Show your Bird Portraits

Sort by date Sort by votes
#21,981
ISv said:
I was saying what I was doing - not what you have done :unsure:?
Click to expand...
It was meant as a warm welcome to you on joining the the hand-held club on getting the 500PF! Enjoy it! It is so sharp at its mfd of 3m, that you may well find that you don't need the shorter mfd of the 200-500mm. I can go out for a days birding/insecting with the 500PF or 400mm DO II without needing a zoom on most "normal" occasions but on visits to places where the birds get really close, a zoom is essential. The great thing about these light lenses is you don't need those tripods.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0
#21,982
AlanF said:
It was meant as a warm welcome to you on joining the the hand-held club on getting the 500PF! Enjoy it! It is so sharp at its mfd of 3m, that you may well find that you don't need the shorter mfd of the 200-500mm. I can go out for a days birding/insecting with the 500PF or 400mm DO II without needing a zoom on most "normal" occasions but on visits to places where the birds get really close, a zoom is essential. The great thing about these light lenses is you don't need those tripods.
Click to expand...
I still will need the shorter mfd of the zoom because of the higher magnification - some insects are too small and I would like them on more pixels. The sharpness of my copy of the zoom at least in the center of the frame is not that much behind of the prime at short distances. Things change at longer distances and especially in the corners (I don't think the corners are very important in many cases but in other cases they are - a lot). And the zoom will work better for bigger birds in case you got them at 15-25 meters away (depends on the size of the bird) - for some of this kind of birds with the prime I have to zoom by legs...
Otherwise - yeah the prime is very sharp and contrasty and works very well for closeups. I just posted a photo in "Flowers and other Flora". I don't thing I have ever got so sharp... ants:ROFLMAO: from distance 5.01 meters before!
And yeah - when I have time to use my tripod I will use it: my hands are not RRS solid:). Now I just have more flexibility and it's very important...
 
Upvote 0
#21,983
ISv said:
I still will need the shorter mfd of the zoom because of the higher magnification - some insects are too small and I would like them on more pixels. The sharpness of my copy of the zoom at least in the center of the frame is not that much behind of the prime at short distances. Things change at longer distances and especially in the corners (I don't think the corners are very important in many cases but in other cases they are - a lot). And the zoom will work better for bigger birds in case you got them at 15-25 meters away (depends on the size of the bird) - for some of this kind of birds with the prime I have to zoom by legs...
Otherwise - yeah the prime is very sharp and contrasty and works very well for closeups. I just posted a photo in "Flowers and other Flora". I don't thing I have ever got so sharp... ants:ROFLMAO: from distance 5.01 meters before!
And yeah - when I have time to use my tripod I will use it: my hands are not RRS solid:). Now I just have more flexibility and it's very important...
Click to expand...
i have read other reports that the 200-500 is sharpest close up. The 3m mfd of the 500PF is very good for dragonflies and butterflies because the depth of field is better than for close ups. Also, it’s great for flying birds because it is so light. Welcome to the greater freedom club! Actually, I am having a ball at the moment with the R5, 100-500 and 400mm DO II. It’s just such a wonderful choice having those and the 500PF as they are all fantastic (as is the good old 100-400). When I first started bird photography 8 or 9 years ago, it wasn’t easy finding a good lens outside of the huge telephotos. Now, we are so lucky.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
#21,984
AlanF said:
i have read other reports that the 200-500 is sharpest close up. The 3m mfd of the 500PF is very good for dragonflies and butterflies because the depth of field is better than for close ups. Also, it’s great for flying birds because it is so light. Welcome to the greater freedom club! Actually, I am having a ball at the moment with the R5, 100-500 and 400mm DO II. It’s just such a wonderful choice having those and the 500PF as they are all fantastic (as is the good old 100-400). When I first started bird photography 8 or 9 years ago, it wasn’t easy finding a good lens outside of the huge telephotos. Now, we are so lucky.
Click to expand...

" When I first started bird photography 8 or 9 years ago, it wasn’t easy finding a good lens outside of the huge telephotos. Now, we are so lucky." - absolutely agree and we have to be thankful to Tamron starting the trend!

Concerning the 200-500 (and I can tell only by the experience with my copy): best resolution and sharpness are in the area between 200-400mm (may be up to 450mm but honestly I never tried to make an accurate research - all is from what I have seen in my many field photos) and object filing the frame 1/3 and above. For small objects I always used 500mm and from close distance (nearly the mfd and up to few meters) it was good (except my mistakes and the conditions - like moderate to strong wind or objects able to move by their own fast enough to overwhelming the ability of the lens to track them. The sharpness out of the lab is rather complex stuff and I'm absolutely sure you know it).
Now my concern is how the prime will collaborate with 1.4X extender. I read different reviews and they are contradicting themself to enormous extend - from "useless" to "little influence". Off course I'm aware I will have just few central (and some horizontal) AF (f8) cross sensors for effective tracking (hardly good for BIF) on D500. Also I'm aware that there could be copy difference in between the same extender. Most probably I will rent one or two and check if it's worth buying one for extra reach (if I succeed for +/- static objects - bingo!).
 
