Sony 300mm 2.8 Ridiculously Good or Just Ridiculous? Part 1 of 3. Wildlife Bird Photography

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[@cesarm8811]

Awesome to have you back Mark. Really missed your videos on KZbin. As always spectacular photos and videos of all the different birds. My favorite is the Osprey, they are majestic birds. Looking forward to your next video.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Many thanks!

[@reddogtwelve]

Totally agree!!!

[@njrtech]

Well it's awesome to see you back Mark!! We hope all is well with you . Take care

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Hey, thanks!

[@arshadrahman1880]

Man, so many stunning shots! Lens is undoubtedly awesome, but your eye and skill are what makes these so gorgeous! Can't wait to see the rest of this series!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks so much!

[@haraldstelzer2664]

I am a wildlife photographer, and I have ordered my 300mm and will be one of the first to get it here in Austria. It will be a good addition to my 600mm 4.0., which Í just love it, also with the 1.4 TC. I would use the 300mm mostely in hides, where even the 400mm might be too much as well as for lager mammals. And the 300 is light for traveling fitting in one bag with 600 and second back-up body. Great pictures as always, really hope to get to Florida one day. Looking forward to see your next video with the TCs

[@birdyvidsandstuff]

Welcome back - happy to see a real video from you!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

More to come!

[@GeertDelmulle]

Welcome ‘back’, Mark! :-) Yes, those GM lenses are magnificent, and they pair up beautifully with the skills of a Master Storyteller like you, Mark! The results of your video stories are always *outstanding* - it sucks us viewers right in and takes us on a wonderful journey. Thank you!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

That’s great to hear!! I love bringing you along.

[@mikebyrne8420]

Just a joy to watch. Can't wait for parts 2 & 3. Hope all is well.

[@dcarson]

Nice to see you are back, Mark! What sets you apart is the storytelling. I love your videos. I figured the trauma of those hacks ripping off your videos months ago might have discouraged you straight off YT. So nice to see you again. (and I also enjoy your honest camera reviews)

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Glad to be back

[@sapelesteve]

Great to see you posting again Mark & hope that all is well. Happy Holidays! 👍👍🦅🦅🌲🌲

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Happy holidays.

[@trafyknits9222]

It's not the camera or the lens, it's the man behind it. You are a spectacularly good photographer. It's likely that you could take great photos with a Kodak Instamatic.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you!

[@TW-iu9zy]

… yes, but without the camera or lens it’s just a man! 😏

[@awinslow950]

Mark, Great to see you're back. You're videos are always inspiring and educational. Thanks for all you offer.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

My pleasure!

[@BullitTom]

Great to see you back ! I’ve got the nikkor 300f2.8 vr2, I love it. I use it for sports, landscape and nature shooting. Awesome images as always, looking forward to part 2

[@gasbike100mpg]

the mighty 300 2.8, awesome lens

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks !!!

[@IMDABROWN]

Thanks! I really do miss these narrations.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you! Glad to do them.

[@helencogan2187]

GREAT seeing you back, Mark!!! What a video…thank you!!!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

More to come!

[@carlpollitt]

So great to see you back Mark we up north here have sent our osprey down to ya for the winter so lets see some more great pics and videos !!!!!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks! I have been enjoying them!

[@DieterPaterek]

You are the best to promot photagrafy, just ordered myn 300mm GM as bird lower you have to seeing your video. I also saw your 1,4 TC video. Another beauty. We still have the 2TC to come

[@erwinargyle264]

Looks like a great lens to travel with. Thanks for posting. Missed seeing your work.

[@mikebader7356]

I'm repeating what so many others have said. Welcome back. Great review of this amazing lens. Looking forward to parts 2 & 3. Any chance we will see and hear your take on the Sony A9III? So looking forward to that review. Good to see you.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you and when I get my hands on the a93, I’ll make some content.

[@SocalBackyardNature]

Another fantastic video Mark! It's great to see some new content. Your shorts are nice but your story telling is what really sets you apart.

[@keithmacdonald4805]

Great to see you back Mark, you have really been missed!!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you kindly

[@ginafriend1690]

Excellent precise details! Hi Mark. It's been so long!

[@roycejohnson929]

Absolutely stunning images Mark, great to see you back in action as Nature has a lot to offer in regards body mind and soul ! Cheers from NZ

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Couldn't agree more!

[@Beckfrombama]

Hey, yes your back we’ve missed you! I don’t have an A1, or even a Sony but always enjoy your one of a kind and original story telling videos. Great video and captures Nikon D850 shooter here

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks for watching. Appreciate it and the d850 is a great camera.

