What new lens for animal/sports photography

D

Dorsetsnapshot

Messages
277
Name
Mark
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi All,

I'm wanting to buy a new telephoto lens for animal photography, and maybe some sport. It's not something i've done alot of but it does interest me.

I've been having a look around but wondered what lenses you' d suggest to get, for someone who's starting out and doesn't want to spend a fortune. I've been looking at maybe a Sigma150-600mm or the Tamron 150-600mm.

My main body is a Nikon D7000.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Mark
 
Will it be staying? Either of the lenses you mention will be fine. For me personally, i would miss the shorter end but that is with regards to motorsport. But 600mm is a big appeal, especially on a crop body like yours... 900mm!
 
Depends on what distance you want to shoot at as to which lens to get. Remember if your looking at an f4.5-f5.6 lens then consider as well how much light you need to work with against say an f2.8 lens. Also a large or larger lens is that much heavier so hand held tracking a subject is going to be more tiring. Also as you don't want to spend much money a tripod or monopod would add extra cost which I think you would be needing. So when looking at a long lens check out the weight as well, again sometimes overlooked is balance between camera and lens. If you have a heavy lens then there will always be a tendency for the lens to look down, something you don't want.

Even my Nikon AFs 80-400 f4.5-5.6 comes in at just over 3lb in weight and that fully extended takes some holding and I would hate to have to carry that and the camera weight around all day

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C = 2 kg [ 4.4lb]
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD = 2kg [4.4 lb]

So they are equal in weight approx but heavy lumps

Add to that 1.7 lb for the camera with battery and your looking at just over 6lb in weight or like 3 bags of sugar
 
Last edited:
300mm f/4 & 1.4x Converter, if you go for the big sigma/tamron zooms they will be crap for sport photography as they have a rather low aperture meaning they let in less light which will be a major issue for your sport photography, If you use a 300mm f/4 you can use that which will be ideal for the sport to be going on with until you can get a f/2.8 lens, and use the 1.4x converter on the 300mm for wildlife, best of both worlds then. The Tamron, Sigma 150-600mm are good lenses don't get me wrong but they are not for sport photography, specially with the terrible and dark British weather :D
 
Thanks for your reply. Wow, it seems there is alot more to this large/larger lens thing that I first thought.

Well, I don't want to spend tons, but I don't want to buy too fast/in error and not get things I'd need, such as a monopod. I'd never even considered it, but like you say, the weight would be an awful lot for a days shooting and would be v.tiring.

The good thing is that as Minnnt says, they have decent reviews. I guess it's more down to whether I want the lower range of 50mm-150, or the 500m-600m instead, that'll also make a difference!
 
Ok if i may make a suggestion I have the Nikon 70 300mm VR lens f4.5-5.6 and only comes in at just over 1 lb in weight and one I use mainly on my cruise trips. On a crop camera it woks out a 120 -420mm or there abouts the 70-300 is for full frame cameras. For you the price will please you as well at about £400 new .

link

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvBgQ5pn1CM
 
The latest Nikon is the 300mm f4 PF which works well with all the Nikon TC ... so you have 420mm up to 600mm (and then x 1.5 with a DX body ...... so up to 900mm at f8): the lens is small, light weight, easy to hand hold and has VR.

Check out the reviews and prices ....... this is probably the most flexible and quality option available today to suit your needs, (from any manufacturer). ...... remember spend your money on a lens, (not a camera body) it's the lens gives you the image quality
 
Last edited:
BillN_33 said:
The latest Nikon is the 300mm f4 PF which works well with all the Nikon TC ... so you have 420mm up to 600mm (and then x 1.5 with a DX body ...... so up to 900mm at f8): the lens is small, light weight, easy to hand hold and has VR.

Check out the reviews and prices ....... this is probably the most flexible and quality option available today to suit your needs, (from any manufacturer). ...... remember spend your money on a lens, (not a camera body) it's the lens gives you the image quality
Click to expand...


At £1600 I think that may well be out of his prices range. I considered price v distance which is why a suggested that one
 
Last edited:
realspeed said:
At £1600 I think that may well be out of the prices range
Click to expand...

then you have to add the price of the TC's

The 70 300mm zoom will NOT work with a TC ... so you are stuff at 420mm DX

you best bet is then used 300mm f4 AFS and a x 1.4TC, (TC14Elll) = £700 to £800

below that is the 70 300mm VR at £250 used ..... good lens I have had one for some time

buy used you will get far better value

300mm is just too short for birds - maybe OK for large wildlife ... small birds you need 500mm or 600mm and then you have to work on getting near and lens craft

Nikon beats others for quality and robustness, IMHO ...... better to buy a used Nikon than a new whatever, IMHO
 
