As promised, here are some pics of the Snowy Owl that has migrated to Colorado this winter. Special thanks goes to our fellow birder and photographer Tom, who was kind enough to not only show me where the bird is, but also to drive me there before sunrise!
The pictures are not good, because it was very cold and we didn’t spend much time waiting for a good opportunity…maybe next time! :)
About Nasim Mansurov
Hi,
Nice pictures. What lens/TC did you use to take these ?
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Joaquim
Joaquim, thank you! I used the Nikon 200-400mm f/4.0 VR lens with a 1.4x TC mounted on Nikon D700 body.
Ok, thanks, way off my league :-)
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Joaquim
Joaquim, for 80-90% of my wildlife photography, I use the excellent Nikon 300mm f/4.0 lens, which I have reviewed on our blog a while ago. Honestly, I prefer the 300mm f/4.0 lens with a 1.4x TC for birding than the heavy monster 200-400mm VR. It is much lighter, costs 5 times less and is a super sharp lens for all telephoto needs.
I wrote a review on the Nikon 300mm f/4.0 AF-S lens right here on our blog and I highly recommend you to check it out.
If the Nikon 300mm f/4.0 AF-S is still too much, then definitely check out the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens – it is also very good for wildlife photography and I will be posting a review of that lens within the next couple of days.
Hope this helps :)
Nasim, thanks a lot for the input. I’ve already checked out your 300mm f/4 review. My feeling regarding this lens is that it’s quite specific (I’m not a professional and not exclusively shooting animals). I’m looking for a lens that would allow me to shoot with a certain distance from the subject but with enough aperture to create a nice bokeh. For close distance shooting/portrait I already have the 50mm f/1.4G and I also plan to get a wide angle lens. Right now I’m wondering wether the 80-200mm f/2.8 would be a better choice for me. I’ve also checked out your 70-200 f/2.8 VRII but just like the 200-400mm: too expensive. Anyway, thanks again for the tip.
Regards
Joaquim, yes, the Nikon 300mm f/4.0 is a constant focal length lens, so you would not be able to use it in tight environments. The 80-200mm f/2.8 is also excellent, but just like the 300mm f/4.0, it has no VR. Optically it is as sharp as the old 70-200mm VR though and the bokeh is beautiful.
Hello,
Where specifically can I see this beautiful Snowy Owl? I don’t see any location info here. Thanks so much! Ed.
Ed, the Snowy Owl was near Colorado Springs. I do not remember the exact coordinates, but I do not think it is there anymore – it should have migrated back to North by now. If you still want the details of the location, I can find out the exact coordinates for you tomorrow.