I’m a agency believer that you just’re hard-pressed to purchase a foul digital camera these days. I’m additionally a agency believer that you just purchase no matter digital camera and system speaks to you. However, my beliefs are just a little bit extra conservative with regards to shopping for greatest wildlife images digital camera. If you’re a digital camera fanatic who likes to dabble in numerous genres or are dedicated to just about any style, purchase no matter digital camera you need, however in case you’re decided to make it as a wildlife skilled or grow to be an completed novice, I implore you to contemplate three choices: Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
The ‘Big Three’ make improbable wildlife images cameras, however the principle cause I like to recommend these techniques to potential wildlife photographers has nothing to do with the cameras in any respect and every part to do with out there lenses. Wildlife is likely one of the most gear-intensive genres of images on the market. If you need to seize the easiest wildlife pictures, you want lengthy lenses, and the sooner they’re, the higher.
An extended lens will get you nearer to skittish topics, and quick lenses assist you to hit sooner shutter speeds at decrease ISOs. If you already know something in regards to the reciprocal rule, you’ll know that the longer the lens, the faster your shutter speed has to be to avoid camera shake. Resolution also affects the reciprocal rule, with today’s penchant for high-resolution cameras meaning you often have to double or even triple your shutter speed to get sharp shots. But I digress…
Simply put, no other camera manufacturer boasts a line-up of long, fast lenses like Canon, Nikon, and Sony. That’s not to say that other manufacturers don’t make suitable wildlife photography lenses – they absolutely do – but the ‘Big Three’s’ rosters are unmatched. I’m a realist. I know that newbie wildlife photographers aren’t going to be spending thousands of bucks on lenses to begin with, but Canon, Nikon, and Sony offer you plenty of headroom to grow. And that’s important.
If you’re on a tight budget, Canon and Nikon are particularly useful, since you can buy a mirrorless wildlife photography camera and adapt older (and crucially cheaper) DSLR lenses. For example, the Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S retails for $16,199.95 / £14,999 / AU$27,049.00, but older AF-S models can be found for a fraction of the price.
Over the past year, a bit of a curveball has entered play: the Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports. This monstrous optic is expensive at $6,599 / £5,899 / AU$12,995, but when you consider that it essentially combines the usability of a 600mm f/4 prime and a super-telephoto zoom, it suddenly seems much more palatable. You could possibly carve out a successful wildlife photography career with this lens and nothing else. The problem is that it’s only available in Sony E and L mount. Right now, this makes Sony a very attractive option indeed.
Ultimately, the onus is often placed on the camera, but the system and that system’s lenses are the most important thing to think about. You can always upgrade your camera later down the line, but if the lenses you need don’t exist or they’re simply too expensive, you’re stuck. If you’re looking for a wildlife photography camera, start with the lenses and work backwards.
What next? This brings me neatly to the next part of my wildlife photography gear guide, which is settling on the right wildlife photography camera. Read my follow-up article and join my whistle-stop tour of the best wildlife photography cameras for every budget, from the Nikon D500 to the Canon EOS R1.
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