Show your Bird Portraits

[Click]

I just found out from a book (which I bought a few years but did not bother to read  ) that its the Indian Silverbill (apparently it is also know as White-throated Munia)

Thanks, I didn't know that kind of bird. 

Nice pictures by the way.

[rpt]

Here's a couple more from today with my new 5D3.

After shooting about 100 shots to test it out, the 5D3 worked fine. Then I sent it to Canon Service Center (Irvine,CA) for calibration with my 70-200Lii. Got it back 2 weeks later and the 1st time I used it 2 days ago (and every time since), I can't download the files to my MacBook Pro (v 10.6.) using the camera to USB cord. EOS Utility opens, recognizes the camera and when I click on download, it seems to initially try to download but then after 1 minute (with no downloads), it crashes and closes. I've downloaded the shots without any problems by putting the Sandisk CF card into my 7D or using my card reader. Bummer! Has anyone heard of this problem. I'm taking it into the Honolulu center tomorrow but they have very limited capability.

This cardinal from south of the equator is posing for you! There has to be more than just bread you give him.

Here's one out of my office window ... I don't know the name of this bird ... can anyone help identify? (its the same size of a sparrow)
Image made with Nikon D7100 + 18-300mm VR at 300mm, f/8, 1/640 sec, ISO 800 ... and cropped to death.

Edit: I just found out from a book (which I bought a few years but did not bother to read  ) that its the Indian Silverbill (apparently it is also know as White-throated Munia)

Great pictures Reinzphoto!

[Rienzphotoz]

Here's one out of my office window ... I don't know the name of this bird ... can anyone help identify? (its the same size of a sparrow)
Image made with Nikon D7100 + 18-300mm VR at 300mm, f/8, 1/640 sec, ISO 800 ... and cropped to death.

Edit: I just found out from a book (which I bought a few years but did not bother to read  ) that its the Indian Silverbill (apparently it is also know as White-throated Munia)

Very impressive - but I wouldn't call that cropped to death. Seeing the quality you got out of the D7100 led me to the excellent thread on the 70D D7100 shoot out in which you contributed. The D7100 came out better on IQ, but the 70D on AF. How consistent is the AF on the D7100 - the biggest drawback on the 7D and the reason I upgraded to the 5DIII is the poor reproducibility of its autofocus. After the review by Michaelthemaven I am tempted in two directions as I want a crop for bird photography and have given up waiting for the 7DII, the IQ of the D7100 against an improved autofocus in the 70D. What do you reckon Rienz?

That's a very difficult question to answer, coz I myself struggle with such questions and buying the D7100 was not an easy decision to make ... I too had the 7D (which I really like and miss), which was sold early last year to fund the 5D MK III ... the problem with full frame is that once you start using it, it is hard to go back to APS-C ... but despite the 5D MK III's magnificent IQ, I was missing the reach, especially for wildlife/bird photography ... I can crop the image from 5D MK III to match the same FOV of a crop sensor, but the resulting image loses far too many pixels for my liking. My reason for choosing D7100 over another Canon crop camera was:
1. I did not want to wait forever for 7D MK II (if/when that comes out)
2. D7100 has an additional crop factor of 1.3 (that's almost 2 times the reach of full frame) that too at 16MP
3. Canon 70D had not come out yet (I bought the D7100 in April 2013)

So those were the reasons, I chose D7100 ... if/when the D400 comes out and if it also has the extra 1.3 crop factor, I'll definitely buy it. As of now I am very happy with D7100, it gives me the reach and sharpness I need ... mind you, I only use it for bird photography (because I don't really like the Nikon colors), for everything else I use 5D MK III and EOS-M.
So far I've only been using iD7100 with the Nikkor 18-300mm VR lens, but I just bought a Sigma 150-500 OS (Nikon mount) last week and am really looking forward to take some photos with it ... I'll post some pics of a few bird pics I made with D7100 + Sigma 150-500 OS.
Coming back to your question about the AF consistency on the D7100 ... I do not use burst mode for more than 2 or 3 shots and the AF is spot on ... last saturday I took 83 photos of flying birds and only 5 images were out of focus (but that is most likely due to my lack of skill).

If Canon 70D has additional crop factor (the 1.3 crop like the D7100), I'd buy the 70D anyway over D7100 ... for me that is the only reason stopping me from getting the 70D.

I suppose if you don't need the additional 1.3 crop factor, you are probably better off with 70D ... but in my limited experience I can confidently say that the additional 1.3 crop factor (that too at 16MP) makes a big difference in bird photography.

I hope you have less of a difficult time making up your mind about which one to buy than I did ... Happy shopping

[Rienzphotoz]

Thanks, I didn't know that kind of bird. 

Nice pictures by the way.

Great pictures Reinzphoto!

