Photography Gear

In this section we will show some of the gear we use to photograph birds. We use a lot big heavy gear to photograph these small birds. Wild bird photography in the Philippines is quite challenging. Even the process of building a rig is not easy. We found it very difficult trying to decide which pieces of kit to purchase from the many choices available. There is always a trade-off, weight, portability, price, quality, and performance. With new items always entering the market its not an easy task filtering all the information.

In this page we will talk about the gear we use, our favorite bits of kit, what we like and what we don't like. Hopefully this will be helpful for those who are thinking about similar gear and are looking for some field reviews. Our experience is based on our trips in the Philippines which has its own unique challenges to the wild bird photographer. We have a nation of 7,107 islands, rainforests, mountains, rivers and dirt trails, sun, rain, moisture, extreme heat and some cold weather. Its not easy to prepare for every situation, so its nice to have gear can handle the varied outdoor conditions.

Unique to the Philippines is the challenge of taking pictures of birds that are very wary of humans. We have visited a few other countries and bird photography is usually easier in other countries because the birds are friendlier. The habitat destruction, the hunting by humans and the general lack of infrastructure make Philippine Bird photography more difficult. I think these challenges are sometimes reflected in the kind of gear we choose.

We will keep updating entries to keep track of the performance, reliability, and durability of these products.

When terrain is too difficult and the super telephotos are too heavy we bring out our lighter lenses.

<b>70-300mm f4-5.6 L IS USM - top
100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L USM - middle
400mm f5.6 L USM - bottom</B>

The <b>70-300</b> is the newest release from Canon. It was just released in 2010 and has all the latest technology. It is the shortest and lightest of the three. This L lens is built tough, it is dust and water resistant. It is only 1050 grams. It has the latest IS technology, 4 stops, which makes it hand holdable. No need for a tripod with this lens. Built like a proper L lens with a nice quality feel to all the moving parts. It is very sharp and has great image quality. I like the pictures from this lens more than I like the pictures from the other two lenses. If the birds are not going to be too far, this is the lens we will pick up. We used this lens a lot in Tubbataha. I suspect we will use it often when we will be in dense forest. Paired with a crop body the focal length should be ok.

It has a minimum focusing distance of 1.2meters. This should make it be able to do double duty for butterflies and other interesting things in the forest.

It cannot use a canon TC.

Overall, it is easy to carry, great construction, very sharp photos, great images the only downside is the 300mm focal length. I would not get this as my first lens for birding. It is more of a superlight lens for when the terrain might be too difficult to bring a bigger lens.

Price $1500-1300

Brown Booby with 70-300mm L lens handheld: http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Boobies/BB/i-6XfRFhn/0/X2/IMG2872-X2.jpg

<b>100-400mm</b> is an older zoom, first released in 1998. It is 1380 grams. Around 30% heavier than the 70-300mm. It has IS but not as good as the latest generation of IS. It can still be used without a tripod. It has a more useable focal length than the 70-300mm for birds. It is the lens we use while hiking to a site or in places where the 300mm and 500mm super telephoto lenses would be too heavy. We have taken some very nice pictures with this lens. It is a good starter lens for anyone planning to take up bird photography. It is an older design and I suspect a new version should be coming in a year or three. One negative aspect is the push and pull design which can get loose over time as I have seen in a friend's lens. Others have reported some complaints about the poor dust sealing and its lack of waterproofing. Hopefully they switch to a rotary design like the one they are using for the new 70-300mm L in the future. In the rain use a raincoat for this lens.

I would recommend this lens despite its shortcomings because it is very versatile. Spend some time checking the sharpness and focus of the lens before buying. Some lenses are sharper than others. I spent a whole day testing a lens, then I went home to check my test shots in my computer before I got our 100-400.

Price: $1600-1400.

An owl picture using the 100-400mm handheld
http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Owls/Grass-Owl/IMG2143/557928260_YrPjJ-XL.jpg

The <b>400mm f5.6 </b>is a fixed focal length lens. It is the longest lens among the three. It is slightly lighter than the 100-400 at 1250 grams. It is also the oldest design, having first been released in 1993. It has no IS. It is best used with a tripod. It can take very sharp pictures. It has the worst minumum focusing distance, almost three times of the 70-300mm. I like the contrast and colors from the 70-300mm more than the 400mm f5.6. It also does not have weather sealing so it needs to be covered when hiking. In my opinion it is not as versatile because of the lack of IS. For birds in flight with the fast shutter speeds it can be handheld with very good results. It focuses fast. I have seen lots of great pictures with this lens from other bird photographers. It is a very popular lens because of the good image quality and good value for money.

