Originally posted by Lowell Goudge My only observation for the OP is that birding at distances of 50 meters requires a longer lens
I typically use 600mm K-1 or 510mm K-3 at distances of around 10 meters or less.
This being a typical image.
50 meters would need to be a pretty big bird.
Here is a fairly big merganser at about 30 meters, 340mm on a K-1.
My guess is for 50 meters a 600 ƒ4 with a TC might be good, but I've only seen this combo used at far less than 50 meters. You have to understand there's a lot of room between the lens and subject for atmospheric effects to interfere. Shooting at 50 meters is almost a recipe for more failures than successes, not to mention how tough it is to find your subject in a 1000mm lens.
Here's 420mm, less than 50 meters but more than 30, it's a nice environmental image, but somewhat lacking in detail.
You really need to find a way to get closer.
The biggest challenge in birding is not buying long lenses, it's understandings where your opportunities for good images will come from, knowing enough about the birds and their behaviours to get close. So dam shots for eagles, migration shots for warblers and many other birds, a backyard blind was my solution. You actually have to work at creating opportunities. Better than average opportunities gets you better than average images.
Even a DA 55-300 PLM can be awesome if you create opportunities.
Last edited by normhead; 06-01-2020 at 10:03 AM.