400 mm prime for birding?

[Markvetnz]

My brother is an avid ornithologist. He recently bought a 500mm F4.0 Canon IS and says it is the best money he ever spent - with his 7D body this equates to about an 800mm lens. How much closer would you ever want to get? The more I get into this hobby, I realise it is like everything else in life. You need the right tools to do the job well. Lots of money but you just can't get the same sort of pictures with a 70 to 200 for instance. Horses for courses.

[mythlady]

Why is this lens almost half price at Amazon? 400mm

[tameigh]

Elise, that is around the price range I have been seeing. I think that Chris was referring to that monster lens that was linked earlier in the thread.

Mark,
As far as horses for courses goes. I agree. The low-end DSLR and kit lens I am currently using is just not fit for purpose for bird photography, but I won't be using it professionally either, so I guess a trade off is required.

On the other hand, the working stiffs around here don't think twice about dropping 15 K on a fishing boat. I use the camera more than my boat, that is for sure. Of course my boat is more like the price of one of those 400 mm 5.6 lenses...

[MiniChris]

I went directly ro Canon, Sigma and Nikon

[Geoff F]

Tim. You may find this topic from a UK wildlife site helpful

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...om-50d-7d.html

There are quite a few other 7D and general bird photography questions in the Photo Forum sections. Although, like many such sites, they do tend wander 'off topic' a bit on occasions.

You could even ask your own questions; it isn't a UK only site.

And yes the Egret was with a 40D and the light wasn't perfect; but I often find that slightly overcast conditions can work better for white birds. Spot metering with a little compensation.