Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]on 3/8/02 8:23 PM, Henry Ting at henryting10@yahoo.com wrote: > > Question for the Birdman.... > For someone just starting to buildup a Leica R outfit > with the intend of shooting wildlife (birds, florals > etc), which tele length would you recommend as a start > ? Or for all practical reasons, would you recommend > the zoom lens. > I won't recommend anything I haven't used so I won't recommend a zoom. The Wolfman of Nova Scotia (Robert Stevens) should be able to tell you about the 105-280. I find a 280-ish lens to be handy for larger wildlife in dense brush or other areas with restricted visibility, though if I were after some of the largest critters I sure wouldn't go looking for 'em in dense brush. Most wildlife photography begins at 400mm and the long end is limited by atmospheric disturbances, technique and your wallet. I typically try to use shorter focal lengths than many wildlife photographers, relying on getting to know the animals (and letting them get to know me) rather than overpowering their flight distance with a big lens. For florals I find the 60mm macro lens too short for two reasons: I cast a shadow on my subjects and the background includes too much stuff. The 100 APO is fantastic because of its unbelievable optical performance, the greater working distance, and the ability to unclutter backgrounds using its more limited field of view. I've also put a whole stack of extension tubes on the 400mm f/6.8 Telyt for floral and insect photos. This lens works well assuming good technique. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento www.wildlightphoto.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html