The more I read the more I think I would be better off with a full frame or least a larger crop sensor (thinking D850 or D500). When you click one of my links to the MindShift/ThinkTank website and spend more than $50 in their store, you’ll get the option to choose a free gift when you get to the checkout. As with many of the items on this list, they are inexpensive and don’t take up a lot of room, yet have the ability to really enhance your wildlife photography experiences. The LensSack has a threaded stud on the top so you can attach a clamp or ball head. Hopefully I can find a new one to recommend. I would not recommend using the 2x extend on that lens at all. This might be a helpful post: https://shuttermuse.com/4-reasons-you-need-a-polarizing-filter/. The other reason for getting a tripod is simply to prevent fatigue. When you wear HECS ® wildlife photography gear, its technology lets you reduce any stress you may put on animals and the impact it can have on their territory. height) and EGL-65 (five-section, 55-inch max. Simply click through to buy it from their website and you’ll get to choose a special gift at the checkout. Dan is also the President of the First Light Image Festival. I’ve actually tested this lens myself whilst shooting grizzly bears and was impressed by its sharpness. With my 200-400 f/4, it’s rock solid. As the name of the 300-600 suggests, it’s good for lenses sized from 300mm f/2.8 up to 600mm f/4, but it’ll also work with an 800mm f/5.6 or longer tele-zooms such as a Tamron 150-600mm, Nikon 200-500mm or Sigma 60-600mm. The cover surrounds the lens and camera body entirely, and the LCD screen and controls can be viewed through the clear back panel, whilst lens controls have their own clear top panel. You can find many of my wildlife photos on this website , Hi Dan, More How To. If you can’t get close enough, you’ll be just shooting landscape with some wildlife in the picture. I’ve made both these mistakes myself! If you are shooting from your car or a safari vehicle, then a pair of binoculars will likely be a better choice. The other mistake I’ve made is buying a cheap tripod and then constantly having to deal with problems and breakages. Length: 4.6 inches. On a day of shooting, many hours can be spent watching and waiting. Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. Hand holding longer lenses can work for birds in flight, but that’s about it. Had a question about your side mount gimbal. I have Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Di Vc Usd lens with Tamron SP AF 1.4x Teleconverter for my Canon 70D camera. I just discovered your website and wanted to say thank you for all the hard work that went into making a great site for photographers! J’adore ce matos qui répond à presque tous mes scenarii mais je m’interroge encore sur l’opportunité d’un prolongateur x1.4…. Set up an object and photograph it from a distance, then go and take a close look at these photos on a computer. In fact, they have even reduced the price of this cover with the latest V3 version, which makes it an even better purchase than before. A headlamp like the Petzl ACTIK CORE provides hands-free illumination for enhanced safety and visibility. While we are thinking specifically about gear for wildlife photography, it might be a good chance for me to jump on my soapbox. Hey Kurt! There’s really no escaping the fact that you’re going to need a relatively long lens to achieve the kind of wildlife photos you’ll likely be proud of. Another great option is the top-of-the-line MindShift Backlight Elite 45L. Pour ma part en photo animalière j’utilise un Nikon D850 et un 500 PF F/5,6. Take this shot of the bear eating barnacles, for example. It’s a pretty close run race between these two options but if you pressed me, I’d pick the Think Tank Hydrophobia because they are now quite a bit cheaper with the recent price reductions, and they also come with a front cover for your lens. Sony users probably have the easiest choice! 448mm is definitely enough to get nice shots of larger predatory birds like eagles if you can position yourself in the right place. A ballhead is really designed to be locked down for static usage, but a gimbal can help you track a flying bird AND be locked down for a static bird. If funds can’t stretch to RRS pricing then I’d take a look at Induro’s carbon tripods and the ever-present Manfrotto 055. Thanks! Footwear that provides waterproof protection and support for long hikes and mucky conditions is essential gear for tracking wildlife. Hi Dan – great and informative article. Contact: Petzl, petzl.com. Duration: 8:00 Become A Member. Short on time? This gimbal weighs just 2.4lbs but can easily support the largest photo gear on the market. Since we can’t really guarantee what the weather will be like, I would always opt for a fully waterproof setup. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re a Sony user, because of the stunning value of the native 200-600mm lens there is absolutely no point in considering a third-party option in this range. Just forget about it, you’ll get a better result by using the 1.4x, or no extender at all and then simply cropping the image to “zoom” digitally. I love the really right stuff pano head you have but can’t justify the cost as an intermediate/travel photographer. Creative considerations for making black-and-white images from color files. … On a long day where you’re already carrying a heavy lens and camera setup, you’ll be thankful for the weight saving. Hi Dan, Combine this with the magnified shaking effect of longer focal lengths and a tripod is really an essential item. The customizable padded interior includes a lens collar to support and secure your lens. Thanks again. There’s really no escaping the fact that you’re going to need a … A gimbal is by the best thing for tracking moving objects. I haven’t made it up to Prince Rupert yet but one day I hope to . X-pattern lacing above the ankle makes them easy to put on and take off. For photographers, I would consider that to be a must-have feature, and you’ll also find it in the cheaper Petzl Bindi rechargeable headlamp, which is like the baby brother to the Swift RL. Photo Of The Day. Landscapes, seascapes, macro photos, wildlife photography, and bird photography are all specific categories of nature