Advice on lens selection: I am getting into birding and would appreciate some comments/advice. I currently have the Nikon 80-400mm 4.5-5.6D lens but considering the new Tamron...

Thomas Firth

I am getting into birding and would appreciate some comments/advice. I currently have the Nikon 80-400mm 4.5-5.6D lens but considering the new Tamron 150-600mm G2 5-6.3. If I use a 1.4 teleconverter on the Nikon I can get 560 on the reach, this would be the most cost effective approach but I would lose a stop. I was also wondering if 560 or 600 is enough for most birding? I also was thinking of the Tamron with aq 1.4 teleconverter which would put me out to 840mm. Any comments on auto-focus or other issues with any of these configurations?
I'm using the D750 camera.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Thomas Firth wrote:

I am getting into birding and would appreciate som... (show quote)

Rather than spending money on a new lens and a teleconverter, keep the 80-400 and spend the money on a cropped frame camera such as the d7200, or better yet, the d500. The cropped frame camera will give a larger reach than the converter, and you will not lose a 1/2 step of light doing it. The d500 will compliment your d750 nicely and, in my opinion, is the best camera on the market right now for birding. I have both and use my d500 exclusively for wildlife and action shooting, keeping the d750 for landscape and portraits.

LensWork

The Nikon 80-400mm 4.5-5.6D lens is not compatible with the Nikon TC-E14. The newer Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR can be used with the TC-E14 (with some restrictions). The "D" version that you have is a sharp lens, however with its screw-drive AF, it has notoriously slow AF, not conducive to birding.

pbcbob Loc: Delray Beach, FL

No lens is long enough for all bird situations. Either of the referenced lenses will get you going. As mentioned in previous response, a cropped frame would help too.
My personal opinion if I could only choose one lens: The Tammy 150-600.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

orrie smith wrote:

Rather than spending money on a new lens and a tel... (show quote)

You still will loose on the light end (you'll have to consider the crop factor just the same as if it were, say a 1.4x TC), because it not only crops the image but the light reaching the sensor as well!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

orrie smith wrote:

Rather than spending money on a new lens and a tel... (show quote)

Granted, when shooting birds at a distance, crop cameras would be the way to go. However, why spend $2000 just for that so called "reach" which is a misnomer. The bird would be projected onto a crop sensor at the same size as it would be projected onto a full frame sensor. All the O.P. would need to do is "crop" it in p/p to get the same result as he would from a "crop" camera. Remember, too, the longer the lens, the more chance for shake, etc., unless on a tripod. Also, I would question the use of a teleconverter on a zoom lens. It might get you extra reach, but at what cost? If you really want that reach, look for a used 500mm lens. Non vr 500mm lenses could be found for half the price of a new $5000 500mm VR lens. So...don't put that two grand into a crop sensor camera. Get a used 500mm lens instead. No problem with sticking a 1.4x teleconverter on a 500mm prime lens. That would give you 700mm which could easily be cropped out another 1.5x to 1050mm. Go with the 500mm prime lens.

IBM

orrie smith wrote:

Rather than spending money on a new lens and a tel... (show quote)

The d500 is rated as the top Dx that Nikon has right now,but the things it's tipping the scales with ,over the D7200 are not that great of improvement , if your shooting birds and sports , your not going to miss that much with a d7200 , sure the d500 is nice but at twice the price , your not getting much improvement from the difference in price, higher iso , faster burst rate , , but if your shooting birds flying at dusk , you may get a couple more keepers , but the D7200 holds its own , just leave when it get dark , as your pic from a d5oo of BIF won't be keepers either , I can get a refurbished D7200 for $700 at the most a d500 is over $2000 , you could get a 200-600mm and camera ,

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Yep, D7200 and long lens (Tamron or Sigma) if money is and issue.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Thomas Firth wrote:

I am getting into birding and would appreciate som... (show quote)

At 24MP, the cropability of the D750 is nothing to get excited about - but the higher ISO capability is.

f6.3 will lower AF performance - and a TC will lower it more. Fast action IQ/focus will suffer.

I like the idea of the Nikon 200-500 - especially the f5.6 part. I also like the idea of using a crop frame sensor and cropping your way from 500-600mm - especially in good light.

For most serious wildlife, including and especially birds, I say you need to get to 600mm - on a crop frame ! ( 900mm eq.)

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

orrie smith wrote:

Rather than spending money on a new lens and a tel... (show quote)

Could not agree more.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Thomas Firth wrote:

I am getting into birding and would appreciate som... (show quote)

If you like quality results stay with Nikon. The new Nikon 200-500 on my D500 gives me a reach to 750MM without a converter. Please don't waste your money on a Tamron that will give out long before your Nikon investment. And it will be worth more when selling it than the soon to be paper weight Tamron.

therwol Loc: USA

SteveR wrote:

The bird would be projected onto a crop sensor at the same size as it would be projected onto a full frame sensor. All the O.P. would need to do is "crop" it in p/p to get the same result as he would from a "crop" camera.

Pixel density is lower on the full frame sensors. If I use my D810 in the DX mode, 36 megapixels becomes 15.6 megapixels. DX mode for a D750 is about 10 megapixels. So if you crop your full frame pictures to simulate what you would get with a DX camera, you get less resolution than if you put your FX lens on a DX camera, typically 20 or 24 megapixels depending on the model. Resolution isn't everything. The pixels on the full frame sensors may be of higher quality, but this resolution difference is rather significant, especially if you intend to crop further. In fact, you'd get barely over 5 megapixels cropping a D700 picture to simulate DX sensor size. Bottom line is to buy a longer lens or put your lens on a DX camera rather than crop your pictures.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Thomas Firth wrote:

I am getting into birding and would appreciate som... (show quote)

I have a D7100 and use an (older version) 80-400mm lens and I love it. The only problem with my lens is that the focusing is much slower than the newer version of the 80-400. ON a crop sensor Nikon (such as the D7100) it gives me an image similar to a 120-600mm lens would on an FX and I can switch the DX to "doubling" which would give it an apparent 150-800mm. NOTE: these are apparent figures and not exact. I love the 80-400 and my ONLY change would be from the older version of the lens to the new one. However, I got the older version at KEH for a song as it was a used lens in EXTREMELY good shape and came with a Kirk tripod mount.

CO

billnikon wrote:

If you like quality results stay with Nikon. The new Nikon 200-500 on my D500 gives me a reach to 750MM without a converter. Please don't waste your money on a Tamron that will give out long before your Nikon investment. And it will be worth more when selling it than the soon to be paper weight Tamron.

I agree. Try to stay with Nikon lenses. Someone in my camera club has the Tamron 150-600mm (original version - not the G2) that he uses on a Nikon D750, D7100, and D500. When he does AF fine tuning, he can only get a range of focal lengths to be in good focus. He has to AF fine tune for either the 150-400mm or 400-600mm range. Even then, he has to use large AF fine tuning values of around +12. I have the Nikon 80-400mm AF-S lens. It has very consistent autofocus accuracy throughout the entire zoom range. I think Tamron and Sigma are pushing the envelope too far with the 150-600mm range. Nikon opted for a more conservative 200-500mm range for their new superzoom tele.

BDHender

speters wrote:

You still will loose on the light end (you'll have to consider the crop factor just the same as if it were, say a 1.4x TC), because it not only crops the image but the light reaching the sensor as well!

Not true. The lens allows the same light. The DX sensor uses a smaller area of the image. The amont of light falling on that area is the same as that same area on an FX sensor. The DX sensor in the D500 actually has a higher pixel density than most FX bodies.