Whats the best budget telephoto for Nikon right now for birds? Ive shot weddings for a decade but I am totally lost on long glass for this new hobby.
Need to stay under 800 bucks for an Everglades trip next month. Is the AF-P 70-300mm still the move or should I look at used Sigma stuff?
Unfortunately, the Nikon AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR is really disappointing for wildlife. I found 300mm is just not enough reach for birds. For your 800 dollar budget, I suggest buying used:
- Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary
- Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 300mm just wont cut it in the Everglades.
> Sigma 150-600mm... Wait, I gotta disagree tho! I snagged a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR for $800. That constant f/5.6 was a total lifesaver for dark swamp mornings!
TIL! Thanks for sharing
> Is the AF-P 70-300mm still the move or should I look at used Sigma stuff? Honestly, if you are looking for reliability on a Z body, sticking with Nikon brand glass is almost always the smarter play. Using the FTZ adapter with native lenses tends to be much more consistent for tracking birds than going third-party, even if the specs look better on paper. Basically, you want something that can handle the humidity and wont hunt for focus when things get tricky in the swamp. I would suggest looking for any used super-telephoto zoom from Nikon that reaches at least 500mm. You really need that extra reach for wildlife, and their older professional-leaning glass is built like a tank. Sigma makes decent options too, but for a trip where gear failure isnt an option, I usually tell people to stay within the brand ecosystem. It just works better.
