OwlsEyes
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 p.52 #11 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions | |
ChrisMak wrote:
Your images for sure do justice to the qualities of this lens Bruce!
I enjoy browsing the Z400TC image threads here and on flickr, and of course the lens has to fit your needs, I know that.
I went to Costa Rica last year, a first time in the tropics for me, and in specific the tropical forsest.
I had the Sony 200-600G that I bought especially for this trip (left the 600GM at home) and although it worked very well and reliable on the A1 (most of the shots need good noise reduction obviously), it was not a lens that I would take again.
My lens of choice for such a trip would be the Z400TC, a 600mm 4 is véry unpractical on such a trip.
I saw many images taken in tropical forests from this lens and they shine. Also the built-in TC would be a godsend, giving you f2.8 whenever close enough, but also giving that bit of reach that is often neccessary with birding.
It is not financially realistic in the coming years, unless I switch from my Sony gear which I am not ready to do just yet, but I plan to vist more tropical forests in future, and may switch in the end, giving up the 600mm prime.
I also hope Sony will make a 400GMTC, but there are no signs of that, and I like the images from the Z400TC a lot more than what I see from the current Sony 400/2.8...Show more →
Thanks Chris..
I've been to the tropics on many occasions... Specifically, I've been to Costa Rica 10 times to make photographs, teach, and lead students research trips. I've tried to make photography a part of all of these trips whenever it was possible and appropriate. I've used 300mm f4 lenses, 300mm f2.8 lenses, 100-400, 200-400 f4, 200-500 f5.6, and 500 f5.6 lenses on my trips. My last visit to Costa Rica was in 2019, and I did not trust my mirrorless Z6 to this task, as the AF was not mature. I am hoping to return within the next two years and will definitely bring my 400mm f2.8 instead of the 180-600. In fact, I have a 180-600 that I rarely use and will likely sell it in the coming days. Because I have a 100-400 and find that it takes a 1.4x in a pinch, the 180-600 is redundant.
Light in the canopy can be a challenge and the f2.8 maximum aperture is beneficial in places like Costa Rica. However, I think it is the shallow depth of field and the ability to blur distracting foreground branches that is the most important feature of the lens. Having been there, you probably know that if you are photographing wild birds and mammals in their habitat as opposed to feeder sets, it is challenging to create an image free of distractions. While it is great to get that perfect photo of a toucan on a mossy log, anyone who has spent time in the tropics knows that this is a fake situation. Toucans and tanagers don't hang out and pose for photographers on mossy logs, they live in the canopy. For those wanting to photograph their subjects in their natural habitats, a fast 400mm lens increases the ability to produce pleasing images.
cheers,
bruce
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