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Best Lenses For Wildlife Photography Review Guide For 2023-2024

February 6, 2023

Best Lenses For Wildlife Photography Review Guide For 2023-2024– Our guide to the best lenses for bird photography will help you overcome some of the serious challenges this subject brings. Unless you’re shooting close-ups of pelicans and the like, or tethered birds of prey, it tends to demand shooting small creatures at long distances. You therefore need all the telephoto power you can lay your hands on. Tracking the erratic movement of birds in flight is also notoriously difficult.

Traditional methods include ‘digiscoping’, a technique that sees you attach a camera on a birdwatcher’s spotting scope, via a specialist adapter. It’s typically a low-budget solution but, more recently, powerful telephoto lenses have become available for the latest DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. There are some fabulous zoom lenses on the market, including the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x and Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR, both of which have built-in teleconverters.

We will highlight some of these just in case you’ve got some really deep pockets, but our round up of the best lenses for bird photography will focus in the popular super telephoto zooms that have become increasingly popular, offering a mighty telephoto reach along with fast autofocus systems, capable of tracking birds in flight… So to see our list keep reading Best Lenses For Wildlife Photography Review Guide For 2023-2024.

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sport

Best lens for bird photography for Canon & Nikon cameras

From Sigma’s ‘Sports’ line-up of lenses, this is a pro-grade zoom that goes all-out for speed and performance. It has a super-fast ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system, a highly effective optical stabilizer with switchable static and panning modes, dual switchable autofocus modes giving priority to either automatic focusing or manual override, and switchable custom modes that you can set up via Sigma’s optional USB Dock. These enable different behaviors in the autofocus speed and stabilization effect, as well as fine-tuning for autofocus accuracy for individual camera bodies, plus the application of firmware updates. The lens is fully weather-sealed and features a fluorine coating on its front and rear elements. Image quality is fabulous throughout the entire zoom range. The lens is designed for Canon and Nikon DSLRs – but is also option for Canon RF and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras using a mount adapter.

Product Details:

When paired, the teleconverter and lens offer 210-840mm F6.3-9 zoom lens reach, with full autofocus functionality with most recent DSLR cameras.
First hyper-telephoto zoom from the Contemporary line
Lightweight and compact in construction for higher useability
Filter Size: 95mm

What We Like:

Top-grade construction
Impeccable image quality

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Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary

Best budget lens for birding for Canon and Nikon DSLRs

Compared with Sigma’s 150-600mm Sports lens, the Contemporary edition is smaller and almost a whole kilogram lighter in weight. It’s therefore much more manageable for long periods of handheld shooting, without the aid of a monopod or tripod, and easier to carrier around. Although significantly less expensive to buy, it features the same range of dual-mode stabilization, dual-mode autofocus and custom setup options, as well as fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. It also has a dust- and moisture-resistant rubber gasket on the mounting plate, although it lacks the additional weather-seals of the Sports lens. It’s also not quite as sharp, but it comes very close and its overall image quality is very pleasing.

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Lightweight and compact in construction for higher useability
Water and oil repellent coating on front glass element makes maintenance of the lens surface
Filter Size: 95mm
Minimum focusing distance : 280 cm/110.2 inches, focal length :150-600mm

What We Like:

Relatively compact and lightweight
Great value for a 150-600mm zoom

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Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2

This Tamron lens combines the attractions of both Sigma lenses

Tamron’s G2 (Generation 2) 150-600mm lens is about the same size and weight as Sigma’s competing Contemporary lens, but adds a more comprehensive set of weather seals, similar to those of Sigma’s more exotic Sports edition, while splitting the difference in terms of price. Upgrades over the original Tamron lens include a revamped 4.5-stop optical stabilizer with three switchable options for static, panning and exposure-only modes, the last of which leaves the viewfinder image unadulterated, and makes it easier to track erratic movement. The uprated ring-type autofocus system is faster and more accurate, and a fluorine coating is added to the front element. Sharpness is very good at or near 600mm but less impressive towards the short end of the zoom range. For full compatibility with Canon EOS R and Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras, V2 or later firmware can be applied via Tamron’s optional USB-linked TAP-in Console.

Product Details:

This Certified Refurbished product is manufacturer refurbished it shows limited or no wear
Includes all original accessories plus a 90 day manufacturer warranty
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom Lens for Nikon Mounts
Sophisticated eBAND Coating, MOD reduced to 7′ (1:3.9 max. mag. Ratio), AF speed is faster and much more responsive, VC performance is 4.5 stops, FLEX ZOOM LOCK mechanism, Fluorine coating and improved moisture-resistant construction
Capture the moment with sharpness and accuracy

What We Like:

Uprated stabilizer and autofocus system
Weather-seals and fluorine coating

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Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Best own-brand Canon lens for birding

Canon’s original EF 100-400mm zoom was something of a classic, but wasn’t to everybody’s taste, especially in regard to its trombone-style push-pull zoom mechanism. The second edition of the lens has a more typical twist-action zoom ring and a host of upgrades. These include a refined optical path with fluorite and Super UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements and high-tech Air Sphere coating. There’s a more effective, triple-mode image stabilizer and the Mark II also gains weather-seals and fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. It’s a very good lens but rather expensive for a 100-400mm, and lacks the outright telephoto reach of more recent 150-600mm independent designs.

Product Details:

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9524B005
4549292010350

What We Like:

High-quality optical elements
Triple-mode image stabilizer

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Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM

It might not be conventional, but this shouldn’t be ignored for bird photography

The Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM (and the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM) is designed for EOS R-series mirrorless cameras and offers a very different experience to a typical prime telephoto lens. Sporting a clever retractable design, this lens collapses down to 200mm. Using DO (Diffractive Optics) and a relatively narrow f/11 fixed aperture rating, it’s also pretty light at 930g. A fixed f/11 aperture isn’t quite as limiting as it might first appear as thanks to the Dual Pixel AF sensor-based autofocus systems of EOS R-series cameras. Image quality is impressive, while the size of the lens makes it excellent for handheld shooting and, overall, it’s a great choice for bird photography.

Product Details:

First Compact and Lightweight 600mm Super Telephoto RF Lens.
Excellent Portability made Easier with an Extending / Retracting Locking Lens Barrel Design.
Gapless double-layer Diffractive Optics (DO) reduce Chromatic Aberration for High Image Quality.
High Image Quality at a fixed f/11 Aperture.
Optical Image Stabilization with up to 5 Stops of Shake Correction.

What We Like:

Compact and lightweight
Strong optical performance

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Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

Best own-brand Nikon lens for bird photographers

Compared with Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm zooms for Nikon cameras, this own-brand competitor comes up slightly short in maximum reach. Even so, the difference isn’t particularly noticeable in practical terms and the Nikon lens has the advantage of a constant-aperture design, so f/5.6 remains available throughout the zoom range, rather than dropping to f/6.3 at the long end. Fancy features include a dual-mode, 4.5-stop VR (Vibration System) system and an electromagnetically controlled diaphragm for adjusting the aperture. As in the Sigma and Tamron lenses, this enables more consistency in rapid-fire exposures but, with older Nikon bodies, you’ll only be able to shoot at the widest aperture. Autofocus is fast and image quality is impressive in all respects, making this lens great value for an own-brand Nikon.

Product Details:

This pre-owned product has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
Products with batteries will exceed 80% capacity relative to new.
Accessories may not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic box.
This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied under the Amazon Renewed Guarantee.

What We Like:

Powerful zoom range and features
Constant-aperture design

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Nikon 600mm f/4E FL ED VR AF-S

Nikon’s mighty 600mm prime is a beast of a lens

The Nikon 600mm f/4E FL ED VR is one of the company’s longest focal length lenses available, and with a price tag that’s nudging five figures, its squarely aimed at the professional sports and wildlife photographer. This latest generation optic is significantly lighter than its predecessor thanks to the Flourite lens elements used. This has seen a weight saving of some 25%, though it still tips the scales at an arm-wobbling 3,810g. This is a lens you’ll want to partner with a sturdy monopod for long periods of shooting. Optical quality is first-rate as you’d expect for a high end Nikon prime, while the autofocus performance doesn’t disappoint either. A stunning lens if you can justify the price.

Product Details:

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Compatible with Nikon’s full frame (FX) SLRs
Vibration reduction (VR) image stabilization counteracts camera shake and vibration up to ~4.0 stops
SPORT VR mode for fast and erratic moving sports subjects
Silent Wave Motor Auto Focus (AF) System
Nonstick fluorine coat, which makes it easier to wipe off water, dirt and smudges
Supplied with: Slip-On Front LensCap; LF-4 Rear Lens Cap; HK-40Lens Hood; Slip-In Filter Holder; NC40.5mm Neutral color filter; LN-2Strap; CT-608 Lens Case; MonopodCollar

What We Like:

Stunning picture quality
Build quality and finish

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Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary

A great lightweight, budget super-telephoto zoom

Compared with Sigma’s 150-600mm lenses, this one gives noticeably less telephoto reach, but is relatively compact. It’s also only half the weight of the larger 150-600mm Contemporary lens and just a third of the weight of the Sports edition. It’s therefore much more comfortable for long periods of handheld shooting and you can also use it with the camera body mounted on a tripod or monopod. The flip-side is that no optional tripod mounting ring is available, which would have enabled a better balance, especially in portrait orientation shooting.

Sophisticated controls include switchable dual-mode autofocus options with priority given to autofocus or manual override, static/panning stabilization modes and dual custom setups. In addition to using the twist-action control ring, you can alter he zoom setting in a push-pull fashion. A specially shaped lens hood with a thumb and finger groove helps with this.

