mrtkarlin Loc: Ashland, Oregon

I'm primarily interested in bird photography. I currently have a Nikon D750, a Tamron 150-600 lens (among others), and a Vanguard Alta tripod and ball head. I've been pretty happy, but am now considering taking the plunge (or the bath) by upgrading to a Nikon 500mm or 600mm f4E lens, a Nikon teleconverter (for the 500mm) TC 14E-III, a Gitzo Series 5 tripod and a Gitzo fluid Gimbal head. I've read a bunch, and the quality of all the aforementioned choices seems high. I both walk and drive around shooting pictures. For now I'm planning on keeping the Tamron and Vanguard tripod for longer walks and using the new lens and Gitzo tripod for car ventures and shorter walks. Any thoughts/suggestions/insights on the lenses and tripod/head would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Marty
mrtk.smugmug.com

Bill_de Loc: US

I have a D500, An older 500 F/4.0, 200-500 F/5.6, and 800 F5.6.

While the longer lenses 'get you closer', f/4.0 gets better backgrounds. The 600 would be my choice over the 500 with a teleconverter. Another thing I would think about would be holding out for a D850 over the D500. The 600 won't be too long in FF mode, and you can crop or switch to DX mode and have the field of view of a D500. No converter and a constant F/4.0.

BTW - I plan on a D850 in a few months.

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DAMcCoy

I have had some very good shots with D750 and a 200-500 Nikon.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I'd think about upgrading your D750 to a D810 or D850 - more accurate focusing and better tracking. Tamron is fine, hand held - leave the tripod home. The 600 F4 is an amazing lens, but you are stuck needing the tripod - which can be a challenge for grabbing shots of flying birds. Up close, at F4, DoF can be too shallow. The 500 with a 1.4 III is fine, and this review shows that you give up very little with the 1.4 III. I am not sure on this, but I think the 500 with the 1.4 gets you closer than the 600 without a TC. CA and vignetting is an issue when using the TC, as the article will show, but both are easy enough to correct in post processing.

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-500mm-f4e-vr

Since you've decided to spend some $$$ and get a good support system for the bigger lens, you may want to take a look at RRS tripods and their integrated Gimbal/Pano head - it attaches to the tripod it a much more secure way than a conventional gimbal - with a lot more than a 3/8" screw - Nothing I've used comes close to it's stability and build quality - including even Gitzo.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

No matter what large lens you are using, you will be more mobile and have better aiming accuracies with
a monopod or bodypod and facial stabilizer. - http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-269999-1.html

Also keep in mind, the consensus for user friendly/success for BIF is handholding.

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Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Marty, ever consider sun flower seeds! Sprinkle them on the ground and the birds come to you and any ole 18-180 will get you there! I enjoy this post and you are getting some good advise!

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

I love my Sigma 150 - 600 sport lens. Use it on both of my cameras; D5 and D500. Excellent lens for birds. Gitzo Series 5 with Next Gimbal head. Great combination.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Be aware, serious bird shooters have more money tied up in their equipment than the cost of a new car.

patmalone51 Loc: Washington, DC., Montgomery County, MD

I just replaced my D810 with D850 for which I have high hopes but no tangible results yet - except to notice that with a 300mm lens f4 PF with a 1.4 teleconverter, the focus acquisition is much faster on the 850. You might check out what Artie Morris said recently on his birds as art blog about why he switched from Canon to Nikon and why he is now using a D850 and a D5.
i like my lens combo of 300/1.4 which takes it to 420mm effective and is excellent for walk around work. here's a recent album of herons and ducks on our C&O canal https://flic.kr/s/aHsmbhVmjE and an album of more birds on the river here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/53535718@N06/7ME714 Some of these are a bit noisy and thus the switch to the 850, but i really love the lens. I am not fast enough with a tripod when these birds take off.

By the way, I saved some $ getting a used series II of the 1.4 and it works fine. go to nikonusa.com for those.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Hi Marty,

I'd recommend looking at some other things, besides what you're considering...

1. Camera: Get yourself an APS-C/DX camera for birding. If you do many "bird in flight" shots, a Nikon 21MP D500 for it's 10 fps frame rate and high performance AF system would be ideal. A 24MP D7200 would be a very good alternative with a bit higher resolution, but somewhat slower frame rate and not quite as high performance AF, though still pretty darned good for BIF. Either camera would be great for less active shots. An APS-C/DX camera will "put more pixels on target" with a small, distant subject.... compared to your or other full frame cameras. (If you were to crop a D750's image to DX format, you're left with about 10MP... less than half the resolution of the D500 or D7200 (Note: The newer/current model D7500 has a slightly higher frame rate than D7200, but is lower resolution like the D500. D7200 and D7500 appear to use the same AF system.) By all means keep your D750 for other stuff (or closer, more cooperative subjects) or upgrade it to a newer FX model... but complement that with an APS-C/DX model!

