Capturing a birds feather details from 100 yards out?

7 years 8 months ago #490716 by J Butcher
If you are let's say 100 yards from a bird in flight or in a nest.  Approximately how much focal length would I need in order to get detail in their feathers nice and sharp?  


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7 years 8 months ago #490784 by effron
One hundred yards? Eight hundred mm, and that's a guess on my part. Of course you'd get better results photographing an Emu than a hummingbird, no?

Why so serious?
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7 years 8 months ago #490790 by Screamin Scott
Good luck with that...

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

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7 years 8 months ago #490792 by effron
More awake now. I shoot mostly songbirds (fairly small)  with a 300mm, usually from about fifteen to twenty feet. I can usually get good feather definition in good, even light. I actually don't think 800mm would be sufficient from nine hundred feet. You'll need to get much closer....

Why so serious?
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7 years 8 months ago #490795 by Tim Dordeck
Agree, 800 to 1000mm focal length should do you well.  Keep in mind, if the bird is in flight, the challenge is motion at that point.  Good luck and post some bird shots up.


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7 years 8 months ago #490798 by Shadowfixer1
Must not be too awake. 100 yards doesn't equal 900 feet. B) :evil:  I don't think any lens will get you feather detail at 300 feet. I have shot a lot of birds in Florida with 600 mm and it won't come close. At 300 feet, a large bird is still just a speck.
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7 years 8 months ago #490826 by Tyler Otis
Sounds like an expensive endeavor. Or you need to get closer :)


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7 years 8 months ago #490961 by Don Granger
1500mm worth of focal length should do you good


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7 years 8 months ago #490995 by effron

Shadowfixer1 wrote: Must not be too awake. 100 yards doesn't equal 900 feet. B) :evil:  I don't think any lens will get you feather detail at 300 feet. I have shot a lot of birds in Florida with 600 mm and it won't come close. At 300 feet, a large bird is still just a speck.


Yeah, not sure what I was thinking, I meant 300 feet....Way too far for birds....

Why so serious?
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7 years 7 months ago #491376 by Shadowfixer1
See this video starting at around the 25:40 mark.

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