There were two factors that I deem as priorities for choosing the lens. First, sharpness wide open. Second, focus speed for flight/action.

In the store, I compared the two lenses with the Nikon D3 in the following areas.

1. Focus speed (Sigma Wins)
2. Sharpness (Tied – wide open)
3. Colour (Nikon wins)
4. Image stabilizing (Tied) (lowest speed tested being 1/160th)

Based on the above results, and of course, the price tag, I chose the Sigma. The Nikon costs about $1000 more than the Sigma.

Here are some results over the last month shooting with the Sigma 150-500f/5.6-6.3 HSM DG OS and Nikon D3/D300.

Nikon D3 + Sigma 150-500f/5.6-6.3 HSM DG OS
Picture 1(Scarlet backed flowerpecker)

Picture 2(Stork billed Kingfisher)

Nikon D300 + Sigma 150-500f/5.6-6.3 HSM DG OS

Picture 3

Picture 4

Disclaimer
The findings above are the sole experience of mine and the copy I possess and does not represent all the Sigma lenses in the market. As such, I expect results to differ.

Another test to show the sharpness after adding a 2x TC

Equipment and settings

1dmk2N , EF300 F2.8L IS , EF300 F2.8L Non IS , kenko2x

both camera body and lens rested firmly on flat surface with another weight put on top to minimise shake
F2.8 – 1/160, iso200

F5.6 – 1/40, iso200

F8 – 1/20, iso200

raw files convert to jpg without any alteration, 100% cropped slightly off center
observations

1.sharpness seems to be best when IS is turned on

2.without IS both lenses are comparable in sharpness

3.with a 2x TC, sharpness falls a little but is still comparable

slow shutter was used deliberately to see if it makes any difference

results seems to show there will still be some shake no matter how good you stabilise your setup(i am also puzzled)

so IS is a good function to have when you are out in the field
notes

same lenses differ in quality so mine might not perform the same as yours

this test might not be 100% accurate so do not flame me if you find it untrue in any way

 
Photographs and article are copyright of Jz

My personal opinion of having a hide or camo net is to get ‘away’ from the subject rather than ‘get close’. This is because: 1.Somehow the subjects do know u are around. Just that they do not feel threatened. 2.Getting close to use a shorter lens will alarm them. This may cause young birds to ‘jump nest’ or the birds to fly away. 3.Hence defeat the purpose of seeing them doing their activities of eating, bathing, courtship, fighting, flying etc 4.More over, you will need a distance to anticipate movement / actions 5.Getting real close will only allow you to have portrait shots 6.Also u are not mobile once u are in a hide but subject are. It is better to do your home work and allowed them to come to u instead of u chasing them in a hide … 7.So even if u do not take photographs, it is already a privilege to watch them

A sample with the camera gear within. Taken in a garden.

This camo net which I made has the following advantage:

1. It is porous, hence less hot
2. It does not restrict your peripheral vision
3. Cheap n custom made
4. Allow you to stand up
5. As compare to wearing a camo suit, I can slipped on and out easy without having to wear and take out. I am sure most of us do not want to take bus or drive in a camo suit.
6. Light and easy to carry. Also when wet, it is quick dry n not adding weight. Can be compressed. Here I used a black bag and measure with a ruler. It can be compressed further

However, the disadvantage are:

1. It is not a full hide
2. It does not keep u warm or protect u from rain

Material

• Pieces of camo ( can get from beach road, $4 per piece) … hmm … some may need more depends on your size

• Piece of polyester nylon material (can get from beach road, $7 per m)

• Thread and needle

How to

Let’s say the white papers are the camo net

1. Sew area mark 2 together. Noticed that I allowed more material in front. Leave a gap at 1 for your lens
2. Sew pieces of camo material in random over the net. Cut them is irregular shape n strips
3. Sew more strips on front n side
4. At area 3, it is where your head is. Leaving some space without the camo material for un-obstructing vision
5. After using, come back to modify or add the camo stripes

Few points to note when using:

1. Wear neutral colours i.e brown, green to compliment the net
2. No big movement inside the net. U are not ‘invisible’
3. Beware that if light is directly behind u, your silhouette will show up as net is porous
4. Best if you position yourselves in shade and among vegetation

Please feel free to correct me.

