Wonderful wonderful! I think it's a male Ruby Throated Hummer. I captured my first ever Hummer (a female Ruby Throated) this summer, at a friend's house where there is a large patch of Bee Balm. Next spring I'll start a nice big patch at home. I'm also going to try to get closer with the 400 MMs I have next summer.

I'm reposting here as I'm not sure if everyone sees it in a reply to one person: I did some calling yesterday and discovered that the only L series lenses that will take a teleconverter are 70-200 lenses, which would take me up to 400mm, for a LOT of money. I then discovered a Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM for $1659 at Abe's of Maine. Read a bunch of reviews. The downside as far as I could see was that some, not all, said the images are soft after about 200mm. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee, so I might try it out... Any comments about this one?

I did some calling yesterday and discovered that the only L series lenses that will take a teleconverter are 70-200 lenses, which would take me up to 400mm, for a LOT of money. I then discovered a Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM for $1659 at Abe's of Maine. Read a bunch of reviews. The downside as far as I could see was that some, not all, said the images are soft after about 200mm. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee, so I might try it out... Any comments about this one?

Thanks- helpful. My friend who has been guiding me as time allows, said something similar.

Thanks!

Thank you!

Zerbphatz said, "....that the camera requires a minimum level of light to auto focus. The teleconverters usually reduce the light hitting the sensor to below that minimum." My friend that has been helping me a little said something similar, and that if I really wanted a teleconverter, I should make sure the lens, whichever one I get, should go down to F2.8 so I'd get enough light to be able to hand hold the camera- that there would still be enough light. Do you agree? (What I'm envisioning is getting pictures of wildlife hand-held.)

If I get a 70-300 lens with F2.8 will I be okay on the autofocus?

I had the pleasure of happening upon a Saw Whet owl back in the 1980s at Plum Island wildlife sanctuary in MA. It was about the same size as this one and was sleeping in a pine tree, on a branch about as high as my chest. I carefully and slowly walked towards it until I got close enough to touch it. Stood there for a long time, amazed. It opened its eyes and looked at me once, then right back to sleep. I looked it up when I got home and read that Saw Whet owls are so out of it during the day you can go right up to them, even touch them. I'll never forget it. It was to be 3 decades before I would get my first camera, so I am doubly happy you got some shots of your little owl.

Hi All, Glad to become a member of this forum. I'm sure I'm going to love it. My home is northwest Vermont. I'm a jazz bassist by trade, and have been taking pictures since 2006. I'm fortunate to have prints hanging in two Vermont art galleries, and get published by Vermont Life Magazine.

I've recently upgraded to a Canon 5D Mark II, and 3 L-series lenses (no, I didn't rob a bank!). I have a macro lens, a 16-35 lens, and a 24-105 lens.

The final lens I want is a telephoto lens and have some questions. I'm in my 60s, with arthritis, so I'm a little concerned about the weight of a telephoto lens. For that reason, I was thinking of getting a 70-200 lens and a good teleconverter to be able to get 400mm out of it, thinking that would be lighter than a 70-400 lens. However, a friend of mine says that one can't use autofocus with a teleconverter. I rely on autofocus, as my sight isn't so hot anymore.

My first camera was a Rebel XTi, and I have a 300mm lens from that, which I haven't tried on the 5D. It's about as light as a feather, compared to the L-series lenses I have, and I'm sure the quality isn't that great. So I'm spoiled with having 300mm. I could get a 70-200mm lens, which I imagine would be lighter. I was thinking the teleconverter would work, but if I can't use autofocus with it, then it won't work for me.

So there's my predicament. Any ideas? Pretty sure I want image stabilizer for non-tripod situations. I mostly photograph nature, but really, I'm all over the place.

Barbed wire


A very large tent


Shelburne, VT