• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

D70 / 135-400m (1 Viewer)

Talon 1

Well-known member
Hi, have just purchased my first camera its a Nikon D70 (body only) with a Sigma 135-400 f4.5- 5.6 lens.

Will i need a Tripod with this as its ordered and i am waiting . It looks not exactly Bazooka but big enough to maybe get a bit shakey on shots

What do you think?
 
Yes.
I all but good light i would want to be using a tripod with this lens.
Or you could consider a monopod which gives good stability without the bulk.
If you are into photography a good tripod will definitly be worht buying anyway.

ATB

Rich
 
It's the combination I use most of the time. almost all the pictures in my gallery from around April onward were taken with it. All were hand held. You just need to ensure using a reasonable shutter speed - it's a very easy lens to hold due to the rear focussing and it balances very well on a D70. In poor light I up the ISO and use Neat Image. I try to keep to 1/500 or above where possible but with practice and a steady hand you can go a bit lower. Obviously if you're mainly taking 'static' subjects setting up a tripod will help ensure sharpness but it's not so practical for flight shots and with practice you should be able to manage without if you watch your settings. One advantage of the lens is it's lack of any discernable CA problems - a great plus when you're pointing into sunny skies.
 
I second what Greypoint has said. The 135-400 is not the best lens but in good light can give pretty good results. All my shots are handheld too. If I take shots from the kitchen window I use a cushion as makeshift bean bag. Like Greypoint I puchased this lens secondhand in April.

Robert
 
I have a tripod, but rarely use it. I use a tamron lens normally at the 500mm end, but find a tripod too much trouble. In hides i use a homemade beanbag (bag of dried peas in a homemade cloth bag). This is BETTER than a tripod and it's easy to move the camera and the bag "deadens" the vibration caused by the shutter better than all but the heaviest tripods!

Sometimes i use a monopod as this is more flexible when out in the woods / fields. Mostly though, i hand-hold and keep the shutter speed as fast as i can (1/500th+) and maybe up the ISO to 800 if needed.

Don't forget, if you hand hold, get your technique right. DO NOT hold you breath when taking a picture. It is a misconception that this helps - you should take a breath and let it out, then take the picture before inhalling. You can hold your body more still when you're not struggling to hold in a gulp of air!
 
I did panic a bit today as a Shop assistant said that the sigma 135-400mm f4.5-5.5 APO does not fit the Digital D70 body :eek!:

You can imagine my horror , Its not a Digital fit!. On further investigation from a experienced photographer It fits OK.

Bloody hell i thought i would have to cancel it.

It sounds like its a Border line tripod case. I will see without first and then make my mind up.

Anyone got any shots with this set up? Would love to see a few

Thanks.
 
Free said:
It sounds like its a Border line tripod case. I will see without first and then make my mind up.

Anyone got any shots with this set up? Would love to see a fewQUOTE]

Tripod really depends on where you'll be. As i said, in a hide, it's a pain and a bean bag is the best. On a cliff top, shooting over the sea, a tripod will probably come into its own. Shooting ratpters flying overhead, you'll need to hand-hold. You'll get to be comfortable using different techniques depending on the situation.

As i don't have the Sigma, i can't show you any shots using that set-up, but take a look at a few i've got in my gallery (link below), almost all at 500mm (Tamron 200-500). Mostly either hand held or on beanbag. Some using monopod. Don't think any were done using a tripod!!

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/18597
 
As you all said - you can get good pictures while hand-holding the lenses but i must say that recently i started taking photos with a tripod ( Gitzu ) using a D-70 with Sigma 70-300 and Sigma 170-500.
The pictures come out much much better and sharper ( in my opinion ) . I still use a bean bag ( which is an easier solution ) but the tripod pictures are way better.
Having said all that - it is all true for "still " subjects , but almost impossible to get "in flight " shots with a tripod.
I am realy impressed with your shots Rezmole - and am thinking of getting the Tamron . ( I don't know why the Tamton 200-500 is not getting so much attention - looks like a good lense to me ).
 
