Dragonflies and Damselflies

[Nemorino]

Just to test high ISO
R5m2 + RF 100-500L
@ 1/4000s, f/7.1, ISO 51200
denoised with DxO

 

[Click]

Beautiful shot. Well done, Nemorino.

 

[Maximilian]

I finally managed to go outside again to get some fresh air.
The winter damselflies are already out again and busy reproducing.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm (yeah, got that one new), almost no cropping.
f/16, 1/1000, ISO1600, focus on her eyes, parallel alignment with room for improvement
But I now can declare the 2026 Franconian d&d season open

 

[Maximilian]

Yet another one. Different angle, worse parallel alignment, but beautiful reflections in the wings.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm, f/16, 1/800, ISO1250

 

[AlanF]

I finally managed to go outside again to get some fresh air.
The winter damselflies are already out again and busy reproducing.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm (yeah, got that one new), almost no cropping.
f/16, 1/1000, ISO1600, focus on her eyes, parallel alignment with room for improvement
But I now can declare the 2026 Franconian d&d season open

View attachment 228812

About time you got the 2x! It works surprisingly well with the 100-500.

 

[Maximilian]

About time you got the 2x! It works surprisingly well with the 100-500.

I am not pleased yet. I don't get it to work reliably.

At longer distances, I lose detail and the image becomes blurry. I try to never go below 1/2000 so that I’m not the cause (camera shake).
This shot shows that it’s not the extender’s fault. This close-up, for example, shows a lot of detail. So it's not a lemon.
I know that atmospheric disturbances play a role here, but it's not only far away.

Maybe you can give me some additional advice what I have to take care of ...

 

[AlanF]

I am not pleased yet. I don't get it to work reliably.

At longer distances, I lose detail and the image becomes blurry. I try to never go below 1/2000 so that I’m not the cause (camera shake).
This shot shows that it’s not the extender’s fault. This close-up, for example, shows a lot of detail. So it's not a lemon.
I know that atmospheric disturbances play a role here, but it's not only far away.

Maybe you can give me some additional advice what I have to take care of ...

They may need more sharpening. DxO's module for the RF100-500mm + 2xTC doesn't work that well and I sometimes export them unsharpened and sharpen in Topaz - nothing strong, just standard settings. I've tested it extensively here on charts etc, and it outresolves on the RF 100-500mm at 1000mm the RF 200-800mm at 800mm. So, I am happy using the RF 100-500mm for travel with the 2xTC as an accessory. Here are some typical shots taken at random from the R5 and R5ii. They are all crops where 1 pixel = 1 pixel of original so no downsizing etc. You may need to send your extender back.

 

[Maximilian]

Some more winter damsels, still working on perfect alignment though
R6m2+100-500+1.4xExt.@700mm, f/16, 1/1000, ISO640-2500

 

[Maximilian]

Some of you might know that the winter damselflies are some of the very few odonata that survive the winter as imago.
Therefore these are the first to find again in spring (see above).
Most other live as larvae underwater and hatch in spring.
Yesterday I could find the first ones of these. The ones below must have hatched just yesterday.
I can tell by the way they’re still flying a bit unsteadily and because their wings still have a strange sheen to them, they’re not quite transparent yet.
R6m2, 100-500@500mm, much cropping, and parallel alignment is getting better again

Male azure damselfly (coenagrion puella)


Male blue-tailed damselfly or common bluetail (ischnura elegans)

 

[AlanF]

My first damselfly of the season yesterday, a Large Red (R5ii + RF 100-500mm). I am now forsaking the 200-800mm for the 100-500mm for the time being because its mfd is so much better. I can put the 2xTC for distant birds and bigger close-ups too,.

 

[Maximilian]

My first damselfly of the season yesterday, a Large Red ...

Nicely done, Alan.
Interesting to see that those hatch earlier at your site than here.
Here, they're still missing.