What focal length do I need to photograph swans from 300–500 meters with a Canon EOS 600D?
Asked 11/30/2017
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I want to photograph swans in a field from about 300–500 meters away using a Canon EOS 600D, and I’d like a close-up with visible detail on individual birds. What kind of telephoto lens or focal length should I be looking at, and does a prime versus zoom matter for this kind of long-distance wildlife shot?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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It does not matter which. All you need it to get something with a long focal-length. In other words, you will get the same framing from a 500mm prime lens than you would at 500mm on a 50-500m lens.
It is common though for zooms to have much dimmer apertures than a prime lens, so if you go the zoom route, you are much more likely to need a tripod. For instance you can get an F/4 aperture with the Canon EF 600mm F/4L but you only get F/6.3 at the telephoto end of the Sigma C 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM. Although Sigma does have a Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 APO EX DG for Canon which reaches 500mm while staying at F/2.8.
The exact focal-length needed to frame a subject depends on its distance and size which you have not specified. What really matters is the angle it occupies in the frame. A 600mm lens covers an angle of 4° while a 500mm covers 5°. Since you are using a Canon APS-C camera you must divide this by the crop-factor which is 1.6. If you only need 400mm, there are more options.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
At 300–500 meters, you’ll want the longest focal length you can reasonably use. For a close-up of individual swans at that distance, think in the super-telephoto range: roughly 500mm, 600mm, or more if possible. The exact focal length depends on how large the swans appear in the frame, so there isn’t one perfect number.
Prime vs zoom does not change framing at the same focal length: 500mm on a prime and 500mm on a zoom give the same field of view. The main difference is that primes are often faster (wider maximum aperture), while long zooms are usually slower at the long end, which can make higher ISO, slower shutter speeds, or tripod use more likely.
For wildlife at this distance, lens choice is only part of the problem. Light levels, stability, and your quality expectations matter a lot. If you already have lenses, start by using the longest one you own and see whether the framing and detail are acceptable before buying anything.
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