Is 500 mm enough for bird photography?
Joseph Russell
Updated on May 26, 2026
General Bird Photography
Image size is, however, a function of the square of the focal length, so a minimum focal length of 500mm is preferable. With the addition of the matched 1.4X teleconverter, you'll have an effective focal length of 700mm.Is 500mm good for bird photography?
The most popular serious bird lens is the 500mm f/4.These are preferred over the 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses.