What zoom to buy?

[Norm53]

I put up a bird feed at the edge of a woods about 80 feet from my lunch table behind a french door. My Canon EOS Rebel T3i with EF 75-300 mm 1:4-5.6 will not bring into focus the birds, large and small.

What lens do I need to buy that will do the job? Cost is no object.

Thanks, Norm

[Norm53]

"Get a 7D Mk II with the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens for Canon EF.  ...  I also have a lighter Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Aluminum Tripod with a gimbal head.  It would suit you better."

Notes: I'll be sitting in chair with eye level about 4'. Chair and tripod sit on low-pile rug. I will put up a hummingbird feeder closer to the house; those creatures should not make a mess on the lawn.

This is my current shopping list:

7D Mk II camera

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 lens

Sigma 600mm lens (Sports model might not give me any better quality through my 50-cent french door glass)

MT055X tripod with gimbal head (swivel/tilt head might take too long to switch elevation from feeder to ground)

Am I ready to roll?

Norm

[ebiggs1]

"7D Mk II camera

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 lens

Sigma 600mm lens (Sports model might not give me any more quality through my 50-cent french door glass)

MT055X tripod with gimbal head (swivel/tilt head might take too long to switch elevation from feeder to ground)

Am I ready to roll?"

All you need is ... money!  A gimbal head can change position instantly.  You balance your camera/lens on it.  Then all it takes is the slightest movement of your hand.  The shot of the hummingbird was with a gimbal head.

And sell the T3i and whatever lenses you had for it.  They are not in the same class as the 7D Mk II, ... IMHO, of course...

You know there is a big world out there besides your backyard.  Grab that camera and go take some pictures!  BTW, the last bird was shot with a 70mm lens.  Yes I said 70mm.  It is just a matter of distance.  Close is better than long focal lengths.

[Norm53]

"You know there is a big world out there besides your backyard.  Grab that camera and go take some pictures!  BTW, the last bird was shot with a 70mm lens.  Yes I said 70mm.  It is just a matter of distance.  Close is better than long focal lengths."

You've posted some great shots. Very professional. I'm slowly warming up to the idea of getting out of the kitchen and closer to the subjects. I can take the first two items on my list to the fields near the beach parks for some close shots, but I want to discuss the possibility of setting up a blind closer to the feeder station. Back yard is big and empty, so space is no problem. Hummingbird feeder could then be placed at the station instead of near the house.  If I put the blind on a patio at, say, 30' from the station, will the equipment I intend to buy work as well from the blind as from my kitchen?

Norm

[ebiggs1]

"... say, 30' from the station, will the equipment I intend to buy work as well from the blind as from my kitchen?"

That is 50 feet better!  The gear I suggested will do its job.  The rest is up yo you.  My camera hasn't takne a single picture on its own.

This is 25 feet with the big Siggy and Mk IV.  600mm and croppped to nearly 100%.  It still holds up well as that is about as tough assignment anyone could ask.

Birds do hang out int trees too.

Again big Sigggy at 600mm and Mk IV.

[ebiggs1]

BTW, both of those were shot wide open which is f6.3 when the Siggy is zoomed to 600mm.  This is the Sport model.  The C model loses some center IQ to this lens but recovers nicely by f8.

Both on a sturdy tripod.  IS is turned off.

[RobertTheFat]

---

@ebiggs1 wrote:

You know there is a big world out there besides your backyard.  Grab that camera and go take some pictures!  BTW, the last bird was shot with a 70mm lens.  Yes I said 70mm.  It is just a matter of distance.  Close is better than long focal lengths.

---

Most birds are naturally wary and hard to get close to, but nothing overcomes their wariness as effectively as a bird feeder. So it may be possible to get closer than Norm thinks.

[Norm53]

"It is just a matter of distance.  Close is better than long focal lengths."

So how do you get so close w/o scaring away the birds?

Norm

[Norm53]

"A gimbal head can change position instantly."

Can I assume that all tripods and cameras come with a 1/4-20 thread?

Norm

[Norm53]

"This is 25 feet with the big Siggy and Mk IV.  600mm and croppped to nearly 100%."

I don't understand how you are using the word "cropped". Are you manipulating the lens or photo in some way?

Norm

PS. I understand that "to crop" means "to cut or curb".

[ebiggs1]

"So how do you get so close w/o scaring away the birds?"

Just be very quiet and still.  I have a deer blind but it is boring! I don't use it anymore. I didn't even like it for deer hunting.