[jone1]

I own the digital pentax istDL. I have the quantaray 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 tele-macro (1:2)lens. I mostly photograph wildlife, particularly birds. This lens does fine for large birds. When it comes to sparrows and birds smaller than a sparrow like chickadees this lens does not give me the performance I'm looking for. I am in search of a telephoto lens that can photograph small birds from a distance. With all the lenses out there it's hard to know which lens would be the right one. I would appreciate if anyone out there knows what would be best to give some tips or even links to sights. Thanks so much.

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Last edited by Peter Zack; 10-27-2009 at 04:17 AM.

[Peter Zack]

Welcome to the forums. The link you provided has been removed as possible spam. If it is reloaded, your membership will be banned.

[Lowell Goudge]

it depends what you are looking for

The shot below uses a SMC 300mmF4 plus SMC-F 1.7 x AF TC Lens and TC will cost about $600-800 depending on version SMC, SMC-M and SMC-A (A will cost about $800 on its own)

effectively 500mm F7. SHot on *istD with AF500FTZ flash

It is only a mild crop of the full image (perhaps 90% of the frame)



i also use a sigma APO 70-200F2.8 EX (non DG non macro) and sigma 2 x TC lens is abotu $700 used, TC is $200 new. Ths is a full frame of a small falcon about 12 inches (30cm) high

[Marc Sabatella]

It would help to post some pictures showing what you are dissatisfied with, as you didn't provide enough information to know for sure. I can only assume it's the simple fact that 300mm isn't long enough - the a distant bird appears too small in the picture, and if you try cropping way down on the picture to make the bird bigger, your camera doesn't have enough pixels to provide decent resolution.

So the main solution would be a lens with a longer focal length. Or a camera with more resolution. But again, before leaping to conclusions, samples would help. It's also possible you are simple shooting with too slow a shutter speed and are getting blur as a result, and you could get better results just by getting a faster shutter speed (eg, by using a larger aperture or high ISO setting).

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Last edited by Marc Sabatella; 10-28-2009 at 01:19 PM.

[dadipentak]

I'd second Lowell's advice and add that a lot depends on finding ways to get close--stealth, study, camouflage and patience. You want to fill as much of the frame with bird as possible and keep cropping to a minimum.

[jmc7104]

I'd second Lowell's advice and add that a lot depends on finding ways to get close--stealth, study, camouflage and patience. You want to fill as much of the frame with bird as possible and keep cropping to a minimum.

Agree with the above. Put up feeders and provide a water feature to bring the birds to you. Shooting wildlife with a camera is no different than shooting with a gun. The larger the bird the easier it is to hit and the closer you can get the better luck you will have.
Even with a 300mm-400mm lens and camera on tripod, shooting from blind 15, 20ft away cann be trying with smaller flighty birds. Also helpful to spend consideravle time around area where you are going to be shooting from. Lets birds become famular with you. jim

[egordon99]

Yep, you just have to get closer. I shoot with a 100-400mm (another brand), and I REALLY have to be practically on top of the small birds to get them to fill the frame.

[estudleon]

Thanks for sharing. It's wanderfull, masterpiece!!

Now, I 'll take off my equipment by the window (and me too).

[Lowell Goudge]

..... Shooting wildlife with a camera is no different than shooting with a gun. The larger the bird the easier it is to hit and the closer you can get the better luck you will have.

I disagree, it is a lot harder to photograph something than it is to kill it.

Even with a 300mm-400mm lens and camera on tripod, shooting from blind 15, 20ft away cann be trying with smaller flighty birds.

you need to consider math, in all of this.
- Your sensor is 24 x 16 mm (w x h)
- the image size on the sensor is defined (when distance is much greater than focal length) as

Image size = subject size / subject distance * focal length.

COnsider my chickadee.
the image is about 20mm, I used a 500mm lens and the subject, according to my bird books is about 140mm. To get this image size, I was about 3.5 meters away. From memory this is right, and it is also at almost the minimum focus for the 300 F4.

If I was shooting a warbler, it would only be half that size.

Also helpful to spend consideravle time around area where you are going to be shooting from. Lets birds become famular with you. jim

there is no substitute for patience.

[Lowell Goudge]

one other thing to consider for wild life is the use of a flash.

Smaller birds are often shaded, as was my chickadee above.

Use of a flash limits the combinations of lenses and bodies.

My chickadee was shot with my *istD and the SMC 300 F4 plus 1.7x AF TC. I use this combo in low light on the *istD because the *istD supports TTL flash, and has a seperate metering sensor reading light reflected off the sensor. It therefore can work with non A lenses.

If I shoot with flash on my K10D or K7D, I use my AF540FGZ and my Sigma 70-200 F2.8 plus either 1.4x or 2x sigma TC.

It does a good job also, and has the advantage of focusing closer allowing a closer approach to the little birds.

Image Quality wise, it is excellent as the shot below will attest.

[8540tomg]

I'd second Lowell's advice and add that a lot depends on finding ways to get close--stealth, study, camouflage and patience. You want to fill as much of the frame with bird as possible and keep cropping to a minimum.

I'm with Dave and Lowell et al on this one. The old maximum still holds true: Get a big lens and get close.





The American Goldfinch is a pretty tiny and skittish bird. It took me 2 or 3 months to get close enough for these shots with the SMC K 300/4. I think I got within the 13 ft. minimum focusing distance on this lens. The old K 300/4 has its issues with PF and CAs but in the right circumstances it can deliver some pretty fair images.

Tom G

[reeftool]

I got this guy with a Sigma 70-300 so it can be done with a little patience.

[Ex Finn.]

Focal length over stealth 900mm f 7.5 refractor telescope, about 35' away.
Maybe 80% crop, 3 pixel sharpening.

Cheers.Mike.