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Posts for: wotsmith
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Jun 26, 2017 14:43:13   #
I have been a couple of times. Shot both 600mm f4 and 300mm f2.8; you will need the big lens if you want close ups. It is about a mile walk to the falls and the viewing platforms. The rangers will rotate you off if it is crowded after one hour, but often you can stay as long as you wish. Pray for salmon, because if no salmon, no bears to speak of. Don't overlook shooting the gulls; I got some great ones. I found the walk a little nervous with that many bears around. I came face to face with a big one about 10 feet away - we were both surprised. I backed away slowly like the rangers lecture, and the bear backed off as well. I guess I did not smell much like a salmon. You will want a good tripod, and there is room on the platform to use one. The platform is pretty solid, but a few vibrations due to movement of the other people. I still used a fast shutter speed. So much fun!
Bill
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Jun 19, 2017 08:28:57   #
You do need your bird photographs to be "tack sharp"; how to get there? Learn from the experts; go to birds as art.com and read how Art does it. He does micro focus each lens before EACH major trip. He has an excellent explanation on how to do that on his web site. Your lens should be excellent.
What focus spot are you using. For a stationary bird I use only a single focus point and I put it on the bird's eyes. For BIF I use the adjoining spots for a total of Nine, again, trying for the bird's eyes. I shoot Canon, so not familiar with your camera, but are you on "one shot" for focusing or what?
While a 300 mm is not really long, mirror slap can be a problem from the vibration. So even on a tripod with a good mount, you need your arm to be damping the vibration by laying on top of the length of the lens and further stabilize with your face against the back of the camera. Squeeze off the shots, don't "push" the button. Maybe higher ISO and higher shutter speeds. Tripod or not, I would try to shoot at least 1/500 with that lens. VR on or off? Read what is best for that lens/camera on a tripod.

When I first got a 600 mm lens, I thought, "Oh boy, now great photos", but they were crap. Took all of the above and practice to improve my technique and finally get sharp photos.
Good luck,
Bill
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Jun 14, 2017 22:59:55   #
mwsilvers wrote:
There is nothing wrong with compromising quality when it's the only option we have. But we shouldn't fool ourselves​ into believing some add on gadget will be a magic bullet. You took the route you did to get the best results you could within your budget. But you recognized the compromises and the limitations. The OPs lens is one of the sharpest Canon makes, and it's known to work very well with excellent results with both the Canon 1.4x and 2x Extender III. But that should not fool us into assuming that there is no image degradation from that combo.
There is nothing wrong with compromising quality w... (show quote)


Well, I can't see the loss of quality in the photos that I posted. I shoot a lot with out the tele extenders and compare them and if my technique is good they seem as sharp to me. Here is the point that I am trying to make, and I think I may have been miss understood. With high end prime lenses and the high end tele-extenders (my only experience is with both of them Canon products) you CAN get superb quality. Why do I think that? I started to learn about bird photography by looking at Art Morris's books and website. He commonly used tele-extenders to get fab photos, sometimes he even coupled two together! I have gone back and looked at some of my older photos with the older version of the Canon 600 f4.0 and the older 2X and they ARE a little softer. Still good, but not perfect.

I think the bad rap on Tele-extenders came from less expensive products on non-prime lenses and the result was a higher f stop that the cameras may not have focused well or just did not have the quality of the product. I guess what I hate is blanket statements that I know that in some cases are just not true. I'll post a few with the 600 and a 2X iii and you tell me if they have degraded quality. First two were handheld from a boat; the flamingos were on a tripod on a boat. The flamingos were using the 1.4X. The eagle was shot some years ago with the old 600 f4 and the old version of the Canon 2X; I think it is noticeably softer, and that has been by experience, that the new stuff is really good.

With that I'll leave this alone.
Bill


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Jun 14, 2017 15:12:18   #
Well on 2 canon bodies I have 300,000 frames in the computer, and have deleted a lot. I am sure that I have way over 250,000 on my 1DX, so I guess I'll shoot until it quits.
Bill
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Jun 14, 2017 14:51:05   #
Why do you care what the shutter count is?
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Jun 7, 2017 14:32:33   #
You are right, the f2.8 allows good focus performance; I did acknowledge that many of the "hogs" do not have the resources to apply to photo gear, not their fault, not mine. the 2X does give equally good performance with the 600mm f4 as well in my experience. I am not criticizing any one for their gear or resources. I am trying to get across that excellent results can be obtained using tele-converters. I also know how lucky I am to have a couple of great prime lenses and the ability to travel to neat places to use them. On this trip I went light and did not take the 600.
Thanks for your reply,
Bill
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Jun 7, 2017 10:09:42   #
It seems to me that several themes have run thought the postings on the "hog" in the past:
1. Tele-extenders reduce the quality of the photo (usually 30% degradation is quoted)
2. That you must use a tripod when using a "long" lens to get sharp photos
3. That shooting from a boat will blur the photo due to engine vibrations
4. Traveling with photography gear requires a hard shell Pelican case, etc.

