Would a 18-55 lense be able to zoom far enough for Zoo Pictures?

Question

Would a 18-55 lense be able to zoom far enough for Zoo Pictures? Or will i need to get the 55-200.

I want to take some zoo pictures of animals of course lol..but i want to take pictures of like lions,tigers,cheetahs all of which must be in a caged area. So do you think i could still get a great closeup image of them with a 18-55 zoom lense?

Answer 1

I had a girlfriend who once said, "The longer the better".

It all depends on how close you can get to the animals. I took some fantastic pictures at the Belize zoo with that exact, 18-55, lens.

Unfortunately for my girlfriend, I had to use the hardware that I  have, be creative.

jd

Answer 2

It really depends on how close the zoo lets you get to the animals. I'd say if they were going to be a distance of over 50-75 feet away, I would get the 55-200 zoom lens. I have both lenses, and it is very useful to have the 55-200 zoom lens for other photo-taking opportunities. I would recommend getting that lens.

Answer 3

You know the answer to that already. At 55 mm, it works like a 88 mm lens. So no, it's not long enough.

-----------

I am surprised that a top contributer in photography asks a question like this.

Answer 4

Answer to this question is a bit tricky..

The factor is distance between you and the animals....

If you are going in a zoo where the animals are inside a cage then this lens should be fine.

But if you are going in a zoo where you are in a bus and it roams around looking for animals, then you might need a  bigger lens..

and if you are going in a forest and all.. u surely need a longer lens...