I once made a list of all the gear I would need—lens, batteries, clothes, and other necessities on a sheet of paper as I was preparing for wildlife photography gear for beginners trip to shoot animals. When the "next trip" arrived, I was unable to locate the document that I needed as a helpful reference! I decided to use a more contemporary strategy and created a reference document on my computer. Why don't I share this list with you now that I have one? The next time you're heading out for some wildlife photography, it could come in useful.

Naturally, there isn't a single list that works for every wildlife photography trip. For instance, include a rifle, a polar bear alert, and warmer gear on your list if you want to take photos in Svalbard. You can probably leave the machete at home if your travels will take you into any of the arid areas of Australia or Africa.

From Zero To Hero: Best Wildlife Photography Gear For Beginners

wildlife photography gear for beginners

What to Take on a Wildlife Photography Trip

When I was getting ready for a wildlife photography trip, I once wrote out a list of everything I needed, including lenses, batteries, clothing, and other essentials, on a piece of paper. I meant to keep the document as a useful reference for when I went on my next trip, but I couldn't find it! Choosing a more modern approach, I used my computer to generate a reference document. Now that I have a list, why don't I share it with you? It could be useful the next time you're going on a wildlife picture shoot.

Awaiting manakins at Costa Rica's Cahuita National Park. 1/50, f/4.0, ISO 800, 200 mm, NIKON D300

Of course, no list is suitable for every wildlife photography excursion. For example, if you want to snap pictures in Svalbard, make sure your list includes a rifle, a polar bear alert, and warmer apparel. If your travels take you into any of the dry areas of Australia or Africa, you can probably leave the machete at home.

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Photography Equipment

Camera

Even if one camera is plenty, using two is safer. You never know when an issue could come up. Besides, when you're taking pictures of squirrels at home, things usually don't go wrong.

The two cameras should utilize the same kind of battery and, if possible, the same mount. If the main camera fails, you may utilize all of your attachments with the backup camera.

Some companies manufacture cameras with complementary features. One camera may function more slowly but have a better resolution, while another camera may function faster but have a higher resolution. Think about how having two different lenses may improve their performance instead of seeing them as the "primary and backup" cameras.

Lenses

Less is frequently more when it comes to lenses. Not simply because your bag will be lighter. If you keep your lens options limited, you'll know what to take out of your bag as soon as you spot a nice subject, saving you time when choosing lenses.

Wide-angle lenses: Although you might not always require a wide-angle lens for wildlife photography, I would never want to be without one. I would rather bring either a lightweight f/4 zoom or a lightweight f/1.8 prime lens when I travel, not both. Depending on how dark the surroundings will be, yes. Zooms are versatile, which I enjoy, but in dark forests, an f/1.8 aperture lets in a lot of light.

Normal lenses: You'd be shocked at how frequently I shoot wildlife with regular lenses. Perhaps that's because I've developed an interest in photographing the local fauna, such as lizards and snakes. If that doesn't apply to you, a regular lens will work well for candid travel shots and shots taken while you're on the go.The majority of manufacturers provide lenses similar to the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens, which I myself use (see our review).

Telephoto lenses: You most likely won't find space for two enormous telephoto lenses if you only have one photo bag, which is what I suggest. This is particularly valid for systems with full-frame cameras. For the more intermediate focal lengths, though, you could always bring along a smaller telephoto, such the Nikon F 300mm f/4 PF, Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, or Canon RF 70-200mm f/4.

Filters

For the most part, wildlife photography does not utilize filters. Nevertheless, I save the usage of my step-up rings and circular polarizer for really particular scenarios (like when my subject is in bright light on the sea). In extreme circumstances, such catching sand in a high wind, a UV filter could also be useful.

wildlife photography gear for beginners, I don't think luggage space for filters is really necessary unless you're going for a certain angle. If you also shoot landscapes, you may want to get a set of ND and Grad ND filters to go along with the polarizer.

Flashes and Diffusers

It's been a couple years since I utilized on-camera flash! Still, I make heavy use of the flash while not in use. This is especially true for closeup and midnight animal photography.

I decide to use a radio flash, which comes with a set of transmitter and receiver, instead of any other sync method. This method is reliable even without the infrared commander seeing the flashes.

If you do not already have integrated receiver flashes, I strongly suggest getting some. It's far more convenient to work with them. Simply connecting the control unit to the camera is all that is required to begin going. In addition to the original choices supplied by the camera manufacturers, there are less costly, but no less effective, alternatives. Consider this Godox flash and the accompanying control unit.

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Batteries, Chargers, and Cables

It goes without saying, but bring extra batteries! You should, at the very least, always have a fully charged spare in your bag. Two batteries can be more than enough if your camera is a DSLR or a high-capacity camera like the Nikon Z9. That being said, I would like three or four batteries if I were purchasing a camera similar to the Nikon Z6 II or Z7 II.

To charge many batteries at once, choose a charger such as this one that can accommodate multiple USB-charged batteries. This makes battery charging in a rented vehicle or even overnight quite easy.

Make sure you have a backup strategy in place for battery charging your camera! Any battery charger might break down or unintentionally be left behind at the previous hotel. If your camera allows USB direct charging, then that will work. If not, you really need to bring two chargers.

Memory Cards

It is better to take many little cards than one bigger one. I fully realized this point when one of my brand-new 256GB CFexpress-B cards entered silicon heaven. Fortunately, I was able to use it to take "just" two hours' worth of pictures. Either way, this event made me question the durability of memory cards, even the newest CF Express ones. I will also never again utilize the dual slot for overflow; instead, I would only use it for backup.

