Best cameras and lenses for bird photography

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."

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!"

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."

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.

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."

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."

"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.