Show your Bird Portraits

[Ryananthony]

lion rock, Click, Talys, Jack Douglas
Thank you, guys. It seems that kayaking works.

Any thoughts on how you handle the whole kayaking/photography scenario?

Jack

Use a smaller tripod, with a gimbal, tied/strapped/bungied down Ofcourse. Or you can shoot handheld, but I find it's way safer to always shoot to the front of the kayak. Shooting sideways is very unstable. I'm far from an experienced kayaker though.

 

[Cog]

lion rock, Click, Talys, Jack Douglas
Thank you, guys. It seems that kayaking works.

Any thoughts on how you handle the whole kayaking/photography scenario?

Jack

Use a smaller tripod, with a gimbal, tied/strapped/bungied down Ofcourse. Or you can shoot handheld, but I find it's way safer to always shoot to the front of the kayak. Shooting sideways is very unstable. I'm far from an experienced kayaker though.

Thanks for the tips. So far it's been two trips with a camera, and I was mostly scouting. I shot handheld but when the wind and tide wave are strong, it's not always convenient. So yes, a tripod during the trip is on my list.

 

[NancyP]

How well does an image-stabilized lens (eg, 100-400 II) work hand-held in a kayak on a pond or small lake?

 

[AlanF]

I posted a couple of shots of this Peregrine Falcon in flight in the BIF thread. It was earlier on the very top of Kings College Chapel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_College_Chapel,_Cambridge
It is beastly weather and the light was very poor with thick cloud cover. But I am quite pleased with the sharpness of the shot from a Sigma 150-600 C on the 5DSR at iso 3200. At a distance of about 60m, I like to use a high shutter speed for hand holding at 600mm, here at 1/1600s f/6.3.

 

[Talys]

Cool kill shot, Alan. TY for sharing! 8)

 

[Cog]

How well does an image-stabilized lens (eg, 100-400 II) work hand-held in a kayak on a pond or small lake?

Pretty well, actually. I had a lot of sharp images.

 

[Click]

Nice picture, Alan.

 

[HB]

Hi Graham, John is correct, the bird is a rock pipit, quite a common species around the coast of Britain.
Harry.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Alan was there a reason why 800mm wasn't used? It appears you needed reach.

Jack

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Harry.
Thanks for the confirmation, first time I have seen one but that is not to say they weren’t there!

Cheers, Graham.

Hi Graham, John is correct, the bird is a rock pipit, quite a common species around the coast of Britain.
Harry.

 

[Cog]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

I guess to use or not to use a gimbal depends on purpose and situation.

 

[AlanF]

Alan was there a reason why 800mm wasn't used? It appears you needed reach.

Jack

I mentioned this in the BIF thread. I was walking around the centre of town and the 150-600mm without the hood (the lens is protected by a filter) on the 5DSR is small enough not to draw much attention whereas the 400mm DO + hood (which is necessary) draws attention. Also, the IQ of my 150-600mm on the 5DSR is pretty close to that of the 400mm DO II + 2xTC on both the 5DIV and 5DSR. It's not as good for BIF as the AF is slower, but it is so much lighter than the 400 I can swing it from my hand and not use a strap.

Alan

 

[AlanF]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

Jack, you need a gimbal that's big enough for you to sit in so both you and your camera will be stable.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

Jack, you need a gimbal that's big enough for you to sit in so both you and your camera will be stable.

Yes, Alan, that's precisely what I need, or maybe just a large quadcopter for both of us to glide over the water.

I wasn't aware the 150-600 was lighter/smaller. Never seen it in person. Do you fear theft?

Jack

 

[AlanF]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

Jack, you need a gimbal that's big enough for you to sit in so both you and your camera will be stable.

Yes, Alan, that's precisely what I need, or maybe just a large quadcopter for both of us to glide over the water.

I wasn't aware the 150-600 was lighter/smaller. Never seen it in person. Do you fear theft?

Jack

Jack, I don't fear theft. It's walking around town and being told every few yards what a big one I have got. The 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC = 3.72kg, 5DSR + Sigma 150-600mm C = 2.96kg

 

[Jack Douglas]

Alan, that is pretty dramatic. At 150 of course. Think of all the socializing you're missing out on.

Jack

 

[Mikehit]

Ah, this is great having some discussion on kayaks since obviously there are advantages to getting silently on the water.

I bought an inflatable kayak (such a beasts may not even qualify to take the name, I guess) and took it to Haida Gwaii in 2015 but never used it. I had bought one of those good off-road compressors and rigged a tank up under one of the motorhome benches for easy inflation etc. Tried it out on a local lake and obviously it's not as easy to handle relative to paddling and fighting wind but it seemed like on a calm day I could trust having my camera there but ... I guess a certain fear was there and so far I haven't actually shot from it.

Ryan, I think I'm going to fabricate a support that would accept my gimbal and be stable. However, we all know that a gimbal seriously restricts a wide range of movements so I wonder if some sort of padded ledge might be a workable alternative? Or maybe something partially inflated that behaves similarly to a firm pillow?? Anyone?

Jack

Jack, you need a gimbal that's big enough for you to sit in so both you and your camera will be stable.

Yes, Alan, that's precisely what I need, or maybe just a large quadcopter for both of us to glide over the water.

I wasn't aware the 150-600 was lighter/smaller. Never seen it in person. Do you fear theft?

Jack

Jack, I don't fear theft. It's walking around town and being told every few yards what a big one I have got. The 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC = 3.72kg, 5DSR + Sigma 150-600mm C = 2.96kg

COOL! A self-supporting camera - great stabilisation.

 

[AlanF]

The Canon has an extra stop of stabilization, as you can see.

 

[Talys]

Jack, I don't fear theft. It's walking around town and being told every few yards what a big one I have got. The 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC = 3.72kg, 5DSR + Sigma 150-600mm C = 2.96kg

I'm curious, Alan -- when you take off the hood on the 400, how much longer is the 400mm + 2x than the Sigma (with no hood)?