Great shot Joel! The natrual light in this shot I think looks better than the ones with a flast and better beamer. As long as the lighting is cooperating. I like the saturation in this shot, not so desaturated like it
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Great shot Joel! The natrual light in this shot I think looks better than the ones with a flast and better beamer. As long as the lighting is cooperating. I like the saturation in this shot, not so desaturated like it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Glass
John,
We haven seen any of those great bird shots of yours in a while[:P]
Very nice images all the way through guys, so now I'm going to drag it down with one of mine.
Had to include it, even though it was the wrong lens and has been heavily cropped it does have some interest value, I think.
I was walking around my yard bug hunting with the 100mm IS on and I heard this thump, thump, thump in the garden. I almost dismissed it as a neighbour because it was so loud, but thought I should have a look anyway. With my cat like stealth I shambled up to the edge of the garden and just managed to disturb a kookaburra from doing something on the concrete garden edge. He was banging his head and beak from side to side. Well in between giving himself a concussion and my ninja stalking skills, he spotted me and flew up into this tree.
So I tip-toed over and managed to get this shot away, just before he had enough of me trying to sneal up on him. It is cropped and exposure is avaerage but you can see the elephant beatle in his beak that he was trying to bludgeon into submission for an afternoon snack. Kookaburras a like most birds and in the wild like this one (only my front yard) they like to keep their distance. So I'm happy with this shot.
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/950x0/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/15/8640.Kooka.jpg[/img]
@100mm f2.8, ISO160 1/250sec
Thanks for viewing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clemmb
Yeah, I know. My camera broke awhile back (almost 2 years ago if my memor serves my right). And I haven't been able to save up until know. But I did get a Epson R1900 and am totally blown away by the results! I couldn't believe I took them.
Here are some from awhile back, just too upease you guys and myselft.[:P]
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Cheers,
John.
Hi! Bob, nice to see you back with some amazing shots. the hawk in
flight looks so sharp( sorry I'm very bad at bird's ID, but I guess Joel
has answered your question), and I like the GBH shot so much!. the GBH
seemed has swallowed a big fish already since it's neck looks so thick,
very impressive.
Joel, really nice shot, the feather looks very fine and I like the color so much!
John, those old pictures bring back some memories! I still remember how sharp those shots you took with the 300mm 2.8 were, hope you get your camera soon!
Steve, I couldn't believe this happened in the backyard. it's a pretty good shot with a shorter lens, to bad it was back lighting, but I know it was not up to you.
Thanks guys for the kind words :)
Bob - Love your latest posts ...especially the GBH!!
Joel - Beautiful goldfinch! It sure felt like spring around here this weekend, I can
JJ,
The lens is a Minolta 600mm f/6.3, it has almost the same aperture size as the 300mm f/2.8 and weighs the same but has bare lens image quality. Which isvery sharp.So I can put a2X extender and still get a decent 1200mm lens, it's kinda slow but it's smallcompact and I don't need that focal length every day anyway. I will be ordering my 60D in a few days, just have to wait for the credit card.[:)]
John.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Glass
At first I wondered if you were the first one here to ignore the missing AFMA, and go get a 60D... Then your post reminded me... Your favorite lens won't autofocus anyway, at f/6.3, and especially not with a 2X on it. Good to see you're finally getting a new camera, and I'm amazed that you have the willpower to save for two years for a xxD model, instead of jumping on a Rebel. Just in case you are looking to save a few pennies, Adorama does have a refurb 50D + some sort of lens for $899.
John, didn
JJ,
I never took a picture with the 300mm f/2.8. Mabye it was almost as sharp as one. I just got my credit card and click click here I go!
John.
Well not as good as Nate's but it's my best so far, I especially don't like the background but it's interesting to see it's tongue
7D, 700mm 5.6, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/800x0/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/15/8372.IMG_5F00_0234.jpg[/img]
JJ, that is great timing and capture. I agree that the background is a little busy, but hey, you sometimes take it as it comes.
thanks Jayson for the kind words, yes, I got pretty excited because I don
@JJ, I really like the
Great capture JJ!
Rich
thanks Pieter and Rich
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pieter
I agree, that must be one of the reason to effect the sharpness. I guess the best part for using a TC is that if the picture come out good, I can say I can take good pictures even with a TC on it, but if it come out not that good, I can always blame on the TC instead of on myself[:D]
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/...20f8b9ce_b.jpg
Here's my best bird shot so far. I've realized that a 300mm + 2x converter is much, much softer than I had hoped for, and I think I'll soon be upgrading to a 500mm f/4L IS for birding use. Wondering if I should go for the new version II of the 500L (for extra sharpness and weight savings) or just buy one of the current ones to save some cash...
Nice capture RazorTM!, you took this one with the 2X TC? looks pretty sharp to me. I like the pose and the wing position very much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RazorTM
it's basically a personal thing. new lenses are very attractive but are very expensive, that's one of the reason i got my 500mm recently to help me resist the new one[:D]
Quote:
Originally Posted by RazorTM
Awesome shot. Makes me want a 1D MK IV. Looks dang sharp to me for a bird flying towards you.
Mark
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Really Nice Shot Razor and Welcome to the Forums!