Product Details:

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Lightweight and compact in construction for higher useability
Water and oil repellent coating on front glass element makes maintenance of the lens surface
Filter Size: 95mm
Minimum focusing distance : 280 cm/110.2 inches, focal length :150-600mm

What We Like:

Comparatively compact and lightweight
Full-frame compatible

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Fujifilm XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

Best Fujifilm lens for bird photographers

Impeccably turned out, the XF100-400mm looks and feels a high-quality item… Looks aren’t deceiving either, as the internals include a super-fast autofocus system based on dual linear stepping motors, and a high-performance 5-stop optical stabilizer. The optical path is top drawer too, featuring no less than five ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements plus a Super ED element. A full set of weather seals is incorporated, and a fluorine coating on the front element helps to repel moisture and fingerprints. Built from the ground up as an APS-C format lens, it only needs to produce a relatively small image circle, compared with a full-frame compatible lens, but is still pretty weighty for a 100-400mm zoom. Overall performance and image quality are excellent, although outright sharpness drops off a bit at the long end of the zoom range.

Product Details:

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SPECIAL FUJIFILM CAMERA LENS BUNDLE FEATURING THE Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens
LENS FEATURES: X-Mount Lens/APS-C Format 152-609mm (35mm Equivalent)
152-609mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/4.5 to f/22
COMPATIBLE CAMERAS: Fujifilm X Mount

What We Like:

Effective telephoto reach of 600mm
Excellent build quality and performance

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Panasonic DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 Asph. Power O.I.S.

Best MFT zoom lens for birding, thanks to the 2x crop factor

A finely crafted lens, the Panasonic 100-400mm is relatively large for a Micro Four Thirds format zoom and weighs almost a kilogram. With its MFT mount, it will work on Olympus mirrorless cameras, as well as compatible Panasonic Lumix models. It’s pretty much the same weight as the Sigma and Tamron 100-400mm lenses for full-frame cameras. Even so, the 2x crop factor of MFT cameras gives the Panasonic a maximum ‘effective’ focal length of 800mm, much like using a 150-600mm lens on an APS-C format body. As always, this makes it a challenge to keep everything steady while shooting, but the Panasonic has excellent build quality and comes complete with a zoom lock ring, tripod mounting collar and optical image stabilizer, to help beat the shakes. It all works together very well, except that stabilization can be relatively ineffective for panning. Autofocus is very quick and highly accurate and image quality is excellent overall, although sharpness drops off a little at the longest zoom setting.

Product Details:

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Vario-Elmar

What We Like:

800mm effective telephoto reach
Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)

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Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4 IS Pro

Best prime lens for Olympus and Panasonic MFT cameras

You need a pretty good reason to trade up from Panasonic’s 100-400mm zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it might just be this Olympus prime. It has fully professional-grade build quality with comprehensive weather-seals and a dust-, freeze- and splash-proof construction. Naturally, it has a fixed focal length, equivalent to 600mm in full-frame terms, and lacks the versatility of a zoom. Even so, that’s rarely a disadvantage for birding, as you’re likely to use a zoom lens at its longest available focal length anyway. A major plus point is that the aperture rating of f/4 is relatively fast, compared with most zoom lenses that drop to f/5.6 or f/6.3 at a similar focal length. Handling highlights include a customizable Lens-function button, a four-stop image stabilizer that gives up to a six-stop benefit when combined with in-camera stabilization, and an autofocus range limiter that can lock out either short or long focus distances. Autofocus itself is very fast and image quality is fabulous.

Product Details:

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Ideally suited for: Travel, sports, nature and landscape – equivalent to a 600 mm 35 mm lens
The world’s first Sync IS mechanism responds directly to the 5-axis image stabilizer of the OM-D cameras and guarantees improved compensation of up to 6 EV levels
Even without a tripod, deep-focus telephoto shots from the hand are possible even with longer exposure times and camera shake in video recordings is significantly reduced
At only 1270 grams, this lens is up to 75 Percent lighter than comparable SLR lenses from other manufacturers
Outstanding image quality, despite very compact design with pin-sharp images right up to the edges of the image
Ideal workmanship, high-quality metal bayonet and ideal close-up limit for use as a tele-macro lens
ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating reduces reflections and ghosting

What We Like:

Relatively fast f/4 aperture
600mm effective focal length

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Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

Sony’s biggest and best super-telephoto zoom for birding

This recent addition to Sony’s E-mount line-up has the same 600mm maximum focal length as Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm zooms for Canon and Nikon SLRs. The Sony’s size and weight are fairly typical but feel a little more imposing on comparatively lightweight Sony Alpha mirrorless bodies.

As with its SLR-format competitors, the maximum ‘effective’ focal length stretches from 600mm to around 900mm when shooting on an APS-C rather than full-frame body. Triple-mode image stabilization is switchable for static and panning shots, with an additional option for applying stabilization only during exposures. This makes it easier to track the erratic movement of birds in flight. DDSSM (Direct Drive Super Sonic Motor) autofocus is super-fast and comes complete with customizable focus-hold buttons mounted around the barrel.

The optical image stabilizer is effective on its own and even better when coupled with in-body stabilization, featured in later Sony Alpha A7 and A9 mirrorless cameras. Sharpness, contrast and other image attributes are excellent and very consistent throughout the entire zoom range.