One Lens Plus Two Teleconverters Equals One Superb Safari
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August 20, 2023
Fast query: what’s the perfect lens for photographing wildlife at completely different distances? A telephoto zoom, after all, as a result of then you possibly can zoom for the focal size and framing you need. But when that’s true, then why did I take a set telephoto with me on the safari I simply led to Africa? As a result of, paired with two teleconverters and one digicam characteristic, it truly gave me MORE focal lengths to work with. Let me clarify…
I’ve been taking folks to the Serengeti, in Tanzania, for practically twenty years now. Up till this journey, I’ve at all times used Nikon’s 200-400mm f/4 or 200-500mm f/5.6 lenses. However images is a inventive course of, and meaning making an attempt various things. So as an alternative of selecting between those self same two lenses as soon as once more, I made a decision to carry the comparatively new Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.
Pretty compact, mild, and really sharp, it’s straightforward to hand-hold. Plus, paired with two Z teleconverters and capturing with the Nikon Z 8 (switching out and in of FX/DX crop mode for both 45-megapixels or 19.4-megapixels), I now have a alternative of those focal lengths:
400mm (simply the lens)
560mm (with 1.4X TC)
600mm (equal utilizing the 400mm in DX crop mode)
800mm (with 2X TC)
840mm (equal utilizing the 560mm in DX crop mode)
1200mm (equal utilizing the 800mm in DX crop mode)
So as an alternative of carrying a bigger, heavier zoom, I’d have a lens that’s smaller and simpler to deal with, and with a little bit further effort (swapping out teleconverters and biking between FX/DX), find yourself with extra choices. Positive, I used to be giving up finer compositional management by not having the ability to zoom, however there’s one other means to take a look at that as effectively. By not having the zoom, I used to be pressured to shoot tighter or looser than I’d have in any other case, which in actuality, pressured me to be extra inventive in my framing.
Thanks goodness for animal eye-detect! That is one other full-frame shot, as a hyena walked by our truck whereas scouting for useless wildebeest. Usually, with a zoom lens, I’d have been zooming out. With the mounted lens, although, I didn’t have that possibility, so was pressured to shoot tight. And I actually consider this can be a higher photograph due to that. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 1800, 1/2000 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-1.4X for 560mm.
Right here’s one other large purpose I made a decision to take this lens, as an alternative of the zooms I’d used up to now – Nikon’s bigger Z mount has allowed them to construct their Z lenses to an excellent greater degree of high quality and sharpness. This meant this one lens, paired with these two teleconverters (and the Z 8), might give me even higher high quality pictures than I’d made up to now. Lastly, because the 400mm, paired with both teleconverter may be very sharp extensive open, I not often used a smaller aperture. And that, after all, allowed me to raised isolate my topics utilizing shallow depth of area (and keep away from going to unnecessarily excessive ISOs).
Two lions greet one another after waking from naps. By pairing the 400mm lens with the 2X teleconverter, I had 800mm to work with and wanted all of it for this photograph. And whereas the aperture is now f/9, that quantity of focal size, with the themes comparatively shut, utterly does away with the background. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 1100, 1/1250 at f/9 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-2.0X for 800mm.
After all, making footage with this equipment wasn’t simply in regards to the lens, teleconverters, and focal lengths. I leaned closely into Nikon’s new autofocus choices, repeatedly altering them based mostly on framing and topic. The 3D AF-area mode was my default, with “Animal” topic detection turned on. However I generally switched to Auto-area AF, or a customized Vast-area field, relying on what I used to be capturing.
For birds, I typically switched to Pre-release seize, to simply catch them taking off. Body charge was one other setting I repeatedly modified, shortly biking between 6, 8, 15, 20, and 30 frames-per-second, once more based mostly on topic and sort of motion. In different phrases, I leveraged as most of the goodies packed into the Nikon Z 8 as I might. In any case, what’s the purpose of getting a state-of-the-art digital digicam if you happen to’re not making the most of all of its options?
Utilizing the Nikon Z 8’s Pre-release characteristic, I might shoot at 30 frames-per-second and really wait till AFTER the motion to push the shutter button and get the image. That makes capturing photographs like this, of a Lilac-breasted curler launching off an acacia tree, fairly straightforward. A few different folks in my group have been additionally utilizing a Z 8, so I confirmed them the best way to benefit from this wonderful possibility. Nikon Z 8, Handbook publicity, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 400, 1/2000 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.
In actual fact, talking of options, chances are you’ll be questioning why I didn’t take my Nikon Z 9 and Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 TC? In any case, the Z 9 gives a number of extra options and longer battery life. And that lens is quicker (wider aperture) than the 400mm f/4.5, plus the 1.4X teleconverter’s already inbuilt. So why not that mixture, together with the 2X teleconverter?
Easy. Measurement and weight.
I’d be taking a number of flights by a number of airports to get midway all over the world, then loading out and in of safari vehicles and capturing from a restricted area inside them. Carrying and managing greater gear would make my life harder. As I like to inform my college students, images is all about selections. You’ll not often end up with just one means of doing one thing. The secret’s in selecting the one which’s best for you, for that scenario.
All of it comes right down to the type of footage you wish to make and the way you’re going to try this. For me – for this journey – the Z 8 paired with the 400mm f/4.5 and teleconverters was the right mixture.
