jederick Loc: Northern Utah

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

tcthome Loc: NJ

Great photo. And even thow I don't own a Sony, thanks for sharing your settings.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Well done.

Jeannie88

splendid image. Years ago when we lived in South Florida, I would go to both green Cay, and wakodahatchee as well as the refuge. I am really enjoying your beautiful Florida bird shots

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

Thank you.

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

I have owned and shot over 15 brands of camera's over my 40 years of professional photography.
My love of wildlife photography has taken off since retirement in 2009.
I was always a Nikon guy, have been a member of Nikon Professional Services since it's inception.
I currently shoot Sony, Canon, and Nikon. But because of the early development of mirrorless telephoto primes and zooms by Sony, I have done a lot with that brand lately.
I usually carry the 600 mm prime as my go to weapon of choice but on my Spyder belt I carry an older Sony a9 with the Sony 100-400 mm zoom. Between these two I can get almost anything I aim the camera at.
I have admired the catch up by Canon and Nikon is respect to mirrorless equipment which offers many advantages over DSLR's with respect to wildlife photography.
For years I used the Nikon D4s, D500, and D850 for my wildlife shooting. But as mirrorless came into vogue I had to take a hard look at them and decided mirrorless was the future of photography.
I am a retired school superintendent and have owned my own photography business of over 40 years.
I am not rich but all of my extra money goes toward the hobby I have always enjoyed since I was 7 and camped out in my older brothers dark room in dad's basement. I have been hooked on it since.
I have been a UPI photographer, shot for the US environmental agencies, taught basic and advance photography courses, and ran my own wedding photography business for over 35 years during my time in education.
So, thanks for your feedback and wishing you success in whatever photographic endeavor you choose.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

Wonderful shot! Great pose. Luv the feather detail. With all of that photo data what was your body temperature? Over dressed, under dressed? Thanx for sharing.

joemcl1

Bill,
I always look forward to your bird photos...they are beautiful and set a high standard for the rest of us.
It would be helpful if you would expand on your comments on the main advantages of mirrorless over DSLRs for nature photography. Also do usually use the 600mm hand held?
All the best,
Joe McL

LeeK Loc: Washington State

Stupendous picture!!

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Something about this shot reminds me of the Gabor sisters - Eva and Zsa Zsa 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Awesome image Bill.

Don

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

Body temp. 98.6 degrees, hiking shorts, tee shirt (back of white tee shirt reads, "wildlife photographer, please do not feed")
Ankle black socks, blue HOKA shoes, Tilley explorers hat, recent hair and beard trim.
In addition to the Sony a1 and Sony 600 f4, I also wore a Spider Holster on my waist that held a Sony a9 and Sony 100-400 FE 4.5-5.6/100-400 GM OSS lens.

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

Thanks for your comment. The main advantages for me with Mirrorless are the fact I can now shoot at 30 frames per second, which in some situations, is a game changer for me anyway. A image of an Osprey at the moment just before hitting the water and the moment it lifts it's catch out of the water, the moment a Great Blue Heron delivers a stick to it's mate and the mate reaches with beak open to receive that stick.
I would like to mention here that I am looking forward to Sony offering "Pre Capture" like the Nikon z9 has and Canon has added.
PRE CAPTURE allows the camera, with the shutter pushed half way to take a series of images BEFORE the shutter button is pushed all the way, you can set pre capture to take 20, 30, 40, or 50 images.
This is how it works, lets say you have a Least Bittern ready to catch a minnow, you press the shutter button half way the the camera is now taking 20 to 50 images, when it has taken all of those images you have programed it dumps those and starts again, this repeats until you press the button all the way. SO, before pre capture I would press the shutter button when I see the Least Bittern go for the minnow, but I would miss several shots because I would always be a little late, with pre capture, you press the shutter button and your camera already has 20-50 shots stored for you, so you don't miss anything, DSLR's do not and will not ever have pre capture, and my Nikons DSLR's could not shoot 30 frames per second.
The other main advantage for me with mirrorless is that I can see exactly my exposure in the electronic viewfinder before I take the shot. This is important for shooting white birds.
I can also custom set up to 8 buttons on my camera and can press them as I look through the viewfinder. I can press all of these as I look through. I have 5 preset focusing modes I can cycle through as I am looking at my subject.
My Sony 600 f4 weights only 6 lbs. You might say, hey, 6 lbs is a lot, yes it is, but it is CENTER WEIGHTED, and I find it quite easy to hand hold. Now I only lift it to take a shot, or, I wear elbow pads and I rest these on the wood railing where I shoot for longer holds.
In addition to the 600 I also have a Spider Holster around my waist that holds my Sony a9 and the Sony 100-400 lens for when my subject is very close. In the example below, the Tri-colored chicks were very close to the board walk and my 600 was way to close. I also quickly switched to center spot focusing for the shot.
I used to use my Nikon D500 and D850 for shots, if you have ever used a D850, you know how LOUD it is.
My Sony's are silent, great for OWL images, in the second example, I was very close to this female Easter Screech Owl, a quiet shutter is a must.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

Thanx! TMI but thanx!