01 May 2022

Photographing Butterflies at 400mm (different lenses)

When out an about in the garden it is not a requirement to use a macro lens for photographing small butterflies.

Most 70-300mm / 100-400mm / 300mm / 400mm zoom / prime lenses should be more than good to go on APS-C or Full Frame camera bodies for butterfly close-up photography.

Macro & Close-Up Photography Training Cape Town >>


For the first three images I used the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (paired with Canon EOS 70D)

Last image with Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens (paired with Canon EOS 7D Mark II)

African Monarch butterflies: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
  • Canon EOS 70D
  • Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens (Mark I)
  • Manual Mode: @ 400mm
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • ISO: 1/1000s
  • Shutter Speed: 1/2500s
  • IS Turned Off / Handheld

Garden Acrea butterfly : Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II
  • Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens
  • Manual Mode: @ 400mm
  • Aperture: f/56
  • ISO: 1250
  • Shutter Speed: 1/2500s
  • No Lens IS / Handheld

Location: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town

Close-Up Butterfly Photography with Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens >>

African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden 01
African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden 02
African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden 03
African Monarch butterfly: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Garden Acrea Butterfly : Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Garden Acrea Butterfly : Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Canon Photography Training Milnerton Woodbridge Island | Kirstenbosch Cape Town