Recent Posts

Most Used Categories

Category: Gear

Lens Considerations for Pro Wildlife Photography

by PictureCorrect Contributor

Photography enthusiasts often feel that their equipment is holding them back, particularly when it comes to bird and wildlife photography. There is a common belief that capturing professional-quality images requires top-of-the-line gear that could potentially cost as much as a new car. However, according to professional nature photographer Greg Basco, this simply isn’t the case. His recent video highlights the potential of telephoto zoom lenses as a more affordable and accessible alternative to pricey prime lenses, specifically for bird and wildlife photography:

Basco acknowledges the allure of large, expensive telephoto prime lenses. The fantastic image quality, snappy autofocus, and effective use of teleconverters are undeniably attractive. However, he also points out their drawbacks: their cost (ranging from $11,000 to $15,000) and their weight (between six and seven pounds), which can make them challenging to carry around and travel with.

In contrast, telephoto zoom lenses, available for under $3000, can also produce pro-quality bird and wildlife photography. Basco shares his experience using Canon’s 100-500mm RF zoom lens and Sigma’s 150-600mm contemporary zoom lens, which he managed to acquire for just $600. Despite being less expensive and lighter, these lenses still deliver in terms of autofocus, image stabilization, and sharpness.

Of course, cheaper telephoto zoom lenses come with their own limitations. They gather less light, which requires more ISO to maintain the same shutter speed as with prime lenses. However, Basco suggests that advancements in software like DxO PureRaw and Topaz DeNoise AI make this less of an issue.

Another drawback of telezooms is that they are limited in terms of focal length, meaning they may struggle to blur out the background of your photos. However, Basco sees this not as a limitation but as an opportunity for creativity. It pushes you out of the “mental jail” of consistently filling the frame, allowing for more diverse, story-telling shots.

The inability to consistently fill the frame with the subject can compel photographers to embrace the smaller size of the subject in the frame. This, according to Basco, can result in photos that tell a story and give a sense of place. For example, while a photo of a single Chilean Flamingo may be beautiful, an image of a group of flamingos at a distant Salt Lake in the Atacama Desert provides context and tells a more compelling story.

wildlife lens

A key advantage of using telephoto zoom lenses is that they force you to consider how the background can contribute to the composition of your photo. This, in turn, enables you to consider how you can use light, tones, and colors in different parts of a wider scene to enhance your exposure. These constraints can improve your overall photography skills.

So, whether you’re a budding wildlife photographer on a budget or a seasoned professional wanting to diversify your portfolio, telephoto zoom lenses could be the tool you’ve been waiting for. They offer an affordable and more accessible entry into professional-quality bird and wildlife photography while also challenging you to think more creatively about your composition and use of light.

Basco’s message is clear: great photography is about more than just your equipment. It’s about embracing what you have, thinking creatively about your shots, and making the most of the conditions. It’s a democratic view that makes bird and wildlife photography more accessible to all – and one that could indeed revolutionize your own approach to the field.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Did you appreciate this newsletter? Please help us keep it going by Joining Our Patreon Supporters

What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on our Facebook Page

PictureCorrect subscribers can also learn more today with our #1 bestseller: The Photography Tutorial eBook

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The post Lens Considerations for Pro Wildlife Photography appeared first on PictureCorrect.

Sony’s 2TB CFexpress memory card costs as much as some cameras

by Abby Ferguson
Sony CEA-M Series TOUGH 1920GB CFexpress Type-A Memory Card on a purple background
Sony

It’s no secret that memory cards keep getting larger and larger in capacity. At the start of the year, Lexar announced a two-terabyte CFexpress Type B card, which is the largest of that class. Anglebird’s one-terabyte card, which was also released earlier this year, was the highest capacity for CFexpress Type A. That is, until now. Sony has announced a new CFexpress Type A card with 1920GB—nearly two full terabytes—of storage. That’s almost double the previous max capacity. It also announced a 960GB card at the same time, both of which fall in the TOUGH line of cards. While the large storage may be nice, the Sony CEA-M Series TOUGH 1920GB CFexpress Type-A card commands a jaw-dropping $1,400 price.

Sony CEA-M Series TOUGH 1920GB & 960GB CFexpress Type A details

Sony’s TOUGH memory cards are, as the name explains, rugged and durable cards. They feature an IP57 rating, making them dust and water-resistant. Sony says the cards are 10 times stronger than the CFexpress Type A standard. They are rigidity tested to 150 newtons of force, so you don’t have to worry about them bending or snapping, and can survive falls up to 24.6 feet. Plus, they can handle extreme temperatures, X-rays, electrostatic environments, and intense UV light.

