I had the 70-200 2.8 and found it excellent but too heavy for the type of photography I do, nature and wildlife. Got the f/4 IS version and couldn’t be happier. Definitely not long enough for most wildlife so I use the 100-400 II most of the time. Although I still use the 70-200, the 100-400 is on my camera 80% of the
time. There is a plus to the 100-400 in that it allows you to get in close even at 400mm. In conclusion I’d look seriously at the Canon 100-400 II.

Fantastic capture CWS ... and nice wind chime as well.

Terrific capture.

Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico has been my winter place to go for over two decades but a state refuge at Bernardo has caught my attention for a few years. Half the distance from Albuquerque is a plus for me. Rows of corn planted perpendicular to the road is a plus for everyone. There is a pond that the birds use for roosting and it has easy access for viewers to enter. Bosque del Apache is still a fine refuge with a much greater variety of birds and animals but for those interested in watching and photographing Sandhill Cranes, Bernardo might be the location to go to ... or try both since they're only 45 miles apart.

Sandhill Scabble

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Dinner Guests

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Fly by

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Lost in a Corn Field

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Checking Windage

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Fly out at Bosque del Apache

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Fly out at Bosque del Apache

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Murmuration at Bosque del Apache

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Wish I had known you were at BdA. Very nice images considering fewer birds. Because of that situation, I do fly out and fly in at BdA and spend the rest of the day at Bernardo’s Ladd S. Gordon state waterfowl refuge. It has some great advantages over Bosque in that the rows of corn are perpendicularT to I the roads and since it’s a state refuge, they can use GMO corn which the federal refuge can’t. Hope you’ll return.

Lens depends on camera to balloon distance. Here in Albuquerque, we very close to the display of too many balloons so a wide angle works well, however beware that ultra wide lenses will distort the shapes. Exposure is easy. Manual exposure mode, wide open, comfortable shutter speed (I use 1/80th) and auto ISO. You paid a lot for your camera that has a computer, so let it do it’s job. Use exposure compensation to vary your exposure.

terrific image. Thanks for sharing.

Well done. Great exposures and nice sharpness. Obviously you had fun and it shows.

Hello Manny. I too use a wheelchair and still manage to capture images almost daily. I'm a docent (volunteer) at our Botanic Garden and have found I can go everywhere someone walking can go at our garden, zoo or water park. What I can't do is hike trails or go water skiing. What I don't do is stay home complaining about what I can't do. I find that capturing images from my chair gives me great stability by placing my arms (elbows) on my chair's arm rests. My normal camera/lens set is using a 100-400mm lens.

So Manny, how can I, or other Hogs, help you? You've got good equipment so you should be able to capture some terrific images ... assuming you know your camera, how to make it work for you and the exposure triangle. Please let us know more specific questions ... and welcome to UHH.

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Tony, you and your partner will love CR. So in Tortuguero you be in a boat. I always used a 500 with a 1.4X and carried a 100mm macro for use when being on the shore for flowers and frogs. Your 80-400 with the 1.4 extender will be okay unless you could get your hands on a 200-500. That, the 200-500, would be my prime lens if I used Nikon. In Savegre you'll be capturing images of hummingbird, small colorful birds, the Resplendent Quetzal and numerous others. Your 80-400 and a 1.4 should be your prime lens. I don't think I every used my macro there except on flowers during any of my 11 trips. Osa Penn. is in the SW corner of CR. Seabirds reptiles and large colorful birds in the trees will occupy your time. Again I'd prefer the 200-500 but you 80-400 should do you fine.

When you're in the boat in Tortuguero, ask your guide to show you an Agami Heron ... Absolutely beautiful & rare. Image attached. The Quetzal is your goal when in Savegre and one is attached. Osa will be some great colors so here is a Macaw image. Have a great experience.

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Very easy and simple. Press the menu button, rotate the wheel behind shutter release button until the "wrench #1" is illuminated. With your rocker, go down to "auto rotate" and with the wheel on the cameras back, rotate to the second position that shows the word "On" and a computer simple image. Push set and you're done.

I have both and use them on a 5D III and a 7D II. The Canon mkII is my everyday lens at the Botanic Garden where I am volunteer (docent) because I can focus close even at 400mm. I use the Tamron when outdoors photographing from hummingbirds to Sandhill Cranes. Both are terrific lenses but the Canon does close focus whereas the Tamron is lighter and less expensive. Here are two examples. The hummers were captured using the Tamron and the Butterfly was taken with the Canon without any extension tubes or diopter lenses.

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I have an extra BH-55 with a lever clamp that I'd consider selling. Contact me with a PM on UHH.

I use the Tamron 100--400 and am very happy. The main reason I would go with Tamron is their 6 year warrantee. I had a Sigma that was at Sigma repair more the once for the same problem and they charged me big bucks to fix the same problem that they never could fix from the beginning. Here is a sample of the Tamron at 352mm. Look at the download and you'll find nice, sharp detail.

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