Sony Wildlife Cameras & Lenses Review: $900-$20,000
Sign up for your PPA membership and save $25 using this link: www.ppa.com/join/tony-chelsea... #sponsored
Chelsea & Tony Northrup review ALL the Sony cameras and lenses to make recommendations for the best wildlife photography. Here's a list of the mirrorless camera gear they discuss in this review:
Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras:
Sony a6000: sdp.io/a6000
Sony a6100: sdp.io/a6100
Sony a6300: sdp.io/a6300
Sony a6400: sdp.io/a6400
Sony a6500: sdp.io/a6500
Sony a6600: sdp.io/a6600
Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras:
Sony a7 III: sdp.io/a73
Sony a7R III: sdp.io/a7R3
Sony a7R IV: sdp.io/a7R4
Sony a9: sdp.io/a9
Sony a9 II: sdp.io/a92
Sony a1: sdp.io/a1
Sony wildlife lenses:
Sony 70-350: sdp.io/s70350
Tamron 150-500: sdp.io/t150500
Sony 200-600:
Canon EF to Sony FE lens adapter:
Sigma MC-11: sdp.io/mc11
Love the (not at all obvious) ADR of "EXTENSION TUBES"! Great video, I really liked the nuanced discussion of teleconverters vs sensor size and pixel count
Havent seen one of their uploads in awhile. Nice to see theyre still grindin’ and educating us at the same time. Thank-you.
After completing wildlife series please do a landscape photography series too
Kudos to you on a really fine presentation, especially for such a tight timeframe! As a wildlife and sports shooter currently shooting the A9 and A7Riv, I fully endorse everything you said. I think the bargain setup is the A6400 with the Tammy 150-500, but I think most people will be happier overall - considering other shooting you're likely to do - with the A7Riv.
I love the info and explanation you give. It’s very helpful specially for someone like me who is just starting to learn all these names and things a camera can do. Love your podcast as well. 👍🏻
Drinking Game- drink each time Tony says something is "challenging", or you hear a audio cut saying"extension tubes" cheers 😁
That would cause cirrhosis.
Great info guys, thanks so much!!! I have to say I lost it when you dubbed “Extension Tubes” though.
Lol I kept saying teleconverters
@@TonyAndChelsea We need to remix it now into the EXTENSION TUBES song.
Always a pleasure watching the reviews and vids, can’t wait until they restock the A1
Yep, thank you for another wildlife photography content. Keep them coming! 😊
Didn’t know that about APS-C and shooting wildlife! Great video
This video came at the right time. I am researching which telephoto lens to get. Thanks guys
Tony and Chelsea you did a wonderful video here I love it . Which camera would you recommend for a beginning bird photographer using Sony equipment .
thanks. So glad I went for A7Riii to allow crop. I know only 18MP crop compared to A6600 24MP but basically best of both worlds as I was always hankering for full frame
The drone footage was really cool in this project. Did you speed up the footage or does your drone really fly that fast. Thanks so much all you do!
I would be extremely interested to see what happens when you use your a7IV with breathing compensation turned on using the Sony G 200-600mm lens. does it correct the problem that the G telephoto has when shooting at close focusing distances that causes a loss of effective zoom range? This would be very useful for my wildlife needs if so.
Hook 'em! EXTENSION TUBES... ok just playing... Can you explain how much you loose on focusing on the long end with EXTENSION TUBES.
Using extension tubes to conquer focus breathing was a great tip 👍
I will most likely trade in my R5 to migrate to the A1 and FE 200-600mm combo as I simply refuse to get ripped off by the RF 100-500mm.
Be careful....i did the same thing but actually find the Sony tracking is just not as good as the Canon ..... its a shame because in other regards i love the a1....but the animal eye af/bird af is not so strong and i have missed shots i would have got on the Canon. I'm probably switching back.
Can you review the canon RF 100-500!! Thanks for the awesome video as always!!!
You two are great. I'm a novice & bought a Sony A7II this year. Lots to learn & your videos really help.
hey Tony/Chelsea, some good tips... some fotos at longer distances are a bit on the soft side, i have a A7RIII+200-600mm any thoughts or solutions? does the A7III a better job? thanks anyway
No mention of the Sony 100-400? What gives? I’d like to hear your thoughts about it, especially compared to the 200-600.
