super telephoto lenses
NB. the prices here are very approximate values - I do not sell these!!
see also:
African safari shooting
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ideally need a focal length range of 200-600mm in 35mm terms on a camera with a good buffer so that you can take several minutes of slow sequences (1 fps or slower is often adequate but buffer on the 1Ds could not cope with this)
best shots are often taken in low light levels around dawn so a super telephoto with wide aperture and good low light AF system combined with a camera that gives good image quality at higher ISO levels such as 1600 combined with effective image stabiliser to minimise the camera shake with long telephotos is needed.
African safaris tend to be very dusty affairs so you don't really want to be changing lenses and you really need a camera & lens system that is dustproof and weatherproof - and the best in this regard is the Olympus E5 system.
the current ultimate safari camera (2007) would be the
1D MarkIII with its 1.3x crop for more telephoto and its better buffer - a 10mp picture in the hand is worth a 100 16mp pictures missed because buffer was BUSY.
Canon 1DMIII /
MIV with EF 300mm f/2.8L IS with 1.4x TC gives 546mm f/4 with 2-3EV IS but able to use ISO 6400
this kit weighs in at about 4kg and requires a monopod to support it and would cost over $A13,000
the lens is 252mm long, so not so compact.
alternatively the lighter EF 400mm f/4 IS DO L lens gives better image quality than the 300mm f/2.8 with 1.4x TC although you may not like the DO artefacts and the price, and you would need another lens for shorter telephotos or when you need wider apertures as light levels fall (perhaps a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS).
BUT a serious contender to the best safari set up in 2017 may be:
Olympus OM-D E-M1 mark II with
Olympus mZD 300mm f/4 PRO lens to give effective 600mm f/4 with 5-6EV image stabiliser in a robust kit which is dustproof and highly weatherproof (you could pour a bottle of water on it to wash the dust off if you had to, although I would use other means)
this gives 20mp at 18fps with accurate low light AF
this is light enough to be used hand held which makes life so much easier in the back of a safari truck full of tourists and the lenses are black so they won't stand out like the Canon white ones.
combined weight is about 2.3kg and the lens is only 227mm long
this would cost ~$US3,500 - almost a quarter the Canon cost and almost half the weight and size, for the difference you could buy a 2nd EM1 body and add a
Olympus mZD 40-150mm f/2.8 pro lens to give you 80-300mm range in a zoom on a second camera.
for more versatility, you could add a 1.4x TC to give you a handholdable 420mm f/5.6 option.
in addition, the lens takes a 77mm filter instead of a 48mm drop-in filter as does the Canon.
Summary:
if light weight and telephoto reach are your prime importance and you can afford to shoot at < ISO 1600 then the
Olympus OM-D E-M1 mark II would make it high on your list.
if ability to use higher ISO with low noise, wider dynamic range and fast burst rates are your prime importance and you don't mind carrying large, heavy, expensive equipment with large heavy tripods, then consider the
Nikon D4s sports dSLR or
Canon 1D X sports dSLR with possible lighter, cheaper alternatives of Nikon D300s or Canon 7D.
introduction:
in this page when I talk of effective focal length, it is in 35mm effective terms unless giving the actual focal length of a lens.
super telephoto here is approx. 300mm effective focal length and higher
cropped sensors give you more reach at the super-telephoto end:
a Nikon D3 12mp (36×23.9mm) dSLR using a 300mm lens gives 4256x2843pixels at full frame, this could be cropped to:
5:4 format in camera (30×23.9mm = 3552x2832pixels = 10mp)
1.3x crop (~28.7×18.7mm = 3393x2224pixels = 7.5mp) in PS giving an effective reach of 390mm lens
1.5x DX crop in camera (2784×1848 pixels = 5.1mp) giving an effective 450mm reach
a Canon 1D Mark III using a 300mm lens with its 1.3x sensor crop will give a 10mp image with effective reach of a 390mm lens
THUS if it is reach you need, then the Canon 1D Mark III will give this at higher resolution than the Nikon D3
BUT if maximal reach is needed and you can get away with lower ISO values, lesser AF functionality, slower burst rates then consider the 2x crop factor of the Olympus & Micro Four Thirds cameras with their specially designed lenses:
NB. using cropped sensors with more than 135pixels/mm such as Canon APS-C, Nikon DX and Olympus OM-D series cameras with 35mm lens technology and not high res. digital designed lenses means that although you get more reach, it is unlikely that the lens will have enough resolution to match the sensor wide open and thus in effect you are losing sensor mp resolution, this is why these companies are producing dedicated lenses designed for these cameras, particularly, Olympus.
a super telephoto lens, like other lenses is a trade off on:
astronomy usage:
for astrophotography where optical aberrations become paramount, the general wisdom is to stick with a high quality prime lens (preferably without optical IS) of focal length 200-300mm for deep sky work such as:
the smaller the aperture, the longer you need to have your exposures and thus the better guiding and mount you need - try to go for a great quality f/4.5 lens or wider aperture as it will simplify your life.
the greater the focal length, the more guiding errors and aberrations become magnified & thus the better guiding, mount and lens you need.
