Aligning your expectations when changing lenses is the key.
Hello,
Some of you know that I recently switched from a Nikon 600mm f4 to a 400mm f2.8. I decided to make this switch due to the increased workload in sports photography. Here are a few things that I have noticed so far:
- The 400mm f2.8 AF micro-adjustments seemed to be more difficult to nail down than that of the 600mm f4.
- The Bokeh on the 400mm f2.8 is amazing.
- It seems that the AF on the 400mm f2.8 wanders a little more than the 600mm f4 did when focusing on small objects.
- The 400mm f2.8 is easier to handhold and easier to fly with since it is a little smaller and lighter than the 600mm f4.
- The depth-of-field is extremely shallow on the 400mm f2.8.
Here is where the difficulty starts. Shooting with the 600 over the last year has set the bar pretty high. Once I got the settings where I wanted them on the 600, the detail was great. I could be somewhat lazy in my photography. I could sit in the truck and shoot from the window and had enough lens to get what I wanted, with our without the TC 1.4X. Now, switching to the 400 f2.8 was a difficult decision and, at first, left me disappointed. I wasn't getting the detail that I could achieve with my 600 f4. The DOF is extremely shallow at f2.8. I could get the eye on a small bird in focus, but the rest of the bird would be slightly blurry... yes, it is that shallow, but it creates an amazing background that isolates your subject. I started second guessing my decision to switch, but it was too late at this point. The more I tweaked my AF settings the happier I became with my results. A conversation that I had with David Strozdas also helped. I think that the biggest setting that was off was my expectations. My expectations were high... through the roof. I was shooting at the same distance with my 400 as I did with my 600, losing 200mm, but expecting the same results... or better. After our discussion, I tried to get my expectations in check. While the 400 produces amazing bokeh and the extra light will be huge with sports and wildlife, I will have to adjust my shooting technique. Basically, I have to quit being so lazy. Instead of sitting in the truck to shoot, I will have to get out and wander into the trees. Maybe using my camo clothing or my camo Lenscoat® Lenshide™ to get the same quality that I have become accustomed to. Simply, I need to get closer. I have 200mm to make-up. Time to get to work.
Now, switch gears to sports photography. This thing is a beast and the master of sports photography lenses. The separation that you get from your focus subject and the background is what makes the photo. The bokeh, right! When photographing a baseball game, you want the batter in focus, but everything behind the batter should be blurry... this lens does an exceptional job at that. With the sports photography aspect of switching lenses, I have no regrets... but the 600 was a little too much for sports, so I used my 200-400 f4 most of the time. While the 200-400 is a great lens, I needed the extra light that the 2.8 yields. The smaller stadiums just don't have the lights that a photographer dreams about.
If you are shooting a super-telephoto lens and looking to make a switch, get your expectations in line first. Research it. Find a friend that has the lens that you want and see if you can shoot with it, or rent one and test it out. In the ideal scenario, take both lenses out and see which lens you find yourself using the most... then you have your answer.
As always, if you have any questions or just want to give me a shout, I'm always around and willing to help where I can.
Get out there and shoot,
Joe
