In this 3 part series, Canon Ambassador and wildlife photographer Danny Green shares his top tips for wildlife photography.

In Part 1, Danny talked about finding the best locations. In Part 2, it's time to consider your camera and lens choices.

Copy and images by Danny Green. Edited from original.

 

Camera Choice

I have always shot with Canon equipment.  I know the Canon system and it works well for me, so I’ve never needed to switch camera brands.

You’ll want to consider what it is you want to photograph. Many wildlife photographers prefer to use an APS-C sensor camera as the crop factor on these cameras works to their advantage. Wilkinson Cameras have a video explaining what “Full Frame” and “crop sensor” means and the differences between them.

Two of the most important things to consider for wildlife photography is how many frames per second the camera can shoot and the autofocus features.

Having a camera with a combination of clever and fast autofocus and high frame rate shooting will maximise your chance to capture fast moving wildlife. Depending on the types of animals you photograph, you may not actually need more than 5-6 fps (frames per second) though, so it’s best not to get too caught up in every single specification.

 

Understanding how the camera’s autofocus system works will really pay dividends. Many mirrorless cameras, including the latest Canon EOS R mirrorless series like the EOS R10, EOS R7, EOS R6, EOS R5 and EOS R3 even feature dedicated modes for tracking animals and birds.

Once you have chosen your brand and narrowed down a model, take time to get to know the camera and system - you will find it more instinctive to change settings and functions which in turn will make you a better photographer. Consider mastering the basics first. Wilkinson Cameras have a series of videos to get you started.

Lens Choice

Getting the right combination of lenses is also a tough choice as again there are so many to choose from. The best bet for wildlife photography is to ask yourself a question and that is “what do I really want to photograph?”

 

If the answer is "birds or mammals", then you will need some extra reach and a lens of around 400mm or longer will do the trick. Getting a fixed prime lens with a fast aperture like a Canon EF 60mm F4L IS USM is certainly one of the best choices for wildlife photography as the wide apertures make them very good in low light and optically the final results are amazing... but this comes at a rather large price tag and they are also very large lenses to be carrying around too! Unless you're a professional photographer, it's unlikley you'll be willing to invest in such a lens (however much you may want to!)

 

For a more discerning budget and for lenses which are a bit easier to carry around all day, then a zoom lens like with a focal length of around 100-400mm or 100-500mm will be ideal. In Canon you have 3 choices - a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM for DSLR cameras or Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM or Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lenses for mirrorless cameras. The "L" in the first two lenses signifies that it's Canon's highest quality lens. The final lens, the RF 100-400mm is an even more budget-friendly zoom lens and super-lightweight as well!

 

New camera technology and the ability for modern mirrorless cameras to perform better than ever in low-light, even means that there are also smaller, lighter and ever more affordable prime lenses to choose from too. For example, Canon recently added the RF 600mm F11 IS STM and RF 800mm F11 IS STM lenses to their lineup. A lens with an aperture of F11 won't suit everyone, but for beginnger wildlife photographers who are testing the water, they're certainly worth considering, especially if you plan to shoot mostly in the day time and your subjects will be at some distance.

 

Another great addition to your kit and one I always carry in my bag is a macro lens. I use the Canon EF Macro 100mm f/2.8L IS USM.  Macro lenses don’t have to break the bank, especially if you buy Pre-Owned and if you get into macro photography then the possibilities are endless with so many species and subjects to tackle.

 

 

It can be a daunting prospect when buying your first camera as there can be so many models, both new and pre-owned to choose from. Make the most of your local camera shop or a good online camera store (Wilkinson Cameras has both of these!) as they will have passionate and knowledgeable photographers in their teams who can help you narrow down your choice and get you started.

 

Happy shooting! You can see more of my work at dannygreenphotography.com and on Instagram @danny_green_photography 

Wilkinson Cameras and I would love to see your results, so please share them on social media and don't forget to tag us! (@wilkinsoncameras on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and @wilkicameras on Twitter!)

I hope you enjoy this series of my tips for wildlife photography - Danny Green

 

Missed Part 1? Read it now!

Or, read Part 3 now!