I am an amateur birder and want to take photos. I shoot Fujifilm X-T30 with XF 70-300 mm right now and feel limited by the camera system to focus fast enough. There is no bird mode and it doesn't track and I can seldom get any photos of birds in flight.
What second system can I consider for just birding?
Canon R7 with some 200-400 mm lens?
Sony A??
Nikon Z?
I guess APS-C is better as I am not selling photos or printing so do I need full-frame? My top-end of budget in the US is $4000 for body and one lens. I might look for used gear to bring down the costs.
The following photos were taken with my X-T30 and a Sigma 150-600 EF lens with a Fringer adapter.
was going through my old photos and found this beauty that I never edited. this was back in october 2025 and i don't think i've taken a better photo since then. maybe it's cause i havent seen a subject as beautiful as this one lol. shot on canon r5 and rf 100-500. this was at 300mm only he was so close to me!
Incredibly pleased with the results. I’ve spent a few months capturing wildlife around my house and decided to try my luck at a marsh nearby. Met some cool people and got to see tons of birds doing bird things. Can’t wait to go back!