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converting a camera lens to a telescope for use with eyepieces or webcams:
consumer Scope converters are OK for terrestrial use but not for astro use, instead its better to use 1.25“ diagonal with a Barlow and eyepieces via a home-made lens adapter ( a lens rear lens cap with centre removed or a 12mm extension tube join to a 1.25” tube so that total extension is no more than 30mm)
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indoor sports photography:
often a 85-200mm range with wide aperture (f/2.0 - f/2.8) is desirable eg. 135mm f/2.0.
many settle for a compromise 70-200mm f/2.8 IS zoom
Olympus make a ZD 35-100mm f/2.0 which equates to 70-200mm f/2.0
a 135mm focal length in 35mm terms allows 6' high subject in landscape orientation at about 11m (fov = 2x3m) and at f/2.0, DOF range = ~0.8m.
outdoor sports photography:
a 400-600mm range with f/2.8-5.6 aperture is desirable - usually mounted on a monopod.
a 500mm focal length in 35mm terms allows 6' high subject in landscape orientation at about 40m (fov = 1.9×2.9m) and at f/5.6, DOF range = ~2.1m
wildlife photography:
focal length, contrast and resolution become paramount, and effective focal lengths of 200-600mm are often preferred. When you are not sure what size creature and how far away they will be, then the advantages of a zoom may outweigh their disadvantages.
for lenses in the 300mm f/2.8 - 500mm f/4 range, most wildlife photographers prefer mounting on a Wimberley Sidekick
if you are just walking around the local zoo without a tripod, then a 400mm effective lens will give you the reach for most shots and f/4 or f/5.6 are reasonable apertures.
bird photography:
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usually 500-800mm focal length is needed, and many prefer a zoom:
for a bird with wing span of 0.6m, using a 500mm effective lens means you need to get to within about 10-15m to reasonably fill the frame (fov at 10m = 0.5×0.7m DOF range at f/5.6 = ~13cm, fov at 15m = 0.7×1.1m DOF range at f/5.6 = ~30cm).
by using 800mm effective lens you do not need to be as close, perhaps 15-20m for a close crop.
if you can get to within 3-4m of a non-flying bird, then a 200mm effective lens will be fine - perhaps a 70-200mm f/2.8 in case it happens to come closer then you can zoom out.
bushwalking:
here one needs to often change focal length significantly as the subject may be of unexpected size or distance and making too much movement by changing lenses may mean a missed shot.
a light, compact, zoom is often a good choice eg. Olympus ZD 70-300mm f/4-5.6 ED (140-600mm eq)
use of teleconverters / tele-extenders:
teleconverters are accessory lenses that are placed between the camera and the main lens to increase the magnification by effectively increasing the focal length.
they usually come in 2 “strengths”:
1.4x which will obviously increase the effective focal length by 1.4x and decrease the effective aperture by 1 stop
2x which will obviously increase the effective focal length by 2x and decrease the effective aperture by 2 stops
in general, image quality tends to be better with the 1.4x than the 2x, but in either case not as good as using a equivalent quality main lens with a longer focal length (ie. a 135mm f/2.0L with 2x converter will not be as good an image quality as a 300mm f/4L lens wide open even though it should give 270mm f/4 equivalence).
you can often get away with shooting wide open with a 1.4x teleconverter but you will see a reduction in image quality shooting wide open with a 2x teleconverter, especially when it is mated to a zoom lens.
Canon EOS teleconverters are compatible physically with only a few lenses:
tips on hand holding a super telephoto:
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do not stand up - you are MUCH more stable sitting down - maybe carry a portable walk-stool to sit on.
stabilise your upper body - “lock” your camera onto forehead via rubber eyepiece onto eyebrow and camera body onto cheek and nose
support end of lens with left hand but allow arm to be freely moving to allow tracking - don't hug elbow to your side
breathe naturally - no need to hold your breathe
depending on your subject either:
make sure you have image stabiliser turned on, or,
for birds in flight where IS may introduce strange feather patterns with major camera movements, select a fast enough shutter speed, such as:
1/750th sec for 600mm eq. focal length in 35mm terms
1/1200th sec for 600mm + 1.4x TC
1/2000th sec for 600mm + 2x TC
plan your shooting position:
practice
Canon EOS
Nikon Digital:
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AF-S 500mm f/4 3.43kg; 52mm filter or newer 3kg flourite version uses 40.5mm filters
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Olympus dSLR
note the 2x crop factor
Olympus dSLRs are out of production and discontinued
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in comparing Olympus with Canon or Nikon, remember for the same low light or action-stopping capability, the Olympus lens would need to be 1-2 stops more aperture to counter-balance its 1-2 stops worse high ISO noise performance.
