What's the best lens for wildlife?

Idahogirl

Hi, I am new to my first Canon T2i. I have had it for several months and learning lots. I love taking photos of outdoors, nature, birds, landscapes, etc...

Lenses I have:
EF 50mm Canon f/1.4
EF-S 18-55mm Canon f/3.5-5.6
SP 10-24mm Tamron wide f/3.5-4.5
EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
EF L IS 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 (my favorite)

What I am looking at is the 70-200mm which is good for all in between photos. It gets heavy carrying all lenses for different situations. My husband is wonderful and carries them most of the time. Any ideas as to which lens is best for wildlife, they move to fast at times. Money is no problem. Thanks!

Moose

Howdy @Idahogirl - Welcome to the forum! Of the 70-200mm lenses currently on the market, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM (see here) is really the cream of the crop.

You get "L" quality glass which captures razor sharp details and beautiful color tonality...very similar to your 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L. This lens also comes equipped with USM for fast, accurate and silent focusing. It also has image stabilization which helps steady shots at a distance and helps minimize the effects of camera shake from sapping the sharpness from your shots.

If image stabilization isn't that big of deal to you, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM (see here) is nearly identical in terms of sharpness, color tonality and performance (focus speed/accuracy) to the lens mentioned above, but much more affordable.

When it comes to wildlife, image stabilization really only helps when the subject is motionless (standing dear, perched eagle, etc...). If your trying to capture a bird in flight or an animal with lots of movement, then image stabilization really doesn't do much. In order to freeze subject movement and capture a tack sharp shot, you'll need to use faster shutter speeds (1/500 or higher).

Hope that all makes sense. Happy shooting! :)

Idahogirl

Thanks Moose for the info very helpful. I am also looking for a better tripod, mine is just cheap what would you recommend? I love your site & all the tips for everyone. Have a great day :)

Moose

@Idahogirl - If you're looking to upgrade to something more sturdy for rough terrain, check out the Manfrotto 190XPROB (see here). The design, ergonomics and fluidity of this tripod is very good for the price.

You'll also need to pair it with a good ball head...like the Giottos MH1000-652 (see here). This ball head will allow you to make quick adjustments to the angle and position of your T2i, which is great for landscapes and capturing panoramas. Happy shooting! :)

Idahogirl

Thanks Moose for the info, I am waiting to head to Boise to look at the Manfrotto tripods our Best Buy carries them. I need something sturdy with the winds we get & one with ball head that can make quick changes & smooth fluidity. I just have to say I love your website its awesome thanks for you help :)

Moose

@Idahogirl - Glad I could help. :)

Idahogirl

Hello @Moose - Thank you so much for all your advice! :) I got the tripod & ball head and love them both. I am headed to Zion National Park end of June and looking for a lens that will go from say 18-270mm zoom something like that, so I don't have to carry so many lenses. What would you recommend for lots of landscape photos? Thanks again, Beth :)

Moose

@Idahogirl - Awesome! Glad to help! If you're looking for an all-in-one lens, it's hard to beat the Tamron 18-270mm VC (see here). This lens will allow you to capture everything from landscapes to distant birds, really opening up the creative freedom when composing a shot. It's one of my favorite walk around lenses currently on the market. Sounds like a great trip...happy shooting! :)

Idahogirl

Thanks @Moose for all your advice and everything you mentioned is ordered and here, but now I noticed my colors after taking photo are lifeless.

I have tried all settings and shot in Av, but my landscapes just are not to my liking. What could I be doing wrong, I am new to this camera and at times I could pull my hair out. What do you think I should do about my landscape settings? Thanks, Idahogirl

P.S. I'm using the new 18-270mm VC.

Moose

@Idahogirl - Glad I could help! As you might already know, light and atmospheric conditions play a key role in capturing dynamic landscapes. I would experiment with the following...

1. Shoot during the golden hour (first and last hour of sunlight)
2. Mount your T2i to a tripod and attach your Tamron 18-270mm VC
3. Disable vibration compensation (VC) when you have the camera mounted to a tripod
4. Enable Aperture priority and set your aperture between f/8 to f/16
5. Set your ISO to 100
6. Set your AF mode to One Shot
7. Enable the self-timer or use a remote

Pre-focus on the scene, by half pressing the shutter button. When you're ready to take the shot, fully press the shutter to engage the self-timer. If you're using a remote, you can just snap away.

These settings will ensure you get tack sharp shots with everything in focus. If you're having trouble with well lit skies and dark landscapes or bright landscapes and washed out skies, then you'll need to compose an HDR shot OR use a graduated neutral density filter.

An HDR shot, consists of multiple images (of the same scene) at varying levels of exposure. You then take these images and merge them together using HDR software, like Photomatix Pro (see here). This will allow you to get a properly exposed sky and landscape.

As for the graduated neutral density filters, they gradually go from dark to light and allow you to "dim" the bright sky so that everything is exposed properly. You'll want the "square/rectangular" kind (see here), not the screw on filter type. This allows you to adjust the height and angle of the gradient.

That should get you going in the right direction. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. Happy shooting! :)

Idahogirl

Thank you @Moose, it is sure great to have someone like you to help some of us newbies.

Question on white balance...When I took shots of a landscape with snow, it had a blue tint to it. How can I fix that? We do have air that is not so good, dirt storms-hazy. We are in the desert part of Idaho. Thanks!

Moose

@Idahogirl - Glad to help! Yep, a custom white balance will get rid of strange color hues. Just press the up arrow on the back of your T2i, select Custom White Balance and follow the on-screen instructions. Just remember to change the white balance if you step back indoors or move to a different location. As for haze, you might try shooting right after a storm (snow or rainfall) as that tends to clear the air a bit. Happy shooting! :)