p.1 #1 · 500 f/4 vs. 400 f/5.6 (Inge von Vergaser)
Southern Ontario ducking photographers please take note: Vergasers (and Goldy Eyes, Buffalos, etc...) are showing up in stronger numbers on the Ontario waterfront. I have even sighted my old model Inge von Vergaser yesterday. Here she is, as pretty as ever
Edit: No serious attempt could be made to compare performance of 500 f4 (#1) 400 f/5.6 (#2) based on these shots. For one, the shot #1 was done at much larger focus distance and then cropped quite a bit to boot.
The shot #2 was cropped just about 30 %.
However, I hope I am not telling you anything new here: 400 f/5.6 IQ is nothing to be ashamed of in any lens company.
p.1 #3 · 500 f/4 vs. 400 f/5.6 (Inge von Vergaser)
omarlyn wrote:
Isn't it getting kind of cold already? Do they stay through the winter?
Yes, they do till March, possibly April. Depending on the ice formation and breakage, those diving ducks become quite accessible even to folks who do not go to "special spots" nor have lenses longer than 300mm.
p.1 #4 · 500 f/4 vs. 400 f/5.6 (Inge von Vergaser)
Actually, I have realized now that I meant to post this on the North-West Board.
My apologies.
Either way, let us inject into this some gear related info:
Shot #1 done with 1DsMkII + 500 f/4.
Shot #2 done with 1DMkIIN + 400 f/5.6
Natural light, minimal pp, cameras in AF Servo mode because the little duckie kept moving about a lot. Particularly on the second shot because of the lens wide open and the target proximity (=narrow DoF), it was not easy keeping focus on the bird's eye using Servo AF. Out of about 20 shots 10 turned out OK until Inge realized I was there and left.
I also decided to keep the dark as-captured tone on the second shot....in order to try to convey the fact a sunlight beam shone on her head.
p.1 #6 · 500 f/4 vs. 400 f/5.6 (Inge von Vergaser)
4x4rock wrote:
That's one cool looking bird or duck. Is it a bird or a duck or both?
It's both.
All ducks are birds. Not all birds are ducks.
Now, there had also been a Duckbill saurian running these plains, however it is safe to say the chances of someone photographing such a creature in action are fairly slim nowadays.