Have fun n do remember the welfare of subject is important!
website for imported camo material / fabrics or even ready made blinds (US based)

Rockywoods [1]

Cabelas [2]

Basspro [3]
Photographs and article are copyright of starrynight

This DIY wireless remote control is able to control from a distance up to 50 feets

- Up to 50 feets

- Auto Focus

- Single Shots or multiple shots

- When it is not used as a wireless remote, it can be a wire release ( 2 in 1 )

Total cost is about RM200

Main – The remote control, receiver and Battery ( + Canon 40D )

Connect to Camera

This is similar to previous photo but showing the parts connecting to the camera 

Car Receiver

You can buy this from the car accessories shop 

Car Remote control

You can also buy this from the car accesories shop 

Battery

Normal battery, you have a choice of big size or small size, this case I am using big size ( because can last longer… more than a month )

Car Charger

For travel use, this charger can be pluge into any car 

Home Charger

This is the charger that can be use at home or in an accomodation 

Wireless remote control

When wireless remote control is not in use, it can be plugged into the parts showed in 2nd picture and use as a wire release cable 
Regards,

Nelson Khor

Website : www.pbase.com/me_photoshots

Tel : 012-4806685
___________________above article, photographs contributed and copyright of nelson khor

When I was looking for a zoom lens, I wanted a lens between the range of 70-300 or 80-400. I also wanted optical stabilization and to handhold the lens. I was left with three choices, the Sigma 80-400 OS, the Nikkor 80-400VR and the Nikkor 70-300VR.

The 70-300VR was the cheapest alternative amongst the three choices. Its street price is S$800. Both the Sigma and Nikkor 80-400mm are around $2500. When I tested out the lens in the shop, I was pleasantly surprised by its performance and bought it.

Focus – How good is the AFS?

I tried using the lens to shoot a variety of subjects; from sports to birds in flight. I am pleased to report that the autofocus is precise and fast enough in reasonable lighting conditions. The following pictures demonstrate the ability of the lens to hold focus.

Above: 1/30th f/16 at 70mm. The AF was reliable when I panned this shot.

Below: 1/2000th f/8. Head on focus definitely can make it!

Image Quality

This lens produces amazing quality at this price point($800). This crocodile was shot at 180mm f/5 1/250th VR on. I found that the lens is sharp throughout its zoom range at wide open!

Handling

Needless to say, it is lighter than the Nikkor 80-400 VR, Canon 100-400L, Sigma 80-400 OS and the Nikkor 70-200 VR.

However, it does not feel too plastic, is well made and light weight. It’s 725g weight is certainly welcomed when I shot the terns!

Others

I became adventurous and tried using the lens together with my Raynox DCR250 close up attachment.

On the top, I shot a creeping daisy using the 70-300vr at 70mm with a Raynox DCR250 close up filter. I shot this at1/320th f/5.6

The bokeh of this lens is very nice. And the details are good enough! Very versatile I must say.

I really enjoyed shooting with this lens. Looking at the results so far, it is going to be really great shooting with it for a long time more to come. For once, my wife is happy because I did not have to spend several thousands on it!

In Summary

To sum up, here are my pros and cons of the Nikkor 70-300mmf/4.5-5.6 AFS VR IF-ED.

Pros

• Light and great handling

• VR is useful up to 3 stops; not 4 stops as indicated by Nikon.

• Great Value for money at $800

• AF is fast enough for most situations, including birds in flight.

• This copy I have is sharp even wide open

• Very good image quality(Not quite on par with primes of course)

Cons

• Some hunting when focusing in low light conditions

• Lack of focusing limit button
Click for an interesting link on discussion of the lens [1]
___________________above article, photographs contributed and copyright of Mendis Tan

An often asked question when one starts to venture into bird photography is the appropriate focal length lens to use. While most people will recommended using the longest focal length that one can bring or afford, the truth is, there are a variety of lens which are appropriate for different subjects and environments.

