Beginner Birding equipment

AdamTudor

AdamTudor

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So I'm thinking about trying to get into birding. I currently have a fuji xt1 with 27,16-55 and a 50-140. It's looking like quite a while until the 100-400 arrives and the 50-140 just doesn't give enough reach and even with the v4 firmware AF struggles to give me results (I put this down to the subject being too small with lack of range on the 50-140).

So I'm contemplating moving the 50-140 on and keeping the rest of the fuji kit. But using the funds to go towards a nikon kit.

Budget will be in the region of £1300-£2000 depending how long I wait to save up. I also don't mind buying used/grey of it gets me more for my money.

I have some ideas of what I would possibly get, I'm thinking along the lines of a d7200 with either a tamron 70-300 (so upto 450mm ff equivalent) or a tamron/sigma 150-600, if budget allows I would replace the d7200 with a d750, but what would you guys get?
 
It is a difficult question to answer - I would buy any prime used

Have no experience of long tele zooms

I shoot Nikon, but Canon have a better range of "birding" lens, IMHO
 
I think a good starting point could be second hand 7D and 100/400L or 400L prime.

Sorry, Canon shooter so I can't offer any ideas on other makes.
 
Thanks for your input bill, I've not really looked into the primes tbh other than the new 300 f4, although if I bought that I would have no body to put it on.....
 
Adam

Look at what you need to start with - lens are by far the most important

and think about the future - you will always want a 500mm or 600mm prime if you get "hooked"

Canon do the following - very good lens - 400mm f5.6, the 100 - 400mm zoom and the 300 f4
Their TC's are also good, (better than Nikon, probably?)
I'd also start with a cropped body - Canon are x 1.6 versus Nikon at x 1.5 ….. so Canon give you a little bit more

Probably more Canons around used and the used prices are good - maybe 50% of new price

Do not be afraid to buy used, especially off here

As I said I shoot Nikon - quite happy apart from BIF's …………. read as much as you can focusing on lens

as Kev indicates ……. look at the 7D's

Hopefully the Canon and Nikon experts will offer other impartial advice - but remember you want comments of birding equipment as you state in the title of your thread

( you will also need to think about a tripod and head, maybe at a later stage - but you will get some good used equipment for under £200 - tripod and Gimbal)

Good luck
 
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Yeah I've bought used off here before, that doesn't phase me

Thanks, I'll keep looking into it anyway. Not even sure I'll go this route yet but just trying to think ahead.

What is it you don't like about the nikons for bif?
 
AdamTudor said:
Yeah I've bought used off here before, that doesn't phase me

Thanks, I'll keep looking into it anyway. Not even sure I'll go this route yet but just trying to think ahead.

What is it you don't like about the nikons for bif?
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There is not a lens - other than the NEW 300mm f4 PF …. maybe that is the answer with a x 1.7 or x 1.4 TC

Canon have the 100 -400 and the 400mm f5.6 ……… both light enough to hand hold

Nikon need to produce a 400mm f4 or f5.6 ……….. but I think Canon will always beat them on price …….. The NEW Nikon 400mm f2.8 is over £10k ….. if Nikon did produce a 400mm f5.6 PF …… not sure what they would charge

but for starters the Canon 400mm f5.6 is just a bargain used , (it is not VR), and you will always get your money back if it is not for you

IMHO
 
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also guys are getting really good results with the Sigma and Tamron 150 600mm with either Nikon or Canon bodies
 
Yeah I was thinking the 150-600s, I have a tripod which also turns into a monopod.
 
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Joeturner11 said:
Jeff aka @the black fox Gets some superb stuff with 150-600mm on the 1DIII, hope you don't mind the shout out pal ;)
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no not at all joe ,adam its a learning curve that can cost a lot of money if you don't get it right first time ,,your tripod /monopod idea is fine but in all honesty i find them an encumbrance in normal shooting ,i use a black rapid harness and hand hold 95% or more of my shots ,the only time i use a tripod is if i have to wait around for a bird to show etc .my lens and camera weighs in at about 8lbs and i,m approaching 70 so it should be easy for you to use ,there are plenty of pics from my combo on here in the equipment thread on the sigma sport ,or on flickr .birding isn't as easy as some think so make sure you know what you want to achieve before buying
 
Yeah it's only something I have been thinking about, and tbh I'd most likely be handholding anyway. I've just read the thread for the contemporary 150-600. I'll check out the others tomorrow. I also work stupid hours so don't have much spare time so it's not something I'm looking at investing a ridiculous amount of money into as I want to enjoy the other areas of photography still too.
 
I liked the the Nikon 300mm F4 AFS lens on my D7100, I just didn't like the body after using a D750 as the grip is better for my hands. The 300mm f4 can be picked up for £699 new from HDEW and you could add a Nikon 1.4 TC which can be had for approx £170.00 used from dealers. @u8myufo is getting good results with the 300mm f4 & TC and D750 body.

