Lens Analysis

NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8 at the feeder: is 180mm enough?

What the 70-180mm can and cannot do for small birds, and when the P1100 beats it.

Updated 1 min read

Short answer

For feeder birds and park birds that are used to people, just. For shorebirds and ducks on open water, no: you will crop to a small part of the frame and lose detail. That is what the Coolpix P1100 is for.

Sharpness at 180mm

Sharp wide open in the center, slightly better at f/4. The 24.5MP sensor does not leave much to crop: a third of the frame is about 8MP, enough for an 8x10 and not much more.

Autofocus

Fast enough for perched birds and slow flight. The lens has no stabilization of its own; the in-body stabilization covers it. Birds against busy branches confuse the subject detection; switch to a single point.

Verdict

Keep it: f/2.8 is what makes the feeder and the shady woods possible. Revisit a longer lens only if more than half of the outings are water birds that the P1100 cannot handle.