©The Wildlife Ho-tographer - Canon Rumors, News and Analysis
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I have been a Travel and Wildlife photographer for about twenty five years and have met many enthusiasts over the years. During my travels and photo shoots, many people have asked me about the best wildlife viewing locations and tips on wildlife photography and equipment. I do not accept any advertisement or commission from equipment manufacturers and sellers on my website. My recommendation comes from practical field experience. Below are some frequently asked questions I have provided answers for. There is no perfect equipment for all situations. All equipment have limitations and it is usually a tradeoff and compromise when choosing the appropriate gear for the job. These are my personal opinion formed from many years out in the field and by no means the only answers or appropriate for everyone. Visit my Equipment section to get details on the camera gear mentioned and read my articles on watching and photographing wildlife. Q : What is the best overall sports and wildlife camera for under $1,500? A : This is always a difficult question to answer. Many factors contribute to a good photograph - skill and experience, luck, and of course, equipment. All things being equal, generally, the better the equipment, the better the photo. My pick for the 'best value' wildlife camera under $1,500 is the Canon EOS-7D Mk II with the 20 MP APS-C sensor, 65 AF points and 10 fps. You can read my review of the camera on my Blog. Q : What is the best overall lens for wildlife photography for less than $2,000? A : This is another difficult question to answer and the same caveat above applies. If one prefers a prime lens, my pick will be the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM, but for those who prefer a zoom lens, then it is the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II or the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM, depending on focal length requirement. Q : What is the best overall camera for wildlife photography, price independent? A : Now this is an easy answer for me. It is the Canon EOS-1D X. I have been using the EOS-1 series camera since 1989 and this latest body is simply the best yet. You can read my review of this camera on my website. The EOS-1D X Mark II doubles up for me as a Travel and Wildlife body since it is a full frame camera. When used with the EF 8-15mm f/4L and the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II lenses, it is an beatable combo for Travel and Landscape photograpy as well. Q : What is your opinion on Canon's Series II super telephoto lens? A : I photograph many different kinds of wildlife, from a small Hummingbird to the Blue whale, the largest animal on Planet Earth, ever. Since I am not exclusively a Bird Photographer, I do not own the biggest Canon lens but have used all of them, ranging all the way up to the EF 800mm f/5.6L IS. The longest Canon lens I own is the EF 500mm f/4L IS II. Canon has reduced the prices of their Series II lens last year to make them more affordable. For those who already own the Series I lens, it is a tough decision to upgrade because of the price differential. For those who aspire to own the super telephoto lens, there is a market of reasonably priced Series I lens. However, the one super telephoto lens I am very keen on is the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4X lens Q : What is the best camera/lens combination for wildlife photography, price independent? A : Personally, I like to travel light and have all my gear fit into a bagpack I can carry on my back and on airplanes. The ideal combo for me is the Canon EOS-1D X II and EOS-5Ds bodies, plus the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and EF 200-400mm f/4L IS + 1.4X lens. With extenders, I have focal length of between 70mm to 1280mm to work with. The equipment are professional grade, all weather sealed and stand up to harsh use. Q : I am a budding wildlife photographer on a limited budget. What is the best value in camera equipment I can buy? A : Commercial Digital Photography has only been around for about fifteen years and we are very fortunate today to have DSLR cameras that give us instant feedback. For those who are on a tight budget, I recommend purchasing Canon refurbished equipment or lightly used equipment from someone you can trust. Today's camera equipment are very rugged and if it has been taken care of, it should last a long time. I recommend buying the Canon EOS-7D body with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. This will give any photographer a well rounded piece of gear that can handle most wildlife encounters and obtain good photos. Take a look at my article on buying refurbished Canon equipment on my Blog. Q : What is your favorite lens for Wildlife Photography, price independent? A : Canon has quite a few lens I like for Wildlife Photography but the most versatile one for me is the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens. This super telephoto lens is a one-off design from Canon utilizing Diffractive Optics technology. The weight/image quality of this lens is perfect for my use and I can handhold this lens mounted on the EOS-1D body all day, giving me unparalled mobility. Q : What is your favorite lens for Travel Photography, price independent? A : There are many Canon lens that are great for Travel Photography but my favorite one is the EF 24-105mm f/4L II IS lens. This medium speed zoom lens has the perfect focal length for scenery and people photography. The lens comes with a 4 stop compensation and has the latest in coating and fluorite technology. It is a top performer for me and the price is very reasonable