*OFFICIAL* Snapshot of the Day (one image per post please) #2

[Trijicon]

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Trijicon

What ISO are you pushing? trying to get faster shutter speeds?

This light was perfect, so I was set to Manual mode to deal with the widely varying backgrounds, ISO 400, f/8.0 and 1/2000-sec.

Here's one where conditions were not so ideal, so I was at ISO 1600, f/8.0 again for DOF, and 1/1600-sec. The eagle flew into the shade, but bits of light hit it. This is around an 80% crop!

As light gets worse and worse, I'll let SS drop down to 1/800-sec. for birds and much lower for mammals. With the eagle in shade, my next steps would have been wide-open aperture, before lowering SS down to 1/1200 or 1/1000-sec.

Immature Bald Eagle Fishes For Shad by dcstep, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Wonderful light on the Sidney Opera House.

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Still loving my new Series II 500mm.

I can see why!

[BrokenVert]

No animals around here, but I did manage to make it out to my favorite abandoned airfield.


Electric Airplane by Matthew D. Kalish, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

That's a great shot. How's the battery life in the cold weather?

[drmdvl]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Still loving my new Series II 500mm.

Great shot Dave!

Sydney opera house pic is stunning too Trijicon

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

That's a great shot. How's the battery life in the cold weather?

Yeah the light was amazing for about 20 minutes. Just the right amount of clouds for softness but not enough to kill the contrast of midday sun.

Battery life takes a big hit, more of one than the ActiveE did. Im lucky to get 60 miles out of it before the REx kicks in now. Thats a 25% reduction in range versus the ActiveE which dropped from 110 to around 100.


NaCl i3 by Matthew D. Kalish, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

I took what was most likely the last trip of the season up to the NWR's on Monday. Sure enough, most of the birds have headed out. So all that's left are the year round residents...

Backlit Bunny by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[M_Six]

It won't replace my 400 5.6 or my Siggy 120-300 for hardcore birding, but for a sub $200 lens on a sub $300 body, this lightweight gem works pretty well.

SL1 and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM


Bluejays by Mark J Photography, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

It won't replace my 400 5.6 or my Siggy 120-300 for hardcore birding, but for a sub $200 lens on a sub $300 body, this lightweight gem works pretty well.

SL1 and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

That's a very realistic starter rig for people that want a first dive into nature photography.

Time for you to make the move that I made a few years ago, moving from the 400/f5.6 to the 500/f4 Series I. I've got a killer deal for you at $5,000.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by dcstep

That's a very realistic starter rig for people that want a first dive into nature photography.

Time for you to make the move that I made a few years ago, moving from the 400/f5.6 to the 500/f4 Series I. I've got a killer deal for you at $5,000.

I'd have to sell both the other lenses, which would be feasible if the Siggy 120-300 weren't so useful for other things like shooting sports. It's a gem for that use when you factor in the zoom range.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I'd have to sell both the other lenses, which would be feasible if the Siggy 120-300 weren't so useful for other things like shooting sports. It's a gem for that use when you factor in the zoom range.

I'm using a EF 70-200mm for sports and mammals and the 500mm for birds and distant wildlife. I keep the long lens on a crop-body and the 70-200mm on my full-frame and slip the EF 1.4x TC-III on and off as needed.

I GUARANTEE, if you own the 500mm, you will not use the others, except you will want a solution at the shorter end.

Dave

[Itsed65]

I didn't have time to hoist my 500 up to grab this guy as he was scurrying into the grass. These pheasants are shy little buggers. I made do with the 100-400 that was in my hands at the moment.

Pheasant in the Grass by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

I didn't have time to hoist my 500 up to grab this guy as he was scurrying into the grass. These pheasants are shy little buggers. I made do with the 100-400 that was in my hands at the moment.

They are tough to shoot, for sure. Trying to get a flight shot is even more challenging. They seem to always fly into the sun and they're so quick that getting a bead on them is tough. I use my 70-200mm when trying for flight shots.

Another pheasant... wings-up position by dcstep, on Flickr

It took me over 100-hours of trying to get this shot.

[Itsed65]

Love that one Dave. The only ones that ever fly around me are female, and I am never fast enough.

[BrokenVert]

Particularly pleasant pheasant photo Dave!

[dcstep]

Thanks guys.

Ed, the secret to my success, after trying lots of other techniques, I walk along the cattails (or tall grasses, or where ever they are in your environment), sun behind me, making lots of noise, with my camera up near my eye, at somewhere between 100 and 200mm, with lots of shutter speed, pre-focused about five-yards ahead.

After the shot above, a week later, I took a newbie out and he got almost the exact shot. It's helps if there are two shooters and you can herd them a bit and give them only a choice to fly with the sun instead of into it. Like deer, they move from one area to another in the mornings and back in the evenings. Figuring that pattern out is helpful.

[dcstep]

Perched Bald Eagle by dcstep, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

One more jack rabbit
Hop-a-long by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Great Jack Rabbit action.

[GarenM]

St. Paul's Cathedral by Garen M., on Flickr