I shoot with a Nikon. 7000 and 300mm 2.8 with a 2.0 converter what is a realistic range to get clear shots.i shoot birds of prey and not always happy with shots
Red tail hawk nest
It isn't often that you can get close to a bird of prey (sometimes though). Therefore, I'd say 400mm and higher is needed. Quality lenses at 400mm + can be very expensive. However, the new Tamron 150-600mm has gotten great reviews here on UHH. You might consider renting one to see if it meets your needs and how it compares to your current set up.
Is this a condo, office building? Any chance you can get inside for "close-ups?"
You have to figure out the limits of your lens. For small birds my 500s limit is about 100 feet. Larger birds like Osprey and Red Tails, about 150. I'd say 200 feet is mgt limit for large Egrets and Pelicans. I find that when I use a teleconverter my limitations are about the same as without the TC, because I lose detail if I go beyond those approximate limits. But, the TCs can and most of the time will fill the frame more with out losing detail.
In other words, if the subject is too far away for your lens to get good detail without a TC, you are not going to get an acceptable image with it.
Hawaiijoe wrote:
I shoot with a Nikon. 7000 and 300mm 2.8 with a 2.0 converter what is a realistic range to get clear shots.i shoot birds of prey and not always happy with shots
I have/use the Canon version of your set up. I will tell you that focus calibration of the lens to the body is important ! So is stabilisation of the lens/body at time of exposure ! the closer you focus, the more stabilisation you need - and, naturally, closer to subject is better in general for IQ. I would say after about 120 feet ( 40 meters) subjects begin to be very challenging on crop frame. Also, remember that atmospheric conditions play a significant role as you get out past 50 meters.
Hawaiijoe wrote:
I shoot with a Nikon. 7000 and 300mm 2.8 with a 2.0 converter what is a realistic range to get clear shots.i shoot birds of prey and not always happy with shots
Use a tripod, a cable release and lock up your mirror.
Hawaiijoe wrote:
I shoot with a Nikon. 7000 and 300mm 2.8 with a 2.0 converter what is a realistic range to get clear shots.i shoot birds of prey and not always happy with shots
With a little math, we can get an approximate answer for this question. First, we need the angle of view (AoV) for the lenses:
1. 300mm, FX: 8°
2. 600mm, FX: 4°
If we take our subject size (H), multiply by 70 and divide by the AoV, we get the approximate distance (D) to have the subject fill the long end of the image. With a DX sensor, the multiplier is 100.
So, for your Nikon D7000,
1. 300mm, D = 12 H. For a 1 meter subject, stand 12 meters away.
2. 600mm, D = 25 H. For a 1 meter subject, stand 25 meters away.
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