I also like the vertical crop. If you could afford the new 500mm I would go for that one, if not then I
After I did the AF microadjustment for the 300mm F2.8L I was trying it out to see how it was working now with the 1D Mark IV. Performed fairly well. I bumped in to this guy while testing, this is a 100% crop at about 25 or 30 feet. F4, I/640 ISO 320 hand held. No flash, ambient in the shade. Probably not the most ideal conditions.
I call it "The Song Bird"
[View:http://community.the-digital-picture...neric/utility/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/...13352d4d_z.jpg]
Yippeee!! Spring is in the air!! I can't wait until I see one of these guysin my backyard! Nice timing on this shot, HD and it is one heck of a sharp 100% crop! [Y]Quote:
Originally Posted by HDNitehawk
Denise
Yippeee!! Spring is in the air!! I can't wait until I see one of these guysin my backyard! Nice timing on this shot, HD and it is one heck of a sharp 100% crop! [Y]Quote:
Originally Posted by HDNitehawk
Denise
Ok, this posted twice why?
Thanks for the comments and welcomes, all. I think that the 300 2.8 IS is not bad at all on the autofocus side, but the image quality takes a huge hit when combined with the 2x II. CA, distortion, sharpness, and contrast are all fairly bad. Here's a 100% crop of the egret's head. There's barely any detail in the feathers, and this is absolutely as sharp as I can get the images before they look oversharpened but still not very sharp:
www.flickr.com/.../5455301413][img][View:http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5455301413_6ebf947310_o.jpg][/img][/url]
Also, this was shot at f/8. The combo is best at f/11, but the 500 f/4L IS is even sharper at f/4, wide open.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RazorTM
It's not that bad for a 2x. Doing a 100% crop on top of a 2x, making your a 300mm a 1200mm and expecting to see a lot of good IQ would really be a stretch. For me the 2x IQ on any lens isn't good enough, but its as good as it gets on any lens with the 300mm 2.8L.
It would be a better comparison for the 1.4x on the 300mm 2.8L for 420mm to compare it to the 500mm F4L bare. With the 300mm and the 1.4x the images are quit good. I find it very acceptable. Of course the naked 500mm will be just slightly better against the 300mm with an extender. Really, IMO I think mine puts out better IQ than the 300mm with no extender but not by much. I am going to upgrade to the II version when it comes out. Even if the IQ is equal (which I believe it will be noticably superior)I think the weight savings is a big plus. I just haven't decided on the 500mm or 600mm yet.
Can you handhold the current 500 for a long time? I've read a lot of reviews saying that it can only be done in moderation. Since the new 500 is lighter, I assume it can be handheld for longer, and that's why I've decided that I will buy the 500 II instead of the 600 II if/when I have the money for it. If the current 500's weight allows it to be handheld most of the time, I might seriously consider the 600 II instead...
7D, 700mm 5.6,f5.6,1/1600, iso800
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thanks for viewing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RazorTM
Can I hondhold it. Yes. For a long time, not and be accurate. Of course I am always looking at somthing to support on, whether it be out of the truck window or off my knee. The 500mm is a big lens.
Its not all about weight, you have to keep in mind center of gravity and how the wight is porportioned. For instance, the 1D Makr IV has an option that you can change the AF stop button to an option that makes the AF point smaller for shooting birds in the bush or whatever. The buttons that actuate this on the 300mm and 500mm are out at the end of the barrell. Easy to reach on the 300mm hand held, but on the 500mm its harder to reach out to them. With the wimberley plate (if you hold the lens from the plate which I do sometimes hand held)on the bottom of the 500mm it balances just a little in front of the mount with the 1D IV attached. This is a natural V for my arm and elbow to be bent against my body to support the 500mm. If you add 2 1/2" of the 600mm even though it weights the same as the 500mmmore of the weight will be in the front of the lens than on the 500mm, this is because the front elements are larger on the 600mmthan the 500mm and more glass is going to mean more wieght on that end. Which means your arm will extended farther to balance, andwith less leverage for your arm to support that wieght itmayvery well be harder to hold even at the same weight.I wish there were one I could test all this on, but most likely when they are released I will be ordering what I choose blind.
That
Finally had some time to spend in the backyard blind this morning and we actually had some good light .... didn't have to use flash!
1DMKIII
300mm 2.8l + 1.4TC
Manual exposure
1/500
f/6.3
iso 1000
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simply AMAZING
Joel, Your killing me. Every time I think I have bird photogrpahy figured out----you prove to me that I have a lot more to learn.
Great shot---keep em coming
Bob
Thanks for nice compliments guys! Here's another from this morning, as I said, the light was good.
1DMKIII
300mm 2.8L + 1.4TC
Manual mode
<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]1/500
<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]f/7.1
<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]iso 1000
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<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]
All I can say is WOW!. You had some amazing light on those two shots. Hopefully you had more birdies landing for portraits today!
The blue jay looks awesome, Joel. Everything is perfect, lighting, perch, head angle and background. I love it!
I really like your Jay, the only thing that I don't like about it is that it's a little to warm the white balance. But thats just being picky, overall it's great.
John.
Thanks Jason, Nate and Fastglass. The early morning light did have a very warm glow to it, it looks just about like it did at the time. I leave my picture style on neutral and auto white balance and I didn't change it in processing.
Today was small bird day....overcast, raining on & off.
Back to using the fill flash.....
1DMKIII
300mm 2.8L +1.4 TC
1/1000
f/5.6
iso 1000
580 exII ETTL -2 2/3 stops
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Great shot! Now you are using the 1D III