rond-photography Loc: Connecticut

You definitely want a longer lens. I think the 55 to 300 would be great. You have the ability to zoom out if a situation arises where you need to, but mostly you will be shooting at longer lengths to get the butterfly to fill the frame. I just shot at Butterfly World in FL recently and was surprised how more were in the air than landing on flowers! There were some I never got a shot of (but I was with my grand daughter, so I could not just hang out and wait for the best shot).

Some of my shots (Jayla is running through a cooling mist - butterflies were shot at other times in the visit and composited :) ).

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

You will want your sharpest medium-range telephoto, and my best guess is that your 70-300 will do 'ya. That is the lens in your bag that I would use, and I do this kind of think a lot.
If you want to get to near-macro level, with good quality, then purchase the Raynox 150 diopter (on amazon). It is not expensive, and it is sharp. This clips onto the front of your lens, gripping the lens filter threads. You will love the results. I show an example here with a lens similar to yours, + the Raynox:
Tiger longwing by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

I could have gone a lot closer with that lens with the Raynox attached.

Shoot the butterflies broadside, striving to get focus from front to back, wing tip to wing tip, with a wide-ish aperture (f/11 is my favorite for this shooting). An external flash, with diffuser will often be helpful.

george19

My experience is that it is like shooting fish in a barrel. It’s a great opportunity to get a high percentage of good shots.

While not the sharpest lens, I stick with my 24-85 macro. That only allows macro in the longer focal lengths, so distance and frame fill are the key parameters (I rarely crop in post).

So...you might try filling your frame at home with your lenses...say a 2x2 square...and see what you can get in focus and fill the frame.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

They are two different environment between natural out door and indoor of the artificial butterfly field. In the indoor so called butterfly garden, butterflies can't fly freely in a nest enclosure with limited space comparing in the natural out door. They have plenty of flower for food in the garden. They are less active and stay at one place over time. You can take their picture every easy, with any kind of lens, even cell phone camera. Lighting is another consideration, it's not bright for using fast shutter speed, so you may need flash but it will create unnatural looking with some sort of shadow. Another factor will affect the image is the back ground with other unwanted subject, like the other people around; enclosure nesting; some artificial decoration etc... I have been in those garden several times and I don't like it. I usually taking butterfly picture outside my house every year during the time of August, there would be almost 10 different kind of them coming by. I always using my 300mm f4 prime lens. to chase them around. There are couple of "Butterfly Brushes" near my hose. Unfortunately, last year, the landscape people cut them down completely, they might think they had grown too wild, and decide putting something else. too bad for me. I may need looking some where else for butterfly. Sad!

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Not that big old long lens. If it's a butterfly garden then take the 17-70.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

A macro lens would be ideal. I once got caught at a butterfly exhibit without a macro lens but only a medium telephoto and even if 200 mm it wasn't the same as using a macro lens as far as the quality of the image in the magnification.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Are you trying to get static photos of butterflies, or are you trying to get them flying.

Static photos are pretty easy. Flying photos take some practice. With some butterflies I have noticed that when they take off from a sitting position, they frequently go backwards a bit, so making sure you have some field of view including space behind the butterflies is probably a good idea. You never know when they are going to take off and you need good reflexes.

I came in twelfth in a contest once with a photo of a flying butterfly. The subject of the contest was "your worst photo ever".
(Butterfly is in the upper left corner).

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

wings42 Loc: San Diego, CA

I use a Nikon 18 x 300 on my D7200 for birds and butterflies, usually on full zoom (300 mm). Butterflies are extremely spooky when they land so you generally won't be able to get as close to them as you want.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

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I'd go with either the 55-300 or the 70-300. Use which ever gives you the sharper picture.

Kingman

When shooting butterflies, I prefer a lightweight macro. My set up in the past has been with film 100 mm macro, and now digital with 100mm macro FF or Cropped. A zoom lens will be heavier and taking time to zoom. With a prime, it's less complicated, lighter and faster...

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Use the 55-300 and put a flash on top of the camera.

10MPlayer Loc: California

The Sigma 17-70. You're in a garden where you know you are going to get in close so no need for a long lens. Scoot in as close as possible and catch them while they are sitting still.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Inquiring minds would love to see a butterfly from these 17-70 lens users ....

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

Use a zoom for getting up close if you can't get close. Painted lady butterfly photo taken with 200-500mm Nikkor.