3 Lenses Light

Nikon DSLR D500, semi pro quality lens 1450 gram, lens camouflage (2nd part sight removed to show imprints and switches lens). You can see one of the four Memory recall buttons at this side of the lens in the centre. The other three are at the top, bottom and backside of the lens.

This is Workshop Light page 3: Lenses & their settings, converters, combinations Light

“Good glass”

In bird photography a camera-converter-lens-combination is usually built around a specific lens. Lenses have a rather long life compared to camera’s because their technology lasts longer. Camera’s, definitely mirrorless camera’s, are more electronica- or computer-oriented devices. Lenses and converters contain mechanical microtechnology and expensive glass and require extremely long and expensive production processes.

“Good glass” is your main asset in photography. Essential technology like image sensors, autofocus sensors and microprocessors driving this equipment, changes over time. Good camera’s are expensive, super glass is incredibly expensive and – particularly in the past – was incredibly heavy. Modern MLC’s including Nikons Z Series are changing this essentially. This is a great advantage in lightweight bird, nature, sports and reporting photography. Nikon Z mount 400mm, 600mm and 800mm are much lighter than their classical F Mount counterparts. Look for example at Nikon related news.

Lightweight lenses

We used or use following telelenses:

Lens	weight (gram)	stabilisation		price spring '24	optical quality (1-10)
Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II	1450	4 stops	low distance, large birds, relatively heavy, top image quality		10
Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 VR	2950	4 stops	medium distance, top image quality, fine bokeh, rather heavy		10
Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR	770	4 stops	ultra lightweight, perfect detail and image quality, also when using TC-20E III		10
Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR	1450	4.5 stops	lightweight, excellent detail & image quality up to large distance also with TC-20E III at V3, J5, Z50, etcetera		10
Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 VR	2350	4 stops	good detail and image quality also with TC-20E III ay V3, J5 and Z50, etcetera		9
Z Nikkor 50-250mm		qqq	surprisingly good detail	low (if kit lens)	9
Z Nikkor 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S	1435	qqq	great detail	2700 euro	9
Z Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 VR S	1160 excl. tripod foot	qqq	compact, length 23,5cm. excellent detail also with 1,4 converter	2.950 euro	10
Z Nikkor 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3	2140	5.5 stops	surprisingly good detail up to 600mm zoom, internal zoom, focus =>1.4m, perfect with TC-14E, lesser quality with TC-20E		9
Z Nikkor 600mm f/4	3260	qqq	built-in TC 1.4	16k	10
Sigma Sports 150-600mm f/5.0 - 6.3	2900	4 stops	stirdy, pro quality detail and image quality also with TC-140, a bit heavy, overall great lens		10
Tamron G2 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3	1950	4 stops	pro quality detail and image quality also with TC-X14.		10

Converters:

Converter	Multiplying 35mm equivalent by factor:	Weight (gram)	Supports lens type	Loss in light loss (stops)	Note
Nikkor TC-14E II or III	1.4	200	F mount	1
Nikkor TC-17E	1.7	250	F mount	1.5	We never use this converter because we prefer high quality TC-20E III
Nikkor TC-20E III aspherical	2.0	330	F mount	2	Exceptional quality! All Nikon MLC's support TC-20E III
Sigma TC 1401	1.4	qqq	F mount	1
Tamron TX 14	1.4	qqq	F mount	1
Nikkor 1.4x	1.4	190	Z mount	1
Nikkor 2.0x	2.0	330	Z mount	2

About weight and carrying camera’s and lenses

We sometimes at longer walks use a Micnova camera harnas to carry a second lens [+ converter] or second camera at hip or breast. This has proven to be an absolutely safe and comfortable method during long walks or day trips. We can photograph large birds or action nearby or use large reach when required.

Alternatively we carry one combination on tripod and exchange this one with a second camera [+ converter] behind the lens [+ converter]. Lens + converter remain safely on the tripod. This works great. One can also exchange photo and video camera [with special microphone] this way.

Z Mount lenses are significantly lighter than F mount lenses so we use this wayt of carrying (part of) a second combination more and more when photographing birds.

Only occasionally we use tripod for example in cases of unpredictabele action of fast flying birds or if we need to be able to aim at birds at larger distances like near lakes or sea or if we carry a lot ofequipment ib longer walks and want to be able to put the tripod down to rest a few minutes …

At longer walks we always carry some tools and spare parts.

We always use at least camouflaged camera and lenses, a hat and dark gloves. When required we definitely use substantial or total camouflage. See 1 Camouflage.

