Post your best bird shots!

[JJphoto]

Joel, nice shot, everything looks just perfect to me, sharpness, color, pose, compose ....., only one thing, could it be better if it had narrower DoF?

[Keith B]

I'm not much of a bird guy but I was shooting at a restaurant on the river and popped a shot of this osprey.


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[JJphoto]

Keith, I guess you were not using anything longer than 300mm for this shot since you were not planing to shoot birds?


I think this is a very good shot for a shorter lens, the bird looks very sharp, nice exposure for a sunny day , pose is pretty good too, I also like the blurred background.

[neuroanatomist]

This is the second GBH I've seen in person, and I was able to get close enough for a decent picture (the first was flying high overhead). The first one is an uncropped shot. [] I spent about 5 minutes slowly closing in on him for that one, then I guess I got a little too close, and spooked him across the river.


[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_brain/4997961977/lightbox/][/url]
EOS 7D, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6<span style="color: red;"]L IS USM @ 400mm, 1/640 s, f/5.6, ISO 640





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EOS 7D, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6<span style="color: red;"]LIS USM @ 400mm, 1/1600 s, f/6.3, ISO 800

[JJphoto]

nice shorts John, look at your first picture, you really did a good job getting closer to the bird, I know GBHs usually are very shy.


Didn't you wish you had a 500mm 4.0 at the moment you press the shutter button?, just kidding!, I know you like your 100-400mm and i have to say it's a lot better than i thought.

[neuroanatomist]

nice shorts John, look at your first picture, you really did a good job getting closer to the bird, I know GBHs usually are very shy.

Thanks!!

Didn't you wish you had a 500mm 4.0 at the moment you press the shutter button?, just kidding!,

LOL. Sometimes, yes! I just have to stop buying all those small, light, cheap lenses like the 70-200mm f/2.8<span style="color: red;"]L IS II and 85mm f/1.2<span style="color: red;"]L II long enough to save up for one... [:P]


Seriously, though, the 100-400mm is a very nice lens. I like the flexibility of the zoom, but it spends a lot of time at 400mm. If Canon were to release a 400mm f/5.6L lens with IS, I'd certainly get that. 400mm, prime IQ, modern IS, and weather-sealing in a ~$2K package (presumably) would be very attractive. I think if I scrape together $6K to spend on gear, I'll stretch for the little extra to get a 1DsIV.

[adrian mandea]

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[bob williams]

John, I really like your shots of the GBH. I love the comp on the upright bird, but do wish it was a tad brighter (maybe my monitor). But, with the back lighting that might not be possible without really washing out the back. I also like the "jump to flight" shot, right on with the focus, even the foot splash is frozen--I think you captured the moment very well here.


Again, nice job


Bob

[ddt0725]

I was able to get close enough for a decent picture (the first was flying high overhead). The first one is an uncropped shot.

The shot is beautiful, John! You are so lucky to be able to get so close! I have been stalking this same bird every day after work for a week now! I climb over a guard rail, godown a steep hill to a large storm water retention pond and even though I'm on the opposite sidefrom him, if I move slightly he starts to walk away! I wish he would at least fly away ...more photos in flight would be nice instead of these super cropped versions of him just sitting there! One of these days, I know I'm going tofall right into this pond trying to get closer to him!

[Keith B]

Thanks JJ.


I actually shot it with 100-400@400 on my 5D2. That shot has been cropped way in also. It is amazing how tough it is to fill a frame on a full frame camera. Especially with birds.