DOC said:
( I don't know why the Tamron 200-500 is not getting so much attention - looks like a good lense to me ).

I think it's cos it is quite a new lens, and many members of BF seem to already be fans of Sigma. If you wanted a decent zoom at a reasonable price, then basically you were limited to Sigma before. I've never used the Sigma, so i can't comment - but the Tamron is great lens for the price. So far, i haven't read a bad review of it.

I was toying with the Sigma 50-500 which cost about the same, but thought the Tamron might have the edge, due to not having such a wide zoom. What swung it for me was that EVERY review i read said it was best when wide open at F6.3. As that's what you end up shooting at to keep the shutter speed fast, i considered this a good point.

I, for one, have never had any doubt that i made the right choice - and i usually have loads of doubts about my purchases!
 
Great shots guys and 'greypoint' you have set my mind at rest. i tried to join your website but there did not seem to be a new register set up.
Anyway , great stuff.

Many thanks

Dave.
 
I have just looked at all of your shots and i may be a bit of a novice at the moment but i wonder why anybody would want a better camera than the D70 with the Sigma lens.
Maybe thats why i am a novice perhaps but i can't see how you could get much better quality, length maybe but quality.....?
 
Main advantages of more expensive lenses are often a wider max. aperture coupled with faster AF. So it's a matter of practice getting the best out of a cheaper lens. The cheaper lenses are usually not so good in low light but with digital you can experiment as much as you like with metering/exp.comp. and different ISO ratings for best results. Yesterday the light was poor and i set ISOs of up to 800 - with processing and a touch of Neat Image I ended up with a reasonable set of pictures.
I still think the D70 takes a bit of beating as a 'bird' camera.
 
rezMole said:
I think it's cos it is quite a new lens, and many members of BF seem to already be fans of Sigma. If you wanted a decent zoom at a reasonable price, then basically you were limited to Sigma before. I've never used the Sigma, so i can't comment - but the Tamron is great lens for the price. So far, i haven't read a bad review of it.

I was toying with the Sigma 50-500 which cost about the same, but thought the Tamron might have the edge, due to not having such a wide zoom. What swung it for me was that EVERY review i read said it was best when wide open at F6.3. As that's what you end up shooting at to keep the shutter speed fast, i considered this a good point.

I, for one, have never had any doubt that i made the right choice - and i usually have loads of doubts about my purchases!

Ditto; Well recommended! :t:
 
I am still waiting for the D70 body but have the sigma 400mm here. So just to get me cheered up at what distance with this lens could i take with a very close head shot only of a bird?
What would be the minimum and maximum? Just to remind you its a D70 with a sigma 135-400mm lens. Just to wet my appetite while i am waiting.

Thanks
 
-Just to wet your appetite- the attached photo was taken with a D-70 and a Sigma 70-300 ( DL.....) - from a range of about 12 feet.
It's a Spur - winged Lapwing.
So with your 400 m"m - you'll even get a bigger head shot!!!
Waiting to see your pics .
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0011 copy copy.jpg
    DSC_0011 copy copy.jpg
    110.6 KB · Views: 147
DOC said:
-Just to wet your appetite- the attached photo was taken with a D-70 and a Sigma 70-300 ( DL.....) - from a range of about 12 feet.
It's a Spur - winged Lapwing.
So with your 400 m"m - you'll even get a bigger head shot!!!
Waiting to see your pics .


Thanks Doc its got me going again.

By the way where in Isreal are you , I spent 3 years in Isreal back in the 80's Beautiful Country.
 
Here is my 2 cents worth.

The end of March I bought my D-70 without the kit lens. I researched lenses and read posts from many photo forums (including BF), and I bought the Tamron 28-300 macro/zoom. It is an outstanding lens! It takes sharp pictures on both ends of the distance spectrum and all points in between.

I do use a tripod. My lens is very light, but I am not that steady for as long as it may take to get the metering and focus right before I actually press the shutter.

This is a midrange picture I took with my lens.

Lydia :girl:
 

Attachments

  • br1acompressed.jpg
    br1acompressed.jpg
    194.8 KB · Views: 158
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top