Hello! I’ve recently been getting into bird watching, and would like to start photographing more of the birds I see. I have been getting some good shots with my camera through my office window, but if I want to do more than that my equipment currently is pretty limited.
My Camera is a Nikon D5100, and I’ve had it for ages- I love this camera. I have a 55-200mm lens on it that I got way back when I got this camera, but that’s a very limiting range- 200mm really isn’t enough to do a lot of bird photography.
I know that when I get a better lens, it will likely be large enough to warrant a better tripod than what I currently have and possibly even a gimbal mount (though, that may be a future upgrade).
So, those are the things I want recommendations for- telephoto lenses that will fit my camera, a good tripod, and gimbal mounts. I can’t break the bank, I know this will be VERY hard for good telephoto lenses but I’d like to stay under $800 for the lens if at all possible- that way I can upgrade sooner rather than later, the tripod and gimbal can be future upgrades I save up for. I’d like a tripod that will last me a good long time and is quite sturdy- the one I currently have is pretty cheap, and while it’s sturdy enough for now I don’t think it will do a good job with a heavy lens beyond a 200mm focal length.
Thanks!
Sounds to me like you’re on the right track!
People always think spending big on the longest lens is the way to go, and while a long lens is great, birds can often be unexpected, and zooming to close sometimes ends with cropped wings and shakey shots. 300-400mm seems to be the sweet spot for me. But work with what you have! Go find birding areas where you can get a bit closer, hang out in bird hides, crop in a bit more until you get a nice lens.
A good tripod is a worthy investment for any photographer either way.
I think a gimbal you may struggle with, birds are unexpected and fast moving and zooming in and out, moving all that glass, coupled with needing to reframe accurately will make the gimbal very hard to use.
Rather look into saving up for a new camera? Doubling your megapixels and getting built in image stabilization and better autofocus will knock anything a zoom lens or a gimbal could achieve. Why not have a look at best wildlife camera reviews, stick to a crop sensor though it’s better for zooming and lighter weight gear.
Also don’t forget you can rent longer lenses to play with on camera outing days and shop second hand.