Are you Focal Length Limited??

A thread on the Camera vs Camera forum has a great discussion going on about the 1dx vs 7d2 for birding. Charlie and I have been talking a bit about Focal Length Limited situations.
I would like to know how often you are FLL.

As a side note, I would you to post up your results in a reply with your type of shooting.
Are you a backyard birder or are you a hiking birder or somewhere in between?
If you could also add your gear you use (body and lenses) that would be great.

Thank you all.

Oops. I forgot to start.

I am FLL MOST of the time. Probably upwards of 90% of the time.
I shoot with the 7d mk1 and 100-400L mk1.

I am a hiking type and hike for miles to get my shots of birds/wildlife in their natural habitat.

I was usually FLL when shooting birds using a 7D and 100-400L but now have a 5DIII so it is even worse. I will probably start using the 7D again for birds but am considering buying a 1.4 TC for a little extra help.

I started out being FLL with the 70-200mm lens (just started my birding hobby converting from motocross photography). I then stepped up to a 400mm f/5.6L and still found myself being FLL about 90% of the time. After doing some homework and being able to try out a 500mm f/4L I purchased one about 1 1/2 years later. Now I find myself FLL about 50% of the time even using a 1.4 extender on the 500mm. I like where I'm at now because if it were easy I would get bored quickly and move onto another hobby...I like the challenge of learning my subjects habits then planning how I'm going to approach it.

I do seek out more cooperative subjects but it's still a challenge trying to predict where they're going to be for the shot I'm after. Most of the time it's just pure luck putting yourself in the ideal position and getting the shot I want without stressing out my subject.

As far as what type of photographer I am...I'm kind of a mix of them all. My backyard is my practice area where I know my subjects and they know me. I do hike and search out my subjects as well. I also do a lot of scouting while driving around town and in rural areas where I live and elsewhere.

My current gear is a Canon 1D4, 500mm f/4L plus a Canon 1.4III extender and of course my trusty tripod.

Great topic by the way.

Large shore birds and birds of prey seems to be no problem with focal length with my setup. It's those pesky little finches and warblers that have me always wishing for more. 7Dc, 500F4, 1.4 TC. I also tend to hike a bit as well. Nothing but common birds hang in my back yard, so hiking is what works best in my case.

No, not FLL! I have an SX50 (1200mm equivalent) that is ideal for IDing birds near and far. For quality, of course, I'm aperture and sensor limited

I shoot a 1Dx and am currently trying a 7D2 with a 100-400II and 600. I am not FLL most of the time and really view it this way: If I can't get the shot with the afore mentioned gear and use of TCs, I don't need to be taking it. Because I spend a lot time shooting longish distances in a NWR, sometimes the birds cooperate and sometimes they do not. Can't control everything.

Birds yes, big game not so much, big bears definitely lol

Geez Jeff,

Being that this is the BIRD forum I figured you would realize this pertains to birds not mammals.

I voted FLL more than 50% of the time and this occurs when I'm in the field hiking and hunting.
I shoot a 60D with Sigma 150-500, yes I dream of different gear but I'm also FL (Financially Limited).
When I'm shooting birds in the yard, distance is not a problem or I should say with just a small amount of effort I can close the distance. Most of my time is spent outdoors working in the country, often my camera gear is nearby and many opportunities come my way but there seems to often be that distance factor where my results are merely documentation, nothing more.
If I want to get better results I'm going to have to work harder for them and it is possible, I'm just not sacrificing enough time. I know I can do better with what I have but it's hard not to dream of those white 600 and 800mm lenses on a different body.
So to be honest, I'm in between a backyard birder and a hiking birder with my best results thus far in the yard.

It's hard not to discuss what I would like to have for shooting Whitetail Deer but after seeing what happened to Jeff I don't dare go there!

Lol!

I shoot with a 70D and T3i with the 400mm F5.6L and find myself wishing I had more reach most of the time. I can do pretty well in the backyard, but we spend quite a bit of time on the coast and I really wish I had more reach there. I sometimes use the 400mm on my 6d because it crops so well.

FLL hardly ever, however there's always those times where I'm just short of snapping a candid photo from my car.

Sorry Jeremy, I do believe Jeremy and I hunt ( and it is hunting) BIRDS very much the same. Im a one camera one lens kind of shooter. I tend to drive to a destination and do a ton of hiking learning the habits and where abouts of say a GG and then plan the intersect point like Duane and put myself where I think that owl is going to pass, even if the bird is in sight I move to where he will be next not where he is. I guess I had to learn this cutting them off technique being that I was limited to 300mm. The country I am in I think helps because there are small open ponds and spruce bog with a back drop of heavy boreal forest which makes it impossible to sneak on anything or see it for that matter.


Im prone to giving to much information lol, seems I don't know when to stop. ...Snap there I go again !!

Jeff, I was just messing with you that this thread is about if you have enough lens for birds.
Mammals are obviously larger than birds and sometimes need less lens.

Small birds in the wild need 800mm or more usually. It's very rare that I'm not FLL on them.
I hike as I stated above. When I find a bird I wait to see if it will let me approach. Knowing where a tiny bird will go is next to impossible. Egrets and heron are easy. But warblers are impossible. It's all fun and a challenge. It would be less difficult if I had a bigger lens. And that is the point of the thread. As FL pertains to birds.