It’s clear that the focus of the new cards—especially the 1920GB version—is capacity. Both the 1920GB and 960GB versions offer up to 800MB/s read, and 700MB/s write speeds. That’s slightly slower than the Angelbird card, which provides max speeds of 820 MB/s read and 730 MB/s write.

The Sony cards carry the Video Performance Guarantee (VPG) 200, which means that they should offer stable recording at 200 MB/s. That’s interesting since the lower-tier CEA-G Series cards offer minimum sustained write speeds of 400 MB/s. You’ll have to choose whether you want durability and capacity (the CEA-M series), or speed (CEA-G Series).

Sony CFexpress Type A 1920GB & 960GB pricing & availability

Should you have the cash and want the largest capacity card possible, the Sony CEA-M Series TOUGH CFexpress Type A cards are both available for preorder today. The 960GB card will cost you $780, while the larger 1920GB capacity is priced at $1,400. They will ship on June 19th.

The post Sony’s 2TB CFexpress memory card costs as much as some cameras appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Retailers report Pentax 645Z discontinued without a successor

by John Aldred

Japanese photography retailer Map Camera reports that production of the Pentax 645Z medium format DSLR (buy here) has ended. In a Tweet, the company said they still have some for sale as long as current stocks last. It appears that those stocks have now been depleted, as they are currently listed as sold out. So […]

The post Retailers report Pentax 645Z discontinued without a successor appeared first on DIY Photography.

The Aputure Electro Storm XT26 is a 2600 watts bi color beast LED light

by John Aldred

Next on today’s list of announcements from Aputure are the Aputure Electro Storm XT26 and the Aputure Spotlight Max. First up, the Aputure Electro Storm XT26. This is an absolute beast of a light with 2600W of bi-colour output. Aputure says it approaches the output of 4,000W of HMI or a massive 12,000W of tungsten […]

The post The Aputure Electro Storm XT26 is a 2600 watts bi color beast LED light appeared first on DIY Photography.

Aputure Electro Storm CS15 is an IP65 rated 1500 Watt RGBWW LED light

by John Aldred

Aputure has today announced the new Aputure Electro Storm CS15 LED light. Aimed at higher-end filmmakers, it’s an RGBWW LED light with high SSI colour quality. It features dual accessory mounts and industry-standard professional connectivity methods. It also has an IP65 dust and water resistance rating for use in less-than-ideal weather. The company says that […]

The post Aputure Electro Storm CS15 is an IP65 rated 1500 Watt RGBWW LED light appeared first on DIY Photography.

Sony unveils two huge new 960GB and 1920GB Tough CFexpress cards

by John Aldred

spor Sony has announced two new large-capacity 960GB and 1920GB CFexpress Type A memory cards. The two new cards offer read speeds of up to 800MB/sec and write speeds of up to 700MB/sec. Their VPG 200 specification rating guarantees they’ll never drop below 200MB/sec sustained write speeds. Like all of Sony’s Tough series memory cards, […]

The post Sony unveils two huge new 960GB and 1920GB Tough CFexpress cards appeared first on DIY Photography.

Flashback ONE35 is a digital take on the disposable camera

by John Aldred

Disposable cameras were a massive part of the ’90s and early-2000s culture. Before we all got cameras in our pockets that went everywhere with us, it’s how many of us recorded our lives. Birthday parties, days out, nights on the town, or just hanging out with friends, you could be assured that at least one […]

The post Flashback ONE35 is a digital take on the disposable camera appeared first on DIY Photography.

Nikon blocks 3rd party batteries on the Nikon Z8

by John Aldred

Nikon’s recently released Nikon Z8 (buy here) has proven quite popular. With lots of pre-orders getting into people’s hands now, though, a dirty secret has been revealed. Nikon is actively blocking 3rd party batteries from working with it. Reports were posted to Reddit and social media from users who’ve received their cameras and found that […]

The post Nikon blocks 3rd party batteries on the Nikon Z8 appeared first on DIY Photography.

Tiny But Mighty: We Review the Fujifilm X-S20 Mirrorless Camera

by Ondřej Vachek
This post is by Ondřej Vachek from Fstoppers

The Fujifilm X-S20 is here, and it truly feels like a complete package for enthusiasts, hobbyists, vloggers, content creators, and a combination of all of the above. It’s a small camera body packed with many professional features. So what’s the catch? Is there one?

[ Read More ]