Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

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azatrox
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Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by azatrox »

Love this forum (particularly the Image Lab)...

I've read and contributed to quite a few discussions here, and I always feel that I walk away with a better understanding of not only the photography, but the people that do it as well.

I may be in the minority here, but I'm finding that I really don't use macros for herp photography all that often. Don't get me wrong I can and do use my macro on occasion (I currently have the Canon mount Tamron 90mm macro and previously had the Canon 60mm macro), but I'm finding that I'm using both the 300mm prime telephoto and the 24-105mm L series lens a WHOLE LOT more than I use my macro. This appears to be rather different than most herp photography, in that I'm constantly hearing of macro use.

I try to shoot in situ whenever possible, and I'm finding that the 300mm tele allows me to fill the frame without getting nose to nose with an animal and potentially spooking it. If I want to shoot a head shot or a body part (i.e. an eye) this would be a situation where I'd use the macro, but I'm finding that I can fill the frame with either the 24-105mm or the 300mm prime without the macro.

With all that being said, which NON macro lenses do ya'll use for herp photography?

-Kris
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Norman D
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by Norman D »

The 24-105L as well, but I use my 100mm macro for a lot of in-situ shots too. I rarely use my macro lens for macro shots. I love the macro because it is razor sharp, shoots at f2.8 (I prefer morning hunting over any other time), and the 100mm range keeps me from the temptation of getting closer to venomous snakes. Also I like the extended lens hood for the 100mm - the 24-105 lens hood isn't as effective for some of the shots I take.

The 24-105 is an awesome range lens that is sharp and I took only one lens to the Yucatan - the 24-105. I really only shoot snakes and people. So the 24-105 suits most my needs
bgorum
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by bgorum »

My 10-24 and my 300, but I use the macro a lot also.
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Owen
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by Owen »

I use my 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G lens as my main walk around wildlife lens (including herps). The downside is that it's not good for up close stuff that is flipped because of the 4ft minimum focus. If it's wet out, the Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 is weather resistant, so I'll use it for some winter mandering.
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periglenes
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by periglenes »

I've had a dSLR for about 4 years but I don't have a "real" macro lens. I have an ancient Nikkor 55 mm fully manual macro, but the working distance is too short for most things. I use a 55-200 VR for some of my herp photography, either with or without a Canon diopter on the front.

Here are two examples:

Image


Image


I actually don't do much herp portrait photography because I rarely have anyone to help wrangle the animals and I find it most frustrating to try to get an animal to pose and then to get off a shot before the critter moves. But my Sigma 150-500 bird lens does a very nice job for in situ photos. And I can add an extension tube behind the Sigma to make it into a super-macro. I have attached an example, below. This skink was shot in situ in natural light. I never got closer than 2-3 meters. I sat for about 45 minutes talking to two colleagues, and the skink foraged around us the whole time. I had way more fun than I would have trying to pose a stressed, scared animal...

I'd like a 90 or 100 mm macro, but so far haven't spent the money because I'm having fun with other combinations and because I need a new camera body worse than I need a new lens.

With the Sigma 150-500:

Image

Someday I'll sink $ into a macro lens, but I'm having fun with the lenses I have now...

-Frank
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Soopaman
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by Soopaman »

I pretty much only shoot with a 100mm macro lens. I have shot some with the 18-55mm kit lens, but after using the 100mm macro, the quality just doesn't compare.

Today I picked up a used Canon 17-40mm wide angle so I can start doing some herp in habitat shots. Eventually I'd like a decent telephoto with IS for in situ work, but those lenses are a big monetary investment.
fvachss
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by fvachss »

In fairness the Canon 300/4IS is almost a macro lens. It gets down to around 1:4 magnification which on a crop frame DSLR gets you a minimum image size of about 2.5 x 4 inches (or less than 2 x 3" if you throw a 1.4x extender on it) - plenty small for a majority of herp shots and with a 4+ foot working distance that few macro lenses can match.

I tried replacing the 300/4 with a 180L macro for herp shots. Nice and sharp and I got some good results, but the slower focus and reduced working distance lost me more than the 1:1 capability bought me. After a year I sold the 180 and went back to using the 300 for the majority of my herp shooting.
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MattSullivan
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by MattSullivan »

i use Tokina 10-22 canon mount and the canon 100mm macro. i've used the canon 300mm f4 IS too but only when i borrowed it from friends. i still like the 100mm the best but then again i've never used any of those in between zoom lenses
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jason folt
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by jason folt »

Kris,

Much of that is a product of where you live and what you shoot. Most of your photo subjects are lizards or large snakes. The 24-105L and the prime are perfect for these types of animals.

Here in Michigan, my 70-200 never leaves my camera when I am shooting turtles. If anything, I often need more reach. But in the spring, you will never see me without my 100 macro for frogs and salamanders and our smaller snakes.

To answer your question, I shoot Nikon 70-200 for most of my blandings, spotted turtles and wood turtle shots. Sometimes I will add the 2x teleconverter on with a tripod or monopod for basking turtles. I wish I could afford the 200-400 but I would rather spend the the dough on dive photography gear. I also use the sigma 10-20, but I don't yet have a lens for the mid-range. I am looking into the Nikon 24-120 f/4 for the same reasons you use the Canon equivalent.

Jason
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chrish
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by chrish »

I shoot a lot of birds and other wildlife so my go-to lens is a Sony 100-400 G. It does go down to 1:4 so I have shot quite a few herps with it as well.

If I am strictly herping, I either put my 90mm macro on the camera, but sometimes I go with my (tack sharp) Minolta 28-75 D lens. It provides macro magnification down to 1:2, but is also more flexible with its 28-75 range.

I am starting to appreciate the Sony 18-55 kit lens that camera on my newest camera body. It is much sharper than most kit lenses, goes down to about 1:3 and gives me that wide angle coverage I lose otherwise.
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Kari Post
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by Kari Post »

Keep in mind that a DSLR with a cropped sensor (all entry level DSLRs and most of the more affordable ones that I see herpers using), the effective focal length of a lens will be magnified by 1.5-1.6x (Nikon cropped sensors are 1.5x, Canon's are 1.6x with the exception of some of the 1D series which are 1.3x). Someone with a full frame camera might not be able to fill the frame using the same focal length as someone shooting with a cropped sensor.
jimoo742
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by jimoo742 »

I'm generally using a 200mm macro, probably 65% of the time.
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Biker Dave
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Re: Random thoughts on lenses and herp photography...

Post by Biker Dave »

I'm still using my Canon 55-250 IS kit lens for most of my herp photography as my walking around lens. I will also use my 17-55 IS lens for close up on smaller non-venomous critters occasionally. That's all I have for lenses right now.
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