The new Nikon 80-400mm is supposed to be a very good lens over the old one, (the old one was very slow to focus). This would be a comparison to the Canon 100-400mm and is £100 cheaper. So not sure what Bill is on about about Nikon needing a 400 f5.6 and Canon being cheaper??? This review does a small comparison to the 400mm f2.8.>http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/05/02/lens-review-the-nikon-af-s-80-4004-5-5-6-g-ed-vr-ii-n/

If going D750, the 600mm zooms from Tamron & Sigma seem to be excellent value for the price, but possibly won't be as good as prime????. I will probably buy one when finances allow.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...=72342106929&gclid=cplijlcdnsycfqb4wgoddxgicg

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...match=&plid=&gclid=clpf2l6dnsycfy7itaodbaub0w
 
Canon 400mm f5.6 is £900 I thought - plus is takes TC's well and there are a lot more available used

The new 80 400mm Nikon is relatively new - OK it has VR

The Canon f5.6 is also slightly lighter in weight
 
If it's any help, I'm new to 'birding' myself but I managed this the other day with a D7100 and Tamron 150-600mm

Gannet at Bempton - it's a crop too (about 2/3 - 1/2 the frame) which impressed me even more!
 
chuckles said:
If it's any help, I'm new to 'birding' myself but I managed this the other day with a D7100 and Tamron 150-600mm

Gannet at Bempton - it's a crop too (about 2/3 - 1/2 the frame) which impressed me even more!
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Very nice, these are the type of pictures which make me want the Tamron, then you see some from the Sigmas and I change my mind again. When have the finances ready will try them all out.
 
Yeah Mr Rowe has some cracking shots with it. Hmmm so much to think about
 
Personally, having owned both I don't think you can go wrong with either the Sigma or Tamron 150-600s. There are differences but these are marginal. My advice would be to get whichever you get the best deal on. They pop-up used from-time-to-time here on TP and elsewhere at bargain prices.

In terms of bodies, the Nikon D7100 and Canon 7D are really cheap used. If dipping your toes into the water, as it were, I would go for one of these. D7200 and 7D2 are better but obviously more expensive. Of these, I prefer D7100, I have owned 2x7D and 2x7D2 bodies I might add so I am not exactly a Nikon fanboy I must add.
 
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yeah i think it would be d7200/7d2 possibly but im in no rush yet (only bought my xt1 last month) so ill just wait to see what happens and keep researching.
 
For a lightweight setup either nikon d7100 + 300mm f4 (non vr) + 1.4tc2 or canon equivalent would be a very good start. I used to have that set up and done a few BiF with it and it's a very good setup.

Moving forward the 300mm f2.8 plus 2xTC3 is a good useable setup in you want more reach if you get into it later on.
 
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Has the XT-1 got the AF ability to do wildlife like birds-in-flight ? I have had Fuji XE1&2 bodies and neither had the focus or focus-tracking ability. I know XT-1 is better in the AF department but good enough ?
 
I noticed that Kristofer Rowe now uses a 7d2 and 500 f4... :LOL:

I was kinda underwhelmed with the d71k, wasn't really any better than my d7k...

Never tried Canon so i can't comment. I do fancy trying one at some point but all i hear nowadays is how Nik FF's are loads better... Meh.

The new firmware for the X-T1 has improved things no end. The problem is that there aren't any native long lenses available. Yet.
 
minnnt said:
I was kinda underwhelmed with the d71k, wasn't really any better than my d7k...
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My d7k1 was night and day better than the d7k I had but then the d7k needed nearly -20 micro adjustment for most lenses and was never happy with the AF, I never trusted AF as it was so hit and miss. If you didn't have a d7k with focus issue the upgrade benefits would have been quite small.
 
My d7k was a peach. I was perhaps expecting too much hence being disappointed.

Maybe the d72k is a nice step up but the 7d2 is tempting too mainly because as i said, i have never owned a Canon.
 
minnnt said:
My d7k was a peach. I was perhaps expecting too much hence being disappointed.

Maybe the d72k is a nice step up but the 7d2 is tempting too mainly because as i said, i have never owned a Canon.
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When it did AF right it was fantastic. If you can find a great copy it's a fantastic camera. There always seems to be only minor changes between model upgrades so it doesn't make sense to upgrade each time.

The 7d2 is an interesting camera, spec wise nikon have no dx model that compares. I've tried canon cameras at shows, I didn't even know how to turn the thing on! Have a read of the 7d2 thread on here if you are thinking of it.
 
So as many of you now know I have a d750, just need to decide whether to go for a 150-600 or 300mm af-s with 1.4 Tc
 
Ah, but which one?
 
Siggy I think. Will grab a dock aswell to give me the extra settings flexibility
 
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