[@drazantodoric6040]

Mark, this is my first video of yours. I have never seen this level of photography before. And you have a pleasant documentary voice. I especially like the photos under the early morning sun with a warm yellowish-reddish color... and that photo of the drop on the tip of the mother's beak. Score 10...and a big THANK YOU

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Wow, thank you! I really appreciate it.

[@ErwinChung]

So good to see you back, Mark

[@neeraj_clips]

Glad to see you back Mark...Amazing stuff as usual...

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you kindly

[@johnkirkelionis7490]

Glad to see you back. Really missed your truly inspirational videos!

[@MomentsFound]

I really miss your posts Mark. You are an inspiration to my bird photography.

[@OliverZhangjozphoto]

Oh the osprey bath scene really cracked me up, love it ! Thanks for another great video.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

My pleasure

[@allenfutrelle9090]

Glad you are back, your shorts are great but, they are features. Anyway we can get them we will appreciate them.

[@scottroberson2656]

EXCELLENT ! I’ve been talkin to myself wondering if Mark was gonna do a little take on the 300 mm . Plus kinda missed ol Mark commentary and putting up the settings he’s using getting these incredible shots !! Thanks Mark and looking forward to next video using the tele 1.4 and 2x Well done Team Leader Ol Scotty Kansas City

[@MarkSmithphotography]

My pleasure!

[@dersououssala3534]

Thanks for videos and your photos, amazing like always, glad to see you back.

[@woodygreen6826]

Nice set of shots. Mark. Pre-dawn can be a blast. I have been talking up your Spoonbill workshop and am hoping a couple of people I know will decide to give it a go.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Sounds great!

[@abelfernandez5648]

Ya se te echaba de menos por este canal. Como siempre un vídeo impecable, y como no, sacando un gran rendimiento a este nuevo objetivo de sony, enhorabuena y a por el siguiente.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

😍

[@herdingdog1]

Missed your videos, Mark! So happy to see one come out. Really interested in your take on the lens. I pre ordered it too. 😊

[@albailey6875]

Welcome back, Mark.

[@GhulamRasoolAbid-rx4jn]

I randomly found your channel but know obsessed with your content you are doing great Love your work.That's amazing

[@Jonathantuba]

Thanks, Mark, for a wonderful demonstration of the 300 F2.8. Shows even at 300mm works great for bird photography and video. I have one on order and it may well replace my 400 GM. Hope to see you for the Florida Osprey workshop when I can fit in my busy schedule.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

You will love it!

[@kathleenmccaffery1313]

Love your artistic narrative Mark!! You have so much fun with the Osprey in particular🥹 Devoted fan! ♥️🫶

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you!

[@TDH_1962]

Your creative eye and hard work shows... very nice imagery. Thank you for sharing!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you very much!

[@dougmiller7944]

The image quality of that lens is impressive, But even more impressive is what You can do with it, Your skills and knowledge really turn it into art. You always impress me with your pics and videography. 💯

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you so much!

[@yasminnamini6949]

Awesome video!!! Happy holidays, Mark!!!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Happy holidays!

[@ericpneuma2352]

Thanks for the amazing video brother! I'd never stop loving your art 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you so much 😀

[@mhpjii]

Mark, your work is always a delight! Thanks!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Many thanks!

[@MrTmiket0007]

Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always, I was waiting to see your videos with more content than a short 😂👍

[@MarkSmithphotography]

More to come!

[@Artisticer]

Stunning and artistic photography and wonderfully informative and entertaining commentary! ❤

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Wow, thank you!

[@TheGazzadj]

That looked like the fish had some fishing line coming from it as seen at 1:12 and possibly a hook. Just shows how sharp that lens is.

[@wilduntamedphotography1260]

Mark, good to have you back here. Did you also had your hands on the new A9 III maybe? Cheers Marco

[@leonkirkbride6559]

Fabulous video Mark and great to see you back ! really interested to see how this lens performs with the TC's . Never known anybody be impressed with the x2 on other lenses so that will be interesting for sure . Probably be the nearest Sony shooters get to Nikons lightweight 600mm PF

[@peterbowler6524]

As always Mark excellent stills and footage.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks

[@janseneca7366]

My mentor is back🎉❤

[@georgemason2472]

I just love the power that an Osprey shows as it leaves the water.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Me too

[@marycraft5842]

Glad you're back......you were missed......

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Glad to be back

[@Snapshott1]

Splendid and wonderful work as always. The 300mm has some much resolution that I could see the fishing line trailing the osprey/fish in the first scene on a my laptop. Couldn't tell if it was attached to the osprey or the fish.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

I think it was on the fish

[@Snapshott1]

@@MarkSmithphotography I hope so and hope the osprey was able to avoid and hooks that may be there. I spend a lot of my kayking time retrieving all fishing line and hooks I see.

