Lenses

EF 70-200 2.8L IS USM

EF 70-200 2.8L IS USM

My first lens was the Canon EF 70-200 2.8L IS USM. My idea was to use this with 1.4x and 2x extenders, giving me a focal-length range from 70 to 400mm. However, I soon learned that with bird photography, I would almost always want the maximum focal length and would therefore always have the 2x extender attached. With this setup I wasn't able to take any acceptably sharp images, and convinced myself that this was purely down to the equipment and not my lack of experience.

More often than not, the review of any zoom lens will often include a comment such as:

"...although sharp, you would not expect a zoom lens to be as sharp as a prime lens..."

Often, zoom lenses are at their worst when the lens is working at the longest focal length and at the widest aperture, both of which are usually essential when photographing birds. Combine these factors with the inevitable degradation caused by the extender, and sharp images will be few and far between.

Looking back on this now, I know that the high number of poor quality images I produced in those early days was as much down to my lack of experience as it was to the equipment.

Fortunately, my zoom lens was faulty! My camera would seize up on continuous mode and a fault code would appear. Rebooting the camera solved the problem temporarily, but the situation was unacceptable. I hired an EF 300 f4L IS USM for the weekend and the camera-lens combination worked perfectly, so I concluded that the problem was with the lens.

It was a long and uncomfortable struggle to get the retailer to accept responsibility for the faulty lens, but eventually (after threatening legal action) I was able to exchange the zoom lens for the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM and the 16-35 f2.8L USM.

There is much debate about the merits of fixed focal length and zoom lenses. Whether any difference in sharpness between, for example, my fixed focal length 400mm lens and the Canon 100-400mm zoom is noticeable, is debatable. Others get superb, sharp images with the 100-400mm zoom.

EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

Arthur Morris raved about this lens and described it as his 'toy lens'. It is not image stabilised and has a maximum aperture of only 5.6, but this makes it very lightweight and easy to handhold when required. It is an excellent lens for flight photography.

I dare say that image stabilising would help to ensure sharpness in more of my images, but with greater care it is still possible to obtain pin-sharp images with this lens.

Another limiting factor is the minimum focusing distance of 3.5 metres. Although small birds only rarely get this close, I have missed some chances, for example at feeding stations. In these situations I now use an extension tube (see below).

If I had to start again with the same budget? I would definitely choose this lens. If I had a bigger budget - the 600mm f4.0 or the 800mm f/5.6. I have used a 600mm for a day and although it was a handful, the results were worth the effort.

EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM

I bought this lens after visiting the Walney Island gull nesting-colony a few times. Walney Island is off Barrow in Furness in Cumbria and has the largest mixed ground-nesting of herring and lesser black-back gulls in Europe.

As it is possible to get very close to the gulls, I found my 400mm lens was often too long and it was difficult to get the whole bird in the frame, particularly with flight shots - the gulls will often fly towards you in an attempt to frighten you away. The 100-400mm zoom lens would be of benefit in this situation, but as this would duplicate my existing 400mm lens, I opted for the EF 200mm lens, which proved to be ideal. Many of my gull shots in the flight category are taken with this lens.

I also found the 200mm lens useful on my trips to the Farne Islands, where it is also possible to get very close to the birds.

It is possible to handhold this lens in all but the most extreme situations, although the 400mm lens collar will fit this lens if I need to mount it on a tripod. It is a very fast and very sharp lens.

EF 16-35 f2.8L USM

EF 16-35 f2.8L USM

When I'm not out on a field trip photographing birds, I like to walk with Lucia and Barney. We will look for walks in books and online, either local or perhaps in the Lake District or Peak District - both of which are approximately one hour away.

I bought this lens for these occasions and I now have quite a stock of landscape images. Although landscapes are not my first love, I do enjoy trying to capture dramatic scenery. I intend to put my landscape images on line in the near future.

At its maximum reach (35mm) and combined with my 1D, the lens is roughly equivalent to a standard 50mm lens, so it's fine for photographing people - it doesn't distort. At the near end (16mm), the effects with landscapes can be superb.

I don't take the lens on my bird field trips, as I found that when I did, I very rarely used it. Changing between my 400mm lens and the wide-angle lens in the field can be awkward and might result in missed opportunities to photograph birds. Another body would be ideal!

This lens has now been superseded by the Mark II version.

1.4x and 2x Extenders

1.4x and 2x Extenders

I bought the 1.4x and 2x extenders for use with my original zoom lens, as described above.

With my 10D, the 400mm f5.6 lens would not autofocus with either of the extenders fitted, although it was possible to 'fix' the 1.4x extender so it would autofocus, albeit slowly and with more 'hunting'. This was done by taping over the left three communications pins on the extender (hold the extender with the extender-to-lens pins facing you and at the top).

When using the extenders on my 1D, the 400mm f5.6 will autofocus without any fixes.

In the early days I rarely used either extender, as I was never able to get an acceptable result with the 2x converter on my 400mm lens, and there was a noticeable deterioration in quality when I used the 1.4x extender. However, these problems were probably due to my poor technique, and I now regularly use the 1.4x extender and sometimes the 2x extender - both are always on a tripod of course.

1.4x Prices

2x Prices

Extension Tubes

Extension Tubes

These were a later purchase, as I found the closest focusing distance of the 400mm lens (3.5 metres) resulted in some lost opportunities.

When setting out to photograph perching birds - from a hide or from my house window, I will often have the 12mm tube attached for the day. As the lens will no longer focus to infinity, this can sometimes mean lost opportunities with bigger birds at a greater distance, but this occurs less often than would the close-focusing dilemma.

12mm Prices

25mm Prices