Newbie with Questions about Proper Equipment for Birding

[WingMan71]

Hello. Newbie here.  Just bought a Canon EOS Rebel T7 with two lenses: an EFS 18-55mm and an EF 75-300mm.  Yes, I realize that this is entry level equipment, but I had a purpose in mind that I thought it would be sufficient for.

Was hoping that the 75-300mm lens would be sufficient for getting some good close-up shots of my backyard birds, which are numerous. My bird feeders are about 20 yards from where I can stand to take the shots without spooking the birds.

Turns out the 300mm lens is just not getting me the magnification that I want.  I can get closer-up shots with the camera in my Samsung Galaxy S23.  (Yes, I realize that the cellphone camera uses digital zoom and clarity suffers, but I never plan to actually print any of these pictures.)

So, the question is: What do equipment do I need to get closer shots of birds about 20 yards away?

Before you answer, I bought this equipment used from a well-known camera shop in the area.  So, my budget is limited.  Do I look for another lens, say a used 100-400mm Canon lens from the same shop, or is that not even enough?  Do I get a used teleconverter from the same shop?  If so, which power teleconverter?

Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[March411]

Hey WingMan71, welcome to the site.

Limited budget is a pretty loose term so I will suggest the Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm which many use for wildlife with a focus on birding. Sigma you have the Contemporary and Sport and on the Tamron side most say the SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 is a slightly better lens. Either will give you great images. I shot the Sigma for a long time before going RF and once I made the move to an R body grabbed the 20-800mm and my Sigma now is pretty lonely. KEH and MPB both have some lenses in stock that you can view to see if they fit into your budget.

The link below is to a thread about the EF 100-400mm that you may find interesting.

Similar Conversation on zoom lenses 

[Commercial links removed per community guidelines and replaced with screenshots to act as visual aids.]

[jrhoffman75]

If you use Canon DPP with your images you can use the 2X zoom function when editing to see how the 150-600mm lens will do for you.

I have the 100-400mm V2 lens. I ran some informal tests comparing using the 1.4X teleconverter vs cropping the image. I didn't see a difference. The advantage of no teleconverter is faster AF and no loss of exposure.

Your success is going to be a function of distance, the size of the birds you are photographing and the size of the end result image you want.

[Tintype_18]

I have the Sigma 150-600. Good lens and takes good distance photos.

[ebiggs1]

"My bird feeders are about 20 yards from where I can stand..."

That is your problem more than the lens you have. You need to exchange the word yards for feet. At 20 yards there isn't many lenses that are going to make a small bird fill the frame.

If you got to 20 feet or even closer your lens will probably do a decent job. However you do have a poor lens for the job so one of the so-called super zooms is a great idea. My favorite is the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2. However any of them will do a good job for you. Know they are big and much heavier than the lens you have but that is what it takes. The best one is the Tamron but make sure it is the G2 model.

Here are a few tips that are free and won't cost you a dime. Get DPP4 from Canon. It is a free d/l. DPP4 will let you do some amazing stuff with your photos. You can do as little or as much editing as you want. Plus there are many tutorials about how to use it. The second tip which is also free is to set the T7 to use raw format and never jpg. Raw has way more ability to be edited than jpg. Use One shot and just the center focus point. Set ISO to a higher number say 400. Most of the time P mode will work but be ready to use or exposure settings if the conditions warrant it.

This was shot from about 15 feet with my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens.

[March411]

Here are the links to the software ebiggs mentioned, I can't see any of the Apple downloads as the Canon site is intuitive and only displays software applicable to the OS I use when I enter the site.

Digital Photo Professional 4.19.30 Windows 

EOS / PowerShot / SELPHY Apps & software 

[WingMan71]

Thanks so much everyone for all the advice. Soaking in the lessons as fast as I can.

I found a used Sigma DG 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO HSM Canon mount lens locally for a good price.

What do you think about that lens for birding at anywhere from 15 to 20 yards?  Sufficient, or should I hold out for a 150-600mm I can afford?

[March411]

WingMan7, 

that lens was announced by Sigma in 2000 and released in 2001, is no longer in production and discontinued. It's a 24 year old lens and possibly can't even be serviced any more let alone update the firmware. The Sigma 150-600mm is still in production in the Contemporary (C) version and supported by Sigma.

Personally I would put away a little more cash and get the Tamron or Sigma 150-600mm, the 100mm on the long end will be nice for smaller wildlife. Also, the one in the picture looks a little bit worn.

[WingMan71]

Thanks for that information.  I'll save up for one of the 150-600mm lenses.

[March411]

Both the one's suggested are still supported and if you by from KEH, MPB or a authorized reseller you normally get some type of warranty.