This thread may cost me some $$$$. I shot Oly about a decade ago when I retired from professional photography with Nikon gear and wanted something smaller, really liked the size and quality of lenses but just couldn't deal with the AF (slow, but seems like they've really fixed that especially with new OM-1) and poor high ISO performance, so I went back to Nikon. The bokeh in so many of these images is outstanding. Nikon just released their 800mm f/6.3 PF that I was thinking of, but now I'm thinking an Olympus 150-400 f/4.5 might be a lot more usable for my photography these days.
wjmeyer wrote:
This thread may cost me some $$$$. I shot Oly about a decade ago when I retired from professional photography with Nikon gear and wanted something smaller, really liked the size and quality of lenses but just couldn't deal with the AF (slow, but seems like they've really fixed that especially with new OM-1) and poor high ISO performance, so I went back to Nikon. The bokeh in so many of these images is outstanding. Nikon just released their 800mm f/6.3 PF that I was thinking of, but now I'm thinking an Olympus 150-400 f/4.5 might be a lot more usable for my photography these days....Show more →
I recently bought a RF 400 2.8L for my R5 and as great of a lens that is I enjoy using the 150-400mm more.
robert_in_ca wrote:
I recently bought a RF 400 2.8L for my R5 and as great of a lens that is I enjoy using the 150-400mm more.
Seems like not that long ago the D850 was the BIF king, from what I've been reading about Olympus' new bird AF tracking, it almost seems unfair. What I'm liking about many of these images in this thread is it is making me want to get outdoors a lot more, I recently moved to Panhandle region of Florida near the beach and there seems to be a lot more birding opportunities down here
wjmeyer wrote:
Seems like not that long ago the D850 was the BIF king, from what I've been reading about Olympus' new bird AF tracking, it almost seems unfair. What I'm liking about many of these images in this thread is it is making me want to get outdoors a lot more, I recently moved to Panhandle region of Florida near the beach and there seems to be a lot more birding opportunities down here
This next set deserves some explanation. After a pretty quiet birding day, I decided to try my hand again at these shorebirds, this time I was using a groundpod and laying prone on the beach for about half an hour with them. They were surprisingly cooperative and tame. A stream of hikers were passing by the flock without them really paying any attention and they carried out their business. Occasionally they would fly out over open water and return to a new section of beach which made it possible to try some BIFs.
The birds were busy preening, washing, scavenging for food, when out of nowhere I saw a dark object flash into the flock (it must have been going at least 50-80 miles per hour) and the whole flock fluttered away in distress. I then shouted “Peregrine!” to my partner, and as soon as I realized what was going on, I mashed the shutter button like madman. It all happened so fast that I was sure I didn’t catch any photos, but sure enough I got one with the poor bird clearly still alive clutched in the talons heading off into the distance. Not my best work, but enough evidence to recount the experience. After the whole episode I was speechless. My guess is that the peregrine was nesting nearby, soared at altitude until dive bombing the flock at full speed. I've seen them take pigeons in the city before but never up close and personal like this.
FrankA373 wrote:
Incredible Bobby. Can you share your settings? The focus on the peregrine is spot on.
Thank you Frank. The heat mirage coming off the sand kept it a bit less sharp than I was hoping for, but I was still pleased to see I caught something.
My Olympus 150-400 F4.5 TC Pro, should be arriving tonight. looking at these images, seems to validate my decision. I shot Olympus and Sony..But, this lens...has had my attention since it's announcement years ago. I've been on the waiting list for over a year...so, just waiting for the truck. thank you all for sharing.
coldnerves wrote:
My Olympus 150-400 F4.5 TC Pro, should be arriving tonight. looking at these images, seems to validate my decision. I shot Olympus and Sony..But, this lens...has had my attention since it's announcement years ago. I've been on the waiting list for over a year...so, just waiting for the truck. thank you all for sharing.
Congratulations on receiving your lens. That was a long wait but you are going to like the versatility of the lens.
