The birds they mock me
Discussion
A few from Worthing
herring gull 6 by NRE, on Flickr
herring gull 4 by NRE, on Flickr
herring gull 7 by NRE, on Flickr
herring gull 6 by NRE, on Flickr
herring gull 4 by NRE, on Flickr
herring gull 7 by NRE, on Flickr
DibblyDobbler said:
Nicely exposed Mark
Thanks Mike. Another one from today from the same pond:Grey Heron by 2slo7, on Flickr
I have been trying my hand at some wild raptors in flight. I figure if I can shoot that, I can shoot anything. I found the location of where some hobby's fly and have been trying to get decent photos of them. Its very, very, very, very hard, hard to get close, hard to get sharp focus, and hard to track them. So these are not up to my usual standards, they are 100% crops.
Hobby_Landing by natureiser, on Flickr
Hobby_Flight by natureiser, on Flickr
Hobby_Landing by natureiser, on Flickr
Hobby_Flight by natureiser, on Flickr
You know what, I just went over the other shots and you are right its definitely a Kestrel ! I thought it was a hobby as it was swooping in on dragonflies the same as a hobby. Amazing what confirmation bias does to your brain.
It was hunting in the same spot as the bird I shot earlier this month.
Hobby by natureiser, on Flickr
It was hunting in the same spot as the bird I shot earlier this month.
Hobby by natureiser, on Flickr
400mm on FF is really not enough for small birds is it? I was about 20 feet away when I got this, and yet it still needs a big crop...
Greenfinch by Dibbly Dobbler, on Flickr
Greenfinch by Dibbly Dobbler, on Flickr
DibblyDobbler said:
400mm on FF is really not enough for small birds is it? I was about 20 feet away when I got this, and yet it still needs a big crop...
Greenfinch by Dibbly Dobbler, on Flickr
You either need to get closer or live with the crops if shooting an active target.Greenfinch by Dibbly Dobbler, on Flickr
If set up with a feeder or "perch" you know where you will be shooting so a narrower field of view is OK but it's not great if you are trying to follow a subject even if it is only moving small distances.
Manual focus would work well with a fixed location. Set the focus and, more or less, forget it.
Why not beg, steal or borrow a couple of extenders (1.4x and 2x for Canon of course) and see what you think about the longer reach in principle?
Interestingly you have reminded me that my old FD mount 600mm has a minimum focus distance of 21ft iirc. Still nowhere near a frame filler with a small bird even on a crop body.
LongQ said:
You either need to get closer or live with the crops if shooting an active target.
If set up with a feeder or "perch" you know where you will be shooting so a narrower field of view is OK but it's not great if you are trying to follow a subject even if it is only moving small distances.
Manual focus would work well with a fixed location. Set the focus and, more or less, forget it.
Why not beg, steal or borrow a couple of extenders (1.4x and 2x for Canon of course) and see what you think about the longer reach in principle?
Interestingly you have reminded me that my old FD mount 600mm has a minimum focus distance of 21ft iirc. Still nowhere near a frame filler with a small bird even on a crop body.
Thanks for the reply LQ If set up with a feeder or "perch" you know where you will be shooting so a narrower field of view is OK but it's not great if you are trying to follow a subject even if it is only moving small distances.
Manual focus would work well with a fixed location. Set the focus and, more or less, forget it.
Why not beg, steal or borrow a couple of extenders (1.4x and 2x for Canon of course) and see what you think about the longer reach in principle?
Interestingly you have reminded me that my old FD mount 600mm has a minimum focus distance of 21ft iirc. Still nowhere near a frame filler with a small bird even on a crop body.
Quite hard to get much closer even with my ninja like skills! I do have an extender but have never found it that successful to be honest (especially when the light is a bit iffy).
Maybe sell the 400 and the extender and put them towards a Tamron 150-600!
DibblyDobbler said:
LongQ said:
You either need to get closer or live with the crops if shooting an active target.
If set up with a feeder or "perch" you know where you will be shooting so a narrower field of view is OK but it's not great if you are trying to follow a subject even if it is only moving small distances.
Manual focus would work well with a fixed location. Set the focus and, more or less, forget it.
Why not beg, steal or borrow a couple of extenders (1.4x and 2x for Canon of course) and see what you think about the longer reach in principle?
Interestingly you have reminded me that my old FD mount 600mm has a minimum focus distance of 21ft iirc. Still nowhere near a frame filler with a small bird even on a crop body.
Thanks for the reply LQ If set up with a feeder or "perch" you know where you will be shooting so a narrower field of view is OK but it's not great if you are trying to follow a subject even if it is only moving small distances.
Manual focus would work well with a fixed location. Set the focus and, more or less, forget it.
Why not beg, steal or borrow a couple of extenders (1.4x and 2x for Canon of course) and see what you think about the longer reach in principle?
Interestingly you have reminded me that my old FD mount 600mm has a minimum focus distance of 21ft iirc. Still nowhere near a frame filler with a small bird even on a crop body.
Quite hard to get much closer even with my ninja like skills! I do have an extender but have never found it that successful to be honest (especially when the light is a bit iffy).
Maybe sell the 400 and the extender and put them towards a Tamron 150-600!
