When heading out to capture photos of birds and other wildlife while on a once-in-a-lifetime trip – or even when hiking in their local area to photograph and identify birds — photographers know they need a camera, telephoto lens, extra batteries and perhaps a tripod. But there’s another piece of equipment that can make the patient work of finding animal subjects easier: binoculars.
A little Bee-Eater rests on a branch after catching a snack.
In fact, binoculars add much more functionality to your kit with very little additional weight. Let’s discuss why every wildlife photographer should consider having binoculars in their bag.
Quick and easy scanning
Until you’re in the perfect position and ready to shoot, a wildlife photographer’s main job is to scan the environment and locate your subject, whether it’s a snowy owl, a Black-capped chickadee, a white-tailed deer or another of the animals living in Canada’s wilderness. Depending on where you are, how well you know the behaviour of your subject and — let’s be honest — how lucky you are, this could take 20 seconds, 20 minutes or even 20 days.
Many photographers will carry a long telephoto lens, such as the NIKKOR AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF VR. While it is incredibly light (1.5 kg) considering the long focal length it provides, you could still get quite tired with the extra weight if you’re going to be out all day long. Binoculars such as the Nikon M7 8×30 are a third of the weight (0.46 kg) which means you can quickly scan your surroundings for much longer without the burden of extra weight, and without tiring.
A Saddle Billed Stork Forages For Food In A Marshy Field In Botswana.
A wider point of view
There’s another benefit that binoculars provide — a wide field of view. Even if you aren’t bothered by the weight of your camera and lens, you’ll be looking through a very narrow field of view thanks to the telephoto focal length of your lens. Comparatively, binoculars allow you to see a wider field of view, letting you quickly scan a much larger area to find a subject before switching to your camera to get the shot.
Keep friends and family engaged with their own binoculars
Every photographer knows that having friends and family come along on a birding or wildlife trek is so much more enjoyable. So why do many photographers go out shooting by themselves? Often, they’re worried their companions will get bored and will just want to keep moving rather than wait for a photographic opportunity to reveal itself.
A mother and father Laysan Albatross tend to their chick.
One simple way to make sure everyone gets more enjoyment out of the trip is to provide each person with their own binoculars so they can join in on seeing the natural world in all its beauty. They’ll be able to see what the photographer sees, and maybe even help spot subjects of interest. Being able to see wildlife, flora and landscapes up close through binoculars rather than just through the naked eye can make people more excited about nature.
A Sandhill Crane flies overhead.
Wildlife photographers often think about the camera-specific accessories they need, but having compact and high-quality binoculars in their bag will not only help them find more wildlife to capture, but also make excursions more involving and fun for non-photographers who come along. Binoculars are a lightweight addition that can transform the experience of wildlife photography.
