Both pictures (same bird minutes apart) are cropped from the pictures below and lightly sharpened in Photoshop. Additionally both pictures are taken handheld and not in the brightest of days. So nothing overly scientific about this comparison. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get a little closer to these shy birds so I can get some nice crisp photos of them!
Nikon 18-300 at 300mm
Sigma 120-400 at 400mm
I have been lucky to shoot those birds in the past are in large human population. Therefore, I could get closer to them with my 200-400 or 70-200mm. With those shy birds in your area, you may have to use a camouflage tent. It's disappointed Nikon doesn't make teleconverter compatible for your lens. Perhaps, you may have to settle for a 600mm.
ReplyDeleteTo get the bird crisp, you will more lighting than that for f/3.5, and shooting with a Gimbal head. Sorry, when it comes to bird photography, we need to take out a mortgage loans to get what we wanted.
Good plan... I'll just tell my wife that you said I need a 600mm lens now! Ha ha!
DeleteI think the biggest challenge I have this time of year is the lack of good light to work with. Often on an overcast day the street lights don't turn off until 10:00 and are back on again by 3:00. Having said that I'm having fun and learning more and more all the time.
Good comparison. It has to be awesome to live that close to the water and get a chance to photograph so many different species of birds and scenery. What f stop were these shot on? The Nikon was probably f5.6 and the sigma was f6.3?
ReplyDeleteLiving here on the Coast certainly presents many photographic opportunities... Now all I have to do is learn how best to take pictures! Ha ha!
DeleteJust had a quick look... Both lenses were at f5.6, the Nikon was 1/200 sec iso 800 and the Sigma was 1/250 sec iso 560. Looks like the Sigma lets a little more light in.
Seems the crop from the Nikon lens presents a crisper image, but being the shots were taken hand held the Sigma shot may have been been affected by movement. We all just need to become a better predator and get closer to the subjects and/or using a blind as Q said!
ReplyDeleteI think I would have to agree with Parker, I think the Nikon image is the better of the two. It's a little brighter and crisper than the Sigma.
ReplyDeleteI think you better get ready for "the look" if you are going to start talking about another ne lens this soon. LOL