Blackbird and Mergansers (pics included)

[Dbl]

Thought I would throw something up, just needed to shoot something except sports for an hour. These were shot under the 1:00pm sun today while out walking the dog. Not the best time, but it is what it is.

#1 All shots below at ISO 200, 1/800s, f6.3 Av mode with 300/2.8 with 1.4TC

#2

#3

#4

I have about 10 shots of the drake grabbing a crayfish from the bottom shaking it around and eating it, but they were shot at such a distance I am not happy with the sharpness after doing some major cropping. I didn't know what the heck he was doing until I got it home and looked on the computer. It was interesting to see.

[Steve Foss]

Hey Dan:

Great to see some of your work again. And heck, you gotta shoot when you can, right?

I like 'em all. I definitely gotta get out there and add some more RWBB images to the library. Got a new 30D coming from Brown on Monday to replace the dead 20D, and I don't think I'll sleep all weekend.

I like the first merganser pair the best because of the way they are duplicating each other's pose. And you waited to get your captures in all the merg shots until they were looking back or in profile.

The sports gigs coming in fast and furious?

[Dbl]

Thanks Steve, congratulations on the 30D. I know you will love it, kind of wish I had that instead of the 20D just for the expanded ISO settings. I literally spend all my free time shooting sports, it has been crazy. I am up over 25,000 actuations on my 20D and multiplying fast so I will be adding a Mark II in the next month or I will be without a camera myself!

There is nothing worse than waiting for new equipment to show up! It just about killed me waiting for the 300/2.8 to show up a few months back. It has almost been welded to my camera since. I know you will show us some great results with the new camera.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Those are awesome shots Dan. A question,do you miss having the ability to zoom? I had a new 28-300L IS for about 3 weeks but sent it back because the image quality was definately not worth the money. I wish canon would make their 70-200 f4 IS into say,a 85-300 IS the same size/weight. I have heard rave reviews about the new 70-200 f4 IS, but i don't think i could afford to lose 100mm zoom. I would like to try a big prime,but sometimes when i am in the woods or tree stand,i need to zoom out just to find the subject. The 100-400L IS is a fine lens,but if i bought another one, i would be in the same boat as when i had the 28-300L [couldn't use my beloved lowepro slingshot 200] The 70-200L's seem to have a bulletproof rep. i can't find a bad review on one. For me they would be the perfect lens,if they had another 100mm reach! Right now i am contemplating a new 70-200 F4 L IS + 1.4 tc =280mm but i can't find anyone who can tell me how much sharpness i will lose adding the tc. Plus,i have to get the money spent before my wife spends it for me!

Steve,you will love that 30d's big lcd screen. It's great for aging eyes!

[Steve Foss]

MM, on Canon's sharpest zooms, there' virtually no noticeable loss in IQ with the 1.4 TC. And the 70-200 series is their sharpest zoom series. You will have much better IQ with the 70-200/1.4 than with your current zoom.

Did I read your post right, that you'd like to buy the 100-400L IS but it wouldn't fit in your bag? Friend, that's the tail wagging the dog. Many, many comfortable bags in a number of different styles out there that would do you just great.

I'll be heading into the woods today with the XT for one last shoot before it returns to backup body status. The 30D should be here tomorrow.

[Dbl]

Quote:

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Those are awesome shots Dan. A question,do you miss having the ability to zoom? Right now i am contemplating a new 70-200 F4 L IS + 1.4 tc =280mm but i can't find anyone who can tell me how much sharpness i will lose adding the tc. Plus,i have to get the money spent before my wife spends it for me!

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MM I love using the prime lens, but my situation is a bit different. I use it primarily for sports. I can normally use my feet to zoom I just reposition myself until I get the framing I want. That is not as easy with wildlife. Using a prime will get you looking at angles you normally would not have considered or thought of.

Steve is right on the 70-200 zooms being very sharp even with the 1.4 TC on. I use my 70-200/2.8 with TC allot this time of the year. The results are superb but compare them to the 300/2.8 and well...just a different class. I am sorting through the couple thousand shots from this weekend with both those lenses and it really is not hard to pick out the prime shots.

It really comes down to your shooting style and how you will use the lens.

[Steve Foss]

Dan, no fair comparing any Canon zoom with the 300 f2.8L! It's widely considered to be Canon's sharpest telephoto prime.

However, you bring up a good point about perspective and what one shoots when limited by a prime lens.

Also, the 300 f4L IS and 1.4 TC would be a fairly inexpensive way to get to about 400mm, and the shots I've seen from that combo are very sharp. Particularly with birds and smaller animals, a shooter almost always is looking for more reach rather than more flexibility, so it's something for MM to consider. That combo is almost exactly the same money as the 100-400L IS and not much more than than the 70-200 f4L IS and 1.4 TC combo, and the results should be a tad sharper.

And it would offer a small amount of flexibility, because if 420mm is a bit too much, a person can pull off the TC for 300mm.

[Swimmer]

Thanks for the informative discussion guys. Dan, nice shots...to bad the crayfish shots didn't pass muster. There are a lot of folks on this sight that are looking foreward to Steve getting his 30d! Mine has been gathering a little dust as of late. The boss seems to be getting alittle toooo attached to the 100-400L and 16-35 2.8L II lenses. I will have to settle for the Tamron and Kenkos this weekend.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Thanks for all the helpful insight. I spoke with a diehard Canon freakazoid who shoots for a local newspaper and has been in it for 30+ years and has been shooting digital since the 1st Canon digital slr. He is a retired corporate lawyer who is doing his dream job now that he is retired. Hence the bucks for the top flight equip. He is an extreme pixel peeper and owns the following "L" lenses: 300 2.8,600mmIS,70-200 2.8,85mm,180macro,100-400is,17-40,70-200F4/IS. Bodies? XTI,30d,1DmkII,1DmkIIN,5D. On his recommendation,and after viewing images shot with a few of the different lenses[on his 30" computer screen],i ordered a 70-200f4L IS & 1.4TC. I could tell it takes alot to impress this guy,and he was very impressed with this new lens [so was I]. He has had it about 3 months,and said it is his most used lens for outdoor/traveling when weight is a concern.

Super nice guy,he said if i wanted to borrow the 600mm some weekend it would be ok. I think i would be too nervous about it getting damaged,so i declined. New lens might be here tomorrow,so we'll see...............

[Steve Foss]

Way to go MM. I'm sure you'll have a blast with that setup. And, of course, you'll have to share your work with us.

[Dbl]

I think you will be more than happy with that combination MM. Congratulations on the purchase. Can't wait to see a few photos.