DSLR + Lense(s) for Wildlife photography

SiriusB

SiriusB

SiriusB

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This is a request on behalf of my brother's girlfriend.

She wants a quality camera and lenses that will last her years with wildlife photography being her main focus. [sorry.]

She has been into Jessops and the like and had a nosey and listened to what some of the sales people have said. In a flash of inspiration [again sorry] I suggested she post here, since you lot appear to know what you are on about. It turns out I am the one posting!

I think she was leaning towards a Canon... possibly the EOS550 but she may have changed her mind since I last spoke to her. To make things more difficult she wants/needs a special [read: expensive] lense to be able to photograph wildlife. No idea if that is true, but if someone could explain what would be required, if the "standard" lense isn't up to the job, that would be most welcome.

Her budget is somewhere in the region of £800, though of course I am sure she would like some change out of that if possible. :)

It is down to you lot to give me some suggestions!
 
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For that money a kit of some kind and a 70-300 zoom is about the only option. If she get's seriously into it though that'll last no time at all unfortunately.

'Wildlife' is a big subject area and there are lots of different lenses you can use depending on what and where you are. I've used everything from a 500mm f/4 telephoto (about £6k) for shooting deer in the highlands to a wide zoom (17-35mm f/2.8) for shooting seals on a beach in the US (after about 4 hours crawling up to them for a nice easy shot from 5m away). If you want to shoot birds in flight you'll ideally need a fast camera with great AF (Nikon D300s / Canon 7D). There's lots of different sides to wildlife photography and it's possible to spend an awful lot of money.

For that budget though any consumer focused kit with a 18-55 standard zoom and then buying a 70-300 telephoto zoom will cover the bases to get you started. It won't be ideal in less well lit situation but it's always a trade off. Worth remembering when you're starting out you can always hire lenses as you need them (I still do - there's no way I can afford to own a 500mm f/4!)
 
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30D - Used - £250
150-500mm - Used - £550

Then later on add a 17-50mm [£225ish used] to complete that set-up.

I chose the 30D because it's pretty quick, offers enough MP's and gives decent AF performance. Plus it's built a bit better than the xxxD's!!!

The 150-500 has OS - good for lower-light and poorer handholding techniques on long lenses. It's got zoodles of reach (I'd say 300mm minimum for bigger stuff, 500mm minimum for birds) plus it's a zoom so you have load's of focal lengths in one. Also HSM is a pretty zippy AF system.

Then the 17-50 will give you general purpose indoor shooting stuff...
 
Personally I wouldn't want to recommend anyone start out without a standard zoom, shooting wildlife or not, not being able to shoot wider than 150mm is going to be a problem pretty quickly.

Second hand body isn't a bad plan but more advanced bodies (in the Nikon world anyway) dump all the consumer friendly scene modes that the new bodies in that price range will get - they're more powerful sure, but it's a steeper learning curve for the unfamiliar (not always a bad thing though...)
 
Nothing wrong with the 450D, very good camera. The 500D and 550D benefit from video capabilities, so if that's important then factor that in.

However, the 75-300mm isn't good. I would recommend avoiding it. The auto focus is slow and not very accurate, and the image quality isn't great. A Canon 55-250IS will outperform the 75-300 in almost all circumstances imo. For wildlife purposes the setup that P0ss3s3d recommended is probably the best imo.
 
Namistai said:
However, the 75-300mm isn't good. I would recommend avoiding it. The auto focus is slow and not very accurate, and the image quality isn't great.
Click to expand...

If you care about great image quality and sharp photos, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Lens is not for you. And Photoshop cannot enhance details that are not there.
Click to expand...

Above from a review site
 
Fair enough. I just been on the phone to her and put her off that particular deal!

She had a few questions that I shall put forward to you guys:

1: What other good photography shops [online or high street] are there, other than Jessops and Amazon.

2: She quite likes the 450D as it is a reasonable price and she has been told elsewhere it is a very good camera. However, is there anything else she could look at? I know the 30D was mentioned.

3: Having looked at some prices for the 70-300mm lens they are expensive, what are good alternatives if she can't push her budget that high?

She really wants to get the best for her money [as does everyone!] and obviously doesn't want to come away with a lemon - the man in Jessops would have quite happily sold her that 75-300mm lens without saying a word, I bet.
 
The Canon 450D is superb apparently. What abaout the Nikon D5000? Thought that was supposed to be a good DSLR too?
 
I have emailed you, if that is not against the rules? If it is then i apologise and please remove post.
 
Personally I'd still take a 30D... (very capable camera... http://www.flickr.com/photos/raymondlin/sets/72157623738640615/) ...over a 450D. Just a few bit's and bobs that make it generally more useful. Although a 450D is still fine...

TBH I think I'd go for one of these three

Option 1
Canon 30D
Canon 18-55IS
Canon 50 f/1.8
Canon 55-250IS

Option 2
Canon 30D
Canon 18-55IS
Sigma 120-400mm


Option 3
Canon 30D
Tamron 17-50
Canon 55-250IS​


Basically, I'd say for your general purpose zoom either an 18-55 or 17-50. If you get the 18-55 then I'd advise a 50mm f/1.8 for lower light. If you go 17-50 you proably won't need a low-light lens just yet.

Long range lenses... 55-250 - not as much range, noisy focussing but sharpish and cheap. 120-400 - good range, sharpish, fast AF.



Expensive lenses don't loose their value either -
egI - A 200mm f/1.8 cost's £3k used [made in 1988] it's new replacement [2008] cost's about £4k used.
egII - 300mm f/2.8 IS cost's £3.7k new, a model used from 1999 costs £3k, a used model from 2010 costs... £3.1k

Bodies on the other hand.... a 1D mark I from 2003 cost £3.5k, now it's £350.​
 
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Thank you so much everyone! You have given her a lot to think about.

I gave my brother's girlfriend the 3 options you suggested above, possesed. Now she has gone away to do some reading and pricing up etc :)
 
SiriusB said:
2: She quite likes the 450D as it is a reasonable price and she has been told elsewhere it is a very good camera. However, is there anything else she could look at? I know the 30D was mentioned.
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2nd hand 40D

the 30D, 40D etc.. are prosumer cameras whereas the 400D is mid range/entry level

40D and 400D have the same/similar sensor so say taking a still picture in the same conditions with the same lens the results will be similar however the 40D has a higher number of frames per second, more robust body etc.. basically since you've specified wildlife photography then you'll be better off looking at the XXD range than the XXXD range...
 
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