This gained’t be the final time I take a gaggle to Africa, and guess what? I’m positive that subsequent time I’ll carry a unique equipment. As a result of once more, what’s the purpose of doing the identical factor the identical means time and again?
So now what gear I used on this photograph journey and why. Now let me present you a number of extra photographs, and clarify how I made them:
That is one other full-frame, 45-megapixel picture shot with the Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 lens final week. I saved the aperture extensive open practically the complete journey as a way to benefit from the shallow depth of area it creates, to assist the backgrounds soften away. In the event that they have been in focus, these branches behind the leopard could be actually distracting. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 450, 1/1250 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, +0.7 EV (to compensate for the intense sky behind the leopard), Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.Once more, utilizing 400mm and staying extensive open at f/4.5 meant that if I used to be targeted on the infant elephant’s face, it might be the one space in sharp focus. And that makes it simpler for me to maintain the viewer’s consideration there. Doesn’t damage that these little guys are so darn cute! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 1250, 1/640 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, +1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.Sure, there’s a hippo in the midst of that muck. On this case, I’ve added the 1.4X teleconverter to take me from 400mm to 560mm however once more stayed on the most aperture, now f/6.3, to once more maintain the background good and delicate. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 1250, 1/1250 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-1.4X for 560mm.Even with the 1.4X teleconverter taking me out to 560mm, these playful monkeys have been a bit distant. Not having time so as to add the 2X teleconverter, I took benefit of the digicam’s 45 megapixels and cropped in. This last picture nonetheless has nine-million pixels, greater than sufficient for big use on display screen, or a pleasant print. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 720, 1/1600 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S Z lens with TC-1.4X added for 560mm.A lioness clamps down on a wildebeest’s windpipe to suffocate it. Known as “the killing chunk,” achieved on the nostril, mouth, or throat, that is how the massive cats typically kill their prey. Regardless of the tall grass, the digicam’s 3D AF-area mode was capable of lock onto the lion’s eye. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 280, 1/800 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.A Shrike (within the air) tries to chase a Secretary chook away from its nesting space. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 110, 1/1600 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.Combining eye detect and the shallow depth of area created by capturing the lens extensive open (at 400mm, 560mm, and 800mm) is what let me make lovely photographs like this all through the journey. After all, it by no means hurts when the cheetah walks proper towards you! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 450, 1/1250 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-1.4X for 560mm.We spent two days photographing the nice migration on the Mara River, as Wildebeests crossed north. Taking pictures from our truck on a bluff above the river, I used a gradual shutter pace to indicate motion within the splashing water. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 64, 1/100 at f/11 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-1.4X for 560mm.That is one other full-frame 45MP picture utilizing the 1.4X teleconverter with the 400mm. Actually a whole lot of vultures had gathered on the river to feed on useless wildebeests who drowned after breaking a leg through the crossing. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 800, 1/1600 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-1.4X for 560mm.We have been watching this pair of male cheetahs stalk a gaggle of wildebeest, and subsequent factor we knew that they had run one down. Once more, the shallow depth of area and sharp focus saved the grassy background from being distracting. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 360, 1/1600 at f/5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.At 400mm, the framing on this scene was a little bit unfastened, and I used to be afraid the Impala would transfer earlier than I added a teleconverter. So I simply tapped my Perform 2 button (Fn2) – which was programmed to take me into DX crop mode – to get this tighter, higher composition. That took me from 45 megapixels to just about 20, which remains to be overkill for a big print. After all, I might have shot it looser and easily cropped it afterward the pc. However I attempt, at any time when potential to get it as near excellent within the digicam. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 220, 1/1600 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.Leaving camp simply after dawn, we got here throughout this Cerval cat looking alongside the facet of the dust street. Leaning out the window of my truck, I received a few dozen frames in lower than a minute whereas it was in sight. In regards to the measurement of a home cat, I’ve not often seen them up to now. Being early, there wasn’t a lot mild but, however the Z 8 does such a pleasant job at excessive ISOs that that noise isn’t noticeable. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 3600, 1/640 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens.Within the wild, outdoors of recreation parks, rhinos are practically extinct. However Ngorongoro Crater has a wholesome group of over 30. Visiting there on the ultimate day of the journey, our hope was to see and {photograph} one. And we received fortunate. Sadly, it was distant, however with the 2X teleconverter after which going to DX crop mode, that is the 20-megapixel picture I ended up with. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Precedence, Sunny white steadiness, ISO 720, 1/1250 at f/9 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S with Z TC-2.0X for 800mm.Right here’s the whole lot I took with me to Africa. On the decrease left, in a Suppose Tank Airport Necessities backpack, is all of the gear I wanted for images, weighing in at just below 20 lbs. You may see how comparatively compact the Nikon Z 8 and 400mm f/4.5 lens are. Additionally in that pack was my 15-inch laptop computer, Nikon Z 6 II, Nikkor Z TC-1.4X and TC-2X, Nikkor 24-200 f/4-6.3, Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 plus FTZ adapter, playing cards, batteries, charger, card reader, USB-C energy provide and some odds and ends.
In regards to the writer: Reed Hoffmann is a photographer and images teacher who has been within the photograph trade for many years and who has used each Nikon DSLR (and taught most of them). The opinions expressed on this article are solely these of the writer. Observe together with Hoffmann’s newest workshops here. You may also discover extra of Hoffmann’s work and writing on his website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This text was additionally revealed here.
