Which of these lenses is best for photographing bears and wildlife in Alaska?
Asked 4/23/2016
1 views
2 answers
0
I’m taking a summer trip to Alaska and want to bring one general-purpose lens plus one telephoto for wildlife. I have these telephoto options:
- Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6D
- Nikon AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G
- Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 APO DG HSM
For photographing bears and other wildlife, which would be the best choice? I’m wondering whether the larger zoom range means worse image quality, and whether focal length is the main thing that matters for this kind of trip.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
7
I'd say that if you have to ask which lens would be most suitable, you're probably going to want the range of the Sigma 50-500mm. The 70-200mm f/2.8 is the best of the lenses you listed. The 70-300mm D has gone through a couple updates over the years, so compared to the other 2, it's a bit dated.
But because you're not exactly sure of what you'll be seeing, or what catches your eye, and without knowledge of what your "style" is, in my opinion, the range available from the Sigma 50-500mm is your best bet. I have taken that lens to several outdoors trips where I didn't know exactly what to expect, and in every one, I was not disappointed. I have even shot nesting eagles from a rocking pontoon boat on a windy, overcast day, and obtained crystal clear images at 500mm with it. In that regard, my only complaint with the lens is that it is heavier than the other 2 lenses you listed.
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For Alaska wildlife, reach matters most. Based on the lenses listed, the Sigma 50-500mm is the most practical choice because 200-300mm is often not long enough for bears and other distant animals unless you crop heavily.
The 70-200mm f/2.8 is generally the best-quality lens of the three, but for wildlife it may simply be too short on its own. One answer suggested it could work better with a 2x teleconverter, but among the lenses you already listed, the Sigma’s 500mm reach is the biggest advantage.
The 70-300mm is the least compelling option here; it’s shorter than the Sigma and was described as more dated than the other two.
The tradeoff is that the Sigma is heavier, slower, and may be softer at the long end, so good light and solid technique will help. For a trip where you don’t know exactly what wildlife opportunities you’ll get, that flexibility is usually worth more than the last bit of optical quality.
Best advice: take the Sigma 50-500mm, and test it before the trip so you know how it handles and what kind of results to expect at 500mm.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI10y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Which Sigma 70-300mm Nikon lens is better for close-up and macro-style photography on a D90?
Nikon 70-300mm VR vs Sigma 70-300mm APO DG for a Nikon D7000
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 HSM vs Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D: which focuses faster on a Nikon D90 for sports?
Why won’t my Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 HSM autofocus on a Nikon D5300?
Which budget 70-300mm lens is best for a Nikon D5100?