Wildlife advice please

T

texaslimo

Senior Member
Hello all,
I would like to add wildlife to my photography habit and need some advice on how it is actually done and what lens might be a best purchase. It will probably not be before Christmas though.

I am aiming for shots that in final are close up high detail photos. I'm not after a coyote off in the distance... I want to see his muzzle and preferably count his whiskers. Figuratively that is. How close do you have to get to creatures to be "in range". 50 yards? 25?

My current issue is deciding on a lens for the purpose. I own a D850 and a Z8 and it is hard to tell which l i like more. I think in some ways the Z8 is easier to use and I can see where the silence would be beneficial for wildlife. I do love the 850 though. It is just very satisfying to use. It feels quite solid. Both cameras perform better than I am capable of using them. I am not going on such a trek that weight and battery capacity are real issues.

At this point, I think I would like a zoom better than a prime but only because there is more maneuverability. I also don't need a lens that is just a small hair better. I need to be able to get out there and get a good shot. I don't HAVE to have the absolute best lens in the world. Especially at the start. A 1.4 or 2x TC are not out of the question considerations.

I have heard good things about the 180-600, and the 100-400 for the Z8 and I have heard about good things about the 200-500 and the 400mm prime for the 850. I know so little that anything is possible. What works for you? What lessons have you learned that you will share so I don't have to learn the hard way?
 
BF Hammer

BF Hammer

Senior Member
You may want to start looking at the exif data of @bryanpereira photos to get a base line. He uses a Z9 but your Z8 is nearly it's equal.

I would favor the Z8 because of the animal eye AF. It truly works. As for a lens to get your desired whiskers-on-muzzle sharp results, that often involves a big heavy 600mm f/4 plus a teleconverter. This is one aspect of photography where spending $$$$ often is needed to be better. But I won't make a recommendation since I have under-powered gear myself for that kind of work.

EDIT: just switch to my PC so I can search and view exif, Bryan uses a 200-400 f/4 a lot. I do not know how much cropping he does.
 
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Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
I use the Z8 with the Z 180-600. I shoot mostly birds, and second BF's endorsement of the bird object detection in the Z8. Not to mention things like pre release capture, focus limiting and the exposure preview mirrorless affords. In my area those are the animals that are accessible unless you are willing to put a tremendous amount of time and effort into seeking out opportunities to photograph other types of wildlife. Other areas may have different opportunities available.

No matter how long a lens you get, it will often feel like it isn't long enough. You will have to find ways to get closer to your subjects. As to the zoom vs prime, I made that decision around Christmas time. I went with the zoom because of the flexibility. Sometimes, when shooting birds in flight, you need a wider field of view than the long end gives you. Also, places like zoos may require a wider range of focal length. Another big issue for me is the close focusing distance. I often shoot things like larger insects, and small birds like hummingbirds, and the prime I was looking at had a much longer minimum focusing distance.

Before I got my 180-600, I used the 200-500 with an adapter. It is a very good lens, but I much prefer the 180-600. It is a tad sharper, a tad slower max aperture, a little longer focal length, and a tad faster AF. One thing I really like is the internal zoom. This really helps keep the center of gravity from changing significantly when zooming while mounted on a gimbal head. I also don't have to worry about sucking dirt and dust into the lens when zooming in and out.

A lot of wildlife/nature photographers also get into macro work. The Z 105 F2.8 micro is a superb macro lens.
 
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