Nikon Z8 Birds In Flight 180-600mm Lens! • Wildlife Photography at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge!

[@PhilThach]

15:20 Turns out I won't be bringing the RF 200-800 lens out this year. I sold it not long after I made this video.

[@tomaszstramel3594]

Beautiful photos. I certainly appreciate the natural colors, too. The panning blurs came out really captivating, verging on poetic - here as well as in your more recent video. I love wildlife but not much of it where I live, so such sneak peaks are a very pleasant vicarious experience!

[@PhilThach]

@@tomaszstramel3594 thank you!

[@irbis8801]

Beautiful photos Phil👍

[@PhilThach]

Thank you!

[@PhotoGearFun]

That shot at 12:05 is amazing very well done! The Z8 did a great job. I believe it's the best bird in flight camera on the market. Even slightly better than my Sony a7CR which is pretty darn good. Hopefully one day I will get over there and shot with you.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Phil!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Nice work Phil. The motion blur shot at 10:52 was cool.

[@PhilThach]

@@adrianalfordphotography thank you, Adrian!

[@MegaBriarpatch]

Thanks for sharing, Phil. My faves were at 8:15 and 12:10. I also have the 180-600, and I love how you can zoom out for quick focus acquisition, then zoom in to compose the shot. It's such a versatile lens. Love its short throw as well! Hope you're enjoying the Holiday!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! It’s a great lens for sure.

[@leonfisher]

Great shots, Phil. Wishing you and yours a great 2025.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I hope you have a great 2025 as well!

[@JonnyPink65]

Love the in flight lapse shots. Those sand hill crane shots are awesome. We don't have them here so again thank you for sharing. Low light - still fantastic shots at a great place. ❤❤

[@PhilThach]

@@JonnyPink65 thank you, JP! I’m lucky to have such a great place for birding less than an hours drive from home.

[@JonnyPink65]

@@PhilThach for sure!!!💖

[@jalenobanphotography]

Wonderful video as always, Phil! The b-roll footage you capture is top notch!

[@PhilThach]

Thank you, Jalen!

[@guidlines]

I think you should still come out on these overcast days & perfect your panning. To me, getting a good pan is like hitting a good golf shot & I'm a hopeless golfer but can hit the occasional blinder 😂

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I agree. It’s definitely worth going out on cloudy days too.

[@pecoraneraproductions6168]

Lovely. I love the painterly quality of the blurred shots. I am also coming to appreciate the smaller bird in the frame images. Happy New Year!

[@PhilThach]

@@pecoraneraproductions6168 thank you!

[@PamHaynes-oo3ck]

Hi Phil and Heather, Happy New Year. Love hearing the Sand Hill crane beautiful shots. Thank you 🎉🎉🎉

[@PhilThach]

@@PamHaynes-oo3ck thank you, Pam!

[@ralphthomason4948]

You did a Great Job on this video; thank you...

[@PhilThach]

@@ralphthomason4948 thank you, Ralph!

[@lcador9]

Outstanding photos with very pleasing color rendition. Backgrounds were very pleasing. When shooting with the same equipment, I tend to clean up backgrounds and increase megapixels with Topez so to crop and fill the frame more so (or increase aperture) then you do on similar shots. Your panning photos are my favorite. Perhaps I will look for you next year, around this same time, to shoot those Cranes.

[@PhilThach]

@@lcador9 Thank you! if you see me there make sure and say hello.

[@james647070]

Nice blur shot Phil

[@PhilThach]

@@james647070 thank you, James!

[@birbs4life174]

The Z8 and 180-600mm seems to be an overpowered combo for versatility. Insane shots, man!

[@Mr09260]

Its the BEST Birds in Flight Combo ever made

[@PhilThach]

It definitely works well! I’ve just acquired the small and light 600 mm PF which I like even better!

[@NatureLenzPhoto]

Hi Phil. Enjoyed your video. Thanks! I have the same rig by the way. Cheers.

[@PhilThach]

Thank you!

[@GeorgeAravanis1]

amazing

[@PhilThach]

@@GeorgeAravanis1 thank you!

[@Ron.Durant]

Interesting Video Phil. Panning Blurs was a nice technique. I will have to try my 180-600 at f/8 instead of f/6.3 to see if there is noticeable sharpness. I struggled myself with the Sony A6700 and 200-600 Lens to get sharp results. Enjoy the addition of in car commentary. Nice change.

[@PhilThach]

@@Ron.Durant I love the a6700 for perched birds, but I struggle with it for birds in flight compared to my Nikon and Canon gear. The end of Carr commentary is kind of a necessity when I shoot at the Hiawassee wildlife refuge. It embarrasses me to talk to the camera in front of a bunch of other photographers so I just make my comments in the car as I drive home lol

[@benoittissier58]

The 200 600 requires some training. I messed up shots at 1/4000 s. Then I used the A7iv in electronic shutter mode for practice. Since readout is very long, you can shoot geometric shapes like windows and check deformation it helps improve.

[@TheNewRetiredMe]

I don’t have the equipment to photograph at the Hiwasee Refuge, but I do love to go there and just soak up the calm of those birds!

[@PhilThach]

@@TheNewRetiredMe the RF 800 f/11 lens works well on the R6 Mark II for sandhill shots. If you want to try it sometime, you are welcome to borrow mine.

[@alphaandomega2709]

Can’t wait for the Sony a7V 😊full frame goodness.

[@ses4vols]

Great shots! I really liked the last panning blur. I did make it to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. I was amazed at the 17,000 sandhill cranes! They have the Observation house with the glass. It got you close to the Sandhill cranes in the pond. They have an open air blind to the left near the Cyprus tree trail. They also have open air photo blinds to the right of the visitor center. I was there for about 2 hours in the afternoon on an overcast day. I also was able to photograph a Whooping Crane! I highly recommend anyone to go there.

[@PhilThach]

@@ses4vols sounds like I need to go back sometime soon!

[@agnorguevara6410]

Nice photos. Does your friend use the Z8's stabilization with this lens? Sport mode, or just on? Thanks

[@PhilThach]

Thank you! I go back-and-forth between sport mode and just on. I don’t really have any trouble with either one, they both work well.

[@agnorguevara6410]

@@PhilThach ok..but in what situation do you use this change? Would sport be for faster flight?

[@Kellysher]

Hey Phil! I shoot the R5 100-500. I shoot wildlife, 80% birds, then other critters. I do some close work on butterflies, spiders and bees with this set up. This rig you are using Z8 180-600, tempts me over to Nikon sometimes. So, knowing everything that you know, do you recommend my Canon gear or the Nikon set up? I’ve been trying to hold out for the R7ii, but sometimes Nikon is whispering in my ear!

[@PhilThach]

@@Kellysher they both have their advantages, but the 100 to 500 is better for close-ups of bees and such. The 180-600 can do it but not as well as the 100 to 500. I am hopeful about a second generation of the R7 coming sometime in 2025.

[@LensForgotten]

Just picked up my Z8 and 24-70 f2.8.....Next will be the 14-30 f4, 180-600, and Zf/35mm f1.4

[@PhilThach]

@@LensForgotten congratulations!

[@davidsaylors]

Are you not supposed to leave the fence part of the parking lot? Oops …

[@PhilThach]

@@davidsaylors it’s OK David you can go inside from March until November 15, after that you have to stay at the gazebo.