Great wildlife starter pack - A6400 with 70-350!

[Martin_99]

Hi,

I took advantage from current Sony zoom discounts and ordered new Sony 70-350 after lurking around for several months. I received it yesterday and immediately try it on 2h walk with family near my home. I love it! I shot over 500 photos, which is certainly a record for me. It's my by far longest lens. So both using a long lens and trying to capture shy birds and animals is a challenge to me. It's clear, that 525mm FF eq. is not ideal for wildlife. It sometimes require heavy cropping or patience, but it's great for start IMHO.

Is 70-350 favorite among apsc shooters? What is your experience with it? Some thoughts came to my mind:

- what is your favourite setting for sitting birds, which you find important? I used AF-C tracking, smallest single point, 5fps, shutter EFCS on (single click)

- it's light setup (over 1kg), I basically hold it in my hands over hour without issue, but maybe using some kind of strap would be better?

- I use L-bracket to make holding camera with bigger lenses more comfortable, but it's not ideal, do you use some battery grips?

- what do you use the lens button for? I was surprised, that focus magnification is not allowed in AF-C

Thanks in advance!

I attached some photos, constructive critique is welcomed.

 

[philzucker]

Hi,

I took advantage from current Sony zoom discounts and ordered new Sony 70-350 after lurking around for several months.

Congrats!

It's clear, that 525mm FF eq. is not ideal for wildlife. It sometimes require heavy cropping or patience, but it's great for start IMHO.

Especially so because it is very easy to carry around.

Is 70-350 favorite among apsc shooters? What is your experience with it? Some thoughts came to my mind:

- what is your favourite setting for sitting birds, which you find important? I used AF-C tracking, smallest single point, 5fps, shutter EFCS on (single click)

For sitting birds I use AF-C, flexible spot, no tracking. To initiate tracking I use the lens button.

- it's light setup (over 1kg), I basically hold it in my hands over hour without issue, but maybe using some kind of strap would be better?

Possibly, but I personally have no need for it. Others may have better input on this.

- I use L-bracket to make holding camera with bigger lenses more comfortable, but it's not ideal, do you use some battery grips?

A no here too. Use the 70350 both on my A6000 and on my A6600 and find it comfortable on both. With the A6600 it is a bit more comfortable to carry around in one hand while not shooting because of the larger grip.

- what do you use the lens button for? I was surprised, that focus magnification is not allowed in AF-C

As written above to initiate tracking in my "sitting birds" custom mode.

Thanks in advance!

I attached some photos, constructive critique is welcomed.

Very nice bird, you nailed it there! The focus on the cat is also perfect. Not so sure about the nutria (is it one?), I think the exposure is a bit too bright, +1.5 EV might have been pushing it a bit. If you unsure about the correct exposure I recommend to use bracketing (not always possible, especially on moving animals) or to use RAW for some more latitude in PP.

Phil

 

[Newbie Phewbie]

A great start to your long-lens wildlife photography!

You can never have enough reach with a lens But a 350mm lens is really quite a long lens and with our 24Mp sensors, you can get pretty decent images even with small subjects. I have used the 70-300G for a while now and just acquired the 200-600.

Here are my suggestions

- try flexible spot M & expandable flexible-spot to see if they work better for you. Since the PDAF sensors are not cross-type, they only sense vertical edges, so sometimes, you need a larger area for the camera to nail the focus well

- I use a shoulder strap and tuck the camera/lens to my side by my hip. I hike with my camera so this leaves my hands free. I also walk many miles and find that it is easier to have my shoulders bear the weight.

- I use AF-S and the magnify-refocus functionality a lot on stationary subjects. I get very good results doing this. With the heavier 200-600, I am having a hard time keeping the lens steady enough to do this - but I've only had it a week & I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Good luck and continue to share your images.

 

[Martin_99]

Hi,

I took advantage from current Sony zoom discounts and ordered new Sony 70-350 after lurking around for several months.

Congrats!

It's clear, that 525mm FF eq. is not ideal for wildlife. It sometimes require heavy cropping or patience, but it's great for start IMHO.

Especially so because it is very easy to carry around.