Birds are generally lively and challenging subjects. They are especially active in the early morning and late evening, when light is usually lower. Things are not helped by the fact that many wild birds (except maybe common ones like mynahs, sparrows and swallows) in our region are especially skittish due to poaching. As such, it is important to understand the comfort distance at which one can approach a particular species and use the appropriate lens accordingly. For birds that can be found in Singapore/Malaysia, a minimum focal length of 400mm (bare lens or with teleconverter) is recommended to create quality images where the bird is of a reasonable size in the frame. However, in order to get frame-filling images and to maintain a comfortable distance from most subjects, a 500mm or even 600mm lens is desired. Adding on a 1.4x or occasionally 2x teleconverter to a 300/400/500/600mm lens will give the photographer more chances to photograph the wild birds as compared to shorter lens.

However, one must remember that these monster lenses, especially the 500mm and 600mm, are very expensive and heavy. It is important to first gauge and see whether one can handle them comfortably with other accessories such as tripod and flash before going ahead with the purchase. A wrong purchase can prove to be very expensive! Considerations should also be given to the kind of transport used to reach the shooting location and distance that you may be walking to search for birds before deciding on the particular lens to buy or bring.

A quick look at a few commonly used lenses among bird photographers :

Canon 400mm f/5.6

A lightweight (1.25kg) and fast focusing lens which is often used by bird photographers due to its ease of handling and relatively low price. Considered one of sharpest prime telephotos, it is a very good lens for bird-in-flight images and for tamer subjects that can be approached with relative ease. With a 1.4x teleconverter, one can only autofocus with the Canon 1-series pro-DSLRs. Often used by photographers with a big gun such as 500/600mm as a secondary arm for quick grab action shots.

Canon/Nikon 300mm f/2.8

The 300mm f/2.8 lens is often considered among the sharpest and fastest focusing lens in both the Canon and Nikon lineup. These lens are fairly easy to manage in terms of size and are easily handholdable for bird-in-flight images or situations which require a high degree of mobility such as forests. The 300mm f/2.8 is often used with a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter for added reach with little compromise to lens sharpness and still allows for reasonably fast autofocus. On its own, it represents a cheaper option to achieve the much desired 600mm focal length. Together with a big gun (500/600mm), the 300mm f/2.8 with teleconverters will provide the bird photographer with a very flexible and useful setup for different kind of subjects and situations.

Canon/Nikon 500mm and 600mm

These two lens represent the ultimate telephoto prime lens for bird photography. They are expensive and heavy, often requiring a good tripod to go along. However, they also provide the ability to create images of birds at a further distance and yet achieve a reasonable and sometimes frame-filling sized image of the subject. These big guns require some getting used to in terms of handling in the field and also good long lens technique to reduce blur from lens shake. In choosing between the 500mm and 600mm, besides price, the 500mm is considerably lighter by more than 1 kg and can be handholdable for brief periods while the 600mm definitely requires a tripod but provides a 44% increase in subject size. Those using 1.3x crop or full frame bodies will appreciate the extra reach of the 600mm in photographing small forest birds especially.

Other options

Other options for bird photography include telephoto zoom lens such as 50-500mm, 120-300mm, 100-400mm or 300-800mm which provide high flexibility especially when working from a hide. A zoom lens also allows the photographer to zoom out to locate a subject before zooming in to the desired length to capture the image. However, in comparison to the telephoto primes, these zoom lens tend to be slower in autofocus and see a more significant decline in sharpness when used with teleconverters.

Summary

In summary, it is important to understand the kind of subjects and environments that one are intending to capture when choosing the appropriate lens for bird photography. Key factors to consider include budget, manageability, approachability of subjects, size of subjects, available lighting and degree of mobility required. Last but not least, it is always cheaper to make the right choice from the start than to go through a series of buy and sell to acquire your ideal bird photography lens!

Article is copyright of Jay

Author & Editor

Author: Arthur

Editor: <Please add your name here if you have edit this article>

Photographs and article are copyright of Arthur

Introduction

Ultra zoom cameras have gained much popularity over the recent years because of their long focus reach, a hot cake especially among those who are keen to try out bird photography. Unlike typical P&S cameras, Ultra zoom cameras offer much more functions and users have control over the camera settings. Some models even offer a hot shoe where one can mount an external flash onto it.

I have owned an ultra zoom camera, the Panasonic Lumix FZ10 for 3 years; I loved this humble setup of mine and I have captured many wonderful moments with it. I will not go in-depth on the different brands of Ultra Zoom cameras because I have not tested them before.

Get the first hand information

Many of a time I have encountered people regretting on their purchase. Wonder why? The main reason is because they have not done enough homework. So don’t be lazy, do a quick search over the internet to check on the pro and con of different brands of ultra zoom cameras and decide which models suit your needs before rushing down to your nearest camera retail shop. A good website I would like recommend is: www. dpreview.com

Are you ready?

Hold your horses, not so fast. After you have decided on the model you wanted to buy, do check whether the camera supports a teleconversion lens. Bear in mind that reach is essential for bird photography. In order to capture decent sized images of our little feathered friends, you need all the reach you can get, trust me.

Beside getting the camera and the camera bag, what else do I need?

Nowadays, most ultra zoom cameras come with image stabilizer that will minimize blur images due to handshake, but doesn’t guaranteed you sharp pictures every time you pressed the shutter button. Therefore to overcome this, a steady support is a must. Buy a well built tripod to mount your camera when taking your shots because you do not want the precious moment you have captured to turn out to be nothing more than a blur image. Tripods manufactured by Manfotto are well constructed and the price tags reasonable.

Some ultra zoom cameras also come with a hot shoe, which I think, is a wonderful thing. Buy a compatible external flash and flash extender. At times, you need to use flash to fill some catchlights to your subjects especially under dime light conditions.

What is a flash extender and how does it help?

A flash extender is basically an additional fresnel lens that velcroes to two plastic prongs that can be fixed to the flashgun’s head (external flash) with the help of an elastic band. The purpose of a flash extender is to help to increase the flash output that your flash can’t reach, and fill in catchlights to subjects that are far away.

Got my camera, but I can’t get good pictures

There are no fast rules of getting a good shot. Practice, more practice and learn from trails and errors are the magic words. Once you master your equipments, they will work wonder for you.

My Results

Enjoy your new hobby and Happy Shooting!
___________________ above article, photographs contributed and copyright of Arthur

Just want to share my Point and Shoot camera set-up to those interested in the bird photography but not capable of investing in expensive equipment like prime lens and DSLR camera …

The following is my Point and Shoot camera set-up.

Camera

Panasonic FZ18

Important feature: 18x optical zoom equal to 504mm in 8M pixel, suitable for shooting wildlife. Add 2x telecovertor will equal to 1008mm in 8M pixel

Cost: Below RM1700

Tripod

For ‘usual’ camera and video use

JENOVA brand

Cost: below RM50

Teleconvertor

Canon model TC-DC58C 2x with DIY adapter.

Cost: Less than RM400

Lens Adapter DIY Material

The spray cap

DIY Lens Hood

Plastic part from toilet pipe cover

The Combination

Teleconvertor with hood

Full combination

Camera with telecovertor but without hood

With tripod

From top down view

Close up, side view of camera set up mounted on tripod

Total cost not more than RM2200

Birding hide set-up

The Result

_______________________________above article, photographs contributed and copyright of bklim

Author & Editor

Author: Arthur

Editor: <Please add your name here if you have edit this article>

Photographs and article are copyright of Arthur

Introduction

Bird/Nature Photography is never a cheap hobby; the price tags of long telephoto prime lenses alone already cost a bomb. So as a new newbie with a tight budget constraint, how can he/she enjoy this wonderful hobby? The direct answer is to opt for third parties lenses.

One of this third party lenses is the SP AF200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) offered by Tamron. The lens is well constructed and weighs just 1237g, much lighter than the Sigma 50-500mm. This is a real joy when you need all your stuff and walk for long hours.

Specifications

Tamron SP AF200-500MM F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) Specifications

Model Number A08

Lens Construction (Groups/Elements) 10/13 (2 LD elements)

Angle of View 12°-5°

Focal Length 200mm to 500mm

Maximum Aperture f5 to f6.3

Diaphragm Blade Number 9

Minimum Aperture f/32

Minimum Focus 2.5m (8.20ft) – entire zoom range

Macro Mag. Ratio 1:5.0 (at 500mm)

Filter Diameter 86mm

Weight 1237g

Diameter x Length 93.5 x 227.0mm (@ 200mm setting, no hood)

Accessories Lens hood, Detachable Filter Effect Control, Carrying case and strap

Mount Canon, Nikon-D, Sony

I have been using the Tamron SP AF200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) for awhile now and would like to share my experiences about the performance of this lens.

Autofocus

Focusing is quick with no ‘hunting’ at any focal length under a variety of daylight conditions. Although not a silent lens, the AF noise is still acceptable. Auto focus is still possible with 1.4x TC offered by Kenko but tend to hunt when lighting conditions is poor.

With proper long lens techniques and lots of practice, one can achieved flight and action shots too.

Dollarbird in flight 

Image Quality

All I could say is that the image quality produced by this lens is good. A picture tells a thousand words. Below is a picture taken with the Tamron SP AF200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) @ 500mm focus range:

Common Kingfisher

100% cropped

Conclusion

The Tamron SP AF200-500MM F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) is a decent long telephoto zoom lens with good performance. The lens is well made, feels sturdy, focus is accurate and the lens hood is deep and effective.

Image quality is not on par with the prime lenses, but that is not even a fair comparison to begin with. At a street price of less than 1/5th of Canon/Nikon 500mm f4 lens and weighs much lighter than the Sigma 50-500mm lens, I would certainly recommend that those who want a fairly inexpensive telephoto zoom should look at this lens.

Here are some photos taken with this lens

Babbler

Bee

Hornbill

Nightjar

___________________ above article, photographs contributed and copyright of Arthur

Handling

Physical size and price comparing with canon 400 mm 5.6 and Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED

This is how it looked like in the field zoom in at 400mm (above)
The unique physical feature is that the zoom is a push n pull mechanism instead of the usual ‘turning’ ones. This will require some practice to get used to. This matters when it comes to flight shots. Also if one pushed in and out to frame the birds in flight at the same time focusing, image will not be as sharp. It is better to fix the focal length before hand then focus.

Some said that this zoom mechanism will cause dust to accumulate in the lens itself. Hence in dusty area, I often cover it with some cloth of protection coating. I personally had no problem with this.

Auto Focus

AF is reasonable but compare focal length to focal length, the fixed focal length prime is actually faster. The speed of AF is adequate for large slower birds or small birds that hovers and allowed you to get close.

Vulture in Africa (above)

Canon EOS 20D 1/1000Sec F8.0 ISO Speed 200 at 400.0 mm AI Servo AF

Picture is uncropped, down size to 500 pixel and save as jpeg under 100kb. No sharpening / enhancing applied

Humming bird (above)

Canon EOS 20D 1/160Sec F5.6 ISO Speed 800 at 400.0 mm AI focus AF

Picture is uncropped, down size to 500 pixel and save as jpeg under 100kb. No sharpening / enhancing applied

With or without TC

I only had 2X TC when I own this lens. With 2x TC, shooting under optimal condition and setting, the images are just barely usable. My personal opinion is that 2X TC should not be added to this lens.

Golden Pacific Plover (above)

Canon EOS 20D 1/320Sec F11 ISO Speed 400 at 800.0 mm

Picture is uncropped, down size to 500 pixel and save as jpeg under 100kb. No sharpening / enhancing applied

Image cropped to show the softness
As you can see, the image with 2x TC is softer. It is much more apparent when view in full size.