Last edited:
Bill you are correct as far as it goes but


strange I can use my sigma 1.4tcTC on my 70-300mm lens. It all depends on how much room inside the lens barrel there is where it connects to the camera

ra. The 70-300 has a deep "throat" so can accommodate it. you won't find it on any site as depending on f stop if you have to manually focus the lens or not. This is why it is not mentioned



Taken with exactly that combo as the wolf was the other side of the enclosure

However i would not recommend this combo for every shot

 
Last edited:
realspeed said:
strange I can use my sigma 1.4tcTC on my 70-300mm lens. It all depends on how much room inside the lens barrel there is where it connects to the came

ra. The 70-300 has a deep "throat" so can accommodate it. you won't find it on any site as depending on f stop if you have to manually focus the lens or not. This is why it is not mentioned

Bill please do get your facts right before posting it only confuses

Taken with exactly that combo as the wolf was the other side of the enclosure

Click to expand...

The Nikon lens line up is quite logical, I have most of them

The 70 300mm VR zoom is OK but poor at 300mm .... it does not work with Nikon TC,s

The 300mm f4 AFS is a very good lens and competes with the 300mm f2.8 at f4

It is when you start using TC that things change

The 300mm f4 AFS is good with the x 1.4 but poor with the x 1.7 and x 2

The 300mm f2.8 is very good with the x 1.4 and is usable and quite good with the x 2

The 300mm f2.8 plus the x 2 TC falls short of the 600mm f4

and the 600mm +x 1.4TC is very good, but that's where it ends

It is just logical.

(The Nikon 70 200mm f2.8 VR is poor with any TC)

Nikon TC's are better with Nikon lens that any other TC

ALL IMHO and my personal views

These are the facts, my friend .......... I have used all 5 lens and the TC's for sometime for wildlife and bird photography ....... quite simply you pay for what you get ......... lens are just not for Christmas they last a lot longer than that

The image that you have posted could have been taken with a Fuji bridge camera .. if that is the quality the OP wants then he should go that route ... in fact the Nikon V1 with the 300mm f4 would render a far better image
 
Last edited:
Bill



the OP stated quote" for someone who's starting out and doesn't want to spend a fortune" unquote

And that is partly what I based my suggestion on.
 
I don't think fugi did bridge cameras back in 2009 when I took that picture


Well I am what one may call a keen photographer but far from professional (apart from winning a couple of international competitions some years ago) So I don't work with highly expensive lenses costing thousands of pounds. However I do have about 8 lenses to choose from and a couple of cameras ie D300 and D800.

The last lens purchased was the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5- 5.6 G ED VR at around £1869 which to me was a fortune..
to someone it may seem cheap who does professional work.
I have to say I am tending to go more into video work now so I can show surroundings against a fixed view.For this I use my Panasonic camcorder which for me does the job as well as most cameras
 
realspeed said:
I don't think fugi did bridge cameras back in 2009 when I took that picture


Well I am what one may call a keen photographer but far from professional (apart from winning a couple of international competitions some years ago) So I don't work with highly expensive lenses costing thousands of pounds. However I do have about 8 lenses to choose from and a couple of cameras ie D300 and D800.

The last lens purchased was the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5- 5.6 G ED VR at around £1869 which to me was a fortune..
to someone it may seem cheap who does professional work.
I have to say I am tending to go more into video work now so I can show surroundings against a fixed view.For this I use my Panasonic camcorder which for me does the job as well as most cameras
Click to expand...

Morning Bazza

Good you mention the 80 400mm ..... the older version can be had quite "cheaply" now although the latest version is about what you paid for yours.

My comments only relate to Nikon as I have limited experience of Sigma and Tamron

For me it would be what is the most cost effective way to get 600mm, (or DX with 600mm) with a DSLR that gives a good IQ and an acceptable weight if you want to hand hold the lens and what would be the lens progression that the OP has in mind. I favour Nikon because I have always used them, if I did not use Nikon I would choose Canon, their 400mm f5.6, 100 400mm and then onto to their expensive 400/500/600mm are really good, plus from reports Canon TC's have the edge on Nikon.

If the budget is say £750 and going to stop at that I would consider the 300mm f4 + x 1.4TC for IQ and maybe one of the new Canon "bridge" things if IQ was less important

this is worth a read ......... but only for Nikon lens

https://photographylife.com/best-nikon-lenses-for-wildlife-photography

this is interesting if the OP is considering the 70 300mm

http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...f45-56-g-if-ed-vr-review--test-report?start=1

and this is also interesting to read

http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/tamron-vs-sigma-150-600.html

https://photographylife.com/sigma-150-600mm-sport-goes-on-a-safari
(I'm not impressed with the images in this review - so would disagree)

There is an article "best way to 600mm" that I cannot find - when I do I will post it

I personally would always say that 400mm is what you need to start with, (no matter how you get there, as long as the IQ is good, therefore as far as Nikon is concerned I would favour the 300mm f4 + x 1.4TC as a start point at an acceptable price ... buy used now and you will always get (near) your money back) ...... but this is just my view
 
Last edited:
Another lens to consider, is the New Nikon 200-500 f5.6 which is due for release in September. This lens will also take the Nikon 1.4 TC... I think Nikon have made this lens to compete with the Tamron and Sigma 150-600mm lenses as the release price is $1399, convert into pounds and it less than a grand. If after a superzoom I would wait for this release.

