Nikon 80-400mm as birding lens

[david cramer]

This lens is my large animal/hiking lens. Great for reach and light weight, but not the fastest focusing kid on the block. The last evening of a wild horse shoot was spent at a cookout near a small lake, with nice birding around the water. As I had traveled with only this lens for the horses, and the 17-55 for landscapes, I could not resist attempting to do some birding with the 80-400. Fortunately the light was nice. Through anticipation of the flight path and tracking across the focal plane, I had good luck. Straight on flight shots were not so successful.

Yellow-headed blackbird, D300 with 80-400 @ 270mm, 1/4000, f/5.6, iso 400, ev -0.67 (obviously I could have stopped down more with that shutter speed).

[Blake Shadle]

Hi David. I used the 80-400VR exclusively for about 2 years. When used with good technique, this can be one heck of a lens. Prefocusing is hugely important with this lens. Like you said, anticipate the flight path. Now acquire focus on an object relatively close to the beginning of that path. This way the lens won't have to spend so much time finding your subject. If you miss, expect that thing to rack for quite some time :)

Onto your image :) The techs look great, and you've capture the action. I think the main area that needs improvement is composition. I'd take a large amount of the top and some off the back. This would take your subject out of horizontal center, and give him more room for his wings. Nice work.

[Fabs Forns]

Hey David, I used the lens for a week-end and returned.
Yes, you can occasionally get good images, but I want my equipment to work for me, not to fight me :)
Especially birds coming at you, it was totally blind!

Very nice capture and as I can see 270mm. 400mm is a dangerous FL for the lens.
Very nice exposure and colors in the BG. Agree on Blake's suggestions for a crop.
Good to see you in birds :)

[Mital Patel]

dear david,
i am using the same combo right now. i think its not that much bad as what its become on forums.
true it is bit slow but learning the lens you can get very nice sharp images as what Blake said above.

using pre focus or Limit switch would help you a lot.
second thing is the lens has f/8 as sweet spot and you should try using that and i hope you'll sure get superb images.

you can check my last black-crown night heron which came out really fantastically sharp detail not like prime but good to have and full frame.

best of luck and keep shooting with 80-400 as its my main gun right now for shooting birds :)

[Arthur Morris]

Mitalbhai, I disagree. Your BCRNH was about as sharp as can be....

[Mital Patel]

dear arthur sir,
i was just referring in regards to the point where it was noted as not so good everywhere. and i feel its not that much bad actually.

every equipment has its own limitation and we have to understand first before coming to conclusion and 80-400 is a good with the price range it is. but if you compare this with kind of same range with canon 100-400 i would sure say that this is not even at half compare to canon 100-400 wish almost same price tag.

but yeah you can sure comment that as an expert. i've not used any prime or other lens so this is my best buddy as of now and am enjoying it a lot. limitations are there but i know how to overcome a bit.

[Lana Hays]

David
I think that you did a nice job getting this one in flight. Sharp and a beautiful BG. I agree with the cropping suggestion as well. Now if I could just get my first chance at a Yellow-headed Blackbird!!!

[david cramer]

Thanks for all of the comments. Mital - I agree with Artie, your BCNH is very sharp!

[Michael Wolf]

Excellent captue and I love the BG !!
Nits have been mentioned but they are small for me.

[Alfred Forns]

One fine capture ... and you had all the techs perfectly dialed !!!

[Arthur Morris]

dear arthur sir, i was just referring in regards to the point where it was noted as not so good everywhere. and i feel its not that much bad actually. every equipment has its own limitation and we have to understand first before coming to conclusion and 80-400 is a good with the price range it is. but if you compare this with kind of same range with canon 100-400 i would sure say that this is not even at half compare to canon 100-400 wish almost same price tag. but yeah you can sure comment that as an expert. i've not used any prime or other lens so this is my best buddy as of now and am enjoying it a lot. limitations are there but i know how to overcome a bit.

Mitalbhai, As your image above shows, the only limitation of the lens is the skill of the operator.... I was trying to say that even though the initial focus acquisition is a bit slow, that it is capable of making very sharp flight images in skilled hands like yours.

[Arthur Morris]

ps: Wasn't your very sharp Black-crowned NH created with this lens?

[Juan Aragonés]

David I think that croping a bit at the top and right would improve the composition. You did a really good job capturing this guy in flyight with such a slow lens.
Regarding the discussion about the 80-400... I owned one of that lenses during two years and my results were ABSOLUTELY frustrating with birds in flight. The performance of the 80-400 is not comparable with the Canon 100-400. The optic quality of the glass is really good and it can produce pin sharp images but if you shoot at 400mm wide open and you want to get action....ooops, not the best lens.