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1.07kg; ~$A1400; some vignetting otherwise excellent lens.
consider the newer SWD version for faster, quieter AF
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can be used with the ZD 1.4x or 2x teleconverters with great results.
closest Canon is the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS at $A3395 but doesn't have the reach only being 112-320mm effective.
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in effect, give the telephoto reach of a 300m f/2.0
1.6kg with tripod mount;
this could be one of the best lenses for astrophotography as well as high-end work if you can afford it
combined with a TC you get reach of 420mm f/2.8 (1.4x TC) or 600mm f/4 (EC-20)
plonk this on an Olympus E5 and you have one very light super telephoto system for sports or wildlife use.
the nearest Canon is the big, expensive, EF 200mm f/2 IS but as it is optical IS will be not favoured for astro. work due to aberrations on star shapes.
~$US2000 but a ridiculous $A4500 RRP in Australia - Olympus, you got to do something with pricing!
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a great lens for action or wildlife photography but you will need to use a monopod.
~$US6000 or $A10,000 and 3.27kg with 105mm filter
the longest zoom made by Canon is their 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS which weighs 1.36kg but 2 stops slower.
Canon make a 400mm f/2.8L IS lens but this is 5.3kg while the 500mm f/4L IS is 3.9kg and 1 stop slower.
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Sigma lenses as above under Canon but note the 2x crop factor, PLUS:
the poor man's approach - manual focus lenses:
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Olympus Zuiko OM 200mm f/4:
nice light, compact lens, easy to carry around and hand-hold live preview focusing
eq. to a 400mm f/4.0 IS when used on an E510 or E3.
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this is a great lens and works well on Olympus and Canon dSLRs, make sure you get a tripod mount.
better at f/5.6 as expected.
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Tamron SP 300mm f/5.6 tele macro
any Nikon or Leica R except those made especially for digital
Micro Four Thirds:
The classic Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 image stabilised lens:
The classic Pro 300mm eq. f/2.8 image stabilised lens:
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Nikon D300 + Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G = 2.5kg and approx. $A6000
Canon 1DMIII + EF
300mm f/2.8 IS L = 3.9kg and approx. $A11,500 (no 200mm f/2.8 IS lens available for the cropped cameras)
Nikon D3 + Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/2.8 VR = 4.2kg and approx. $13,000
The classic Pro 400mm eq. f/2.8 image stabilised lens:
The classic Pro 600mm eq. f/4 image stabilised lens:
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Nikon D300 + Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/2.8 VR + 1.4xTC = 4kg approx and approx. $A8000
Canon 1DMIII + EF 500mm f/4 IS L = 5kg approx and approx. $A14,500
Nikon D3 + Nikkor AF-S 600mm f/4G VR = 6kg approx and approx. $A17,000?
The unique Pro 180-500mm f/2.8 "IS" lens:
The classic Pro 600mm eq. f/2.8 image stabilised lens:
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Canon 1DMIII + EF 400mm f/2.8 IS L = 6.7kg approx and approx. $A15,500 and only 520mm eff. focal length
Nikon D3 + Nikkor AF-S 600mm f/4G ED VR = 6kg approx and approx. $A17,000 but only f/4 not f/2.8
800mm hand holdable, image stabilised auto focus lens:
now we are talking!
a lens and camera that you can walk around with (2-3kg for lens and camera combined) and really get close to those smaller creatures at a distance (ie. 800mm telephoto reach) without needing a tripod or a monopod (ie. image stabiliser is a must), and it needs to have reasonable AF capability (this usually means an aperture f/8 or brighter).
when portability and reach are the prime considerations, the winner is the Olympus or Panasonic combo.
you can't achieve this with a 1.3x crop or full frame camera and have it portable, and optical image quality and size is a problem with the DX/APS-C options.
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Canon APS-C dSLR (eg. 40D) with either:
300mm f/4L IS + 2x TC
960mm reach at f/8 but that’s a bigger lens, white and Canon 2x TC’s image quality is not as good as Olympus EC-20
apparently no AF with 2x teleconverter?
400mm f/5.6L + 1.4x TC
Canon 1D MIII with either:
not possible, but closest are:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS + 1.4x TC:
400mm f/5.6L + 1.4x TC = 728mm reach at f/8
but that’s a bigger lens and body and no IS, although you can increase ISO by 1-2 stops and you get 10fps.
close focus 3.5m, max. magnification = 0.17x with TC14.
no AF with teleconverters.
~2.7kg
400mm f/4L IS DO + 1.4x TC
Canon full frame:
not really possible, closest is the 400mm f/4L IS DO + 2x TC:
of course, if you are using a 21mp 1DsMIII, you could use just 10mp of it and this would give you a similar crop as the 1DMIII - well actually more like a 10mp Nikon DX with ~1.5x crop or 1.5x digital zoom.
if you can carry a 6kg outfit plus tripod with gimbal head and you have lots of money then the EF 800mm f/5.6 may be useful:
Nikon DX with either:
Nikon full frame: