Conrad Tan wrote:
Thanks Noelle! Nice Mourning Doves! I was able to get a couple just now among others. I'll put them up tomorrow! Hope you are feeling better!
Thanks Conrad... I hope I feel better too. I have to photograph 60 preschoolers tomorrow
PetKal wrote:
Shouldn't be a problem, shootin' flapping pijuns is as easy as eating a square pie.
Sorry for OT, the image below was shot with the 300 f/2.8.
PetKal wrote:
Shouldn't be a problem, shootin' flapping pijuns is as easy as eating a square pie.
Sorry for OT, the image below was shot with the 300 f/2.8.
You are exactly the kind of person I hoped would ask the kind of question you did! I am two maybe three weeks into shooting birds. And about 9 months into photography in its entirety! So if its birds in flight you wish to capture, I cannot recommend a better entry level lens than the 400mm f/5.6 I have the 100-400mm as well and as everyone says, the AF is significantly slower with it. The "big guns" 500mm, 600mm, 800mm are all WAY out of my budget. The only thing is you HAVE to be about 40 yards maximum in good light to get a decent 100% crop (basically the very edge of the acceptable envelope). Anything close than 40 yards, the percetage that you'll keep goes up at a good rate. At 20 yards most medium sized subects half the frame and at 10 yards, you're money!!! I've converted my monopod to a "bushhawk" type stock to aid my shaky shaky hands. It has worked very very well for me! Minimum of 1/600 in good light and if you're like me (noisy ass 50D) maximum ISO of 1000 in poor light. If the sun starts to set I go home. The keeper rate drops precipitously! I hope this helps!
Mr Tan,
I am so glad to oblige (& please, call me Scott ). I actually deleted my original post when I looked more closely at the entirety of the pics posted - as I felt I was kind of slighting the amazing BIF shots people had actually posted. But you've captured perfectly (& if I may say, generously) the spirit of my inquiry. I've done a lot of wildlife photography with my 70-200 f/4 w/ & w/out extenders but haven't felt happy with the results, so I am truly intrigued by this lens & am following your thread with interest. So, yeah, this really helps! Please, keep posting.
I was going to sell my 400 5.6 after getting laid off - and having only used it six times. I quickly realized how great it is with birds...but the ones with engines on the wings (w/ 40D)!
Great shots. My first two experiences with that lense were with flapping wings.
Hey Scott! Call me Conrad. You shouldn't have deleted your original post! There was nothing wrong with it. Anyway, I'm glad we have been of some inspiration! I really sucked at it two weeks ago. Laughable is how I would describe my first few shots. But then I went out and shot 1000+ images a day for the last two weeks with sage advice from many many here ringing in my ears as I shot! (remember your ISO, keep SS faster than 1/600, mind the sun to your back, don't bother shooting if the bird is between you and the sun, get a bushhawk, make a bushhawk, practice practice practice...the chants go on and on WHILE I'm shooting!) pretty amusing really. I actually remember the happiest moment for me was finding the BCNH flock. I was trying to get this SINGLE bird for days and days but he always eluded me, so I walked further down and found HIS WHOLE FAMILY! Haha! I just knew I was going to get a good shot that day. Anyway, I really wish I'd gotten the 1DIIN (45 AF points and all) but I feel that the 9 AF points in the 50D has forced me to learn to keep the subject in the center AF point. And the 400mm is as phenomenal at AF as everyone says! Lightning fast. I have no experience using the longer lenses so I'm not sure how it compares with the big guns, but for the price, IMHO, you won't find better. The 70-200 f4 is a wonderful lens, but if you want to get closer without scaring off birds AND not break your bank, a used 400mm f5.6 can be had for around $900 nowadays. I got mine new from Keeble and ... in Palo Alto for $1200. I wanted to be able to exchange it if it was soft, which it wasn't! Anyway I've got a few more I have to resize. Gosh I hope this is the right forum for all of this. Sometimes I feel this should be in Nature and Wildlife...
The lenses that are now collecting dust in my bag are: 100mm f2.8 Macro, 16-35mm II, 85mm f1.2 II AND 100-400mm. Poor lenses! I used to LOVE them so... Haha! But I'll keep them, even if I get laid off I'd rather flip burgers before I sell any of them!
I hpe you find gainful employment soon sav1977!
sav1977 wrote:
I was going to sell my 400 5.6 after getting laid off - and having only used it six times. I quickly realized how great it is with birds...but the ones with engines on the wings (w/ 40D)!
Great shots. My first two experiences with that lense were with flapping wings.
Great efforts! Don't know what monitor you use, but from my end (23" Apple Cinema Display with huey calibrator) your really overexposing your whites and highlights. Just a headsup. Also might want to mind your backgrounds. Other then that awesome stuff!
Hey thanks! I know... my monitor has never been calibrated. I am still learning to use the EV feature haha!! As for the backgrounds, its tough, the birds are so damn far away most of the time that even at f5.6, the backgrounds are annoyingly present. And thanks for the identification!!!
chupacabra31 wrote:
Hey man,
Great efforts! Don't know what monitor you use, but from my end (23" Apple Cinema Display with huey calibrator) your really overexposing your whites and highlights. Just a headsup. Also might want to mind your backgrounds. Other then that awesome stuff!
Conrad Tan wrote:
Hey thanks! I know... my monitor has never been calibrated. I am still learning to use the EV feature haha!! As for the backgrounds, its tough, the birds are so damn far away most of the time that even at f5.6, the backgrounds are annoyingly present. And thanks for the identification!!!
Conrad, a couple of questions for you
Are you shooting RAW or JPG ?
What are you using to edit (if RAW)
What time of day are you shooting at?
I try to stay away from the really harsh sun... I go to the park between 5-6pm when the sun is just starting to settle
I will also shoot when it is sunny but it depends on the subject and how much sun there is.
