For bird photographers, the focal length of their lens is one of the most important considerations. Longer focal lengths allow you to capture frame-filling shots of distant birds without having to get too close and disturb them. However, long super-telephoto lenses can be extremely heavy, bulky, and expensive. So an important question many aspiring bird photographers ask is: is 400mm enough for bird photography?
The Benefits of 400mm for Bird Photography
There are several benefits to using a 400mm focal length lens for bird photography:
- More affordable and portable than 500mm or 600mm lenses
- Still allows you to capture detailed bird portraits, especially of medium to large species
- Lighter weight makes handholding and traveling with the lens easier
- Works well on both full frame and APS-C sensor cameras
- Gives you enough working distance to not disturb birds
For many bird photographers, 400mm offers a good balance of affordability, portability, and reach. While not as powerful as 500mm or 600mm super-telephotos, a 400mm lens still lets you capture high quality bird images.
When 400mm May Not Be Enough
However, there are some situations where 400mm may not provide enough magnification:
- Photographing smaller bird species
- Trying to capture birds at great distances
- Heavily cropping images
- Printing very large bird portraits
- Photographing skittish birds that require a farther working distance
For these uses cases, a longer 500mm or 600mm lens would be better suited to give you the reach you need.
Options for More Reach
If you find 400mm isn’t quite enough focal length for your bird photography, there are a few options for getting more reach:
- Using a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter with a 400mm lens
- Buying a prime 500mm or 600mm lens
- Using an APS-C cropped sensor camera body
- Cropping images in post-processing
Teleconverters do lower the maximum aperture of the lens and can degrade image quality if not high quality models. But they provide a cheaper way to get more length compared to buying a longer lens. APS-C cameras have a crop factor that makes a 400mm lens equivalent to 640mm in terms of field of view, but you lose megapixels compared to using a full frame body.
Best Practices for Using a 400mm Lens
To get the most out of using a 400mm lens for bird photography, here are some best practices:
- Use fast shutter speeds (1/1000s or faster) to freeze motion and get sharp images
- Shoot in bursts to capture moments of peak action and get shots with best framing
- Use good camera support like a sturdy tripod or monopod to help stabilize the long lens
- Take advantage of good lighting when possible to maximize image quality
- Learn bird behavior so you can predict movement and position yourself well
- Use cover like a bird blind to get closer to skittish species
- Focus carefully using techniques like back-button autofocus
Mastering these methods allows you to consistently capture great bird photos with a 400mm lens.
Sample Images at 400mm
Here are some example bird photographs taken at the 400mm focal length to show the kinds of images you can capture:
Great egret shot at 400mm | Scarlet macaw shot at 400mm |
These example images of medium to large bird species show the kind of framing, detail, and image quality you can get shooting at 400mm. The focal length allows for frame-filling portraits and separation from the background.
Is 400mm Enough for You?
So is 400mm enough reach for bird photography? Here are some questions to help you decide:
- What bird species do you want to photograph?
- Will you be shooting in habitats like dense forests that require more working distance?
- Do you need to capture very fine details like feathers?
- Will you frequently print very large bird images?
- Is handholding the lens important to you?
Consider your individual shooting needs and priorities. For many birders, 400mm offers a great balance of reach, image quality, cost, and portability. But for specific uses like capturing small birds at great distances, 500mm or longer is recommended.
Conclusion
While not having quite the powerful reach of 500mm or 600mm super-telephotos, a 400mm lens can certainly deliver great bird images. The focal length allows you to capture frame-filling portraits of most medium to large species at working distances that don’t disturb them. Advantages like lower cost and lighter weight also make 400mm an attractive option for many bird photographers. But for applications like photographing small birds or printing very large images, the added reach of longer lenses is recommended. Consider your individual shooting needs and try out a 400mm lens to see if it meets your requirements for bird photography.