As an owner of both and as what should come as not surprise the 100-400 is the better lens. I am not saying that the 200-600 is a bad lens it just isn't as good as the 100-400. If you are taking shots of birds in flight (mallards and smaller) the 100-400 will provide significantly better results, on larger birds the results will be closer. For still birds the images on the 100-400 will look sharper but the ones on the 200-600 still look really good (and those that have not spend lots of hours looking at the results of the two probably won't notice). If you have the A7R4 the images from the 200-600 will seem soft (again not bad but they don't look as crisp) and forget about getting medium to small birds in flight (hit rate on ducks is like 20% with release on focus set). The 100-400 with the A7R4 produces razor sharp images and you will get better results with birds in flight for duck sized birds but still looking at maybe 50% hit rate, smaller than ducks is still a waste of time. If you have the A1 the images from the 200-600 look really good (better than on the A7R4) but again not as good as the 100-400. Birds in flight the 200-600 can get a high hit rate on medium sized birds, small birds is still not good. The A1 with the 100-400 I can tell you I have a sequence of 117 shots of a moth in flight with only 3 that appear to have just ever so slightly missed focus.
Nice review. And helpful. Thanks.
@@davidlewis5929 I have the 100-400 and its so versitile I almost feel like its cheating
@@davidlewis5929 If you use the 100-400 with 1.4x at 600mm then the 200-600 are sharper !!! Also the 200-600 are much cheaper !
@@cameraprepper7938 If you add the 1.4x to the 100-400 you get to 560mm but you of take a hit on the image quality. I find that the comparing images taken with the 100-400+1.4x and the 200-600 is just a guessing game as to which is which. Yes the 200-600 is much cheaper than the 100-400 but depending on the way you shoot and what camera body you have will determine which is the better choice. I don't use the A7R4 for wildlife anymore unless I know I am just going to a blind and then it will have the 100-400, I won't use the 200-600 with the R4 anymore.
Have you ever used the sigma hsm apo ex 100-300 f4 ? I heard it's super sharp and its cheap.
Thanks for the wildlife camera and lens video. I found it very interesting and helpful. ❤❤
Great video, Tony! But I have noticed that you have not shown us the EVF lag of A1. If you could please run some tests on that regard that would be highly appreciated. Thank you!
Because it has no lag...
Wow. Just discovered you guys for some reason. Your vids are info dense. I don't know whether to feel good that I'm picking up so much new tech knowledge and strategies, or to feel bad that I didn't already have them. 😬I'm going to go with door #1.
Great video. I wish you had covered using a a7r iv in crop mode a little more. Do you think the extra MP over the apsc bodies is worth using for wildlife?
A7R4 in crop mode would be a 28mp image, just like if you took image in normal and cropped in post. I A7R4 in cropped mode does slightly improve the AF for birds in flight but it is still a poor performer. I have no experience with the current generation of APS-C.
I have the Sony A7RIV and A7RIVA and I am very happy with them, I often use one of them i APSC mode with the Sony 200-600mm and the other Camera in full-frame for fx Landscape, some times when I am close to a Bird or Animal I also use full-frame for the 200-600mm.
I am unable to select Real Time Tracking when using subject detection to Animals. When set to humans it works as usual. How can i rectify it? I am using A7R4.
would love to see you guys do a review of the sigma 100-400mm for sony e mount, on full frame and apsc
Many thanks, finally a video that able to answer many of my questions .
Thanks for the video. Would be great if you could do the same for Nikon. Im using Nikon 200-500 with D850. Im looking to upgrade to prime, but cant decide between the 500mm F4 and the 600mm F4
Amazing video! Thoughts on the 70-350mm vs the Tamron? Only discussed very briefly. Not sure how much of an upgrade it is relative to the cost and weight
Yes I love to actually see the difference.
