500mm with Prime

Rob Sims

Rob Sims

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Robert
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Hi All

I am considering moving to a prime for wildlife. Nikon shooter with a 200-500 now. Shooting on a tripod mostly for birds and small mammals.

Anyone here using any of the following?

Nikon 500g or 500e ?
Sigma 500 F4 Sport
Nikon 300 f2.8 with tc ?

If so any thoughts on the various options and if you have tried or compared the others ?

Anyone else got any thoughts on the ‘best’ option for getting to this type of focal length with a prime lens.

Thanks in advance.
 
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For birds and small mammals I would go for the longest reach you can. I’m shooting with canon and use 600 f4 for this, sometimes with tc if it’s not possible to get close enough.
 
Thanks both. So many people mention the 600 f4. Maybe have to save a bit longer lol
 
I am a Canon shooter so the bulk of my experience is with Canon lenses - though I have used most of the Nikon alternatives.

Obviously the first thing you need to consider is budget - probably the most important!

Secondly the size and weight. I use the Canon 800mm which isn't stupidly heavy, but the lens isn't necessarily the problem. The longer the lens the better (bigger + more expensive) tripod and head that you need + the larger backpack etc. What I am getting at is that you need to look at the whole package and the stress levels that both your body and wallet can cope with. The "happy medium" seems to be the 500 F4 as the latest Canon/Nikon models have shed a lot of weight, they work better with the latest extenders than earlier models and you can slightly reduce tripod (and possibly head) weight as well. On the other hand if you are working in hides that are not too far from the car then the 600/800 mm lenses become far more practical - this is the route that I have used.Having said that my 300 F2.8 L IS comes out if I need more mobility as it is easy to hand hold and works well with extenders - my 800 is not even considered for this sort of thing!

As Markyboy suggests a two lens setup is ideal - but if you only want a single lens than the latest 500 F4 lenses from Nikon/Canon are very hard to beat, work nicely with extenders, you can manage without a tripod (try a mono pod?), give the mobility for reasonable walks and are still good in hides. I wonder why they are so popular?;)

Get to a good camera shop and have a fondle of them first (or see if you have any helpful local users) before you decide.

Happy hunting!
 
johnf3f said:
Secondly the size and weight. I use the Canon 800mm which isn't stupidly heavy, but the lens isn't necessarily the problem.
Click to expand...

Last time I was on Skomer, a chap had turned up with his 1Dx and 800mm lens which he'd just bought and had gone to skomer for practice and was handholding. It looked a large combination
He spent an hour borrowing my 50mm as the puffins ran past us, then went back to the landing area to catch the puffins flying..
 
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