Do I look for certain camera specifications for nature/animal photography?

[DeShay]

I told my cousin I was interested in photography and he gave me his old Pentax K10D, the bug immediately hit me and I've been having an absolute blast and it's made me want to become more serious (get more high quality images). I'm still very much a "camera noob" so I was wondering if there's a Sony camera that does better outdoors? I don't plan on doing portraits or wedding events. Just stuff like birds, close-ups of flowers, trains, and mountain ranges. I am sorry if this is a dumb question.

[tonygale]

Hi DeShay,

Welcome and that is not a dumb question! There are a lot of cameras that would fit the bill for you, did you have a budget in mind?

Some of the newer cameras like the a7IV have animal eye autofocus which can be great! The newest camera the a7RV also has train autofocus! All that said, cameras like the a7III are still excellent if you just want to get started with Sony.

[DeShay]

Hi DeShay,

Welcome and that is not a dumb question! There are a lot of cameras that would fit the bill for you, did you have a budget in mind?

Some of the newer cameras like the a7IV have animal eye autofocus which can be great! The newest camera the a7RV also has train autofocus! All that said, cameras like the a7III are still excellent if you just want to get started with Sony.

Hey Tony,

Thank you very much for the suggestions! I am on a pretty small budget but I am also willing to hold off for a while if it means finding the right camera. I think I will start saving for the a7IV you suggested at first, it looks awesome. Can't wait to join the Sony family!

[tonygale]

Hey Tony,

Thank you very much for the suggestions! I am on a pretty small budget but I am also willing to hold off for a while if it means finding the right camera. I think I will start saving for the a7IV you suggested at first, it looks awesome. Can't wait to join the Sony family!

You will love it!

[MattK]

Hi DeShay. I primarily shoot wildlife and birds so hopefully this helps a little. 

First, I would suggest something full frame mirrorless. You want full frame because it generally does better with noise and has higher megapixels. You’re going to be using higher ISOs and cropping a lot so I’d start there. 

All of the recent Sony cameras have great AF so I wouldn’t worry about that. Honestly, bird eye auto focus is nice but I find I hardly use it. Focusing anywhere on the subject gives great results. And then frame rate is something to look at, but again… any recent camera will do in that area. 

I’ll leave you with a simple recommendation. Either get the Sony a74 or a7r5 (r5 is newer) and couple it with the 200-600mm lens and maybe the 24-105mm for wider landscapes. Both camera are excellent for nature and wildlife and those lenses are always on my camera. Feel free to swing by my website at mattk.com and click on “BIRDS” in the menu and you’ll see lots of examples and settings too. Good luck!

[DeShay]

Hi DeShay. I primarily shoot wildlife and birds so hopefully this helps a little. 

First, I would suggest something full frame mirrorless. You want full frame because it generally does better with noise and has higher megapixels. You’re going to be using higher ISOs and cropping a lot so I’d start there. 

All of the recent Sony cameras have great AF so I wouldn’t worry about that. Honestly, bird eye auto focus is nice but I find I hardly use it. Focusing anywhere on the subject gives great results. And then frame rate is something to look at, but again… any recent camera will do in that area. 

I’ll leave you with a simple recommendation. Either get the Sony a74 or a7r5 (r5 is newer) and couple it with the 200-600mm lens and maybe the 24-105mm for wider landscapes. Both camera are excellent for nature and wildlife and those lenses are always on my camera. Feel free to swing by my website at mattk.com and click on “BIRDS” in the menu and you’ll see lots of examples and settings too. Good luck!

Hello Matt,

Thank you so much for the informative response. I looked at your website, your pictures are phenomenal and what I aspire to be able to do one day. I have one more question if you don't mind, when you're out doing this sort of photography and in different weather environments, how careful do I need to be when swapping lenses for different shots? I have heard sensors on all cameras can be fragile. Would it be best to just choose one and not swap unless I am back indoors where it's dry and warm?

[FatbeardMedia]

Hi DeShay,

If you are considering up close work (more wildlife) or portraiture an APSC sized sensor would do great to start out with. Such as the Sony A6600. It's tough getting started as photography is an expensive hobby. I tell other people to start out small, and replace equipment as their skill outgrows their inventory. For someone so new to the photography scene, jumping into a $5k setup might be a bit much as all the same functions are available on a smaller sensor camera. APSC sensors give you about 1.5X the "zoom" on a standard lens due to a crop factor, thus getting you even closer to the action. In comparison, if I shoot wildlife with my A7rIV, a full frame sensor, the most I am willing to crop is about 50%. If you have a cheaper APSC camera, the crop ratio brings you into the subject about 50%, therefore it's a trade off, just save money by getting the composition correct in camera.

Since you specified a broader range of subject, a great all around starter camera is a good place to start, such as the A6600.

If you were to profess a love for strictly landscapes, astrophotography and the like we would be having a very different conversation about using full format cameras (the expensive stuff). However, start off with something practical that will get your toes in the water and move on from there. Unless your looking to ramp up at an accelerated rate to do this professionally, I recommend you take your time and enjoy the journey.

Truth of the matter is, you will need to learn these skills before you seriously outgrow your first camera:

- Manual exposure, and evaluating light

- Composition and framing of a subject (some technical, mostly your artistic flare. It takes a while to develop your style).

- Editing RAW and work flow

and let's be honest, most "professionals" have not outgrown the smaller and cheaper cameras. Get an A6000 series cam and jump into it, you have a lot to learn about yourself and your art before we can make a proper determination on what would best suit you. This time next year you will have a much better idea of what you mostly shoot, and through your discovery you will have a better roadmap as to what equipment you will be needing.

 

TJ

[CarolineJensen]

If you want to start out on a budget, I would suggest the RX 10 IV. I used this camera for a very long time to shoot the things you mention!

[MattK]

Hello Matt,

Thank you so much for the informative response. I looked at your website, your pictures are phenomenal and what I aspire to be able to do one day. I have one more question if you don't mind, when you're out doing this sort of photography and in different weather environments, how careful do I need to be when swapping lenses for different shots? I have heard sensors on all cameras can be fragile. Would it be best to just choose one and not swap unless I am back indoors where it's dry and warm?

Hi and thanks for the kind words.

To be honest with you it's not ever something I even think about. If I'm out at the beach, I just try to make sure my hands are free of sand. Besides the obvious things... if it's raining, dirt or debris flying around, etc... I just use my gear. It's a lot tougher than any of us give it credit for and most people don't even come close to misusing it. And if small debris does get in (it always will), Sony or your local camera stores can do sensor cleanings or you can do them on your own. It's really not that hard if you watch some videos. But again, I change lenses constantly and usually don't ever think twice about it. Good luck!