My main reservation with this lens is when the light gets low the lack of IS hinders the ability to handhold this lens. It ruins its portability by requiring you to use a tripod in difficult lighting.

This is another good lens for someone who wants to get into bird photography. When the new 400mm f5.6 finally comes out to replace this model it will probably have great weather sealing and the latest generation 4 stop IS, chances are it will also be double the price. This lens is an old design but a great value.

Price $1250

Owl picture 400mm f5.6 handheld: http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Owls/Grass-Owl/IMG0656/556815148_BzH2C-XL.jpg

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When terrain is too difficult and the super telephotos are too heavy we bring out our lighter lenses. 70-300mm f4-5.6 L IS USM - top 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L USM - middle 400mm f5.6 L USM - bottom The 70-300 is the newest release from Canon. It was just released in 2010 and has all the latest technology. It is the shortest and lightest of the three. This L lens is built tough, it is dust and water resistant. It is only 1050 grams. It has the latest IS technology, 4 stops, which makes it hand holdable. No need for a tripod with this lens. Built like a proper L lens with a nice quality feel to all the moving parts. It is very sharp and has great image quality. I like the pictures from this lens more than I like the pictures from the other two lenses. If the birds are not going to be too far, this is the lens we will pick up. We used this lens a lot in Tubbataha. I suspect we will use it often when we will be in dense forest. Paired with a crop body the focal length should be ok. It has a minimum focusing distance of 1.2meters. This should make it be able to do double duty for butterflies and other interesting things in the forest. It cannot use a canon TC. Overall, it is easy to carry, great construction, very sharp photos, great images the only downside is the 300mm focal length. I would not get this as my first lens for birding. It is more of a superlight lens for when the terrain might be too difficult to bring a bigger lens. Price $1500-1300 Brown Booby with 70-300mm L lens handheld: http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Boobies/BB/i-6XfRFhn/0/X2/IMG2872-X2.jpg 100-400mm is an older zoom, first released in 1998. It is 1380 grams. Around 30% heavier than the 70-300mm. It has IS but not as good as the latest generation of IS. It can still be used without a tripod. It has a more useable focal length than the 70-300mm for birds. It is the lens we use while hiking to a site or in places where the 300mm and 500mm super telephoto lenses would be too heavy. We have taken some very nice pictures with this lens. It is a good starter lens for anyone planning to take up bird photography. It is an older design and I suspect a new version should be coming in a year or three. One negative aspect is the push and pull design which can get loose over time as I have seen in a friend's lens. Others have reported some complaints about the poor dust sealing and its lack of waterproofing. Hopefully they switch to a rotary design like the one they are using for the new 70-300mm L in the future. In the rain use a raincoat for this lens. I would recommend this lens despite its shortcomings because it is very versatile. Spend some time checking the sharpness and focus of the lens before buying. Some lenses are sharper than others. I spent a whole day testing a lens, then I went home to check my test shots in my computer before I got our 100-400. Price: $1600-1400. An owl picture using the 100-400mm handheld http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Owls/Grass-Owl/IMG2143/557928260_YrPjJ-XL.jpg The 400mm f5.6 is a fixed focal length lens. It is the longest lens among the three. It is slightly lighter than the 100-400 at 1250 grams. It is also the oldest design, having first been released in 1993. It has no IS. It is best used with a tripod. It can take very sharp pictures. It has the worst minumum focusing distance, almost three times of the 70-300mm. I like the contrast and colors from the 70-300mm more than the 400mm f5.6. It also does not have weather sealing so it needs to be covered when hiking. In my opinion it is not as versatile because of the lack of IS. For birds in flight with the fast shutter speeds it can be handheld with very good results. It focuses fast. I have seen lots of great pictures with this lens from other bird photographers. It is a very popular lens because of the good image quality and good value for money. My main reservation with this lens is when the light gets low the lack of IS hinders the ability to handhold this lens. It ruins its portability by requiring you to use a tripod in difficult lighting. This is another good lens for someone who wants to get into bird photography. When the new 400mm f5.6 finally comes out to replace this model it will probably have great weather sealing and the latest generation 4 stop IS, chances are it will also be double the price. This lens is an old design but a great value. Price $1250 Owl picture 400mm f5.6 handheld: http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Owls/Grass-Owl/IMG0656/556815148_BzH2C-XL.jpg

70300mm 100400mm 400 f5.6 USM Canon tonji and sylvia carry lighter lens birding gear philippines zoom lens prime lens 300mm 400mm photography gear bird

Birds of the Philippines

Photos and videos of wild birds found in the Philippines. We travel all over the Philippines to document and take pictures of birds. Our goal is to make this site a resource of information and images about wild birds of the Philippines.

Photography Gear

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