Upvote 0
#21,988
We always have a walk on Christmas day with our children and grandchildren, but covid put a stop to that today. In some compensation, we came across a Peregrine Falcon that I have been hoping to see for months in a chalk quarry. He was very difficult to see but my wife managed to spot him, well camouflaged, and I had the R5 + 400mm DO II + 2xTC f/8.

309A9746-DxO_peregrine_falcon_on_chalk_cliff-isss.jpg309A9757-DxO_peregrine_falcon_face_on-isss.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 14 users
Upvote 0
#21,989
AlanF said:
We always have a walk on Christmas day with our children and grandchildren, but covid put a stop to that today. In some compensation, we came across a Peregrine Falcon that I have been hoping to see for months in a chalk quarry. He was very difficult to see but my wife managed to spot him, well camouflaged, and I had the R5 + 400mm DO II + 2xTC f/8.

View attachment 194756View attachment 194757
Click to expand...
You lucky guy! Much nicer than on a lamp post. I've almost reached the point of R5 affordability without dipping into other funds and you make waiting difficult!

Jack
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
#21,990
Jack Douglas said:
You lucky guy! Much nicer than on a lamp post. I've almost reached the point of R5 affordability without dipping into other funds and you make waiting difficult!

Jack
Click to expand...
It will go great with your 400mm DO II. It was really lucky I was able to buy a used one for 10% less than the one I sold and I think even sharper. The 100-500mm is great, and it will be my first choice for hiking and lighter travel, but the prime really does perform, especially with TCs, and f/4 has its uses.
 
Upvote 0
#21,992
AlanF said:
We always have a walk on Christmas day with our children and grandchildren, but covid put a stop to that today. In some compensation, we came across a Peregrine Falcon that I have been hoping to see for months in a chalk quarry. He was very difficult to see but my wife managed to spot him, well camouflaged, and I had the R5 + 400mm DO II + 2xTC f/8.

View attachment 194756View attachment 194757
Click to expand...
Beautiful falcon, Alan!

Merry Christmas!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
#21,993
AlanF said:
It will go great with your 400mm DO II. It was really lucky I was able to buy a used one for 10% less than the one I sold and I think even sharper. The 100-500mm is great, and it will be my first choice for hiking and lighter travel, but the prime really does perform, especially with TCs, and f/4 has its uses.
Click to expand...
Music to my ears! I just wonder how I'll like the camera compared to the 1DX2 features but I'll just have to take what it gives, which is a lot.

Jack
 
Upvote 0
#21,994
RF 100-500 arrived a couple days ago. Weather left something to be desired, but managed to get over to the park that evening and the next morning to test it out. No raptors, just common waterfowl and some pretty golden hour glow on Wednesday. These are with the 1.4x TC.

R5_100_4105.jpg

R5_100_4237 1.jpg

Thursday morning was drab and dreary, left the TC at home. Played with the 1.6 crop mode on the R5. Honestly, I've got no complaints.
R5_100_4829 1.jpg

R5_100_4877 1.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10 users
Upvote 0
#21,996
HenryL said:
RF 100-500 arrived a couple days ago. Weather left something to be desired, but managed to get over to the park that evening and the next morning to test it out. No raptors, just common waterfowl and some pretty golden hour glow on Wednesday. These are with the 1.4x TC.

View attachment 194760

View attachment 194761

Thursday morning was drab and dreary, left the TC at home. Played with the 1.6 crop mode on the R5. Honestly, I've got no complaints.
View attachment 194762

View attachment 194763
Click to expand...
So are these at 700mm? Look great.

Jack
 
Upvote 0
#21,999
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
#22,000
It snowed in Kentucky for Christmas eve & day (woo-hoo!). I took this through a double pane window, slightly downward, causing an offset ghost(s) to blur the photo somewhat. But at least I was able to get this.
R5 & RF 100-500 f4.5-7.1L @ 500mm, f7.1, 1/250", ISO 1600, E_1stCurtain.
5464x5464 reduced to 4000x4000 90% jpg for upload.

A01_5619_1_4k90%.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 12 users
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

1
Interior Shots
Replies
15
Views
18K
jtee
J
1
Your best Architectural & City B&W shots?
Replies
118
Views
97K
canon_guy
C
1
Water Reflections
Replies
28
Views
24K
Pitbullo
P
Top Bottom
Home
Forums
Media
Menu