I used a Nikon D300 with 200-400mm vr lens and TC 1.4
I was about 40-50 feet away.

Larry

Photographed in the Florida Everglades

It is sharp, fast and an excellent piece of glass.
I shoot indoor basketball games with it regularly and get outstanding results. Also great as a travel lens for shooting inside European churches. Well worth the money.

Larry

With the sun setting behind me, this handsome fella rose from behind a ridge to give me a classic elk pose.
Hope you like this one.
Nikon D300 with 200-400mm vr + tc 1.4
this one is handheld.

Larry

I think 2 and 5 are excellent.
Don't feel bad about a lack of comments. I've also noticed that some photos don't generate many comments. Perhaps lots of views--but few comments.
Keep posting, some of us appreciate the photos.

Larry

Scot Kelby's book is great---start there
It will take some experimenting

Larry

Have you looked a Lightroom 3??? It will fix darn near anything. Does a good job with jpegs but is unbelievable with RAW files.

Larry

My answer would depend on what you are going to be shooting. Since I like to shoot wildlife (and sports for several local papers) I would look for the one that is the fastest. (then the newest).

Larry

This is one of 4 young bull moose that I tracked onto a high forest. Then while I worked my way around to be in front of them, they one by one waded across this stream. Not much chance to kill the background as they were just coming out of it.

I'll note they crossed the stream much easier than I did.
Nikon d300 with 200-400mm vr lens on tripod

Larry

Just a thought. I shoot Nikon and use only Nikon glass. They make the lens for the camera I use why would I switch. I use top line cameras and top line lenses. I have no problems and get consistently sharp quality photos

You get what you pay for.

I often shoot wildlife with a friend who uses Sigma lenses. He always asks why my shots are better.

Just an after thought. I belong to another photo list called naturescapes. Most of these folks are the best in the world at what they shoot. I don't recall seeing ANYONE using off brand lenses as indicated by their posts. Everything is Canon and Nikon.

Larry

IT IS NOT THE CAMERA, OR THE LENS---

It is the person BEHIND the camera and the lens that makes the photo

Then there is the post processing techniques---now a days you have to be as good working in post as you do with the camera.

I'm shooting Nikons, professionally (nature, wildlife occasionally people---but no product) I like the nikon flashes, I think they are better than canon, that is the reason I use Nikon.

Larry

According to my notes I was between 35-45 feet and laying on the ground. Camera was on tripod with Wimberly Sidekick mounted on a ball head.

Everything looks a bit soft to my eye. This might be a lens issue, or long lens shooting technique. In photo 1 the feathers look to be in better focus than the eagle's head. When shooting wildlife the EYE is everything. Focus on the eye and the viewer's mind will fill in the body parts. The whites are also a bit blown out---try adding some EV compensation.

It is a fine elk shot and you did well with the blur of the background to help the elk pop out a bit. Each photographer "sees" the subject in his own way and there is no real right or wrong. But after having been critiqued my many topnotch wild like photographers (such as Moose Peterson) I tend to be very critical of my own work so here are a couple of nit-picking thoughts.

First, check the horizon line of BOTH the land and the trees. You will notice that both gradually move up hill to the right indicating that the camera was not level. This can be fixed by using a bubble level on camera in the flash hot shoe or cleaned up on post (with Photoshop)

Second, the elk is directly in the bullseye position and this leaves the photo very static. moving him slightly to the left would leave an impression of him moving into the photo.

Please don't be offended---these are just musings

Larry

High in the Rockies, and along the shore of a lost and unnamed lake I ran across this Sandpiper mother protecting her brood. After more than an hour she decided I was no threat and went about her business and provided me with several close ups (with a 400mm lens and a tc 1.7) Eventually I even got to see the chicks.

Larry