I would like to produce evidence that none of the above have to be true. Part of me wonders why I bother, because "a man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still", but I'll still try.

I just returned from South America & the Galapagos Islands which was a very disappointing trip. I did not see what I expected. The Park service controls where you go, so maybe it was just bad luck, but disappointing none the less. Most of the advice that I got for the Galapagos was that long lenses were not needed, as everything was so close. I hoped that was true, but took my 300mm and extenders just in case.

I travel extensively with my gear, and use think tank products which have proved very adequate. Normally I use two of their large roller bags, but this time I "went light" and took one roller bag and a large back pack. I have trucked this stuff to more than 80 countries with no damage. I do not check the bags, but place them overhead as carryons. I am 76 years old, and it is getting tough to lift them up, but I make it, so far.

All shots attached are with the 300mm f2.8 with the version III 2X tele-extender and all are hand held. The hawk shot was from a boat with the engine running, the others were walking. No tripod. Download the attached files and check them out. I think they are pretty darn sharp!

About tele-extenders: There are good ones and bad ones. I understand that many readers have limited budgets and try to save on gear; and I have been there. I am blessed that I now have the gear that I want, and high end tele-extenders are very good. Check out Art Morris's photos at birdsasart.com and see his results with tele-extenders. Don't lump all tele-extenders into the same group.

In stead of saying you can't do this or that; concentrate on learning better technique, learn how the pros do it, and get better with your photography.

Keep shooting!
Bill

Blue Footed Booby 300mm f2.8 Prime with 2X extender


Galapagos flycatcher 300mm f2.8 Prime with 2X extender

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road side hawk 300mm f2.8 Prime with 2X extender

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300mm f2.8 Prime with 2X extender

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May 8, 2017 17:20:25   #
Sandroots wrote:
Went out tonight for the first time to try to shoot some night photos. My Canon SL1 was set on manual, shutter was 1/25, aperture was f/4.5, ISO was 400, white balance was AWB. I got the full moon in my viewfinder and pressed the shutter but no response. Could not get the shutter to activate. What was I doing wrong? Thanks, Sandroots

I am not familiar with your camera, but the problem is that it could not lock the focus. Either set the focus manually to infinity or go to live view (if you have it) magnify the image and focus manually, then it will shoot.
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May 8, 2017 17:15:38   #
Well, glad to see a fellow who packs like me. First of all I have done that cruise, and you won't use the extenders much if at all. I do have the 11-24 and I find it useful in churches. I got a fabulous group of photos in Prague by going at night on the street car up to a good view of the castle on the hill as well as the famous bridge. Shot multiple long exposures and merged in photoshop for a good panorama. You can do without one of the wide angles to save space and weight.

Take your tripod and shoot away on the boat. I did it and got great photos. At night I was taking 20 sec exposures with maybe only a generator running and there was no blur. I have shot a lot from boats with a 600mm f4 and don't ever seem to have vibration problems. I use my 70 - 200 to take people photos on the streets with out having to get in their faces with the camera.

If you can carry all that stuff and have room in your luggage/carryons, have at it. Enjoy the cruise, it is fabulous. I especially enjoyed Dresden. got some really nice fireworks shots from the boat as we came into Dresden
Bill
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May 1, 2017 12:36:58   #
Don't know who you are hearing from. When you tour the canyon you have a choice of two tours. Regular one and a special for photographers. Both can be arranged in advance. I took the regular one with about 50 persons;
No tripod/monopod allowed or necessary. Handholding allowed quickly shooting in weird directions. With wide angle, movement should not be an issue
Use your camera with the widest lens you have - I shoot Canon and used an 11 - 24 with excellent results
It was not hard to either go ahead of the crowd or lag behind to get photos without bodies
There was no dust, never changed lens anyway
It was hot - take water, it took longer than I thought
learn how to use luminosity masking for your post processing
have fun!
Bill
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Feb 23, 2017 15:39:40   #
Get the Canon 10X image stabilized. You won't regret the purchase
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Feb 15, 2017 11:04:03   #
be sure it is version II
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Feb 9, 2017 10:06:08   #
One of the best bird photographers in USA, Doug Brown, likes the 7D II, saying, it is 75-80% of the 1DX II for 20% of the cost.
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Jan 18, 2017 07:59:22   #
Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Take a laptop, process your photos every night and that job will be done when you come home. Take a laptop!!!
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Jan 16, 2017 13:27:06   #
I use two of the WD my passport 2TB with the thunderbird connections. Much faster than usb
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