Yes many candids and close-ups, which i love. As summer is arriving in just a few short months my normal shooting arena will most likely be outdoor, parks, football pick up games, basketball. I also have 16 acres on a lake in the country. On my crop body(D90) the fov is near 450mm fov already on a 300mm and with an addition of a teleconverter (1.4-2) would put me in reach of the eagles, peregrine falcons, woodpeckers, turtles, etc? correct? I could also see this length as a great portrait/full body lens as well(with sb800's and pocket wizards)? I would have really loved something in the range last year at the Minnesota state fair.
The 85mm 1.4 is a for sure thing by next winter when I'm back indoors for the time being.
Are my thoughts in the wrong direction?
thanks
jake
Jake,
So, with what you outline as your goals and intentions for the new lens, it's about your convictions in actually doing the work you propose and your the power of your pocket book. The difference between
could and
should is either ethics or reaching a goal based on opportunity. So if you are not harming your essential needs and responsibilities and have the resources, just go for it. But 300 mm is insufficient for you ,even with the multiplication factor. You need to go to at least 400mm. Consider a 50-500 "Bigma" zoom or a similar.
Rent first to be usre you have the right lens. You do have to schlepp it with you. You'll need , no doubt, a good sized tripod and a gimbal mount would be an asset, plus all the time you need to find the critters you seek!
For me, the sheet pleasure and ease shooting the available, but, (unfortunate), captive animals in the zoo, makes the equation of cost, (in effort, time and lenses), v. results advantageous for my limited resources and circumscribed drive to photograph them. Unless I'd be going on safari, I'm satisfied with a 70-200 2.8. Otherwise, I assure you, I'd rent and go first class with the best lenses available for that rare and costly opportunity to see abundant wildlife in natural surroundings. By a lake, I'd look for frogs and lizards under leaves, praying mantis and wild flowers. These I can master with reasonable effort and no expenditures.
Asher