Does the 6D have micro-focus adjustment? If so it could be worth playing with for the 400mm + extender combo. And then remember that a high shutter speed counts for a lot when you want fine detail. But you know that already ....
ETA: One of the problems with small subjects is getting the focus point on the subject. Using manual focus to a fixed location eliminates the problem. It's easy to overlook that benefit. My Norfolk bird shots would have been much easier to try for had the boat not been moving forward as well as sort of up and down. I think even resetting the focus method (had I been using the 1D3) would not have totally resolved the problem but I reckon it would be better than the 600D overall despite the compromise on reach with the different crop factors.
Edited by LongQ on Thursday 2nd October 21:55
LongQ said:
From what I have read so far in the alleged meedjur I rather think for the 600 end you might find the 400 + extender (1.4x? Canon?) a better bet. What is the sensitivity of the 6D's central AF point? If it goes to f8 you you should be fine.
Does the 6D have micro-focus adjustment? If so it could be worth playing with for the 400mm + extender combo. And then remember that a high shutter speed counts for a lot when you want fine detail. But you know that already ....
ETA: One of the problems with small subjects is getting the focus point on the subject. Using manual focus to a fixed location eliminates the problem. It's easy to overlook that benefit. My Norfolk bird shots would have been much easier to try for had the boat not been moving forward as well as sort of up and down. I think even resetting the focus method (had I been using the 1D3) would not have totally resolved the problem but I reckon it would be better than the 600D overall despite the compromise on reach with the different crop factors.
Oh you old spoil sport! It's been ages since I bought a lens! It's a Kenko 1.4x I have - they are meant to be pretty decent and autofocus is maintained on the 6D. Last time I used it I just didn't find the results to be that sharp (ie not as good as cropping the 400mm pics) so maybe it does need micro focus adjusted (which the 6D has). One to ponder on for another day Does the 6D have micro-focus adjustment? If so it could be worth playing with for the 400mm + extender combo. And then remember that a high shutter speed counts for a lot when you want fine detail. But you know that already ....
ETA: One of the problems with small subjects is getting the focus point on the subject. Using manual focus to a fixed location eliminates the problem. It's easy to overlook that benefit. My Norfolk bird shots would have been much easier to try for had the boat not been moving forward as well as sort of up and down. I think even resetting the focus method (had I been using the 1D3) would not have totally resolved the problem but I reckon it would be better than the 600D overall despite the compromise on reach with the different crop factors.
Edited by LongQ on Thursday 2nd October 21:55
DibblyDobbler said:
Oh you old spoil sport! It's been ages since I bought a lens! It's a Kenko 1.4x I have - they are meant to be pretty decent and autofocus is maintained on the 6D. Last time I used it I just didn't find the results to be that sharp (ie not as good as cropping the 400mm pics) so maybe it does need micro focus adjusted (which the 6D has). One to ponder on for another day
Well the obvious answer is to buy the lens and satisfy that craving, run a side by side comparison and go from there. Sell whichever you are least pleased with. Or, indeed, both on the basis that the price you would get for the two would be about half way to paying for a used 500 or 600 mm EF prime. The Kenco always had (going back some time perhaps to the Mk1 extenders certainly) a good comparative reputation but I have a feeling that they all very a bit, even the Canon's. The Mk2 Canon extenders were reckoned to be pretty good and better than the Mk1 especially with newer lenses. My 2x is a Mk2. The Mk3 are meant to be even better but at the price they need to be. Mr. 2slo may be able to offer advice in that area.
DibblyDobbler said:
Thanks for the reply LQ
Quite hard to get much closer even with my ninja like skills! I do have an extender but have never found it that successful to be honest (especially when the light is a bit iffy).
Maybe sell the 400 and the extender and put them towards a Tamron 150-600!
Or the Sigma 150-600mm Sport which i'm sure you could justify a 'need' for with some creative man-maths!Quite hard to get much closer even with my ninja like skills! I do have an extender but have never found it that successful to be honest (especially when the light is a bit iffy).
Maybe sell the 400 and the extender and put them towards a Tamron 150-600!
http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-ca...
AndyT350 said:
Or the Sigma 150-600mm Sport which i'm sure you could justify a 'need' for with some creative man-maths!
http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-ca...
I have to say, that lens looks mighty interesting. If it's good at 600 I can see it sitting next to my 500 for extra flexibility.http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-ca...
Took these pics at Rufford Park in August of a beautiful owl using a Sony DSC-HX50 compact camera which was on loan to me whilst my other camera was in for repair. Was a handheld shot took after waiting a few minutes, though wasn't able to wait around much longer and take any more pics because the wife and kids started moaning at me to get a move on!
A couple of weeks ago I spotted a Magpie balancing on the top of a small tree and staring straight at me for what seemed an age, I pulled my camera out, pointed it in the direction of the Magpie, zoomed in and took the shot, and as my finger went down on the button he flew away!!! Was a one in a million shot that wasn't, I was gutted. Not seen the Magpie since!
A couple of weeks ago I spotted a Magpie balancing on the top of a small tree and staring straight at me for what seemed an age, I pulled my camera out, pointed it in the direction of the Magpie, zoomed in and took the shot, and as my finger went down on the button he flew away!!! Was a one in a million shot that wasn't, I was gutted. Not seen the Magpie since!
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