photography. LensCoat LensSacks are the perfect answer and they come in a couple of different sizes. For smaller primes like a 300mm, or zooms such as the Sony 200-600mm or Tamron 150-600mm, the Fotopro Eagle E-6H would also be an excellent option. Very rarely do I have the thought that I missed a shot because I was using a camera that was too slow. Spotting wildlife through your telephoto lens can be difficult due to the lens’ narrow field of view. It seems that GURA GEAR has been taken over and the Sabi Sack is no longer available. best gimbal heads on the market this year. I’ve just returned from a two-week wildlife photography expedition in the Chilcotin Mountains of British Columbia where I was photographing grizzly bears from a kayak. Do you think a M43 camera is suitable for wildlife photography, particularly in low light conditions? This almost certainly means that you’ll spend some time in the darkness, whether it be before or after your photography session. After much consideration, the binoculars I chose for my primary pair are the Nikon Monarch HG 10×42. Professional photographer based in the Yukon, Canada, and founder of Shutter Muse. I have been tasked with getting a gift for my boss who is an avid wildlife photographer. I carefully consider the shot and then formulate the perfect image in my mind’s eye. Bonsoir Dan, français, je découvre ton site et tes points de vue judicieux. Of course, the Hydrophobia cover also qualifies you for the free Think Tank gift offer. Great informational review. When the eyepiece is not in use, there’s a storage pocket for it on the cover. You can recharge it via USB and it also has a red LED mode which is great for illuminating closer objects, like your camera, but without affecting your night vision. But now you mentioned the side mount rrs option, which I don’t see many people online talk about so wondering if it’s a viable alternative to the full rrs gimbal with the cradle. i try not to spray and pray at all. The Sports Shields only have an armhole on the right-hand side, though, which some might deem to be a disadvantage, particularly if you are trying to operate the zoom ring on a long lens like the Canon 200-400, or if you are wanting to keep your hands warm and dry. Yes my tripod is a pricey choice, and I’m not saying you have to pay RRS prices, but I take great satisfaction in the sturdiness of it and knowing that it’s going to be with me for many adventures to comes. Honestly, I would suggest looking at the Tamron 150-600. Cropping is a key tool, as … Thanks a lot for your article! Waterfalls, wildflowers and stunning mountain backdrops await in the Pacific Northwest. Contact: LensCoat, lenscoat.com. The men’s version is available in both medium and wide widths. Teleconverters, sometimes called extenders, are a great way to extend the reach of your long lens when photographing smaller animals, or ones that you simply can’t get close to. 5) Think … The cheaper of Sigma’s two models takes direct aim at the Tamron equivalent, while the higher-end version is built to withstand the rigours of professional usage. Honestly, I do not think that you need to rush to buy a tripod, though. You said you were using using two stacked 1.4x extenders for the photo of the eagle. Thanks! Evan Spellman Articles by Tag. Required fields are marked*. My previous list, 21 Essential Pieces of Gear for the Travelling Photographer, was very popular and is also worth a look since most people do travel to their wildlife photography locations! Sign up for premium membership and get access to our best outdoor photography videos. While a sturdy ballhead can manage a super-tele lens, a gimbal head like the Eagle Series E-6H from Fotopro provides superior support with a balanced center of gravity and allows for smooth movements as you track your subject. Somehow I missed this comment when it came in. The solid aluminum design can support super-tele lenses—just add your own tripod head. I have a new found love for Bird Photography. They do affect AF speed, contrast and sharpness, but there are ways to mitigate that if you really understand the limitations. A small, powerful LED torch can be great as well though, as this allows you to light up distant objects and it can also be a handy light painting tool! Telephoto Lens. thank you so much. Here are some key items to consider. Looking for pano-gimbal head and tripod that will work with a Nikon 3400 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens, What are your suggestions? October 13, 2009. Having access to f/4 on something like a Sony 600mm f/4 GM, over f/6.3 on something like the Tamron makes a huge difference when you are shooting in low light. A Beginner's Guide to Wildlife Photography Gear With their interchangeable lenses, Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras (DSLRs) are the most versatile option for wildlife photography… There actually aren’t a whole lot of options out there for quality long lens covers, but the Think Tank Hydrophobia 300-600 V3 is the best-known one for super-telephoto lenses, and the Hydrophobia 70-200 V3 is the best one for telephoto zooms such as a 70-200mm, 100-400mm or 80-400mm. Leave a comment below and share with us! Sorry it took me a while to reply. Why Extenders or Teleconverters Are Vital for My Wildlife Photography, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1184458-REG/lenscoat_lclspjdc_lenssack_pro_jr.html/BI/7152/KBID/7700, http://sportsflashtech.com/wildlife-shooting/canon-hs60sx.html, http://shuttermuse.com/how-to-stack-canon-extenders-teleconverters/, http://www.evanspellmanphoto.com/-/galleries/earth-all-terrestrial-and-aquatic-life/it-flys-in-the-air/-/medias/288df7df-3d65-4b08-9cfa-1197ebef863f, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1429472-REG/benro_gh5c_carbon_fiber_gimbal.html/BI/7152/KBID/7700/KWID/DFF/DFF/d50, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1157906-REG/benro_gh2_gimbal_head_with.html/BI/7152/KBID/7700/DFF/d10-v21-t1-x644778/SID/DFF, https://shuttermuse.com/4-reasons-you-need-a-polarizing-filter/, Sound Devices MixPre-3 Vs. MixPre-3 II Audio Mixer/Recorder, 17 Things Every Adventure Photographer Needs in Their Kit, RucPac Extreme Photography Glove Review – An Excellent Way To Keep Warm While You Shoot. 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