The speed of your memory cards will change based on what you want to do with them.When taking pictures of animals, will you be employing high-speed continuous bursts? or record videos in 8K resolution? By then, you'll need something very rapidly.Don't skimp on this! Remember to provide a protective case for your cards as well as a reader.

Other Gear

Audio Recorder

In the past, rather of taking images during field research, I have opted to record the noises made by birds and other natural occurrences. Even though it's the other way around now, I still like to capture the sounds of nature when I visit new locations. It's still completely black when I get up in the morning and go to where the audio recorder is located. As I shoot, the stereo microphones pick up the woodland dawn chorus. I like playing the recorded audio for myself or as a background track when I do presentations. It is well recognized that bird sounds are therapeutic. Try it out!

Action Camera

On occasions when I wouldn't think to bring my ordinary camera, I generally have an action camera with me. Even while the quality of the photo won't be as high as it would be with a real DSLR or mirrorless camera, taking a picture is still better than not taking one! I use mine for underwater and time-lapse photography in addition to slow motion. In this field, the GoPro is a tried-and-true classic, although others exist.

Entry-level Setup For Bird Photography

wildlife photography gear for beginners

I'll start with the more basic items. If this is your first camera, the RX10 series is what I would strongly suggest. The camera is good for wildlife photography since it features a fixed 20 megapixel lens with a wide focal length range of 24 to 600mm. It has 24 frames per second to capture crucial moments and quick auto focus to help you catch the birds. Because the camera is lightweight, portable, and tiny, you're more likely to take it wherever you go. With features and capabilities that will grow with you, it's a great camera for beginners.

Mid-high-range Setup For Bird Photography

For the mid-range setup, a full-frame camera will be used. I would suggest the Sony Alpha 7R series (the most current model is the Alpha 7R IV) or the Alpha 9 series (the most recent model is the Alpha 9 II) for this price range. Each of these full-frame cameras offers a unique advantage.

There are usually two advantages when you get into the full frame world that are favorable to animals. Firstly, high ISOs are often when full frame cameras perform best. This suggests that you will notice less noise in the picture if you up the ISO to get faster shutter speeds. Higher megapixel counts on full frame cameras also offer more cropping choices in case you are unable to get close enough to the subjects.

High-end Setup For Bird Photography.

Finally, we have the flagship Sony Alpha 1, which debuted very lately (in March 2021). This is a 50 megapixel full-frame camera that shoots at 30 frames per second. Thus, it blends the best features from the Alpha 9 and Alpha 7R series. It functions well as a video camera as well.

This is the first Sony camera to have Bird Eye Auto Focus in addition to 30 frames per second, which is perfect for bird photography. You can view the video I made to show off this feature by clicking HERE. Although it lacks the 61 megapixels of the Alpha 7R IV, its 50 megapixels is still more than most people would ever need for large-format printing or online sharing. It also boasts the most AF points of any Sony camera. 

Conclusion: Wildlife Photography Gear for Beginners

Beginning your adventure with Wildlife Photography Gear for Beginners is an exciting and demanding experience, especially when it comes to choosing the appropriate equipment for your photography endeavors. For those who are just starting out, the most important thing is to strike a balance between quality and cost. A dependable camera that performs well in terms of focusing and ISO capabilities, a lens that can be used in a variety of situations and has a zoom range that is satisfactory, and solid support equipment like as tripods or monopods are all essential components. Given the sometimes severe and unpredictability of the circumstances that are faced in wildlife photography, it is essential to make an investment in protective clothing for your equipment.

FAQ's 

What equipment do you need to be a wildlife photographer?

When shooting with a big telephoto lens, the ideal tripod head to have is a gimbal head. This is because gimbal heads are able to move. The gimbal head is designed to be mounted on the tripod foot of a big telephoto lens. It enables smooth, controlled, and fluid motions in the pan and tilt axes, making it an excellent choice for capturing moving animals and other action sequences.

What's a good beginner camera for wildlife photography?

  • Best beginner. Nikon Coolpix P950. View at Walmart. View at Amazon.
  • Best affordable. Canon EOS R10. View at Walmart.
  • Best Canon. Canon EOS R5. View at Adorama US.
  • Best Sony. Sony A9 III. View at Walmart.
  • Best Nikon. Nikon Z9. View at Walmart. 

How do I start being a wildlife photographer?

  1. Learn about photography.
  2. Purchase wildlife photography gear.
  3. Develop role-related skills.
  4. Practice taking photographs outside.
  5. Study animals and animal behavior.

Do wildlife photographers make money?

There are wildlife photographers that are employed by businesses or other groups. It is possible that these photographers are employed by periodicals, organizations that aim to preserve animals, or even television networks that broadcast nature shows. In most cases, they are paid a consistent wage, although the quantity of money they get might fluctuate substantially.

Is 400mm enough for wildlife photography?

A lot of individuals advocate 400mm as a minimum lens length for outstanding bird photography. You will still need the bird to be somewhat near to you even if you are shooting at this distance in order for your subject to cover the whole frame of the photograph. However, we believe a 400mm lens to be the best focal length in terms of overall capacity.

How much do wildlife photographers make in the US?

The 25th percentile runs at $29,000. Less than this are anomalies in salaries. The 90th percentile comes at $65,000.