What lens to use? (Page 4): I use 2 cameras: for digital I have a canon t5i which I use extensively.My walk around lense is a 45/300 zoom. The reason I still use this camea and have...

henrycrafter Loc: Orem Utah

I use 2 cameras:
for digital I have a canon t5i which I use extensively.My walk around lense is a 45/300 zoom.
The reason I still use this camea and have not upgraded is it satisfies my needs and I know the camera inside and out.
For film I use a Mamiya rb67 usually with a 90mm lens. However for tele situations I have a rare 360 mm that I dare not use without a tripod.
I prefer to shoot color transparency film which I have been doing since 1954 so I am prejudiced that direction.
I also am a great believer in neutral density filters. Oh well! Enough said! Remember KEEP SHOOTING!!!

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

"henry crafter" What place do you get slide film and who processes it? Thanks in advance for the info.

10MPlayer Loc: California

Yes. Canon's EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is super sharp and will capture birds well too. It takes a steady hand or a tripod or monopod too.

I bought the Tamron 150-600 G1 lens when it first came out. While I can get sharp usable images with it I have to be careful to keep the aperture around f8 to f11. Anything more closed than f11 things start to get fuzzy. Also I can't get very sharp images with it if I go all the way to 600mm which makes that part of it pretty useless. The G2 version is noticeably better. I looked at the Sigma lenses but they are twice as heavy and twice as much money.

If I was going to replace my Tamron I'd go with the EF 100-400L I mentioned above. I rented an earlier version of it for a trip to Costa Rica and it was terrific. Of course all of the things CHG_Canon said are right on. It's big, it's heavy, it takes some practice to get good images and it costs $2199. I'd look for a lightly used one.

Here are a couple of images I shot a couple of years ago with my Canon 60D and the Tamron lens. Not bad but they could be better.

f8 428mm 1/200 Tamron 150-600 G1

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f8 1/100 s 522mm Tamron 150-600 G1

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henrycrafter Loc: Orem Utah

The Dark Room in California and Allen camera in Orem utah

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

"Henry" Thanks

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Scruples wrote:

The other day I was walking around a Salt Marsh ne... (show quote)

Canon 100-400 is sharper and better built and will be worth more at trade in time than a 3rd party mistake.

henrycrafter Loc: Orem Utah

You are more than welcome.
I am planning to start posting frequently again as I am now out of mourning for my late wife who succumed to lung cancer in 2017

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

So so for the passing of your wife. My condolences...

henrycrafter wrote:

You are more than welcome.
I am planning to start posting frequently again as I am now out of mourning for my late wife who succumed to lung cancer in 2017

Marilyng Loc: Lorain,Oh.

henrycrafter wrote:

You are more than welcome.
I am planning to start posting frequently again as I am now out of mourning for my late wife who succumed to lung cancer in 2017

I am so sorry for your loss & I know photography helps us with our losses!

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Scruples wrote:

I’m cropped my photos of the Scarlet Tanager. The photos were blurry and I’m inclined to believe it is camera shake. Since I don’t use the 70-300mm that often. I will be using a tripod and lens supporter Bracket on my next attempt.
As for a larger zoom lens, I’m asking other Hoggers of their experience. As for a 500mm prime lens, it is one of my choices.
I have gotten good advice from fellow Hoggers and will be doing my homework. Thanks to all.

Happy Shooting!

If it is camera shake, then any lens will have the same problem. Maybe a monpole would suffice.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

PHRubin wrote:

If it is camera shake, then any lens will have the same problem. Maybe a monpole would suffice.

Camera shake is a big culprit. I have not really used a 70-300mm lens that often. I need some more experience with big pieces of glass.

I have purchased an OBEN tripod. The head supports a camera bottom plate. Also, one leg unscrews to become a monopod.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

It matters not where your motivation comes from, but that it was purchased from an authorized seller.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Scruples wrote:

My question is this. Should I invest in a 150-600mm lens to obtain tack sharp photos of some birds?

Not unless you can manage it properly .....The Tamron 100-400 is much easier to manage and pay for ....and, getting closer also helps ....As does using a crop frame APSC camera....

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Scruples wrote:

I’m cropped my photos of the Scarlet Tanager. The photos were blurry and I’m inclined to believe it is camera shake. Since I don’t use the 70-300mm that often. I will be using a tripod and lens supporter Bracket on my next attempt.
As for a larger zoom lens, I’m asking other Hoggers of their experience. As for a 500mm prime lens, it is one of my choices.
I have gotten good advice from fellow Hoggers and will be doing my homework. Thanks to all.

Happy Shooting!

I went a different route. I bought a used Nikon 1 J1 on ebay for $80 and a new Nikon FT-1 autofocusing adapter to use my Nikkor 55-300 on the J1, for $250. This gives me a 1" sensor camera with an equivalent focal length of 810mm. The rig weighs just over 2 lbs and is my solution for birding. Easy to cradle by the lens in my left hand, hold the camera lcd about a foot away and fire off bursts. The bird on the wire pic attached was at 75 ft. The bird on the 1" diameter fence rail was about 50 ft. away. With the 1" sensor you can crop to 100% and still get a sharp picture. With the light weight you can move around easily to where the birds are.

(Download)

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

So sorry...