The key to great bird photography is having a great lens. Even more than most wildlife and other fast-action scenarios, this is one of the trickier genres to get right. Whether in flight or at rest, the subject of your shot can be quick, evasive, well camouflaged and frustratingly uncooperative. The task requires patience and skill, but the rewards of capturing a great image far outweigh the challenges, and as every dedicated bird photographer knows, the secret to a successful shot is having a good telephoto lens to close the distance. Here are some of the more popular choices from some of our best brands.
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5–5.6 GM OSS Lens
Like any Sony G Master lens, this telephoto zoom is designed to deliver remarkable corner-to-corner full-frame resolution along with pleasantly smooth background bokeh – the perfect combination for isolating your subject and making sure that it stands out in exceptional detail and robust colour. Reliably fast, accurate focusing is another hallmark of the series, and all of these elements converge beautifully in the FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens. Weighing in at a hefty 1395g, it’s still sufficiently compact and portable for a telephoto zoom capable of such considerable reach. It’s also the first Sony lens of its kind to feature a zoom-smoothness adjuster that that lets you set a lower torque for fast zooming or increase it for slower, more stable zooming as required.
- f/4.5 to f/40 aperture range
- Full-frame format
- 22 elements in 16 groups
- Super-sonic wave motor
- Optical image stabilizer
- Dust and water resistant
- Sony E Mount
Read our post about The Ins and Outs of Bird Photography
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM Lens
This is the latest iteration of a classic Canon super-telephoto zoom, with significant upgrades to everything from build quality to optical design. The generous zoom range makes it easy to focus on a fast-moving subject, from fairly close up (roughly one metre) to considerably distant. An enhanced image stabilization system (available in three modes: standard, panning and during exposure only) and a faster autofocus drive allow for the capture of super-sharp high-res results even when shooting handheld. The use of one fluorite element and a Super UD element combine to help reduce aberrations and distortions, as well as maintain faithful colour reproduction. Rugged construction with advanced dust and water sealing make it suitable for use in a range of challenging environments and conditions.
- f/4.5 to f/38 aperture range
- Full-frame format
- 21 elements in 16 groups
- Ring ultra sonic motor
- Optical image stabilizer
- Dust and water resistant
- Canon EF Mount
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4.0 E PF ED VR Lens
When this lens was first launched, many observers immediately drew attention to its incredibly compact proportions: at just 755g, it weighs roughly half that of its nearest predecessor. And at only 147.5mm, it’s more than 30% shorter. Portability and nimble handling are clearly two if its key strengths, and a unique Nikon-designed Phase Fresnel lens element is the secret to maintaining both its small size and exceptional optical performance. Based on the Phase Fresnel lens with a series of concentric circles engraved onto it, this innovative lens element design not only compensates for chromatic aberration and ghosting but also allows Nikon to use fewer lens elements overall. And unlike the telephoto zooms on this list, this is a prime lens with a fixed focal length, which, despite its limitations, is capable of incomparable sharpness, with a rounded nine-blade diaphragm to deliver unparalleled bokeh.
- f/4 to f/32 aperture range
- FX format
- 16 elements in 10 groups
- Silent wave motor
- Optical image stabilizer
- Dust and water resistant
- Nikon F Mount
Sony SEL 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS E-Mount Lens
Designed for use with Sony’s compact mirrorless APS-C format cameras, this is one of the smaller and more affordable telephoto zoom options in this roundup. Weighing just 625g and measuring 14.2cm in length, it offers a highly respectable full-frame-equivalent zoom range spanning 105mm telephoto to 525mm super-telephoto. Featuring Sony’s premium G-level build quality and optical performance in a lightweight weather-resistant body – with fast, near-silent AF and built-in optical image stabilization, to boot – this lens is a no-brainer for intrepid enthusiasts with bird photography in mind.
- f/4.5 to f/32 aperture range
- APS-C format
- 19 elements in 13 groups
- XD Linear AF motor
- Optical image stabilization
- Sony E Mount
