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wildlife telephotos Anonymous
/p/ I request your help

I am going to purchase a telephoto lens for wildlife photography. I cannot afford the epic hueg nikkor primes - lets say my budget is $1500

my choices are
nikkor 80-400 f/4-5.6
The Bigma
Tamron 200-400 f/4.5-6.3

anything else you guys come up with. I need some comparisons between these lenses. which one is the best bang for the buck?
>> Anonymous
I'd go with the bigma just because of ZOOOOOOM RANGE. You never know what kind of wildlife jumps out on you.
>> Anonymous
>>135616
Then you need GUN not zoom range.
>> Anonymous
Bigma has awful bokeh. 80-400's bokeh is a bit weird too.

Tamron's and bigma's f6.3 is a bit argh. It means slow autofocus, altough 80-400's AF is slow too.

I'd take the Nikkor for just the sake of compatibility.

I'd take the Nikkor.
>> heavyweather !4AIf7oXcbA
Have you considered a Nikon 300 f/4 with a TC-14E? It's a workhorse of a lens.

The 80-400 VR is supposedly decent, though not great. More of a compromise lens.
>> Anonymous
I'd look around at as many sample images from each as possible (Flickr is good for this) and buy the one you like the look of best. They all seem to have functionally equivalent specifications.

(The Bigma is the 50-500, right?)
>> Anonymous
Go with the Bigma.
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
>>135675
WTF you talking about, the Bigma's bokeh is natural looking.

If you want to wait about 3 days I will have a review of the Nikon 300mm f4 af-s (with 1.4x TC) Compared to the Bigma (Which I just sold)
>> Anonymous
Thanks, I've looked on flickr for both of them and I definitely liked the look of the nikkor better. I've heard the AF is slow, however I think the quality of the glass and the VR both compensate for this.

Yeah, this will be a compromise lens, cause I sure as shit don't have 4000 to spend on a lens. I think I'm gonna head to the local camera store and see what they have that they'll let me try out a bit.
>> Anonymous
>>135984
I'd definitely say get the Nikkor, then. Things like focusing speed one learns to work around, but glass one likes can't be replaced.
>> Anonymous
Nikkor 80-400VR or Sigma 80-400OS.
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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Bigma shots from my last day out with this thing.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.3Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)750 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 18:03:37Exposure Time1/640 secF-Numberf/6.3Exposure ProgramShutter PriorityISO Speed Rating220Exposure Bias-1/3 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length500.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width910Image Height1300RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlNoneContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.3Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)750 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 18:05:41Exposure Time1/500 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramShutter PriorityISO Speed Rating200Exposure Bias-1/3 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length500.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width826Image Height1161RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlNoneContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.1Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)405 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 17:13:44Exposure Time1/250 secF-Numberf/6.0Exposure ProgramShutter PriorityISO Speed Rating320Exposure Bias-1/3 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length270.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width1419Image Height912RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlNoneContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.3Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)750 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 17:36:05Exposure Time1/400 secF-Numberf/6.3Exposure ProgramShutter PriorityISO Speed Rating800Exposure Bias-1/3 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length500.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width1113Image Height1619RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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This bird was a bitch to get pics of, kept hiding and was inbetween 2 pine trees...
best i could do

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.3Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)750 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 17:43:41Exposure Time1/500 secF-Numberf/6.3Exposure ProgramShutter PriorityISO Speed Rating400Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length500.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width780Image Height1100RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
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forgot to mention, these are all handheld, I'm stupid that way, I never use Tripod's or monopods if I can help it.
Auto-ISO and shutter priority for the win.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/6.3Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern846Focal Length (35mm Equiv)750 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2008:03:06 17:24:41Exposure Time1/125 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating800Exposure Bias-1/3 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length500.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width1047Image Height1553RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Anonymous
>>136423
I think you mean "Shutter Priority for the win, but I shouldn't have used auto ISO because now my picture is noisy as hell"
>> Blackadder !!bSWRwu/NqzQ
Bigma is a common choice for nature and bird photographers. I've heard nothing but good about it the price its at. Remarkably flexible lens.
>> Anonymous
I gotta ask, what's the point of wildlife photography like this? Is it sort of like hunting without killing things? I guess I can see it being entertaining while you're out there shooting but the photos are boring as fuck.
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
>>136455
I don't think you understand why auto-iso is useful.
Shutter priority maxes out in low light at your widest shutter, Auto-iso is the third leg, in that it will compensate ONCE that aperture maxes out.
Hence its usefullness.
It is fantastic on lenses that are sharp at its widest aperture, If you plan on stopping down at all times you basically have to rely on manual (with auto-iso) since the D200's "minimum shutter speed" in the auto iso menu is only 1/250.
>> Anonymous
is that the lens or you

because none of these shots are sharp
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
>>136461
Its challenging, and most importantly its recognizable among peers.
Why does anyone take pictures? to impress someone else. Wildlife is skittish, hence the difficulty. Better shots usually require some skill, patience or luck in getting close enough, or a ton of money to get 500mm+ lenses.
>> Anonymous
>>136478
So it's like hunting. That's all you had to say.
>> Anonymous
>>136478
I take pictures to create beautiful and interesting art, but I guess impressing people is a nice by-product of that.
>> fence !!POey2hdozCZ
>>136523

beautiful and interesting to who, you?
>> Anonymous
>>136525

mom
>> Anonymous
>>136525
Yes.
>> fence !!POey2hdozCZ
>>136530

cool, just checking.
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
>>136523
ya but when you think about it, you were taught what is beautiful and interesting all your life. People generally have a similar idea as to what is "beautiful and interesting".
>> NatureGuy !se3A3TwzdY
>>136461
You disappoint me young padawan