I am looking to rent a long lens for a wildlife photography trip I am going on in June. I would like to rent at least a 300/2.8 Nikon but would possibly get something longer if the rate was ok.
I have found a 300.f4 for $35 a week, a 300/2.8 for $105 per week and a 400 for $300 a week. Since I will need it for about a week and a half the 400mm will be a bit too steep since I am dumping a bunch of money on this trip already.
I already own a 80/400vr but hope to shoot from both a D70 and N80 body.
Any suggestions. It will be for Alaska where the weather may be lousy so I was thinking the wider the opening the better.
My wife and I went to Alaska last June. The weather was pretty good for us, a couple of rainy days in the week or so we were up there. Having a 2.8 would certainly help if it does cloud up. I had my 70-200 2.8, and I was shooting in the 4's a couple of times. I really don't like to push the boundaries of the lens, so if you had the 4 you may be at it's limit. Also, I regret not buying a doubler before I went. I read that reviews that it degrades the image quality, but so does having those good shots be out of range.
Where did you find a place to rent from? I have been contemplating that myself for trips.
But I'm going to take the contrarian view. I've lugged my 500 f/4 and a couple of 300's (f/4 and f/2.8) all over the place up here, and frankly wished the whole time I had that nifty Nikon 200-400, or short of that and more realistically on my budget, your 80-400VR. Why? The big glass is way heavy and bulky for the little extra they give you. And even at 6'4" and 220, they limit the scope of my walks. Then we get into the whole airport, carryon and security hassles with big glass.
Worst of all if you plan to sell, in my experience the market is absolutely flooded with whisker and fang portraits of wildlife. Even with my 500 on a tripod I keep another body mounted with a 24-120VR or an 80-200 f/2.8. And virtually every single time the images taken with the shorter lenses sell better. In my markets skillfully composed landscapes that feature animals as a part of their environment are always in demand. The only thing I'd caution on that is to conscienciously compose both vertical and horizontal shots of the same scene, because the markets will be picky which they want for specific applications.
So there! Don't rent big glass. If anything, bring two bodies so you can use a shorter lens alongside your 80-400. If there's any savings involved, apply that to transportation to get new (aerials) or off-the-beaten track views of landmarks, whether that involves hiring a hiking guide or an ATV.
Discussion
4 repliesI have found a 300.f4 for $35 a week, a 300/2.8 for $105 per week and a 400 for $300 a week. Since I will need it for about a week and a half the 400mm will be a bit too steep since I am dumping a bunch of money on this trip already.
I already own a 80/400vr but hope to shoot from both a D70 and N80 body.
Any suggestions. It will be for Alaska where the weather may be lousy so I was thinking the wider the opening the better.
My wife and I went to Alaska last June. The weather was pretty good for us, a couple of rainy days in the week or so we were up there. Having a 2.8 would certainly help if it does cloud up. I had my 70-200 2.8, and I was shooting in the 4's a couple of times. I really don't like to push the boundaries of the lens, so if you had the 4 you may be at it's limit. Also, I regret not buying a doubler before I went. I read that reviews that it degrades the image quality, but so does having those good shots be out of range.
Where did you find a place to rent from? I have been contemplating that myself for trips.
Cheers,
Matt Magee
But I'm going to take the contrarian view. I've lugged my 500 f/4 and a couple of 300's (f/4 and f/2.8) all over the place up here, and frankly wished the whole time I had that nifty Nikon 200-400, or short of that and more realistically on my budget, your 80-400VR. Why? The big glass is way heavy and bulky for the little extra they give you. And even at 6'4" and 220, they limit the scope of my walks. Then we get into the whole airport, carryon and security hassles with big glass.
Worst of all if you plan to sell, in my experience the market is absolutely flooded with whisker and fang portraits of wildlife. Even with my 500 on a tripod I keep another body mounted with a 24-120VR or an 80-200 f/2.8. And virtually every single time the images taken with the shorter lenses sell better. In my markets skillfully composed landscapes that feature animals as a part of their environment are always in demand. The only thing I'd caution on that is to conscienciously compose both vertical and horizontal shots of the same scene, because the markets will be picky which they want for specific applications.
So there! Don't rent big glass. If anything, bring two bodies so you can use a shorter lens alongside your 80-400. If there's any savings involved, apply that to transportation to get new (aerials) or off-the-beaten track views of landmarks, whether that involves hiring a hiking guide or an ATV.