Which Bird Photography Lens is the Absolute Best for a Canon DSLR?
Find a lens that is perfect for your bird photography needs!
The purpose of this web site is to find you the best possible equipment and training for the least $$$. With that in mind, the lenses needed for bird photography are still not cheap. However, when you consider that the bird photography lens Moose Peterson uses is about $7000, the lenses recommended here are inexpensive.
Think about the requirements for taking good bird photos.
Image Quality is always number one.
Getting close - in this case the lens does it for you, and good glass is not cheap.
Fast focus - you don't want to lose your shot because the lens is still "searching".
Put these together into one package and you are talking more than $100, right. So, if you are in the market for a decent bird photography lens, here are the recommendations for great lenses between $900 and $1400:
Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Sigma has some great lenses that perform just as well as their more expensive Canon or Nikon counterparts. The Sigma 150-500 is one of them. It has the longest reach of the recommended lenses, AND it has optical stabilization (OS- Sigma's version of IS). Other features include HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), APO apochromatic design, three elements of SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass, and multicoated optics all enable this lens to provide a high level of performance throughout its entire zoom range, as well as versatility. A rear focus system insures quick, convenient manual focus and a non-rotating front barrel.
"This is a heavy lens. I chose this lens after trying many many different lenses. I was trying to decide between 100-400, 300 with extender or this lens. I finally decided on this one. I shoot wild-life and am strictly a fair weather photographer so the f/stop is adequate. Photographing birds and moving objects is great with this lens. I'd suggest mono pod though because you do tend to tire with the added weight of this lens. The only con is hearing the motor but I didn't find it that distracting."
The Canon 100-400 is highly regarded among folks who own this lens (4.79 out of 5). Image quality is excellent and focus is fast. And, of course you will notice that it has IS (image stabilization), an important feature when hand-holding your camera to get those "birds in flight" photos. You will have to get used to the push-pull zoom lens, but other than that, you will be very happy with it.
The Canon 300 f/4 takes tack sharp photos (see the photo of the Wren below). Having the shortest range, you may consider getting a 1.4 Canon teleconverter if you opt for this lens. Notice that the maximum aperture of f/4 is constant throughout the zoom range. This is important for giving the fastest shutter speed of the lenses recommended on this page. The lens also has IS (image stabilization) and USM (Micro ultraSonic motor) for fast focus.
This Canon 400mm lens is also very well liked among its owners (4.70 out of 5). It requires a bit more light than the Canon 300mm lens above, but it does take great sharp pictures. Here is a comment from a satisfied user of the Canon 400mm f/5.6 posted on Amazon.com:
"I got this lens as a way to capture birds in flight and as a sports lens. Don't let the f/5.6 discourage you from buying this beauty, because in my experiences, it's one fast lens. The sharpness is absolutely stunning, with razor sharp edges!! The color and contrast are also remarkable!!
If you like photographing nature and sports, than this is the lens for you. Take my word for it, you won't regret it!!!"
This video has some excellent tips about bird photography.
The Bottom Line:
For bird photography, the most important factors are bringing the bird close and tack sharp focus. Canon's "L" glass lenses are the most coveted among Canon owners, and "prime" lenses are more highly regarded than zoom lenses(a prime lens is one that has only one focal length). For this reason, I pick the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L. But I would not hesitate to get the Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 lens for one nanosecond, especially with a savings of about $400.
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