work. The Sigma 150- 500mm is also very good, however, note that the Sigma lenses will be heavier than the Canon but will, of course, have 25% greater magnification at the top end.

Regards,
Roy

You would be a lot better off going for the 400 or 300 f4 with a converter, forget the Sigma unless its the prime lens ...

Try London Camera Exchange Lincoln ...

Dean...

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Dean Eades



Take nothing but photos - Leave nothing but footprints - Waste nothing but time

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I'd agree with Dean, brightness for brightness and for IQ, a prime lens gives the best value for money. I don't have a Canon myself but the 400mm f5.6 gives excellent results in Steve Nesbitt's hands. Getting into bird photography will be a steep learning curve though, as I found, especially as you may not have image stabilisation. I am sure all will agree that the biggest asset needs to be patience and perseverance!

David

Thanks for the replies. I was in Comley's Camera shop yesterday Roy, which got the old grey matter working!

I didn't phrase the original question properly. I meant the question to be, should i go down the route of -
i) gettting a 400mm lens for EOS
ii) buy a digiscoping adaptor for the EOS
or iii) try digiscoping with a digital compact?

I am guessing, though from the answers that the first part is best.

James

James,
I think the consensus is that you would not be disappointed with the Canon 400 F5.6, so I would buy that, however, there may be occasions when you have something perched at a distance where the 400 lens would not give enough pulling power so my advice would be to get set up so that you can also digiscope with your compact camera. This need not be very expensive.
If you require advice on digiscoping, Russell Hayes is the man to get in touch with.

Regards,
Roy

Yo James
I have sent you a pm,

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Regards, DJB. http://bradderscleebirding.blogspot.co.uk/