The Best Camera/Lens For Wildlife Photography Today

Home Gear Reviews Animal by Lee Morris March 26, 2025 32 Comments 32 Comments I've been a professional photographer for 23 years and I've never been interested in or attempted wildlife photography. All that changed when Sony sent over the a9 III and their brand-new FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens. This gear, and this genre of photography has renewed my love for photography, but it's also got me worried. First Impressions: Massive Reach, Surprising SpecsUnboxing the 400-800mm was like pulling a small telescope from the case. It’s the biggest lens I’ve ever used, but it’s surprisingly manageable. At f/6.3-8, it’s a relatively "slow" lens, but the images it produces are incredible. Even at f/8, the depth of field is razor thin — the kind of shallow look you’d expect from an f/1.8 portrait lens. It turns out, you don’t need a faster aperture at 800mm to get beautiful separation. That said, handheld shooting was tough — until I realized the optical stabilization was off. Once I turned it on...