mitesh wrote:
Congrats on the new lens, Robert! Be forewarned: with this purchase, you’ve cracked open a door which can never be closed again. The siren song of the 400 GM will occupy your mind during every waking hour. Your mind will rush, your heart will pound and your palms will sweat at the very thought of her cool metal and glass in your hands. Though you may valiantly struggle to remain resolute, the allure of unreal AF speed and buttery bokeh will be too much. Resistance will ultimately prove to be futile and you’ll succumb to desire. Ask me how I know 😂...Show more →
MedicineMan404 wrote:
Balla at the dam said he waited a year.
My friend Mukesh said 'B&H? You'll never get it'.
We'd just done the Outer Banks for hawk migration, Conowingo, Delaware, and then
another trip for the James River......the day I get back from back to back to back trips I
get the 'it's shipped' e-mail haha!
Funny hawling it home in my 1997 Nissan Hardbody pickup truck....the lens worth more than 23 times the truck value
Big thanks to all those who counseled me into it (Douglas, Mukesh) and a big thanks to Geoff who made clear the difference in the 400/2.8.
I can already see the 200600 will be my most used lens. I just wanted to enjoy one big prime before my times up.
Finally got it out today. This the second shot through it.
HOLY CRAP!!! How did you ever get so close to a rough leg Around NY they don't let you get within 500 feet of them. Literally the most skittish bird around here.
aboutthelight wrote:
HOLY CRAP!!! How did you ever get so close to a rough leg Around NY they don't let you get within 500 feet of them. Literally the most skittish bird around here.
I'm in Montana this week fly fishing for trout. There are a lot of them here now because they winter in this valley. We were in a drift boat and I saw this out of the corner of my eye and had to assemble the A1+600mm+1.4x in a few seconds and got some shots off before it took off to that Russian olive tree. We followed it and I got a few more shots before it left. Light was not great but it's a rough legged and I'll take it. I echo your comments though and typically the only shots back east that I have gotten of them have been straight overhead.
MedicineMan404 wrote:
Balla at the dam said he waited a year.
My friend Mukesh said 'B&H? You'll never get it'.
We'd just done the Outer Banks for hawk migration, Conowingo, Delaware, and then
another trip for the James River......the day I get back from back to back to back trips I
get the 'it's shipped' e-mail haha!
Funny hawling it home in my 1997 Nissan Hardbody pickup truck....the lens worth more than 23 times the truck value
Big thanks to all those who counseled me into it (Douglas, Mukesh) and a big thanks to Geoff who made clear the difference in the 400/2.8.
I can already see the 200600 will be my most used lens. I just wanted to enjoy one big prime before my times up.
Finally got it out today. This the second shot through it.
Thanks Geoff! You know you're my hero. I'm just glad to have lived to see the day. Wasn't that long ago and I was 1/2 inch from death. Still healing--taking forever it seems/now dealing with scar tissue that doesn't want to stretch
And everybody said I'd have to wait forever. B&H had a pristine new one in my hands in only 2.5 months. Soon enough Poof and I can give it a try on the A7iv which she'll probably use on the 200600.
Yes the 600 defies logic and physics. If you can wield the 200600 you can wield the 600. Center of gravity in this case wins the day. When a BIF opportunity comes someday, I'll not stand there rigidly holding this rig. I'll just swing it up for the action. I've already had Poof run a timer on how long I can hold it at the eye. I hit 4 minutes before the arms began shaking. I've never held a camera to the eye that long for any shot.
One thing I must LEARN is that in my preferred way of carry (lens foot attached to Kirk Security Strap) and lens+camera riding in the small of my back) that this 600 plus it's ginormous hood (shorter cf printed hood arrived today from my doctor's son who has a 3D printer) is WAY WAY longer than my 200600. Duh eh, but I don't need to bang that OEM hood up haha!
Sorry to all for the big pics. I've forgotten how to post them 'normal' size.
A couple shots of the most famous duck on the East Coast today, the owl was a bonus. This duck was recently found at a park near Philadelphia and became a sensation in the birding community. I drove 280 miles around trip today to see him. He is hanging out with a wood duck hen. It's speculated that his wings were clipped and he was someone's pet.
MedicineMan404 wrote:
Thanks Geoff! You know you're my hero. I'm just glad to have lived to see the day. Wasn't that long ago and I was 1/2 inch from death. Still healing--taking forever it seems/now dealing with scar tissue that doesn't want to stretch
And everybody said I'd have to wait forever. B&H had a pristine new one in my hands in only 2.5 months. Soon enough Poof and I can give it a try on the A7iv which she'll probably use on the 200600.
Yes the 600 defies logic and physics. If you can wield the 200600 you can wield the 600. Center of gravity in this case wins the day. When a BIF opportunity comes someday, I'll not stand there rigidly holding this rig. I'll just swing it up for the action. I've already had Poof run a timer on how long I can hold it at the eye. I hit 4 minutes before the arms began shaking. I've never held a camera to the eye that long for any shot.
One thing I must LEARN is that in my preferred way of carry (lens foot attached to Kirk Security Strap) and lens+camera riding in the small of my back) that this 600 plus it's ginormous hood (shorter cf printed hood arrived today from my doctor's son who has a 3D printer) is WAY WAY longer than my 200600. Duh eh, but I don't need to bang that OEM hood up haha!
Sorry to all for the big pics. I've forgotten how to post them 'normal' size.
Some shots from Conowingo yesterday, saw at least 6 or 7 driving at decent distance (for 840mm, ), but not at ideal angles. The photographers were all shooting 25' something above the water level because the lower levels were closed.
Douglas L wrote:
You should ask Jon (Buffalo Wolf) to make a short 3-D printed hood for you.
Oh yes the duck is nice But if an owl is worth 40-60 eagles it is worth a 100 ducks haha! Great/beautiful work Douglas.
We have 8 Buffleheads in the front yard now....hopped into the canoe and slowly moved out. 70 yards maybe and they flew up lake So super skittish! We followed and never would they let us get closer than 70 yards. Decoys on order
MedicineMan404 wrote:
Oh yes the duck is nice But if an owl is worth 40-60 eagles it is worth a 100 ducks haha! Great/beautiful work Douglas.
We have 8 Buffleheads in the front yard now....hopped into the canoe and slowly moved out. 70 yards maybe and they flew up lake So super skittish! We followed and never would they let us get closer than 70 yards. Decoys on order
Thanks Robert. Someone showed me where the owl was, I would have never found it myself. Then yesterday at Conowingo they were talking about using the thermal binoculars to find owls in the woods, these things ain't cheap!
), but not at ideal angles. The photographers were all shooting 25' something above the water level because the lower levels were closed. 
So super skittish! We followed and never would they let us get closer than 70 yards. Decoys on order