Nothing Can Replace a Good Telephoto Lens

 

 

Indigo Bunting

 ( Canon 70D, Canon 600mm F.4 L )

 

 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird female 

( Sony A6000, Canon 100 - 400 L series )

 

 

 

Sandhill Crane

(Canon 70D, Canon 600mm F.4 L )

 

     Bird photography is challenging to say the least. It requires patience and persistence at a level that most folks find overwhelming. It demands a high skill level from the photographer, and it requires photographers to search out subjects often under less than ideal conditions. It is not a sport for the weak of heart, nor is it an undertaking that should be attempted without the proper gear. The most important piece of that gear is a high quality telephoto lens.

     Sadly, in years past, that meant a very expensive lens, and unfortunately, a very heavy lens. Today, however, things have changed, as lens have gotten lighter, faster, and certainly much more affordable. For most professional bird photographers, the lens of choice has been the Canon 600mm F.4 L series, which is an incredibly sharp and fast telephoto for wildlife photographers. That lens sells for around $12,000, and it weighs nearly 18 pounds. It requires not only a healthy budget, but also a strong and steady tripod. When paired with one of todays' high tech digital cameras, it's a hard combination to beat. Simply put.......it creates amazing images, as you can see in the examples above.

      However, lens technology has come a long way in recent years, and we now have some worthy alternatives to these "beasts" of the past. Take for example the Sigma 150 - 600mm, which can be purchased for around $1000 and produces some excellent results. It's much more compact, much lighter, and can be handheld under most conditions. Does it match the mighty Canon 600? Well, no, but it's $11,000 cheaper, and it can produce very sharp images, and I have seen images from this lens that rival any of the more expensive telephotos on the market.

     The truth is we need good telephoto lens to capture high quality images of birds and other wildlife subjects. But, it is now also true that we do not have to spend the retirement account to afford these kinds of lens. Technology is making this possible through the development of constantly improving optics. The genre of bird photography is opening up to more and more photographers simply because quality lens are now within reach of more than just professionals. It's just that simple, and we all will benefit from the great images that will be coming in the future. Let's all sit back and watch photography just get better and better. Keep Shooting.