Did u found somewhere comparison between 70-350 vs 150-500? Also can't decide between them, no idea if its worth to get tamron for it significant higher weight and size over 70-350
Hi Tony and Chelsea. thanks for sharing. The a1 is really a magnificent camera but extremely expensive. I use a nikon d850, which I love, but i'm thinking about switching to a sony a9II with the 200-600 lens, what's your opinion? is it worth changing? Thanks and best regards
I've switched from nikon ff to a sony a1/a6600 combo... do it, you'll have no regrets switching to the a9ii, but keep in mind you'll have to re learn the af systems etc and how to optimise. I purchased the 200-600 and am considering swapping to 100-400mm instead.
What do you guys think of the Sigma 100-400 DG DN OS?? Where is it comparing to the Sony 70-350 or the Tamron 150-500?
Thanks for the video guys. What’s are your thoughts between the Sony 100-400 (with tele-converted) vs 200-600? Portability, sharpness… ? Thanks for the channel!
The 100-400 are more portable, but the 200-600 are sharper AND cheaper ! I have the 200-600 but wish for prime tele Lenses like 300mm 4.0, 400mm 4.5 and 500mm 5.6.
I love your videos and I love 'Stunning Digital Photography'. Watching videos like this makes me drool to get one of those rock-star expensive cameras to replace my humble A6000 and I just bought a Sigma 150-600mm lens because I often go out on boat trips to California's Channel Islands and am scheduled to go on a trip to Namibia in September so lots of wildlife. Up to now I've used my Sony 70-300 with great results but watching all these videos has made me yearn to double my reach. A thing that has struck me as I plotted to rob the First National Bank so I could afford an A-1 or an $11k lens is that I'm basically a snapshotter and I didnt do too bad with my Canon AE-1 until the digital revolution. It's easy to get carried away and forget that the true joy is in taking the pic and playing with the image on my computer. I love the great camera presence you guys have. You often make me smile and remember it's about enjoying the game and not taking myself too seriously.
great tips on using my a6600 shooting wildlife. thank you!
Great informative video…I hope this video is a success and you make similar ones for the other mounts from Canon, Nikon, L-Mount, m43 and Pentax… I know that would be difficult and expensive but hopefully camera companies would be smart and loan you all that gear for free to make videos like these…
One of the best Sony comparison videos I be ever seen.
Currently using a7iii and finding that the autofocus doesn’t always work well with birds. Also finding that i have to crop a lot and losing sharpness and quality when i do so. I am torn on which body to upgrade to!?!? The a7iv is the most practical but already doesn’t have the latest autofocus features. The a7rv has the latest ai autofocus and mega pixels but burst rate isn’t great and the a1 has a the resolution and burst speed but lacks latest af, plus it is super expensive and should have a replacement soon. So thoughts? I am just a hobbyist but like good gear and good results.
Hi Chelsea and Tony, wondering what you think of the Sony rx10
Very useful, thank you! But - a6400 or a6600?
Why the complete lack of acknowledgment for the RX10? T&C have consistently ignored this incredibly versatile camera. The RX10 is certainly due for an update with a Mark V version, but the current Mark IV is a great wildlife choice with it’s 600mm equivalent lens.
Because it's just a fancy point and shoot
When is the canon version coming out similar to this?
Thanks!! I needed this video!
Hi Tony & Chelsea! Love your wildlife videos! Can you do a comparison video of the Canon EOS R5 and Sony A1 paired with their 600mm F4 lenses (the EF mkIII version for Canon and Sony's only 600 lens). You have done this before, but you compared the Canon EOS 5DSR and EF 600mm MKII with Nikon D850 and Nikons 600mm F4. It would be a great video if you could also talk about and test different IS settings with the lenses and when and how to use them, if they can affect IQ and when not to use IS or IBIS. It would be also really nice to have some great tips for wildlife and birds (also BIF) for settings using these ultimate lenses and camera combinations :) Really looking forward to a video like that :D And in the meantime, take care!
