@ StillFingerz:
As far I remember I have been 5 times in the States. I love NY. And San Franzisco.

I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.

Thanks Fred!! Your review and comments have saved me thousands of dollars.

Not only a great review but also illustrated with excellent images! Thank you for your time and efforts!

Claude

pipspeak wrote:
Any comments on the focus point visibility that seems to have a lot of folks annoyed?

I much prefer how the AF illumination worked in previous 1D bodies like the Canon 1D Mark IV. Focusing point visibility could be an issue when shooting in very low light. I'm wondering if this could be somehow improved through a firmware upgrade as I know Canon is very aware of it.
Honestly, in most lighting conditions, it never deterred me when shooting for this review.
I wrote about it on the Canon 5D Mark III review.

PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.


Love it! Peter, no idea how you got these colors around.

jcolwell wrote:
Thanks for the thoughtful review, Fred. Are you going to keep your 1DIV? I am. I'll sell my 1DsIII, though.

P.S. I bet I could handhold the 400/2.8L IS II + 1.4x Extender with a Cheetah charging at me, too - adrenalin is a wonderful thing!



Yes, I'm keeping mine.
Although the 400mm f/2.8L IS II is heavier than the 500 II, it's shorter and very well-balanced. Most of the photos on the review were shot handheld.

mco_970 wrote:
Very nicely done, Fred. You should do wildlife photography more often.

Will do.
Very quickly I understood that like landscape photography, shooting wildlife takes a lot of practice, patience and good lighting!

AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.


Love it! Peter, no idea how you got these colors around.

Thanx, Aaron, it's an ancient Chinese trick applied to contemmporary gears. I can assure you, no photoshop action has touched that JPG.

PetKal wrote:
Good and thorough review, Fred, with balanced and experienced view.
There have been some 1DX reviews on the internet before, however, thankfully, yours is in a different league.

Thanks for the kind words Peter! I have enjoyed our chats!

StillFingerz wrote:
@ Fred, thank you for your nicely balanced, informative review; your 5D3 and D800 side-by-side as well!; beautiful images throughout both posts! A 1DX is out of reach but not the 5D3...early next year cross fingers!

@ Ralph and All,

San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park are just down south of Fred, about 45/50 miles; less than an hour away, about 90 miles; an hour and 1/2 for me. If you ever get to the SoCal area they are both do-not-miss shooting destinations for those Cheetah like wild critters...there is Big-Cats-R-US if you dare

The California coastline ain't to bad either, Fred's San Clemente (it's downtown and pier), Newport and Huntington Beaches; NB's Back Bay, HB's Wetlands, Catalina Island, the LA beaches n canyons, Big Sur, Morro Bay, Missions galore (San Juan Capistrano is wonderful) and others, nor are several inland areas like Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, the Sequoias and there's that little valley of ours known as Yosemite!

Born and raised in SoCal, having surfed, sailed, hiked, climbed and now rolling about most of our golden state, I might be somewhat bias to it's beauty...naaaaaaaah

Jerry

Yes Jerry,
So many places for shooting wildlife close to home. For this review I visited Huntington Beach's Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Bolsa Chica Lagoon Trail, Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, Safari park, Las Pulgas, and my own backyard.

PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.

Cool Peter! I didn't know the 1DX underwater housing was shipping yet.

jcolwell wrote:
PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.

Cool Peter! I didn't know the 1DX underwater housing was shipping yet.

Fred, I've been struggling with this decision for my needs and your well balanced reviewed is invaluable. Much appreciated.

Enloyable review. Very readable. And validates my purchase of the camera, though the stated need for more reach/poxels resonates with me. Canon will come though. > )

I've been waiting for news of creature activity at Bolsa Chica and Back Bay, and even further south from me before committing to the drive there. It appears that it may be soon.

Db

@ Db, it's been pretty hot lately, a light breeze was nice today, overcast until about 9:30am back about 7ish, waves were 3-5' in HB but fully blown out...there was little IF action at the wetlands or beach; a few kites and planes.

I did not shoot anything worthy of FM, mostly tested tracking with a 50D, 300f4L IS + 1.4X and enjoyed the afternoon and the plethora of non flying birds wondering about the HB pier

StillFingerz wrote:
@ Db, it's been pretty hot lately, a light breeze was nice today, overcast until about 9:30am back about 7ish, waves were 3-5' in HB but fully blown out...there was little IF action at the wetlands or beach; a few kites and planes.

I did not shoot anything worthy of FM, mostly tested tracking with a 50D, 300f4L IS + 1.4X and enjoyed the afternoon and the plethora of non flying birds wondering about the HB pier

Thanks for the report SF, , although does the adage "...the harbinger of bad news.." apply? ;>. As far as shore points go, perhaps the Marima which is closer is worth a visit.

It would be a great convenience if we have a FM site to report on photo ops.

Db

PetKal wrote:
AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.


Love it! Peter, no idea how you got these colors around.

Thanx, Aaron, it's an ancient Chinese trick applied to contemmporary gears. I can assure you, no photoshop action has touched that JPG.

I will have to look for that once I get a longer lens. The longest I have now is the 135L.

My lens collection is rather limited nowadays.

AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.


Love it! Peter, no idea how you got these colors around.

Thanx, Aaron, it's an ancient Chinese trick applied to contemmporary gears. I can assure you, no photoshop action has touched that JPG.

I will have to look for that once I get a longer lens. The longest I have now is the 135L.

My lens collection is rather limited nowadays.


Aaron, I was just kidding about the ancient Chinese trick.......you could do a similar effect with 135L which, BTW, is one of the fastest focussing EF lenses, and you know what its IQ qualities are. The "trick" consist of shooting a target thru a rather fine water spray, but as little mist as possible (unless you wanna get a rainbow effect which, BTW, will divert your AF very quickly), with a fast lens wide open, and sunlight on the scene.
Also, you have to set the camera tracking sensitivity to the lowest value available, and then track a moving target as it enters into the spray. Conversely, you can focus on a stationary target such as a kid, and then have someone turn a water hose in front of him/her. Many variations are obviously possible of the basic idea.

PetKal wrote:
AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
AaronNegro wrote:
PetKal wrote:
I hope Fred wouldn't mind me posting some of my 1DX shots, such as they are....only temporarily.


Love it! Peter, no idea how you got these colors around.

Thanx, Aaron, it's an ancient Chinese trick applied to contemmporary gears. I can assure you, no photoshop action has touched that JPG.

I will have to look for that once I get a longer lens. The longest I have now is the 135L.

My lens collection is rather limited nowadays.



Also, you have to set the camera tracking sensitivity to the lowest value available, and then track a moving target as it enters into the spray. Conversely, you can focus on a stationary target such as a kid, and then have someone turn a water hose in front of him/her. Many variations are obviously possible of the basic idea.

This part, I keep playing with the AF on my 5DIII and I am still a bit challenged, the AF is the same in the 1DX. The times I had to play with a 1DsII and 1DIII I was not challenged somehow.

Need to get to know it better and adapt to it soon or I will miss cracking shots

Thanks a million for the trick, knowing Irish weather...I might get the chance for this.