Is 70-350 favorite among apsc shooters? What is your experience with it? Some thoughts came to my mind:

- what is your favourite setting for sitting birds, which you find important? I used AF-C tracking, smallest single point, 5fps, shutter EFCS on (single click)

For sitting birds I use AF-C, flexible spot, no tracking. To initiate tracking I use the lens button.

- it's light setup (over 1kg), I basically hold it in my hands over hour without issue, but maybe using some kind of strap would be better?

Possibly, but I personally have no need for it. Others may have better input on this.

- I use L-bracket to make holding camera with bigger lenses more comfortable, but it's not ideal, do you use some battery grips?

A no here too. Use the 70350 both on my A6000 and on my A6600 and find it comfortable on both. With the A6600 it is a bit more comfortable to carry around in one hand while not shooting because of the larger grip.

- what do you use the lens button for? I was surprised, that focus magnification is not allowed in AF-C

As written above to initiate tracking in my "sitting birds" custom mode.

Thanks in advance!

I attached some photos, constructive critique is welcomed.

Very nice bird, you nailed it there! The focus on the cat is also perfect. Not so sure about the nutria (is it one?), I think the exposure is a bit too bright, +1.5 EV might have been pushing it a bit.

Thanks Phil for your kind words. Animal should be a musk-rat, but I'm not 100% sure about it. I struggled with the sun against me in this moment, trying to capture well the moment, when this water rat swimming towards me. I then lower the exposure in post about 0,5EV. I surely need practice to work efficiently with my settings during such moments.

If you unsure about the correct exposure I recommend to use bracketing (not always possible, especially on moving animals) or to use RAW for some more latitude in PP.

Phil

 

[Martin_99]

A great start to your long-lens wildlife photography!

You can never have enough reach with a lens But a 350mm lens is really quite a long lens and with our 24Mp sensors, you can get pretty decent images even with small subjects. I have used the 70-300G for a while now and just acquired the 200-600.

Here are my suggestions

- try flexible spot M & expandable flexible-spot to see if they work better for you. Since the PDAF sensors are not cross-type, they only sense vertical edges, so sometimes, you need a larger area for the camera to nail the focus well

- I use a shoulder strap and tuck the camera/lens to my side by my hip. I hike with my camera so this leaves my hands free. I also walk many miles and find that it is easier to have my shoulders bear the weight.

- I use AF-S and the magnify-refocus functionality a lot on stationary subjects. I get very good results doing this. With the heavier 200-600, I am having a hard time keeping the lens steady enough to do this - but I've only had it a week & I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Good luck and continue to share your images.

Thanks for your shared experience. I plan to experiment with various setting to find out which works best for me. There is a lot AF options in Sony mirrorless world.

I tried BIF my next shooting day and man, it's tough to get nice photos! These birds flying like crazy! :-D:-D I need to prepare my camera better for switching between stationary and flying birds.

 

[onlyfreeman]

Nice.

What discounts are you referring to? I might be interested in that.

 

[Martin_99]

Nice.

What discounts are you referring to? I might be interested in that.

It was kind of weird secret 20% discount for Sony zooms with SONYZOOMS20P code. It worked on most of big photography sellers in Czech republic, hovewer almost no advertising about it. I learned about it on fan Sony forum.

EDIT:

Actually it still works, but I don't know if also in another countries. Valid for these lenses till 4.May.2021:

SEL1018; SEL1224G; SEL1224GM; SEL1635GM; SEL1635Z; SEL1655G; SEL1670Z; SEL18135; SEL18200; SEL18200LE; SEL200600G; SEL24105G; SEL24240; SEL2470GM; SEL2470Z; SEL2860; SEL2870; SEL55210; SEL70200G; SEL70200GM; SEL70300G; SEL70350G; SEL100400GM; SELP1650; SELP18105G; SELP18110G; SELP18200; SELP28135G

http://m2.mail.sony-europe.com/nl/j...xJpOO8gBl-u9msvn46Q8vM00Gg5O2XjL8rekrebOjcWSg

 

[onlyfreeman]

Thanks, seems like a EU thing, not UK? ;(

How much does the 70-350mm lens become after this in the EU?