Thanks for the video....perfect timing for me...I'm just waiting for delivery of an a1.....200-600......I know its a lot of work, but if possible could you do a setup video for the a1? I have seen other videos you have made on other cameras which are all excellent.....THANK YOU :)
If you want a far better guide than what T&C could give for the A1 or A9 or A7R4 for wildlife you should check out Mark Smith's guide. Tony can tell you a lot about cameras but he doesn't spend nearly enough time actually using them to tell you how to get the best results from them for any specialized focus. If you need proof Tony still doesn't know how to get the 30fps from the A1 which comes from a setting that has appeared in several generations of Sonys.
I found rolling shutter so frequently when I shot in silent mode on my A6400 that I gave up on it for all but church events. I didn't use it even for golf because the club would look distorted in a swing. Do other brands get better results than Sony with silent shutter?
It's not really about the brand so much as the sensor readout speed. The a9, a1, and R5 are very good. They're also very expensive.
Waiting for Sony to make a "full-feature" crop-sensor camera ... A1 AF features/speed, two cards, full-frame-size body, etc. ... but I am not expecting it to happen.
Much appreciated, great review.
I have an @99ii and I know it won't last forever so I'm thinking about what my next camera should be. Does anyone have a sense of how these cameras compare against the @99ii?
Love you guys- thank you for your informative approach I run a beauty social media business with my wife and totally appreciate you both
Chelsea is using a Sony!!! Wow! I have been looking at the A6400 myself, but I think that I am going to stay with the Canon DSLR system. Great review as always!
Wondering why you didn't mention the Sony 100-400 lens and also the teleconverter on that? How about the problems with a7RIV and the 200-600 lens? Some people were having problems with that combo
Exactly! The ultimate sony lens for wildlife is not even mentioned in the ultimate Sony wild life review!
I have the 200-600mm and are very happy with it !
would a sony fx30 be good for wildlife photography?
I just got an a6000 for 350$ with the kit lens that was all I could afford for the moment. Will try to get a nice big lens later in the year. PUMPED to take some great pictures
Any thoughts on the new sigma 150-600??
So just to be clear you don't recommend using a tele converter for the a7III as cropping in post has the same degradation on sharpness?
From my own experience (A7RIV + 1.4TC + 200-600mm) tele converter does actually provide more detailed picture with a slightly more blurry feel. This sharpness loss can be compensated with post-processing software if you keep your ISO low and these extra pixels are not filled with noise due to a reduced maximum aperture. Note that result image quality doesn't reflect all TC drawbacks and you may end up with lesser amount of usable photos even if each one of them is perfectly sharp. So I'd recommend TC only for a perfect light conditions or if you are sure that you will have enough time.
Question anyone. I am a beginner to wildlife, i can't afford a pricey camera. My option is a7r ii. Is that camera still good for learn wildlife combo with 200 600? Thank you
Loved it. Great content.👍🏆⭐😊
I have the Meike tubes and been meaning to try them on my 800 F11 'cause that 20' MFD is killing me!
13:21 😂 extension tubes. Great video.
Are you guys encountering a ton more ticks this year?
Great video! Sony 100-400 didn't come close for travelling instead of the 200-600?
I gotta think that T&C have some grudge against the 100-400 with how it’s left out of every video. Ya it’s pricey, but so is the a1 which is recommended highly in this channel.
@@mikef147 worth a mention I think, especially with crop mode on the A1 and it's versatility for wildlife but maybe not for birds
@@Dexterously Unless you know that birds will be far away the 100-400 is the better lens for everything when compared to the 200-600.
I have the 200-600mm, I most often use it at 600mm where it is sharper than the 100-400mm with a 1.4x and the 200-600 are much cheaper than the 100-400, get a Sigma 100-400 of you want a compact Lens.
@@cameraprepper7938 Just travelling around the world with the 200-600 in size and an extra 600g or even hiking. The quality (sharpness and focus) of the sigma is hard to compare.
I'm waiting for the upcoming Sigma 150-600 FE.
@michael the Sigma 150-600 is no joke
at 3:08 the auto exposure of the a7siii is really distracting. Rapid switches between brighter and darker
Tony are you still using the A7SIII, I thought you switched to the R6?