Image quality

Many said that this is a sharp lens. I agree to a certain extent. One of the issues is that apparently the QC of this lens is not that consistent. Some copies are very sharp but others are so-so. I do get sharp pictures from my copy especially in good light and optimal setting.

Monkey (above)

Canon EOS 20D 1/160Sec F5.6 ISO Speed 800 Focal Length 220.0 mm

Picture is uncropped, down size to 500 pixel and save as jpeg under 100kb. No sharpening / enhancing applied

Conclusion

1. This lens is very versatile. I love it as a traveling companion because it is also relatively light weight. It also saves one the trouble of carrying a few more lens as well as changing lens in the field.

2. The push-pull zoom requires practice to get use to.

3. It does produced reasonable quality image but it is unfair to compare with prime lens focal length to focal length

4. Because of the zoom, it is great for safari, larger animals and situation where you can’t shift around.

5. The AF capability for flight shot is good enough for large birds and smaller, non skittish hovering birds.

6. Adding 2X TC is a no go. Unless you don’t mind small images
A few sites that has more detail reviews [1] [2]

_______________________________above review contributed and copyright of Starrynight

Review by Jw73

Introduction

“Versatile” is the name I will use to describe this lens. Having used an EF300mmf4IS and a 400mmf5.6L before, I understand the limitation of fixed focal lens although both lenses sharpness on paper are better than a zoom.

On February 2008 came the 1st Singapore Air show which was held in the new site. I took the opportunity to rent the EF100-400mm (1-4) for the event.

Pull-push Zoom

Within the first minutes of using this lens, I immediately feel very comfortable with the pull-push zoom motion. I set the zoom tightness to “smooth”. The overall built of this lens is definitely of L lens quality. As it is an event, zooming in and out to capture the displays and candid shots was a breeze. I feel a sense of freedom without the need to add extenders as I was a fixed lens user for the past years.

AF

Comparing to the AF speed, I felt the 1-4 can focus quieter and faster than the 300mmf4IS when the IS was activated. The IS mechanism on the 300mm seems louder. However, the 400mmf5.6 fixed lens can focus faster than the 100-400mm with and without the IS on.

The real test came during the flying display. As the black knights were doing their stunts, zooming in and out was crucial as there are moments where the team of 5 planes were flying together and you need to zoom back. Within the split seconds there will be a solo flight where you need to zoom in. This lens handles well on such situations.

Sharpness

As for sharpness, I would rate it above average through out the range through viewing the photos at 100% crop. I have attached some photos to show the sharpness through cropping.
1st set

Uncropped

Cropped

 
2nd Set

Uncropped

Cropped

Conclusion

In conclusion, I am impressed with its AF speed and versatility in one package. The IS was the 1st generation type and does work well in certain conditions. It will be a great add-on to my EF28-135mm IS and EF600mmf4.

_______________________________above review contributed and copyright of Jw73

I feel that the Nikon 500mm F4 is a well-balanced lens. Although it doesn’t have the reach of a 600mm, it is easy to handle because of its small size and light weight (about 3.45kg). My current setup for forest tracking trips consists of a Flash Bracket, Jobu Jr II Gimbal, Nikon D300 and a Feisol CT-3342, weighing about 6kg in total.

However, when shooting from a car, it is quite difficult to handle if the lens hood is mounted. The lens hood is quite long compared to the lens body. I usually don’t attach the hood when shooting in the car.

Auto Focus

AF is fast and responsive in acquiring focus especially with the new D300 with battery grip. With the 1.4x teleconverter, response is a little slow but barely noticeable.

Taken with Nikon D200, 500mm F4 and 1.4x TC

Image quality

Image quality is contrasty and sharp with this lens. With a nikon 1.4x TC there isn’t any noticeable softness.
Taken with Nikon D200, 500mm F4 and 1.4x TC

My Backpack

The Nikon 500mm f4 is a relatively small lens which i can keep in a small backpack together with a Nikon D300 with battery grip, a pair of binoculars, a flash and a flash bracket.

Conclusion

1. Light-weight

2. Ease of handling

3. Fast AF

4. Contrasty and sharp image quality