Post your best bird shots!

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Originally Posted by Fast Glass

I would guess that ISO 1600 should be no problem for your 1D IV to get the shutter speed you need. Unless you got away with that shutter speed.

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ISO 1600 would have been tolerable for the gannets on their nests, but no use for shots of them landing or taking off, which needs 1/1000s or faster. This would have pushed me to use ISO 5000, which is far from ideal. I was under-exposing by 1.3 stops already, with some fill light added in Lightroom.

The trip was really just to scout out the site ready for a return visit when the chicks arrive. I will be back there when we get some clear blue sky and bright sunlight (no idea which year that might be).

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

I hope you find this constructive, as it was intended!


Rich
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Rich:


I never thought you were doing anything but being constructive, and I appreciate the time you have taken to help me out.


I was shooting with a 7D and the lens was at 400mm (ISO 400, I usually do not go above 800). I usually do not have a problem getting focus when I am shooting around water or even in a wooded area, but is this case I am shooting with a background that is close to the same color, and higher contrasting shapes than the subject. When I can get the time I will take a couple of sample shots to show you what I am talking about. I took a few shots today in good light with the center spot on the head - I pulled it up on DPP to show the focus point was on the head, but every shot was totally blurred unless I focused on the body (so none of the spot can pick up the background). However, you do make a lot of good points that I will try out.


Again, thank you for your time... I do appreciate the comments.


Pat

My Pleasure!


Good Luck,


Rich

Hi Rich


The aperture stays open during auto focus, so you don

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Originally Posted by Fast Glass

Hi Rich


The aperture stays open during auto focus, so you don't have to worry about stopping down and slowing the AF.


Cheers,


John.
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Yes John, you're right thanks for catching that.


I should have said a wider faster aperture lens and not opening up the aperture on the current lens.


While we're on that topic.., I have a question about variable aperture lenses that I'm not familar with, since I mainlyuse fast/fixed aperture lenses.


This question is open to anybody.


If you are using a variable aperture lens, does the lens open to the widest aperture that the lens offers or the widest aperture at the current actively used focal length, letsuse the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L as the example.


In other words, if I'm at 400mm with that lens, will itopen to f/4.5 for AF or f/5.6?


Thanks,


Rich

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

If you are using a variable aperture lens, does the lens open to the widest aperture that the lens offers or the widest aperture at the current actively used focal length, letsuse the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L as the example.


In other words, if I'm at 400mm with that lens, will itopen to f/4.5 for AF or f/5.6?

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It will use the widest available aperture at that focal length (e.g. f/5.6 at any zoom setting of 260mm or longer). It's a physical thing - at 400mm, the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens cannot open to f/4.5 because the optical elements are not large enough in diameter. That's also the reason the 100-400mm is ~$1500, while the forthcoming 200-400mm f/4 will be in the high thousands - the extra glass needed to open that wide at the long end.

Thanks John (Neuro), that

What better way to celebrate 1500 posts of bird pictures than to post a picture of 1500 birds?


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/...49aa1f99_b.jpg
5D Mark II, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM @ 17mm, f/8, 1/1600s, ISO 100

Joel....nice shots, in particular the Tohwee....I haven't had the good fortune...yet.


Hey Bob....getting the hang of the 500...nice captures. You better be ready for your HBs.


Here is today's capture...a Northern Saw-whet owl....I stood on a pond for over 3 hours trying to get as many open eye shots as possible. The ice will be gone this wkend and if s/he stays on the same roost, it will end the photo op. You need to be out on the ice for a clear shot.


7D, 500 on a tripod w/cable release; ISO 1000, f4, 1/400th


[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/650x0/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/15/2604.Saw_2D00_whet-owl-2.jpg[/img]


Thanks for looking


Bill

Andy, did you count them? [:P] Nice picture. [Y]


Bill. Talk about patience. But it paid off.Great shot! And you might not want to be standing on too many "frozen" ponds from here on out. That ice has to be getting a little thin!