Slimbridge WWT lens choice

JulesP

JulesP

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Julian
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Hi folks
Embarrassingly even though I live about 20 minutes from Slimbridge, I have never been.
I should be going this weekend coming and was wondering what would be the best lens to take on a D7000?
I have a choice of :-
Nikon 24-70 - probably too short
Sigma 70-200 with 1.4 teleconverter
Sigma 120-400
Nikon 16-85 - might as well take the 24-70 instead of this

My guess is the 120-400 but will that be too long?

Thanks
Julian
 
120-400 will be fine, you can get close to many birds but 'in flight' shots or attempting the kingfishers will take the 400 end easily :)
 
Thanks :)
I'm glad you put 'attempting' in there Gramps - would love to get a kingfisher but birds are not my best subject although I am trying:)
 
There's no better chance than at the moment, I believe there is a nest that can be seen from the Kingfisher Hide ... we saw the male last time I was there and there are reports of him feeding a female on a branch outside of the nest :)
 
Theres hope yet then:)
Will be good just to get out with the camera for a while to be honest - had a quiet year last year and this year has not started well photography wise. I think a wander around there will do me the world of good to be honest:)
 
Have a great time, I hope you enjoy your visit :)
 
Love slimbridge. In places 400 will be too short, even on a crop at other times 100 will do, depends on where you shoot. Some of the local little ponds or the swans you can get very close, but the bigger lakes or from the hides you'll need long. The far ones are digiscope only, but everyone is friendly and let's you have a loom if there's anything interesting.

Kingfisher hide is fun. I've only seen a kingfisher there twice though.
 
Thanks - I don't want to take too much kit as still recovering from an operation - nearly there but not quite.
One lens would be ideal - two at a push.
Guess I could always go 120-400 and shove the 16-85 in my pocket for anything closer.

I have heard reports of kingfishers at the brook at the bottom of my road but personally I think its too noisy and busy there for them.
 
I was there yesterday and was treated to a display from the kingfisher hide :) it was entering a nest hole in bank then coming out splashing into water and then going back onto a branch before flying up the river, it did this a few times over a 20minute period. We were told it was doing this for around 1hr earlier in the day, how long do they nest for as I would like to go back before they leave.

I have some record shots ill put up so you can see which nest hole but my pics are poor :( but really happy as first time we have seen a kingfisher
 
As Gramps said most things close so my 24-70 was fine but kingfisher was at 400mm and heavy crops ! (they a long way for photos)
 
Yeah they are feeding their young at the moment so ideal time to go! And wonderful place for all wildlife!!!
 
Nice, if the kingfishers are back you can get some great shots. I think they got disturbed so weren't there last year?

This was taken a couple of years ago, but crop camera , 400mm with 1.4 tc, then cropped image

110242884.jpg
 
Looking at these images, I guess the only choice really is the 120-400 then. Even then it looks like I may struggle to get the kingfishers!
Still - will be good experience and somewhere I've not been yet:)
 
Although the kingfishers are a definite highlight, there are many other things to photograph on your visit :)
 
Yeah - to be honest it will just be good to get out and use the camera again - if I get some decent images, great. If not, its still a day out practising:)
Looking forward to it:)
 
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