As a professional nature photographer and tour leader, my endeavors primarily revolve around capturing the essence of wildlife and landscapes through the lens. I invest considerable time exploring diverse perspectives with a variety of lenses. Additionally, I frequently engage in speaking engagements at photography conferences and gatherings organized by various photography groups. These occasions provide me with valuable opportunities to connect with representatives from camera and lens manufacturers, as well as fellow professionals in the field. Staying informed of the latest technological advancements is an integral aspect of my job.

Buying a lens can be a tough choice. Here are a few quick things to keep in mind.

• Cost: You get what you pay for. Some lenses can cost over $10,000 but you can get a decent lens for around $1000

• Weight: Most long lenses are heavy but the weight can vary between models

• Size: Most lenses are large and can be a pain to transport.

• Focal Length: The longer the better.

Every lens has a tradeoff whether it is weight, price, quality, or range of focal lengths. There is no one lens that does it all.

Keep track of the minimum focusing distance. You want to be able to approach a subject as close as possible without disturbing your subject. Personally, I recommend your lens(s) cover most of the focal lengths between 100-600. You never know how far your subjects will be. No matter what lens you use some animals will be too close and others too far.

I also recommend you read other reviews online and check out the latest prices as they are always changing.  

Canon

600 F4: $12,999 Great lens, professional grade and price. It works great with teleconverters  

500 F4: $8,999 Great lens, professional grade and price. Also works well with teleconverters.

400 F2.8: $11,999 I do not recommend this lens as it is heavy, expensive, and too short of a focal length for wildlife photography. It does work well with teleconverters.

100-400 F4.5 to 5.6: $2399 I like this lens but it is too short of a focal length. I own it and use it all the time for landscape photography and wildlife that is close by. Most of the time this lens is too short.  It works with teleconverters but not recommended— too much quality loss

200-400 with build in 1.4 Teleconverter F4 $10,900 

Canon RF (Mirrorless Only)

100-500: F4.5-7.1: $2799 This is good choice as it has a wide range of focal lengths so it works well for wildlife.

800 F11: $899 Pros: Lightweight and collapsible, great price. Cons: 14.76 ft min focusing distance and needs a lot of light since it is F11.

600 F11: $699 Pros: Lightweight and collapsible, great price. Cons: 20 ft min focusing distance and needs a lot of light since it is F11

Nikon

600 F4: $ 12,299 Great lens but expensive   

500 F4: $10,299 Great lens but expensive

400 F2.8: $11,199 I do not recommended it as it is heavy, expensive, and too short of a focal length for wildlife photography

200-500 F5.6: $1,399 This is great choice as it has a wide range of focal lengths so it works well for wildlife

80-400 F4.5-5.6: $2299 I like this lens but it is too short of a focal length for wildlife. It is good for landscape photography and wildlife that is close by. Most of the time this lens is too short.  

200-400: F4 I do not recommend this lens, expensive, heavy, old and possibly discontinued.

500 mm F5.6: $3599 Though a stop slower than the 500mm f4 offered by Nikon, this new lens is around $7,000 less! The big advantage is that it is a light weight lens for a 500mm focal length.

Sony

 Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 ,$1999

This lens has a relatively slow aperture of f6.3 at the long end but does still reach 600mm. It is more compact and affordable than any comparable long lens in Sony’s line. This could be a great option for photographers looking for a good lens for under $2,000.

 Sony FE 600F4: $12,999

Sony’s response to the famous Canon and Nikon 600mm f4 prime lenses. This G-Master rated lens is sharp, fast and durable. And expensive at nearly $13,000. 

Third Party Lenses

Sigma and Tamron dominate the third-party telephoto market. The quality of these lenses has improved in recent years. For budget-minded photographers looking to get into wildlife photography, these are good choices. Both Sigma and Tamron produce lenses for Canon, Nikon and Sony Cameras.

Both Sigma and Tamron manufacture similar 150-600mm zoom lens options. Zooms offer a variety of focal lengths and compositional options in a single lens. For photographers eager to make the most of a single lens, this is very appealing.

These lenses have variable apertures. As you zoom in, the widest aperture on the lens grows smaller, which reduces the light to the sensor. This is a drawback. Users can expect, a small, but noticeable loss of light and image quality at the long end of the zoom lens.

 Sigma

150-600: F5-6.3: This lens is a good choice since it has a wide variety of focal lengths. There is two versions

Contemporary: $899 This lens is cheaper and lighter

Sport: $1999 Heavier, more expensive, better weather protection

60-600 f4.5-6.3: $1990

This lens is a good choice since it has a wide variety of focal lengths. I am not sure if this is a better choice than the 150-600

Tamron

150-600: F5-6.3 G2 $1399

This lens is a good choice since it has a wide variety of focal lengths.

What Focal Length Do You Need?

For wildlife, the longer the better. No matter what focal length there will always be that animal that is too far away. Many animals are shy.

The rule of thumb is the longer the better. I think you should have a minimum of 500mm. I also have a 600mm lens but I don’t use it on every trip.

I personally like to have the range of 100-500 covered because some animals come close especially in places like Florida, Alaska, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks. Another reason to have this range is you might want to zoom back for more background.

Great Video

I really like the videos by Tony and Chelsea Northrup. This video is called Wildlife Lenses Reviewed between $600-$2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-aYXUoRDkM