Foto at top: Holland jan 2024 sun Goosander (Grote Zaagbek) size 62cm distance 45m equivalent 1050mm D500 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR APERTURE mode Birds 1/2000 f/8 ISO 560 -1.5.EV standard camouflage. Crop 4500 x 3300.
F11: Full screen !!!
Our experience using Nikon equipment in lightweight bird photography
Nikon has consistently been offering satisfactory lightweight equipment for the serious enthousiast bird photographer like their:
- DSLR D300, D300S and D500, all semi pro camera’s very well suited for serious lightweight bird photography.
- Telelens Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II.
- Lightweight telelens Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR 750 gram.
- Lightweight telelens Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR 1450 gram.
- Converter TC-4E II and III and aspherical TC-20E III: top optical quality 2x converter with a very special property that using the FT1 adapter it still works at Z camera’s producing high 35mm equivalents like 1500mm 35mm eqivalent with combinatipon Z50 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR TC-20E III giving you exceptional reach which sometimes is highly welcome in bird photography!
Some examples of pictures produced using lightweight equipment:
Serious lightweight bird photography anyway requires high quality equipment, semi pro or pro, optimal settings thereof and some training in anticipation, reaction speed and clever camera handling when photographing in continuously changing conditions:
Equipment
- Camouflage: car, hide/screen, other.
- Picture format: RAW
- Lens/lenses & converters: high quality [zoom] Nikon Canon Leica Zeiss
- In case of long distance photography: telescope + high quality digicompact like Panasonic G3.
- Camera: DSLR and or Mirrorless and or top quality Bridge camera
- Support: tripod, monopod or handheld.
Optimal settings camera & lenses
- Small or large birds close by or far away
- Stationary birds, active birds or fast moving birds.
Examples of various birds, action, wheather, available light and equipment used:
- Action and or still and or long distance (short EXPOSURE time versus high ISO)
- Available light: twilight … direct sunlight
- Expected type bird & behaviour: shy, speedy, … diving, hunting, mating, feeding, nest building, etc.