[@brucegraner5901]

It was great seeing a new video by you. Great work as usual. Really missed your story telling and comments on the wood stork... and appreciated Augie's brief appearance. Any chance you'll be picking up a Sony A9 Mark 3 to go with your new 300mm f2.8?

[@henrikw377]

Fantastic as always, Mark :)

[@wildlifebybrianhoule]

Nice summary Mark! Looks like a great lens! If folks don't sub to your channel after that osprey bit at the end, they are missing out! lol.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

lol thanks!

[@dougcooper4917]

Excellent video. Amazing lens. Thank you Mark.

[@MookieZerang]

Lovely guide. I like how you teach, Mark

[@meynp4337]

So fun to watch your video.

[@360.O.A.Videos]

Hello Sir . I just stumbled upon your channel . I am totally new in video . Your channel is an inspiration for the whole world . Thanks and have a nice day . Greetings from France . ☀️☀️

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you!

[@AnorquisQuinones-nj4lc]

Very original video of eagles, they are my favorite birds, very well edited, congratulations to the author of the Channel.

[@CarmenSanchez-hd5mu]

Que hermosura se le ve un color rojo con el sol. Debajo de las alas.

[@KenToney]

Definitely on my radar!!!

[@stephenbarlow2493]

I just had to watch this. It's about the birds, not sport. Although I've decided to stick with Canon, it looks a unique and fabulous lens, if you can get close enough to birds, to use a 300mm lens. Great to see you back.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks

[@dddhyun]

Gorgeous creatures and beautiful videos.

[@bishfrie]

Hey mark, i know the videos u make take a lot or hard work and editing, but when its not possible for you, just do a talking head video from a room, its good to see such a great guy at work

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Noted!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

I didn’t think people would want to see that.

[@Noside1964]

Hi Mark, Great videos as always. I just have one question. I do a lot of bird photography, and I m thinking to upgrade. Right now, my current set-up is Sony A7iv plus 200-600 G lens. My experience is that Im being limited by the 10 fps of the Sony A7iv and Im also looking at the quality of the Sony 300 mm. I also do a lot of cropping the pictures. So, my goal is to get more fps but at he same time get higher image quality. But im budget limited, I can only do 2 possible options (1) Buy Sony A1 (old one, price has dropped significantly here in Australia) and retain the 200-600 G lens or (2) Retain Sony A7iv and buy the 300 GM lens Sony plus tele converters. Happy to hear your thoughts. Do I go with the lens or do I go with the camera body? Thanks a lot.

[@KurtisPape]

Sorry i'm not Mark but that is a very good and difficult question. I own the A1 and 200-600mm lens, I upgraded from the A7R IV to the A1 and it was a game changer for me, I have it permanently set on 20fps and the autofocus it's just nuts and I recently updated the firmware and the eye detection is even better. The only problem I'm left with now is I have the camera for the action, but the lens at F6.3 will always result in high ISO action shots. If I had to pick 1 kit from scratch, I would go the A1 and 200-600mm over the A7IV, 300mm F2.8 and TC's, that's how much I love the A1 and the ability to zoom. In terms of an upgrade path the lens might be the better choice... on 1 hand the 200-600mm can easily resolve 33MP, using the 300mm F2.8 on the 33MP sensor you won't see much improvement in detail because that lens out resolves that sensor, but the pictures might appear sharper, no chromatic aberrations and will be higher quality images due to lower ISO's when shooting at F2.8, F4 or even F5.6. On the other hand you are always better to invest in a lens and no doubt will keep the 300mm F2.8 for life and can easily upgrade the camera body in years down the track. So I suggest you get the 300mm F2.8 because I'm sure the optics are jaw dropping and it will hold it's value, 90% of photographers will always say invest in the lens first. You can't go wrong either way but I think there is a bigger leap in performance going from the 200-600 to the 300mm, compared to the A7 IV to A1. The 300mm is also lighter if that's a consideration. You can find me on Flickr under 'kurtispape' if you want to see my results from the A1. I'm thinking about the 300mm, but I would personally would prefer a 500mm F4.

[@luctran7042]

Great photos and story telling as usual, I like Osprey take a bath very much, are you use APS mode this time ? Thank you Mark, TL

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Aps mode?

[@michaelhawkins1173]

A fabulous pro photographer deserves such a lens and the rest that go to help these amazing images. Have you had a go the new Panosonic G9 with 200mm f2.8 and all the trimmings ? Maybe not. Thanks for the video as always just fantastic.

[@nature3842]

Can you please talk about what camera you are using on this video

[@tompapadopoulos.photography]

Mine is on order too Mark. You are the best at what you do.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you

[@MaddenScience]

Beautiful! Where is this in Florida? Is this location part of one of your tours?

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Yes, it is!