2. Lens: If yours is the original Tamron 150-600, there are several possible upgrade paths. While a Nikkor 500mm f/4 FL or 600mm f/4 FL would be the absolute max possible image quality, you will also be giving up a lot of the flexibility and versatility of a zoom lens. You might instead want to consider one of the newer or higher performance version 150-600mm lenses ($1400 Tamron "G2" or $2200 Sigma "Sports)... Or similar such as Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 ($1400), Nikkor 80-400mm ($2300) with a 1.4X TC. Sigma's 120-300mm f/2.8 ($3600) with 1.4X and/or 2X teleconverter is also a viable possibility. Or, if your budget is what it seems, perhaps the new Nikkor 180-400mm f/4 FL with a built-in/matched 1.4X ($12,400, not yet in stores and not widely reviewed, but likely a premium quality lens). Used on an APS-C camera, a 400mm lens gives you the same effective "reach" as 600mm does now on your full frame D750. Any lens or lens/teleconverter combo with focal length longer than that will be a plus on APS-C.... but in most cases smaller, lighter and more practical to haul around and use!

3. Tripod: Actually, you don't need a Gitzo Series 5 tripod... their largest, heaviest and most expensive models. Any of those would be overkill for what you want to do. Gitzo's Series 3 (or similar in other brands) is more than enough tripod! I use three older Gitzo Series 3 models with lenses up to 800mm/10 lb. (plus camera, flash, etc.), no problem! Just sure the Gitzo (or other brand) you choose is "Systematic" style that can be used without any center column, for best stability (Gitzo "Traveler", "Reporter" and "Mountaineer" models have non-removable center columns and/or rely upon raising the column to reach "working" height... The model names may differ, but similar may be the case in other brands.) Look for a leg set that gives you adequate working height without need for a center column. If at all possible, I'd also recommend three-section legs... maybe four-section at most if you want a little more compact or need a little taller than standard. Any more leg sections than that makes for less stability... and slower setup. (Note: Height needs to be adequate that you can stand comfortably. When calculating tripod "working" height, don't forget to include what the head and camera itself add, on top of the tripod... Also, measure your own height at your eye-line, not at the top of your head.)

4. Tripod Head: The new Gitzo isn't available yet or reviewed anywhere.... it's probably fine. But, you need to be aware that a "full size" gimbal head pretty much makes your tripod "long lens only". It will not be usable with shorter lenses and direct camera mounting without first changing to a different head or buying additional accessories. There are alternatives, such as the Wimberley Sidekick and similar. These "adapt" a standard heavy duty ballhead for gimbal use, allowing the tripod head to quickly be converted back to standard use without need for any tools. But if you prefer a full size gimbal, there are cheaper than the new Gitzo model (which isn't in stores yet), that do the exact same job, just as well.... for example the Nest head sold by MT Shooter, who participates here on the UHH forum.

5. Tripod Leveler: You didn't mention this, but it's an accessory that goes between the head and the tripod leg set, which allows rapid leveling of a gimbal head for best use. When you are setting up on uneven ground frequently, this is a VERY useful accessory. Without it you have to adjust leg length every time you move or set up the tripod, a slower and less convenient process. Even though they add roughly a pound to the weight of the tripod, I have leveling platforms on both the Gitzo Series 3s I use with gimbal heads (one a full size gimbal, the other a Wimberley Sidekick adapter w/heavy duty ballhead).

EDIT: Yes, pros like Art Morris use top-of-the-line full frame models... And they also frequently have paid assistants to carry the gear for them and/or an ATV or golf cart to haul things around! Do you? But, if you prefer a single camera instead of a DX/FX combo, an upgrade to a higher resolution D810 (36MP) or D850 (46MP) certainly is a possibility... because those models when used in DX crop mode can still produce 15MP and 19MP images (respectively). Not quite as much as a D500/D7500 or D7200... but still pretty darned good. Those FX models also might be able to run at a faster frame rate in DX mode. D810 uses an AF system akin to what D7200/D7500 use... while D850 uses one that appears related to the D500's. However, check to see if there's any reduction in the number of usable AF points when the FX cameras are used in DX mode.

Have fun shopping!

Bill_de Loc: US

Does Artie really pay somebody to carry his gear these days?

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Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

I shot for years with a 500mm, but when I started getting serious about birds, I ended up selling it for the 600mm. You will need the extra reach, especially shooting full frame. Yes, it's heavy and bulky, yada yada, but it's worth the effort. F/4 on full frame melts away backgrounds and really isolates your subject. BTW - a D850 with a grip is really great for birds if you want to upgrade the body. Gives you lots of cropping ability when you need it and you can use the full frame when you don't.

As for tripods, I agree with the post above - a 3 series Gitzo is fine. The new 600 E is light enough that it works out well. For gimbal heads, I still use a Wimberley WH-200 - works like a champ and is very nearly as versatile as hand-holding.

Below are a few bird shots with the 600mm on full frame to give you an idea.

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tbormann Loc: St. Louis, MO

Try renting a big lens first to make sure you will like it.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Love these shots, Steve.