Our cameraman (Frank DiNardi) uses the Sony
Please test the Sony 70-350 on the a7IV. Curious about results. Thanks.
did you tested it by your self maybe? :D
As I changed to a7riii from dslrs I thought the focus system was amazing. Wide coverage, fast focusing speed, very good focusing accuracy and eye focus. And it still is for the most occasions. But after buying the 200-600 and trying longer distance wildlife, I have to say it does not serve that function at all. Not only the focusing speed is lackluster, but also the focusing accuracy is often off. Now I'm already getting accustomed to first shooting few shots with autofocus and if the situation allows, manual focus with peaking to make sure I get at least one shot in focus in the series. I've even set the focus hold button to switch to manual focus override.
I think a7riii body is a little outdated. In terms of everything. Sony 200-600 is really made for the stacked sensors but it still works well on other newer Sony bodies with better autofocus systems.
07:35 I shoot real estate with the A7III and I run two Sony Tough SD cards with great buffering/writing times. So it's not really a problem if you invest in good SD cards.
I recently photographed a bear cub in the top of a tree with the a6600 and 200-600mm lens. That was the only way to fill the frame. I was pleased with the shot.
Speaking of teleconverter, it would be very nice if Sony will make a 1.4X teleconverter for the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM which are great for fx Deer 🦌! Next wish for Sony will be prime tele Lenses like 300mm 4.0 (4.5), 400mm 4.5 (5.6) and 500mm 5.6. For me the best Sony Wildlife Camera are the Sony A7RIV/A7RIVA, you can shoot in full frame mode for Landscape and in APSC mode for close-up of Birds and Macro.
I don't have any experience in photography or nothing I want to buy sony camera for the begining of new hobby. Where should I start
Is there a reason he doesn't list a6500 when listing ideal APSC cameras?
I'm wondering too
Two things that should be noted: (1) Sony teleconverters only work with certain of their lenses, and (2) the 100-400 (with a teleconverter) is an option, especially because of its image quality and relatively small size which is significant for portability.
Good call !
I’m having focusing issues with my 100-400 with 2x teleconverter. Haven’t figured out why yet
@@MySelfReliance I imagine it is a lack of light. Cameras open the appature to maximum to focus then close it to whatever you requested to take the shot. So if you are shooting with a 70-200 f2.8 and you set it to f22, whilst previewing you are at 22 (depending on model) then when you press the shutter release it goes to f2.8, meters, focuses, goes back to f22 and takes the shot. If you are in burst mode it then goes back to f2.8 and continues from there. This has two relevant concequences; 1) your burst speed may be reduced with some lenses as the camera does not think the appature rings can cycle at 20-30 times a second (depending on model). 2) If you put on a 2x converter you have 1/4 the light for the autofocus to work with as the appature can now only go to a maximum of f5.6 during that cycle. To put it another way most dslr can take photos just fine at f32, but can only focus with an f8 lens. This is because autofocus appature is not the same as capture appature and is always the fastest a lens can be. Side side not... I suspect but cannot prove that this is why dpaf does not work on cameras like the m50 in higher resolution movie recording. In this case af appature is locked to record appature and there just isn't enough light at slower speed settings so it is disabled in all settings for a consistent user experience.
@@thekeytoairpower Thanks. I should have mentioned that I am using my camera only for video
@@MySelfReliance At the long end you are near the limit of F stop for AF on the A9 bodies and beyond recommended for the A7 bodies.
I used the sony a6400 and 150-500 its lovely. I dont like the size of the sony 200-600 i often walk very long distances and often through heavy brush and that lens is just too much for me to lug around
Is there a reason you guys dont talk about the 100-400 anymore?
The Sigma is a great compromise between weight, range, quality and weight. The Sony version is excellent but nigh on three times the price.
p.s the A1 is to much for me , I'm waiting for the A7IV or a used A9 in the future
Tony…you add an air of sophistication to the camo attire:)
Something worth noting: not only will the silent shutter possibly cause rolling shutter issues, it also cannot shoot in 14 bit color with the silent shutter. (Although for wildlife it will only shoot in 14-bit for single shot, not burst mode so less of an issue but worth noting.)
How does the "for wildlife it will only shoot in 14-bit for one shot" work? Does it give 14 bit in burst mode if shooting flowers, or buildings??!? :-)
@@AndyBarss haha fair point.