[@MaddenScience]

When is the best time to do that workshop? I'll try to be there!@@MarkSmithphotography

[@stevejordan9567]

Love your videos.

[@glennelvestad9466]

I hope to see you with the Sony a9 lll soon Mark :) Would love to see have good this would work on birds and wildlife. I have Sony A1, and the a9 lll do not have so many megapixels for cropping. But in Florida you can come very close to wildlife. So then this camera could be great to use maybe? Im a big fan form Norway, and love all your work :)

[@johndarcangelo7246]

Hi Mark, Do you recommend the 300 over the 200-600 . IDo you recommend the 300 with the 1.4 or 2x teleconverter for the reach vs the 2-600 at 6.3 ? Thanks

[@JayWasserman-v5e]

Great advice as always.

[@gasbike100mpg]

this vid made me salivate (literally) for this 300 2.8 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

It’s a fantastic lens!

[@andylewis8270]

Great video as always! Do you feel that the 300 is just tooo short for wildlife? If you have a 400 or a 600 would you still buy this lens?

[@MarkSmithphotography]

I thought the same thing when I saw the lens. Why? Then I used it for a week and understood. If you want a small lens for wildlife you can’t do better. It weighs nothing and is less than half the size of the 400 and half the price. It’s a no brainer for me. Add the fact that it works great with both teles and it’s even better. This would be the perfect lens for Africa or anywhere you need to travel light.

[@John-hq6em]

You are so great at this Mark, thank you for sharing. I really need to take one of your workshops, I know I would learn so much!

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you. Would love to have you.

[@svaphrodite]

I'm always amazed by how smooth your tracking is. Do you always shoot handheld or use a gimbal on a tripod?

[@stevenzilverberg6458]

Great video. I miss the normal videos as opposed to the shorts. However, I even enjoyed the shorts.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Glad you like them!

[@Christine-hs5jj]

Images toujours exceptionnelles 😮🎉

[@TrueLweek]

Hello! I hope you will include examples with tele convertors. For some reason there are no good test of this lens with TCs on KZbin. I haven't seen one. Because this could be quite interesting option for many wildlife photographers as their primary lens. Not because it is better than 600/4, gosh no, but because it is ridiculously small and light... as well as more affordable.

[@MarkSmithphotography]

I have two more videos planned. One with the 1.4 and one with the 2x.

[@satyammahale5270]

Hi mark your work is very nice ,,, can please share me the first bgm please❤

[@falcocolumbarius9177]

Thank you for this great video! Already waiting for the next parts ;-) I wonder whether the sony 300mm with 2x extender on the A1 can keep up with the nikon 600pf f/6.3 on the Z8/Z9. I really want a very lightweight telephoto lens and so far only nikon offered these lenses, but I'm already invested in Sony...

[@unaitxo]

Absolutely amazing! How do you get so close?!

[@AlexFBuchholzPhoto]

Amazing Images and footage.

[@AaaA-my1ud]

Finally, you updated your video😂

[@joint831]

It is second lens for my A1 (now 200-600)

[@gileselliott]

Ah, just what was needed on a grey, rainy UK day - a dose of Mr Smith’s sunshine. Better now

[@AZisk]

i’m pretty sure if i had this lens, i wouldn’t be able to get these shots.

[@natureslittlegifts]

You Sir should have 20 million subscribers 😮

[@AdamCasada]

I'm curious, do you find motion blur when shooting slower than 1/3200?

[@MarkSmithphotography]

If the bird is moving fast and I’m Close

[@nitinrawat4790]

wow.. these seem like they were taken from a much longer focal length.. SUBBED

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thanks for the sub!

[@petersuvara]

I’m sure you’d get good footage no matter what lens you use Mark. 👍🏻

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Thank you!

[@70MVideos]

Perfect short

[@timbelber7342]

Glad you are back! Any chance of seeing something from Africa?

[@MarkSmithphotography]

Yes

[@lucianoleuzzi4156]

good morning Mark, a question: are the videos I see in slow motion made with separate programs or can the Sony Afa1 make slow motion videos? apart from the S&Q function (which does very little) I don't think it's possible...thank you very much Greetings

[@duncangroenewald]

Yes the Sony A1 can do up to 10x slow motion. In S&Q mode you need to set the video frame rate to 240p and the playback rate to 24p (10x slow motion or super slow motion). Resolution is HD or 1080p. Alternately you can shoot 4K 120p and playback at 30 (4x slow motion)

[@lucianoleuzzi4156]

@@duncangroenewald Good morning but where do you set the 240p frame rate since on my menu there are only 50p and 100p? Thank you

[@duncangroenewald]

@@lucianoleuzzi4156 you might have to set resolution to HD first

[@naveda08]

Wow freaking stunning