for "L" grade glass. Q : What are your favorite wildlife and where do you go to photograph them? A : I enjoy the great outdoors and love the natural world with all its floral and fauna. My favorite group of animals are Cetacean (whales and dolphins), Ursus (Polar, Brown and Black bears) and Big Cats (Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Jaguars, etc.) My home state of California is centrally located to many wildlife photography sites. North and south east Alaska, west and east coast of North America and the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii are some of my favorite whale watching spots. Bears can be found and photographed in Alaska and Canada. I head to India, Africa and Brazil for Big Cats photography. Visit my Wildlife Photography page to see these exciting wildlife on location. Q : Are there any other lens you can recommend for Travel and Wildlife Photography? A : I have used almost every lens in Canon's EF and EF-S lineup through the decades. You can read my Canon lens recommenrdation to get further information on the other lenses. |
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I have been fascinated by wildlife, nature and world travel from a young age. Minolta was my first SLR camera and eventually I ended up with the Canon EOS-10 and EOS-1 SLR cameras. When the digital D30 came out in 2000, I agonized over the high price but bought one in the end. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of digital photography. To me, photographing wildlife can be very frustrating sometimes. Huge expenses, long hours of traveling and waiting come down to a few crucial shots. The instant feedback of the DSLR improves the odds. My personal preference is to travel light and handhold my camera. No advertisement or commission from equipment manufacturers and sellers are accepted on my website and blog. My observations and recommendation come from years of field experience. A combination of the following gear will go in my equipment bag on photo shoots, depending on need. Occasionally, I will get a loaner from Canon for evaluation but I always own the equipment that are essential to my work and I have access to other equipment if needed. You can read my articles on how and where to photograph wildlife. Click on the videos to see these incredible animals in action. You can subscribe to my posts on Facebook , Flickr , Twitter , Instagram and my blog to follow my travels and join me on my photo shoots. EOS 1D X Mark II - With a maximum speed of up to 16 fps, 20 megapixel and 61-point AF system, this new body is an ideal wildlife camera for me. It comes with a full frame sensor powered by dual DIGIC 6+ processors and with a maximum burst rate of 170 RAW photos and 4K video. The superior native ISO performance and lighting fast frame rate will make photographing moving wildlife in dim light easier and when combined with the EOS-5Ds body, will provide me with unmatched flexibility on photo shoots. The 1D-X combined with the new 200-400mm f/4L IS lens, with the 1.4X built in extender, will make an awesome combo for wildlife photography. I have used all the 1D bodies since its inception and still prefer the built-in 1.3x and 1.6x cropping of the EOS-5Ds for the extra reach. I have owned the EOS 1D X Mark II camera for about two years now and have put it through wildlife photo shoots around the world. Click here to read my comprehensive review of the camera. EOS 1D MK IV - 10 fps, 16 megapixel and 45-point AF system make this rugged camera an ideal wildlife choice for me. The 1.3X APS-H sensor brings me a little closer to the action. The noise level is good when photographing moving wildlife in dim light with ISO up to 3200. I have used all the 1D bodies through the decades and this is my one of my favorite cameras to date and trusted workhorse for wildlife shoots. The MK IV has doubled up for me as a travel and landscape camera when combined with the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II and the 24-105mm f/4L lenses. The MK IV will serve me well as the other 1D body I turn to when I want a little extra reach. EOS 5Ds - After much deliberation, I have finally replaced my venerable EOS-1Ds Mark III with this full frame, 61-point AF, 50 megapixel camera. The 5Ds will be used primarily for nature and travel photography but occasionally for wildlife that don't move too much. The resolution of its impressive sensor, the ability to crop the image to 1.3x and 1.6x right in the camera are great advantages for me when it comes to wildlife photography, offsetting its main disadvantage - the slow 5 fps burst rate. I have taken this camera to Patagonia and will go on many more real world photo shoots and write a comprehensive review on it in the next few months. EOS 7D Mk II - In my opinion, this is the best value in cropped frame DSLR today. The 1.6X APS-C sensor, 10 fps, 20 megapixel and 65-point AF system make this body ideal for wildlife and bird photography. This new camera has the Dual Pixel CMOS technology built-in, can autofocus down to @f/8 and has much improved ISO performance over the original 7D. With good light, the camera's performance is exceptional. I like the added reach of the 7D and put the Canon BG-E16 grip on the body to give it a 1D like feel. You can read my review on the camera here. EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II - A superb 'handholdable' Super Telephoto wildlife lens. If speed is not paramount, I will use the EF 300mm f/4L IS because it gives up a small difference in sharpness at about half the weight and a fraction of the price. Excellent image quality when used with the 1.4x or 2.0x extender. The lens is tack sharp and works well with the 1D, 5D and 7D bodies and