I have owned and used the Nikon 300mm f4 and used with a Kenko 1.4TC on a D7100 and the results are excellent even in lower light on UK winter days, although the AF was poor with the Kenko. As for the Nikon 70-300mm VR which I have also owned, I prefered the Tamron 70-300mm VC version which was nearly half the price and a better performer on the two D7000 I owned.

New Nikon lens > http://nikonrumors.com/2015/08/04/n...m-f2-8e-ed-vr-and-200-500mm-f5-6e-ed-vr.aspx/
 
  • The first report I saw Simon was release date September 2017, (I thought)........ but this cannot be correct, (just figured it out it means September 17th (2015)

    It looks like Nikon are a last competing with Canon etc., in this price range

    Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (initially reported here):
    • ED element
    • VR mode (SPORT adoption)
    • Estimated retail price in Japan: 170,000 yen (including tax)
    • Release date in Japan: September 17


  • weight 2300 grams


still think that I'd prefer a 400mm f5.6 VR
 
Last edited:
BillN_33 said:
  • The first report I saw Simon was release date September 2017, (I thought)........ but this cannot be correct, (just figured it out it means September 17th (2015)

    It looks like Nikon are a last competing with Canon etc., in this price range

    Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (initially reported here):
    • ED element
    • VR mode (SPORT adoption)
    • Estimated retail price in Japan: 170,000 yen (including tax)
    • Release date in Japan: September 17


  • weight 2300 grams

still think that I'd prefer a 400mm f5.6 VR
Click to expand...

You would expect the prime to be better, but will be interesting how this new lens performs. I think it must be a cheaper lens to compete with the Sigma and Tamron (S&T) 600mm superzooms as the 80-400 v2 hasn't been long released. The S&T lenses must be taking a lot of the market, due to the price and performance for 600mm lenses. They give a lot of people the option of long lenses which perhaps they couldn't afford when going the prime route. Nikon must be thinking why not have a share of this market and not let S&T sweep up. It's all good for the consumer when there's competition and the S&T prices may start dropping with this arrival. I would go Nikon before the others if the price point is the same and you get the constant f5.6 and you can use a 1.4 TC with the lens.
 
Last edited:
realspeed said:
Even my Nikon AFs 80-400 f4.5-5.6 comes in at just over 3lb in weight and that fully extended takes some holding and I would hate to have to carry that and the camera weight around all day

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C = 2 kg [ 4.4lb]
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD = 2kg [4.4 lb]

So they are equal in weight approx but heavy lumps

Add to that 1.7 lb for the camera with battery and your looking at just over 6lb in weight or like 3 bags of sugar
Click to expand...
Tbh I spent a day at a wildlife park carrying my D750 with Tamron 150-600mm (so nearly 3kg) on a black rapid sport and it really wasn't a chore. Also I hand held every shot and took a few hundred.
 
OP can you specify what type of sports and wildlife you will be taking? For running and cycling events I use the 70-200mm f2.8 VRII (stunning lens, my favourite). For some wildlife I also use this lens, but for birds and other wildlife I use my Tamron 150-600mm (cracking lens, especially considering the price being able to get it for £699 after cash back). If you want to focus on birding get the longest lens you can.

Also bear in mind I shoot full frame so on your camera you will have 1.5x more reach, so the 200mm would give you 300mm, and the 600mm a whopping 900mm :eek:
 
Hi All,

Thanks for all the replies! Been sans computer, so unable to reply.

All of the replies have given me a lot of think of. The 200mm-500mm does look really good, but I've been considering now getting the 150-600mm for a few hundred ££ less, then either saving for a lens for astro shots, or maybe some filters to do landscape with a work colleague. I'm not sure if I'm good/experienced enough yet to spend over £1k on a lens, but if i can get one lens and filters, or one lens and a good contribution towards another for astro shots, i'd like that.

Thanks all for the help/opinions
 
Dorsetsnapshot said:
Hi All,

Thanks for all the replies! Been sans computer, so unable to reply.

All of the replies have given me a lot of think of. The 200mm-500mm does look really good, but I've been considering now getting the 150-600mm for a few hundred ££ less, then either saving for a lens for astro shots, or maybe some filters to do landscape with a work colleague. I'm not sure if I'm good/experienced enough yet to spend over £1k on a lens, but if i can get one lens and filters, or one lens and a good contribution towards another for astro shots, i'd like that.

Thanks all for the help/opinions
Click to expand...
Best get it soon if you are as I don't think the cash back on the Tamron is running for much longer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top