Like many bird photographers, I’m always chasing that perfect balance between reach and portability. Recently, I found myself questioning my setup. I was using my Nikon Z9, a fantastic camera, with my Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens – a combo I previously used with my D500. While the image quality was great, the bulk and weight were becoming a real issue, especially for travel and hikes that weren’t solely focused on birding. This led me to explore a more compact option, and the Nikon 100-400mm Z lens with the Z 1.4x teleconverter seemed like a promising solution.
Initially, the appeal of the Nikon 100-400mm Z lens was strong. The autofocus performance was noticeably better than my adapted Tamron, and the manual focus peaking on the Z system was a joy to use. However, even with the 1.4x teleconverter, I felt like I was losing out compared to my 150-600mm. The reach was shorter (540mm vs 600mm), and I was sacrificing a stop of light (f/8 vs f/6.3). While the Nikon setup might have offered a slight edge in sharpness, it didn’t feel like a worthwhile trade-off for the reduced reach and slower aperture. Plus, despite being marketed as more compact, the 100-400mm Z lens with the teleconverter was still quite substantial. Ultimately, I decided to return the Nikon lens.
Around the same price point as the Nikon 100-400mm Z lens and teleconverter combo, I discovered the OM System OM-1 camera with the M. Zuiko 100-400mm lens. This combination has been a revelation. It’s significantly smaller and lighter, making it incredibly easy to travel and hike with. Crucially for bird photography, it offers an equivalent reach of 800mm in 35mm format. Yes, the OM-1 has a 20MP sensor compared to the Z9’s 45MP. However, it’s worth considering that if you were to shoot with the Nikon 100-400mm Z lens in DX crop mode to gain reach, you’d also end up with a 20MP image, but with less effective reach (840mm equivalent with the OM-1 vs potentially less depending on crop factor and lens combination on the Nikon). Furthermore, the OM-1 boasts features like RAW precapture and delivers remarkably sharp images, as demonstrated in my previous posts.
My Nikon Z9 still holds its place for local shooting or when portability isn’t a primary concern. I’m also eagerly anticipating the release of the Nikon 200-600mm Z lens. However, for a more travel-friendly and lighter birding kit, especially for situations where I often shoot songbirds and don’t need the full 45MP resolution of the Z9 (smaller file sizes are actually preferable for workflow), the OM-1 makes much more sense. My use case even extends to underwater photography, where the smaller size of the OM-1 translates to less bulky and more affordable underwater housings.
For photographers prioritizing size and weight without sacrificing significant reach for bird photography, the OM System OM-1 with the 100-400mm M. Zuiko lens is definitely worth a serious look as a compelling alternative to larger full-frame systems and lenses like the Nikon 400mm Z options. If budget isn’t a constraint, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.2x IS PRO lens, offering a constant aperture zoom with a 300-800mm equivalent range, presents another versatile, albeit rarer and more expensive, option that remains smaller than many comparable full-frame lenses. It’s certainly something to contemplate when considering your next birding lens purchase.
Note: There were no images provided in the original article, therefore no images have been included in this rewritten article.
