Hello, I'm Mali and I live in Hastings UK. I am now starting out in bird photography and would welcome any advice or tips. I have a Nikon D70s and 2 sigma lenses 15- 70 and 70-300. I am looking at getting a 2X teleconverter, anyone out there with any knowledge about my set-up, help would be welcome

Hello Mali,

Welcome to WPF. Feel free to join in the discussion and post your pictures. You will probably get a better response to your D70 questions if you start a thread in the cameras sub-forum.

Hello Mali. Welcome to the forum.

HI There:
I think you'll find bird photography a very rewarding pursuit. I just returned from Costa Rica and some of my bird pics are on: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzer1cx2.
Your 70-300mm lens is a good start and the 2x converter will get you a good focal length, however the reduction in light caused by the converter (2stops) at times will be limiting. I use a Canon 100-400 Image stabilizing lens. It's a lot of money ($1300.00 US) but it's been worth every penny. I'm sure Nikon has an equivalent.
I started my bird photogaphy by shooting out the window at my bird feeder. If you can camoflage your feeder, they'll think you are shooting out in the wild. It would be a good way to start with the equipment you already have.
And a final note: As with any kind of photography, knowing the subject is really important. If you know their habits, you'll know when and how to shoot.
Good luck
Ed

Thanks
 

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the info about the converter. Looked at your site, you have some nice pics.

Hi Mali

Welcome to WPF , I see you live just down the road from me in global terms.

A couple of points about teleconvertors.

1) They amplify lens imperfections so the best teleconvertors should only be used with the best lens. Primes lens will give better results than zooms. Fitting them to budget zooms is really a waste of time.

2) There maybe a physical fit problem. i.e glass bashing into glass with certain combinations of lens and convertor.

3) With a x1.4 you will lose 1 stop of light.

4) With a x2 you will lose 2 stops of light.

5) Many cameras lose Auto Focus function when the combined lens and teleconvertor is greater than f5.6.

6) The x1.4 option is favoured by most people as the image quality loss is acceptable and you will still retain Auto Focus with a 300mm f4 lens.

Thanks for info Rob
 

Thanks for the info Rob,
I have always had Nikon cameras, two old FE2 bodies and about 4 different lenses. I stuck with Nikon and got the D70s and a couple of Sigma lenses as somebody told me they were OK. I really dont have much of a clue abot the technical side of things. I hadn't tried out bird photography until about 7 weeks ago, so by looking at all the lovely pics on this site, I can see I have a long way to go. Where abouts are you from mate? I am still reasonably new to the area and I do like beach pics, but that limits you to Gulls or Turnstones here. I will be posting a few bird shots when I feel they are good enough.

You can take the boy out of Suffolk, but you cant take Suffolk out of the boy.

Isn't that what they said about Kate Moss and Croydon ?

I am up on the Kent/Sussex border. I started photographing birds at the garden feeder and Swans on a nearby lake. I've not progressed much beyond that really. I get the odd lucky shot of something different in nearby fields. Bird Forum has made me realise how many birds there are. Lots of them you think are the same until you look a bit closed.