Hi Click and rpt,
Thank you for your kind words

[AlanF]

Rienzphoto
I am not sure the extra 1.3x crop factor gives any more reach.  The pixel size I think is 3.9 um for both the normal and the additional crop modes.  Ok, the fov narrows by a further 1.3x but that is just by removing the outer rows of pixels leaving the same size image for what remains.  You will get faster bursts but no more reach going into the 1.3 mode. B

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks Click,

If I'd heard words such as you're saying I might already have a kayak but it would have been inflatable, which as you say, is probably not what I'd ultimately prefer.  I guess it goes without saying that a photographer is going to be looking for relatively calm waters and so hopefully the risk to camera is minimal.  When I get back into this purchase I'll probably send you a private message since you know many things that could make me feel more secure proceeding.  A weight I saw quoted seems to suggest that it's not a big deal loading one onto a car top carrier, or two would fit nicely also.

Jack

[Rienzphotoz]

Rienzphoto
I am not sure the extra 1.3x crop factor gives any more reach.  The pixel size I think is 3.9 um for both the normal and the additional crop modes.  Ok, the fov narrows by a further 1.3x but that is just by removing the outer rows of pixels leaving the same size image for what remains.  You will get faster bursts but no more reach going into the 1.3 mode. B

Most of the time, for bird photography, I use the 1.3 crop mode on my D7100, and there is a significant difference between that and the normal mode. The D7100 has 24MP in the normal mode, with the additional 1.3 crop mode it still produces 16MP image, which is a significant difference if you were to compare it with a crop produced in PP (to get the same FOV), where the resulting image is less than 10MP and much less sharper.
If I crop the image made with 1.3 mode even further in PP, I still get a far sharper image than an image cropped in PP from the normal mode (to get the same FOV) ... all the 3 images I posted here are made in 1.3 mode and cropped further in PP ... I speak from my limited experience of having used cropped and compared the images of 7D, 60D, 5D MKIII, D7000 & D7100.

[jrista]

WOW, thanks jrista.  I do have some books but they're outdated so don't have the modern-day quality.  Thanks for the recommendation.  So, it can be tough and it's not just that I'm a dummy. 

Jack

Hah, no, your not a dummy. Identifying birds can be quite difficult. This diagram demonstrates why:



Yes, that is thirty, 30, THREE ZERO, different and distinct areas of a birds plumage that can differ between species. Sometimes it is only just a couple of them that differ, and again...you have male vs. female, juvi. vs. adult.

[Rienzphotoz]

Purple Heron (not sure why they call it that ... nothing was purple on this bird) ... also known as Ardea purpurea.
Image made with D7100 + 150-500 OS at 500mm, f/8, 1/1000sec, ISO 400 (this image is part of the first shoot with the my new Sigma 150-500mm OS lens I had received last Saturday)

[Click]

Purple Heron (not sure why they call it that ... nothing was purple on this bird) ... also known as Ardea purpurea.
Image made with D7100 + 150-500 OS at 500mm, f/8, 1/1000sec, ISO 400 (this image is part of the first shoot with the my new Sigma 150-500mm OS lens I had received last Saturday)

That's a great shot Rienzphotoz. Well done Sir.

[Click]

Thanks Click,

If I'd heard words such as you're saying I might already have a kayak but it would have been inflatable, which as you say, is probably not what I'd ultimately prefer.  I guess it goes without saying that a photographer is going to be looking for relatively calm waters and so hopefully the risk to camera is minimal.  When I get back into this purchase I'll probably send you a private message since you know many things that could make me feel more secure proceeding.  A weight I saw quoted seems to suggest that it's not a big deal loading one onto a car top carrier, or two would fit nicely also.

Jack

You're welcome Jack. It will be my pleasure to help you.

[AlanF]

Rienzphoto
The Sigma 150-500 looks good. How are you finding your new lens?

[Rienzphotoz]

Purple Heron (not sure why they call it that ... nothing was purple on this bird) ... also known as Ardea purpurea.
Image made with D7100 + 150-500 OS at 500mm, f/8, 1/1000sec, ISO 400 (this image is part of the first shoot with the my new Sigma 150-500mm OS lens I had received last Saturday)

That's a great shot Rienzphotoz. Well done Sir.

Thank you for the kind words.

[Rienzphotoz]

Rienzphoto
The Sigma 10-500 looks good. How are you finding your new lens?

This is my second Sigma 150-500 OS ... the first is Canon mount (which I still have) and this new one is for the Nikon mount. This lens has to be stopped down to f/8 or smaller to get sharp pics, so it is meant only for daylight shoots ... I bought it only for bird photography, something that I only do during sufficient bright light ... for $908 (which is what I paid for this lens) I do not know of any lens that can reach 500mm with stabilization .... so, I'm pretty happy with it. Several years ago I did own the Bigma 50-500mm (non OS version) ... this newer Sigma 150-500 Os is a lot sharper. Also, this lens came with the newer (front/rear) lens caps (which they use for the ART series), they are of very good quality, far superior than what Canon and Nikon dish out.

[serendipidy]

I love your Red-crested Cardinal Serendipidy. Nice shots.

Thanks, Click.