Lens suggestions for shooting puffins

Stu Meech

Stu Meech

Messages
2,906
Name
Stu
Edit My Images
No
Hi all.

Wondered if anyone could help with some lens suggestions as I'm mulling over a visit to Skomer this summer to shoot some puffins. I don't have any fast teles in my bag as I normally shoot landscapes so am going to hire something for when I go.

I was thinking about a Nikon AF-S 300/4 and 1.4x TC as I've heard the IQ on this lens is very good when wide open and the TC might help with extra reach. I'm shooting with a D300s so that'd make it roughly 600mm...

Any other ideas?

Cheers,

Stu
 
The 300mm will be excellent for in flight shots but could be a bit long for on the ground...

This was taken at 10mm on a 50D :)

mad.jpg


I had the little beggars walking across my feet & from what I remember one hopped onto delK's bag & dropped one ;)
 
Just resurrecting this thread as I'm heading to Skomer in a couple of weeks and just wanted to check I've got the right kit to get some good shots.
Nikon D200 with the following lenses:
Nikon 18-200mm VR
Sigma 10-20mm
Nikon 50mm F1.8
Nikon 70-300mm VR

I'm not sure how close one can get to the birds and hope these will do. Any seasoned visitors there care to comment either way?
Thanks.
 
mrgubby said:
The 300mm will be excellent for in flight shots but could be a bit long for on the ground...

This was taken at 10mm on a 50D :)

mad.jpg


I had the little beggars walking across my feet & from what I remember one hopped onto delK's bag & dropped one ;)
Click to expand...


What time of year was you there to capture the little hooligans?
 
jerry12953 said:
:thumbs:

The guy in the red t-shirt spent all day glued to that one spot, "machine-gunning" the birds as they came in to land....
Click to expand...

Haha! I bet you were popular, sneaking in front of camera there.

Did nobody spot the little fella in the front?!

Guy in the red shirt - lucky he's got everything camoed up then! I'm wondering though if he hasn't got just the technqiue and gear for those in-flight shots? Would love to know what he got.

And while it's obvious you don't need a long lens there, it's surely got to increase your options. 100-400L might be the favourite all-rounder then, like the guy in the middle?
 
jerry12953 said:
I think he just sneaked across the path when no-one was looking.....they are amazing birds. No fear.
Click to expand...

I love the way he just exits stage left. Would love to know what he's thinking.

Did he do a tap dance just out of shot, with top hat and cane, and still nobody noticed! :D
 
Reading the info on Skomer the Puffins don't arrive til mid-April, does that mean if I went the week after next for the day I would be unlikely to see them or is it best to let them settle in?

I've always had a thing for puffins (no, not like that!) and sounds like a stunning place and a good excuse to go see my sis and nieces on the way? It reads as if it is something that can be done in a day, arrive early, catch ferry, ferry back etc, does that sound feasible for the skomerites on here ?
 
TheNissanMan said:
Reading the info on Skomer the Puffins don't arrive til mid-April, does that mean if I went the week after next for the day I would be unlikely to see them or is it best to let them settle in?

I've always had a thing for puffins (no, not like that!) and sounds like a stunning place and a good excuse to go see my sis and nieces on the way? It reads as if it is something that can be done in a day, arrive early, catch ferry, ferry back etc, does that sound feasible for the skomerites on here ?
Click to expand...

You can certainly "do" skomer and the puffins in a day. Check on the time of the first ferry, make sure you're in good time as there's no pre-booking. In mid-summer it was 9am, but April...not so sure.

As for the puffins, I'm not sure if they would be there yet, and also bear in mind that this early in the season they may not be so closely tied to their nesting burrows, so you might not get the close views you'd be hoping for. They probably won't be bringing in any fish either , as that takes place when they have young in the burrows.

TBH its not the best time of year at the moment. But look on the bright side - there won't be so many photographers there.....;)
 
LOL thanls for the reply, may hold off a while then :D I have two weeks off and juggling ideas atm...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top