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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 100-400 II: A funny thing happened on my way to the forum | |
So first day of no rain in a while (and, from the forecast for a while to come), and I head out to try out the new 100-400 II in real world conditions. Not just the lens, but telephoto wildlife in general will also be a new area of photography for me.
Over the last few rainy days, I had already picked out a lake near my house where trumpeter swans come in at evening to roost and/or play bingo or do whatever they do when they are honking so loudly. I had noted the time they arrive, the direction they flew, etc. etc.
I had my rig set up with not just the 100-400 II, but speedlight + beamer on wimberley bracket, on tripod. Camera settings at the ready: flash EV at -1, camera on manual metered for background, AF AI servo, multi-shot drive, ISO bumped up 800.
Made my way to the spot carefully and set up and look around. And see this:
http://i.imgur.com/dRxV4dG.jpg
What a magnificent view! The landscaper in me could not help it. Focus goes back to manual, ISO back down to 100, flash goes over, single-shot drive etc. etc., and I start taking some great captures of the sunset over the lake. The trumpeters come it right on schedule, but I actually end up cursing at them for ruining quite a few of my HDR sequences.
At the end of the day (literally), some great landscapes, but a no keeper trumpeters. Or any in-focus well-exposed trumpeters at all. Or, in fact, not even any out-of-focus trumpeters that are bigger that little white specks in the distance: the swans had evidently got bored with waiting for me to take their photographs and had meandered over the (very) far side of the lake behind me.
Oh well, I guess it will be a while before I learn to visualize and take telephoto wildlife. In the mean time though, it is great that the 100-400 II is such a spectacular landscape lens as well!! Maybe not evident in the above, but in the main sequences I took I am seeing superb micro-contrast and pop in addition to the great resolution and contrast, all the way out to corners!
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