 

[Martin_99]

Thanks, seems like a EU thing, not UK? ;(

How much does the 70-350mm lens become after this in the EU?

I paid in total 19 600 CZK, which is roughly 760 EUR, 660 GBP or 915USD. That is basically the same what I would pay from grey zone e-infinity, but with better support, longer warranty and quicker shipping.

US photogs probably just laugh about this discounted price...

 

[DutchMM]

Not bad! I paid €711 from the Italian Amazon, but there was some kind of special offer at the time - that is why I "pulled the trigger" at this point.

 

[DutchMM]

IIRC, the price before my €711 was €795 - plus or minus €5, from the online stores I know about. Amazon were keeping relatively quiet about the scope of the offers, and another store from which I have bought didn't reduce quite to the same low low price.

Oh, and I have Prime with Amazon in Italy, so shipping was free,

 

[onlyfreeman]

Nice, I think I'll be buying it, no point waiting for discounts, who knows what will happen in the future.

Did your lens come in a factory sealed box?

 

[Martin_99]

Nice, I think I'll be buying it, no point waiting for discounts, who knows what will happen in the future.

Did your lens come in a factory sealed box?

Do you mean seal sticker over box opening? No, but I think that no my Sony lenses had that.

 

[onlyfreeman]

Nice, I think I'll be buying it, no point waiting for discounts, who knows what will happen in the future.

Did your lens come in a factory sealed box?

Do you mean seal sticker over box opening? No, but I think that no my Sony lenses had that.

Yeah, I think they do it in some regions, or at least they used to do it. Sony cameras are sealed but not lenses, seems a bit strange, although I think with other brands even the cameras are not in sealed boxes.

I ordered one with an a6400, I do use a FF a7 II as well, but I just hope I made the right decision, and won't miss the front dial too much.

 

[Rambow]

Love the images. I assume they were shot in raw because the colours are nice.

The lens is probably large and too expensive for me, but my rx100 can keep up within the 200mm limit.

 

[Martin_99]

Love the images. I assume they were shot in raw because the colours are nice.

Thanks for kind words. I shoot RAW, but colours are only very slightly boosted in Capture one, nothing fancy.

The lens is probably large and too expensive for me, but my rx100 can keep up within the 200mm limit.

70-350 is my by far the largest lens...and as I enjoy shooting with long lens, it seems that my limit for too big lens was just changed

 

[Martin_99]

Is some A6400 owners here?

I'm looking for the best way for the switching from sitting bird setting to BIF setting (ideally one click operation), but seems that options are limited, as there is only one memory position on main wheel and no direct custom setting for switching MR1-2-3. Did I miss something? Is there some workaround? Thanks in advance!

 

[DutchMM]

Hi Martin

I think I read a post on this forum from one of the better-known birders who said (IIRC) that he had his Sitting Bird settings in Memory 1, and the necessary changes for BIF as "Recall Custom Hold 1" configured to the Focus Hold (or some other Custom) button. I never had the 6400, so I don't know whether this is applicable to you.

HTH

Mike

 

[geopapa]

Thanks for letting us know.. I live in Greece and the coupon works for the official Sony store. For someone determined to buy the lens it brings the price down to used item prices. So it's a good deal. I'd love to have that lens to my arsenal but I can't justify it as there's not so much wildlife in my area so I'll stick to the 55-210 for the moment. Maybe some day..

--
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146655216@N05/

 

[dg144290]

Hi - I Agree! My set up is with either the Sony 16-55mm G or the 70-350mm G on my A6400. I also use a Sigma 56mm for portraits (can't beat the f1.4). I took great photos of a blue jay hidden up in the trees with my 70-350 lens. No, it isn't the best, but it's a great lens for amateurs and for learning photography. And, you still get frame worthy shots. It takes some time to learn the lens. You might find that f8 is the sweet spot, and so as opposed to manual mode, you might want to set the aperture at f8 and make the camera adjust shutter speed. I usually stay in manual mode. I also use peaking to help me when I'm outdoors - sometimes I can't see through the viewfinder.