Fieldcraft and subject knowledge are essential requirements for wild bird photography. But choosing the best camera and lenses can make the difference between capturing fleeting moments of behaviour and missing them altogether.
The growing number of lightweight RF primes and zooms, coupled with Canon EOS R System mirrorless cameras that can automatically identify and track birds, give wildlife photographers an opportunity to spread their creative wings. So what lenses and cameras are best for bird photography?
Bird photography generally requires big lenses, of which there are a vast number of options in the Canon telephoto lens range. German wildlife and nature photographer and Canon Ambassador Radomir Jakubowski relies on the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM and Canon RF 600mm F4L IS USM for his stunning bird photography, for example, but also regularly uses the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM and even the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM.
Here, Radomir offers some recommendations while Canon Europe Senior Product Marketing Specialist Mike Burnhill provides technical insight.
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Best cameras and lenses for bird photography
Best fast lens for bird photography: Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM
With its large f/2.8 maximum aperture, fast autofocus and 5.5-stops of image stabilisation (IS), the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM is the benchmark lens for bird photography. From environmental portraits to high-speed birds in flight, this super-telephoto lens can do it all.
"For me, this is a magic lens," says Radomir. "Not only do you have f/2.8, which is very cool when you're working in low light, but the focal length is useful when you want to show a bird in its habitat. I like to do this as I think viewers can learn more about the animal that way."
Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM
The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM were designed simultaneously so they have many features in common, but the RF version benefits from the advanced performance delivered by the RF mount. "The speed at which the animal tracking picks up the bird is so fast with the RF version," says Radomir. "It's a real game changer."
The improved AF speed is a result of the lens' dual power focus drive, which offers faster AF with compatible cameras. "We can transfer twice as much power to the focusing motor than on EF lenses, which means the focusing speed has been improved by about 40%," explains Mike. "We are talking milliseconds of difference, but that can be important for locking onto birds in flight."
Best lens for bird photography: Canon RF 600mm F4L IS USM
Given its long focal length and large maximum aperture, the Canon RF 600mm F4L IS USM is a surprisingly nimble super-telephoto lens, weighing around 3kg and equipped with 5.5-stops of IS. Its robust weather-resistant construction provides peace of mind in punishing environments. Radomir says it's particularly important when he's photographing birds at the coast. "You tend to have more stormy conditions, so you're often getting wet and there's dust in the air," he explains. "If you're working in a colony of birds, you are also getting pooed on a lot!"
Canon RF 600mm F4L IS USM
The RF 600mm F4L IS USM produces refined images as its dual powered ring-type USM focusing drive keeps pace with the action. Its optical design includes fluorite and Super-UD glass to boost sharpness, along with ASC and Super Spectra coatings to suppress flare and ghosting.
Mike confirms that the image quality is outstanding. "Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) charts give you an indication of the performance of a lens, and the RF 600mm F4L IS USM's chart basically looks like a blank piece of paper because the lines are all at the top," he says. "There's no fall-off as it's sharp from edge to edge."
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Best lens for small bird photography: Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM
The Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM is a groundbreaking lens for photographing shy or distant birds. Shorter and lighter than the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM – and able to focus twice as close – it's a highly mobile, high-magnification solution. The lens produces exquisitely detailed images, while 4.5-stops of IS and L-series build quality offer reassuring handling when working in wild environments.
Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM
"Despite its lightweight build, it's not an everyday 'carry around and hope' lens," Mike points out. "It's a specialist wildlife photography lens that allows you to keep your distance from birds. It can be used with the RF extenders as well, so you get to 1120mm or 1600mm and still benefit from the advanced autofocus."
The RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM shares much of its technology with the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM, including heat-resistant paint. Heat haze can be an issue when photographing birds over greater distances with super-telephoto lenses, but Canon's white heat shield coating is designed to combat this. "The paint contains particles that reflect ultraviolet light," explains Mike. "This means the metal of the lens doesn't heat up as much in the sun, and the temperature inside the lens is reduced by up to 5 degrees."
Best lens accessory for bird photography: Canon RF 2x
The Canon Extender RF 2x doubles the focal length of a compatible lens, making it the perfect accessory for photographing birds that you can't approach closely. It's built for the rigours of professional wildlife photography, with a dust and water resistant design, and heat shield coating. It offers exceptional optical quality too, with high-refraction, low-dispersion glass and advanced lens coatings.
The Canon Extender RF 1.4x offers the same performance in situations where you don't need so much reach. "In the past, 1.4x extenders were often preferred because they resulted in less drop off in light than with 2x extenders," explains Mike. "So with certain lenses, maybe a 2x extender wouldn't allow AF but the 1.4x extender would. That's not an issue with the EOS R System though."
Canon Extender RF 2x
Best bird photography camera: Canon EOS R5
Bird photography with the Canon EOS R5 is a breeze. While you handle the fieldcraft and the framing, the camera can take care of pretty much everything else.
Thanks to its sophisticated subject detection AF, the EOS R5 can automatically identify and track a bird, keeping it sharply in focus at up to 20 frames per second. The camera's 45MP resolution enables intricate plumage to be recorded in fine detail as well as allowing substantial crops to be made.
This is why Radomir no longer carries a 1.4x extender. "Since I have 45MP with the EOS R5, I can simply crop the image, or use the 2x extender for more reach," he says. Radomir has also customised the rear controls, assigning Spot Autofocus to the AF-ON button and Animal subject detection to the AE Lock button. "It means that I can quickly switch to Spot AF if the camera can't pick up the bird, or pre-focus on an area with the normal AF before switching to subject detection," he says.
The camera has so much functionality for bird photography, Mike adds. "The deep-learning artificial intelligence makes it so much easier to capture great birds in flight shots, and the silent electronic shutter is useful when you're photographing birds that you don't want to disturb."
Canon EOS R5
Best camera for high-speed bird photography: Canon EOS R3
As the flagship sports and wildlife mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R3 delivers a level of performance to satisfy the most demanding bird photography assignments.
Blistering 30fps continuous shooting and a customisable burst rate of up to 195fps mean you won't miss a beat of bird behaviour, while Eye Control AF enables you to tell the camera which bird to focus on by simply looking at it.
"Eye Control AF allows you to identify the subject rather than a specific AF point, and then the smart Animal tracking kicks in," explains Mike. "The camera will automatically work out where the bird's head and the eye are as well, so you don't need to be looking directly at those features."
At 24.1MP, the EOS R3 doesn't offer the expansive resolution of the EOS R5 but it has a bigger battery that provides the ability to shoot for longer – an important consideration when working in remote locations.
"Not all bird photography is done in glorious sunshine, and the bigger battery capacity means that even on cold days, the EOS R3 will carry on shooting," says Mike. "It also has superior weatherproofing and the vertical grip can be beneficial for balancing the body with a longer lens and shooting at different angles."
If you need help choosing a lens, Canon's handy lens finder tool tailors recommendations based on your camera, the genre you want to shoot, and which features you value most.
Although the mirrorless cameras and lenses featured here make bird photography faster and easier – and deliver images that professional wildlife photographers rely on – any Canon camera and telephoto lens is capable of capturing beautiful shots of birds as long as you're prepared to spend time getting familiar with the subject.
Canon EOS R3
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