Which lens is good for birding on Canon 40d

[Samuel_61]

I have a Canon 40d and would like to bird and get sharp pictures. Which lens would be a best choice under $1000.00?

 

[cin19]

So you need the good lens and your luck, patience, more practice to get the sharp pictures, I recommend you have at least a 200mm (or more) lens w/ F2.8, F4.0 or F5.6 minimum, a Tripod/Monopod.

If you can increase your budget, I say get the 300mm F4 IS(Image Stabilizer) http/www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sku=129188&Q=&O=&is=USA&A=ShowProduct

otherwise get the 200mm F2.8 if you keep your $1000 budget. The 200mm F2.8 http/www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/129190-USA/Canon_2529A004AA_Telephoto_EF_200mm_f_2_8L.html

 

[ofekfischer]

you can get a 200mm f2.8 and a teleconverterto get higher focal length

 

[lourendo]

by bird do you mean ornithology? if so can you describe your typical shot and also extremes that you will likely encounter? thanks.



I recommend getting the sigma 150mm-500mm os

it has the optical stabilization as well as being 255mm-850mm on your camera.
has ultra fast focus especially in the high focal length registers.
comes with a lens hood, case, and a tripod mount.

300 mm will definitely not be enough to get close to the action.

its heavy but it certainly well built. make sure you buy the 5 year warranty its worth it especially with such a big investment.
http/www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549255-REG/Sigma_737101_150_500mm_f_5_6_3_DG_OS.html

this is what i would buy. im a pro photographer and love canon l glass but hate the cost. sigma lenses are built like tanks for the price and are extremely sharp. they seem to resist wear better than canon's as well... they have a nice matte finish on them which provides nice grip. still, a lens a delicate piece so protect it.

the 850mm equivalent will get you as close as you will ever need to get so you can pull out as in some cases you can lose sharpness.
get the 5 year warranty in case it fails on you lenses do that from time to time. its happened to me but never with a sigma lens. still get it. any questions ask me.

 

[ofekfischer]

the sigma 150mm-500mm os is a good option, but it has f6.3 aperture on 500mm

 

[lourendo]

the sigma 150mm-500mm os is a good option, but it has f6.3 aperture on 500mm

that should only be a problem if shooting VERY early in the morning or late evening. in that price range, f6.3 is about the best you can get if you want that sort of range. when shooting wildlife one of the most common problems is that you cannot get close enough to get a good shot.

 

[Samuel_61]

Best answer selected by Samuel_61.

 

[Samuel_61]

Hi You rightly described as Ornithology. I have been doing some research between the Canon 400 f/5.6 and the Sigma 150-500mm
Your directional input is highly appreciated. Is Sigma's sharpness comparable to the Canon's or atleast close?. I already have a Tamron 70-200 /2.8 coupled with Tamron 2x TC but I am not happy with that set up. For one thing Canon 40D does not recognise the TC and EXIF data does not reflect the real FL. The second thing is PIQ . It is not as sharp as it should be for bird photography. My mind was leaning towards the Sigma because of the OS. Any more suggestions.
Sam

by bird do you mean ornithology? if so can you describe your typical shot and also extremes that you will likely encounter? thanks.



I recommend getting the sigma 150mm-500mm os

it has the optical stabilization as well as being 255mm-850mm on your camera.
has ultra fast focus especially in the high focal length registers.
comes with a lens hood, case, and a tripod mount.

300 mm will definitely not be enough to get close to the action.

its heavy but it certainly well built. make sure you buy the 5 year warranty its worth it especially with such a big investment.
http/www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549255-REG/Sigma_737101_150_500mm_f_5_6_3_DG_OS.html

this is what i would buy. im a pro photographer and love canon l glass but hate the cost. sigma lenses are built like tanks for the price and are extremely sharp. they seem to resist wear better than canon's as well... they have a nice matte finish on them which provides nice grip. still, a lens a delicate piece so protect it.

the 850mm equivalent will get you as close as you will ever need to get so you can pull out as in some cases you can lose sharpness.
get the 5 year warranty in case it fails on you lenses do that from time to time. its happened to me but never with a sigma lens. still get it. any questions ask me.

 

[lourendo]

i have not personally used this lens but from what i have read is that it is extremely sharp but can lose sharpness when fully zoomed in. so if you pull back slightly on the zoom, this drop off will be eliminated. since you have a cropped sensor, this means you will still be getting somewhere around 800 mm zoom. even pulling back further you will still get huge zoom. something you cannot get with a canon lens. of equal price.

you mention the canon ef 400mm L prime. any prime lens is going to knock the socks off of a zoom lens. so if you have the cash, that lens is going to be your new favorite lens. primes do one focal length extremely well. I would suggest to go to a canon reseller that has this lens in stock and try it out. to recap the 400mm canon is superb but expensive. the sigma is still great but not as great as the canon but much cheaper. also, the canon has no is where the sigma does. at f5.6 that might be a valuable asset.

read other reviews and compare photos taken with the lenses. also, you can try to find the lens on flickr and see what others can do with it.