Zoom lenses for Bird photography

mlsreekanthmlsreekanth
edited March 2012 Posted in » Nikon D3100 Forum
Hi @Moose - First of all, thank you very much for all your help. I learned so many things from this forum. I am interested in bird watching and I am very much interested in photography. Recently I had bought the D3100 with kit lens and added the 55-200mm non VR lens recently. I tried taking photos of some birds, but the 55-200mm lens doesn't have enough reach. Could you suggest some other lenses with better reach. I am bit constrained with budget (cheaper would be great).

Comments

  • chugnutchugnut
    edited March 2012
    I just bought a Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro lens from Amazon for about $185 (£115). I've had fantastic results from it so far and I am extremely happy with it. I am also constrained by budget, but this lens has so far proved to be worth every penny. I am able to get crisp shots of my dog playing, birds and wildlife without having to get too close and really nice macro pics too. Well worth a look I reckon!
  • dinodino
    edited March 2012
    I ordered this lens last weekend and then found Amazon offering it for $200 (£125), I paid $250 (£160). I was going to cancel the other one, but the cheaper price seemed to disappear like magic. Must have been an error or snapped up quick.
  • MooseMoose
    Howdy @mlsreekanth - As @chugnut and @dino mentioned, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro (see here) is a very nice starter telephoto lens for the price. The added zoom (300mm vs 200mm) would get you much closer to birds and allow you to get tighter framing.

    In addition to the Sigma, you might also take a look at the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro (see here). These lenses are nearly identical in terms of sharpness, focusing speed and overall performance. Check to see which lens is more affordable in your area, I would give either one a try. Happy shooting! :)
  • JohnPaulPattonJohnPaulPatton
    I got the Tamron 70-300mm but I have to say I thought 300mm would cover more distance than it does for bird close-ups. I think I will be looking at getting an even bigger zoom lense if and when I have the spare cash! Does anyne have any recommendations for this? Can you get 600mm? Will it cost £6,000 lol?
  • robborobbo
    edited April 2012
    Don't know about £6,000, but a heck of a lot! Then theres those reflector-type lenses which use a mirror, similar principle to a reflector telescope, but from the reviews I've read, they are notoriously difficult to set at the right focus and to get enough light. You could always get one from Amazon and return it if not suitable.

    Then theres teleconverters - you would have to make sure it is compatible with your lens. I have a Sanyo x1.7 lens which attaches to the front of the main lens, and thats nicely effective, altough theres a bit of drop in quality with the D3100.

    I treat (treated?) myself to the new Fujiflm HS30 (I already have the HS10 and thought I'd upgrade) and that is excellent for stuff like birding, especially with the Sanyo attached, its as if they were made to go together! The lens on the HS30 gives about 30x, so I suppose I'm getting about 45/46 times zoom with it. Worth considering if you want extra zoom? (Tip: genuine spare battery is £60! Get a 'copy' for £12 on ebay - they work OK!)
  • JohnPaulPattonJohnPaulPatton
    Thanks for your reply robbo-I wonder does anyone know of a teleconverter that would work with my tamron 300mm? Cheers!
  • robborobbo
    edited April 2012
    Theres a discussion on Flickr (see here) that might be of interest, but I haven't had time to read it all regarding its use with the D3100.
  • JohnPaulPattonJohnPaulPatton
    edited April 2012
    Thanks! Very interesting, although I can't find anybody currently selling the Tamron teleconverter.
  • robborobbo
    edited April 2012
    I don't think there is one...they're talking about the Kenko:
    "Nikon D90 + Tamron 70-300 VC USD + Kenko 1.4x TC"
  • JohnPaulPattonJohnPaulPatton
    edited April 2012
    LOL! That explains it...thanks!
  • MooseMoose
    @JohnPaulPatton - Once you go beyond 300mm in reach, you enter a whole new stratosphere in terms of price. As @robbo mentioned, sometimes it's cheaper to just purchase a superzoom compact camera versus a 400mm or 500mm lens.
  • JohnPaulPattonJohnPaulPatton
    edited April 2012
    Thanks! I am going to get a teleconverter. From reading, it seems the Kenko 1.4x is better than the 2x, in terms of image quality. I have also seen some Tamron converters on eBay. Cheers!
  • SharadPSharadP
    Guys what do you say about Nikon 55-300 mm VR as compared the Sigma and Tamron Lenses mentioned above.
  • robborobbo
    Hi Sharad...
    I have the lens you mention and I find it excellent, not just for birding but for general use as well.
    You can read about the 55-300 here:
    http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/55-300mm.htm
    and he also mentions the 70-300 and gives a link to it.

    Also, if you go to Moose's 'old' D3100 page, you can search (Ctrl-F) for references to lenses:
    http://www.cameratips.com/d3100/nikon-d3100-forum
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