Some lightweight combinations

Combination	max. weight	max. 35mm equivalent	APERTURE value at max. equivalent	main characteristics
D500 Nikkor 70 - 200mm f/2.8 VR TC-20E III	2730 gram	600mm ([TC- 20E III]	f/5.6	pro quality build and image, fast autofocus, good bokeh, relatively light, works perfectly with TC-20 III
D500 Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR	1950 gram	900mm [TC-20E III]	f/8	very light, pro image quality, fast, good bokeh
D500 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR	2500 gram	1050mm [TC-14E]	f/8	relatively very light, pro quality, fast, autofucus, perfect detail also at large distances and also using TX-14E II and III, good bokeh
D500 Nikkor 200 - 500mm f/5.6E VR TC-14E	2310 gram	1050mm [TC-14E)]	f/8	medium heavy, good image quality, substantial reach (bereik), zooming
D500 Sigma Sport 150 - 600mm f/5.0-6.3	3960 gram	1260mm [TC 1401]	f/9	extremely reliable, relatively heavy, almost pro quality images and build, all wheatherproof, ideal for bird photography with one universal combination
D500 Tamron G2 150 - 600mm f/5.0-6.3	3010 gram	1260mm [T-X14]	f/9	extremely reliable, relatively light, almost pro quality images, ideal for bird photography with one universal combination
J5 Nikkor 500mm PF VR	1865 gram *)	1890mm [TC-14E]	f/8	great reach yet good image quality, tripod required, sight recommended
V3 Sigma 150 - 600 Sport	3515 gram *)	2270mm [TC 1401]	f/9	exceptional reach (bereik) yet good image quality, tripod required, sight recommended
V3 Tamron 150 - 600mm G2	2565 gram *)	2270mm [T-X14]	f/9	exceptional reach (bereik) yet good image quality, tripod required, sight recommended
Z50 Nikkor 500mm PF VR	2230 gram *)	1500mm [TC 20E III]	f/11	substantial reach, still very good detail and great overall image quality, tripod and sight recommended
*) FT1/FTZ included

If you use lightweight equipment you may automatically start trying out varioous combinations camera-converter-lens and sometimes discover interesting possibilities. You develop a lighter way of moving and working in the field and get closer to the birds without disturbing them because you use sufficient camouflage.

Sooner or later observing birds (or other animals) and their behaviour or just being in nature becomes a significant pleasure or even more for many. And also one gradually develops all kinds of camouflage sets and acquires more knowledge about bird behaviour, their singing, contact, alarming and other sounds, their breeding biology and quite migration habits. Where are they when!?

Some birder-photographers develop an alternative way of life. They spend considerable time and effort in observing, photographing or helping and protecting birds and sharing their knowledge and experience with fellow birders, photographers and others.

By using modern lightweight lenses and camera’s you are working almost at the same range of reach of digiscoping be it with autofocus. A tripod remains recommended especially when using combinations with high reach or sometimes when photographing action of fast moving birds or birds far away. In most situations however there is no need for using a tripod any more when using modern, 4 to 5 stops (factor EXPOSURE TIME 1/(16 – 1/32!) stabilised lenses or in-body stabilised camera’s.

In case of great reach, like 35mm equivalents over 1000 mm, we always use a sight (vizier) for quick and safe aiming at small or remote birds. This is a great help especially when you need to focus within seconds or keep the camera focussed at relatively small birds far away for longer periods of time.

Equipment and settings in general

You need good equipment but – and this is equally important – the optimal settings thereof. We will review all key settings of Nikon (compatible) camera’s and lenses in bird photography at a the pertinent pages of this site. However we list the complete settings for lightweight bird photography of two frequently used camera’s at Settings Z50 and Settings D500. These two camera’s at present, we think, are representative examples of Nikon DSLR’s and MLC’s suitable for lightweight bird photography. You can consult these two pages at any moment you wish when following the workshop at this blog.

Specific settings of some switches of Nikkor lenses:

∞ – x meter (x for example is 8 meter at Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR and 10 meter at Sigma Sport 150-600mm). Setting it to limit value x usually speeds up autofocus a bit becausr the lens saves some time trying to focuss at distances <= x meter.

We only set it to value x when we absolutely need maximum speed for example when we try photographing fast or rather unpredictable action like the in the picture of the Hornet down at this page. Otherwise we tend to forget that we have set the lens to limit value x and if consequently the lens refuses to focus because the actual distance to the bird is within x, we miss the shot. Typically Sigma Sport 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 tends to strictly obey its actual limit 10, so we missed several shots at 6 – 9 meters when we had forgotten to reset the switch to value ∞. Do as you wish.

A/m or M/a or M. (This is tricky):

A/m stands for “manual focus override”: the lens will use manual focus temporarily as long as you turn or press manual focus ring including the pressing of the Release button to make a manually focussed picture. However as soon as you stop turning or pressing manual focus ring the camera will resume autofocus mode. So it works like a “one time temporary manual focus“.

M/a stands for “manual focus override until pressing Release button”: Consequently we call M/a setting in mind “the camera will eventually use autofocus“. You can use manual focus as long as you press or turn manual focus ring but whenever you press Release button the camera will switch to autofocus mode and thereafter make an “autofocussed” picture. In this case you have, while using manual focus, only temporarely assisted the camera – probably because the camera itself did not (yet) manage autofocussing right away for some reason. Anyway you shoot this picture eventually using autofocus.

You really have to practice both ways to find out how this works out. Wenat least, needed quite some time to really understand ho this worked. We fek lt the instructions in the official lens documentation are a slightly cryptic.

M stands for manual focus always: you can press and turn manual focus ring as you wish, once you press Release button, a picture wil be shot without using autofocus.

Memory recall buttons

Some Nikkor pro lenses, for example Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 VR II and Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR, have one or more special Memory recall buttons to save the actual autofocus distance camera-subject in focus. In bird photography this comes in handy frequently.

If you are repaetedly photographing a bird that returns from time to time to some favourite position like its nest, a juvenile beeing fed at a certain spot, some branch above the water surface frequently visited by a Kingfisher (IJsvogel), some popular drinking or bathing spot or the like, the Nikkor lens will, if you press a Memory recall button, store the distance to this special spot in memory and almost instantaneously refocus at it when you press one of the Memory recall buttons again. It works fast and reliably and can be of significant help in difficult situations.