the image quality is unparalleled. EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II - This is my favorite Canon Super Telephoto lens for wildlife photography. This brand new lens was announced on September 15, 2014. Its weight, speed and performance combination is hard to beat for a full day's photo shoot without a tripod. I have taken many of my bird-in-flight shots with the Series I model of this lens. The lens performs well with the 1.4x and 2.0x extenders. When used with the EOS-7D Mk II and EOS-1D MK IV, I can shoot at 1200+mm and 1000+mm focal length handholding the combo. This gives me unmatched mobility and reach. You can read my review of this lens here. EF 400mm f/5.6L - This is another one of my favorite Canon lens for wildlife photography. First introduced in 1993, it lacks Image Stabilization found in most EF lenses these days but it is one of the sharpest lens in Canon's lineup. The relative light weight and performance combination is hard to beat for a full day's photo shoot without a tripod. I have taken many of my bird-in-flight shots with this amazingly under-rated lens as well. The lens performs well with the 1.4X extenders. When used with the EOS-1D bodies, it can autofocus down to f/8. This gives me unmatched mobility and reach. An upgrade of this venerable lens with an IS system would be great. EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x - My ideal lens combo for wildlife photography is the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and the 200-400mm f/4L IS with the built in 1.4X extender. This way I can travel 'light' and still have the highest quality glass covering a wide range of focal lengths. Canon finally released this lens for sale on May 14, 2013 at a price of $11,799, reduced to $10,999 recently. Click here to read my extensive review of this revolutionary lens. I have put this amazing glass through many vigorous wildlife photo shoots around the globe and it continues to surprise me by its performance. EF 500mm f/4L IS II - One of my favorite Super telephoto lens in Canon's lineup. I have the Series II version and this is one of their sharpest and a great wildlife lens. When I use a full sized tripod, this glass is my choice and sometimes I handhold this lens for a short period of time. The Series I lens has been discontinued but one can still buy it from dealers with left over inventory. The new lens comes with superior optics and coatings, is incrementally better in every way and reduces the weight by 1 1/2 pound. The improvement comes at a much higher price of $8,999. If you already have the Series I lens, I am not recommending an upgrade unless reducing weight is your primary concern. Personally, I find the marginal improvement not to be a good value but since I sold my Series I lens for a good price, buying the Series II is a no-brainer. For those with less funds to spend, try and purchase a lightly used or factory reconditioned Series I lens and save. Together with the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS 1.4x, EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II and EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II, these lenses form the backbone of my Super Telephoto lens inventory. Click here to see how the EF 500mm f/4L lens is made. EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS - My ideal lens combo for wildlife photography is the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and the 200-400mm f/4L IS with the built in 1.4X extender. However, there are situations when I am restricted to just one lens or it's impractical to change lens, then I reach for the EF 28-300mm. This versatile 10X+ zoom lens has very good optical performance and can focus down to less than two and a half feet over the entire focal length. This is a great wildlife lens especially in Hawaii. I call this my 'Maui lens' because the Humpback whales can come just a few feet from my zodiac and this lens will capture the image with little problem, even on APS-C cameras. EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II - Super sharp and fast lens for close up wildlife action, providing up to 4 stops of correction at all focal lengths. I have used this lens for years and the latest version is the best yet. An excellent lens for closeup, lowlight travel and wildlife photography and works well with both the 1.4X and 2.0X extenders. EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS - I held off buying this lens for a while because the 70-300mm DO was such a disappointment for me. The extra reach and lighter weight ( compared to the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II ) of this lens comes in handy when I am photographing larger wildlife in decent light. Excellent 4 stop IS compensation. Another great lens for cetacean and wildlife photo shoots. The drawbacks are extenders cannot be used on this lens and it does not come with a zoom ring. EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II - This brand new lens is a 'light weight', all round wildlife lens with excellent build. It uses a zoom ring design to get from 100mm to 400mm. Excellent for wildlife and whale photography. Image quality is great even with the 1.4X extender on EOS-1D and EOS-7D Mk II bodies. You can read my review on the Series II version of this lens. I will write an extended review of this lens once I have taken it out on more photo shoots. EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro - Superb macro lens that can be used with extenders. Excellent build with medium fast speed. A must own lens for serious macro photography. I have used it to photograph Hummingbirds closeup when the lighting conditions are good. EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II - A great, all round lens for travel and landscape photography. This lens is always on my EOS-5Ds or EOS-1D X when I take travel photos or closeup wildlife shots. The focal lengths and speed are ideal for indoor and outdoor shooting conditions. It offers a 4 stop compensation and comes with the latest coatings and fluorite technology. EF 50mm f/1.4 USM - This walk around lens is a solid performer and great value. I am not a portrait photographer and seldom use a 50mm lens so there is little need to own a better performing glass. An upgrade to Mark II of this lens is needed to take advantage of the advancement in optics and coatings since its first introduction in 1993. EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II - This lens is great for wide angle landscape shots on the EOS-5Ds and a versatile travel lens on the EOS-1D X as well. Very sharp and fast. Can be used indoors when flash photography is prohibited. Canon has announced the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS lens recently. This lens will also find a home in my equipment bag soon. EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye - This lens is for landscape and wildlife photographers who want the look and feel only possible with extreme wide angle and fisheye photography. With its unique focal length range, the EF 8-15mm f/4L USM is the world's widest fisheye zoom lens. It delivers 180° diagonal angle of view images for all EOS SLR cameras with imaging formats ranging from full-frame to APS-C, and provides 180° circular fisheye images for full-frame EOS models. I use this lens to photograph whales and other marine animals when I am in the water. To do it professionally, I use my EOS-1D Mk IV camera with the EF 8-15mm lens and the AquaTech underwater housing, topped with a dome lens port for maximum angle of view. On land, this super wide angle lens will capture stunning nature photos and stimulate creativity. Extender EF 1.4X and 2.0X III - Series III extenders offer a 40% or 100% boost to the focal length of the lens with a corresponding loss of 1 to 2 stops in aperture setting. Although they focus faster, I find no noticable IQ improvement in the latest extenders over the Series II versions under real world conditions and use them only sparingly. The Series III extenders are supposed to mate especially well with the Series II Super Telephoto lens but I cannot find any evidence to that claim. I am not a big fan of extenders and will use my legs first to close the distance between me and my subjects. Speedlite 600EX II RT - I am not a big user of flash but sold my 580 EX II for a good price and upgraded to the 600EX II RT. Professional quality and build makes this flash perfect for the 1D bodies. It offers an expanded zoom range and a higher guide number, plus a number of improvements over its predecessor in both operation and feel. With the added wireless two-way radio communication, it allows additional creativity. Kirk BH-3 Ball Head - This compact, light weight ball head is perfect for photographer like myself who prefers to travel light and do not want to over pay for any gear. It weighs a mere 1.2 pounds and is rated for a 15 pound load. I can mount the EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens and the Canon 1D X camera with extender on it with no problem. It is professional grade, solidly built in the United States and comes with a very reasonable price. I also use it with the SLIK PRO 382 CF monopod. For heavier loads, I mount the larger Kirk BH-1 on my tripod. SLIK PRO 634 CF - This compact carbon fiber tripod is perfect when I prefer to travel light. It weighs a mere 2 pounds and is rated for a 7 pound load. I regularly put about 8.5 pounds of equipment (Canon 1D X Mark II or Mark IV with 400mm DO IS II and ball head) on it with no problem at all. SLIK is one of the best value in compact carbon fiber tripods in my opinion. SLIK PRO 824 CF - This light weight, carbon fiber tripod weighs only 3.5 pounds but can support over 17 pounds of equipment. That's enough for a top of the line ball head, Canon 1D body and up to the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. I use this tripod when the job calls for a shorter, full sized tripod. SLIK is one of the best kept secret in carbon fiber tripods today. The technology and quality are first rate and the prices are reasonable. Gitzo GT2542LS - This premium carbon fiber tripod is when I have room and weight to spare in my equipment bag and want to pack the heaviest load for my tour. It is almost 5 inches longer than the SLIK tripods I have and weighs just below 4 pounds, comes with no center column, rated for about 55 pound load and stands almost 5 feet tall. Gitzo tripods are extremely well built and rugged but sell for a premium price and may not be a good value for all photographers. Tamrac Expedition 8X Backpack - Sadly, Tamrac has been bought out by GuruGear but this is the pack I use to carry larger equipment when I go 'heavy'. The main compartment is completely foam padded with numerous adjustable dividers to protect multiple pro-size digital SLRs, a full range of lenses (up to the 800mm f/5.6L), flashes and a laptop. The best thing is it's 'small' enough to be carried on planes. Tamrac Adventure 9 Backpack - I use this Backpack when I travel 'light'. This pack is divided into upper and lower padded compartments. The lower compartment can accommodate 2 pro-size bodies and 2 lenses. The upper compartment can accommodate additional equipment including the Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens and there is room for a laptop. The pack is small enough for me to take on planes in addition to a carryon suitcase. |
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