You brushed off the 90D because of its high resolution needing a premium lens. You can get a 90D and a 100-400m2 for under $4k all in. Killer combo that is better than $1k-$2k options you reviewed, but less than your $8k+ combos.
I am using an a6500 and the 70-350 for bird photography. Maybe I should upgrade to a6600 and Tamron 150-500 for that type of photography.
Did you upgraded to 6600+150-500? If yes, it was good choice? :D
@@PatrickWithCamera No, I upgraded to a7iv, Sony 100-400 GM and 1.4x TC.
@@TVe200 ah, top end upgrade :D
Might I suggest making a similar video for us MFT users? I know you guys aren’t the biggest fans of the system but I’d appreciate your input nonetheless.
the new sigma 500 with the A1 although you cant add telephoto lenses
thanks for information
this series is really cool I think people would care more about landscape or of course portrait. happy to learn from you
Good recommendations.
Loving the content of late
I thank you.
What about the tamron 70-300mm lens; it’s way cheaper than the 70-350mm
Tested both, 70-300 is tiny hair sharper, but 70-350 got OSS which helps a lot and way better autofocus.
A great instructional video as usual - thank you but I'm surprised the Sony 100-400 GM lens didn't get a mention.
Too expensive compared to the 200-600mm
There’s a bigger draw back with the A1. At least in the UK there’s still a big waiting list!
Why don't they mention the sigma 100 - 400 ? for only $999
Respected Sir would love to know whether Sony 600mm f/4 will be compatible with Sony 6600, more particularly regarding the speed of focusing and other factors in regard to focus and ISO. Thank you in advance.
How could you forget about the GM 100-400? Sony's best quality wildlife is not included in the "Ultimate" sony wildlife review? And you saying Tamron 100-500 is sharper than Sony 70-350mm on apsc without showing any comparison without pointing out that the Sony is only 3rd of the weight of the Tamron which really matters on any Sony crop body form factor.
I don’t think they have given the 70-350 a real try. Looking at Chris frost videos of both lenses, the 70-350 is way sharper than the tamron 150-500.
70-350 is APSC and 1Tamron 50-500 is FF so if you take the same bird with both of them you have to crop like crazy photos taken with 70-350 hence the result is worst. Also, they max all lenses so probably they compare end results after cropping 400mm vs 600mm.
Apsc with sony 70-350 vs full frame with tamron 150-500, the apsc combo is sharper with more reach. Should probably wait for the new Sony apsc release next year tho, as it is going to have the improved autofocus and sensor tech that will compete with Sonys full frame line.
Sony a6700 is here, pair it with 70-350mm G apsc lens to make magic
Sony APS-C cameras have lower pixel density than the A7RIV and A7RIVA.
Yeah
I would rather shoot high-res FF and then crop it later in post to get the best possible composition or all possible compositions from each shot. Than, use a "pre-crop" camera and have too little pixels to get what I want and correct mistakes. Back in DSLR days there used to be this false argument about crop camera with better AF systems beating FF with primitive AF system. Which was/is ridiculous, because shooting a bit wider frames with just the single AF point in the middle and then cropping later in post would get us better results and more keepers. Not worrying about the composition too much is an insane camera feature :). It makes the photographer's life so much easier. But now when cameras can AF perfectly well every time with on-chip AF and show us the actual exposure before we press the button, the composition became the only thing we worry about. However, fast moving far away subjects are still hard to capture with "pre-crop" cameras and not much cropping in post. High-res FF is just better. Specially when you nail it, the detail in 40+mp ultra-high-def images look amazing. Who needs that "pre-crop" snapshot factory? Seriously :). Price is definitely a huge factor. But we should ask ourselves if we want "an image" or "a great image". Because something like the Nikon P1000 can be good enough for "an image".
Please make this video for Canon. Want to better understand RF 800 vs RF 100-500 (+/- teleconverters) - clearly know Chelsea has chosen the RF 800.
I second the request for a Canon version of this of video.
Nikon please 😁❤️
So when can we expect an Olympus version?