Show your Bird Portraits

Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Envy.:sick:

I get travel tour material relating to my University days and the latest one has me just torn - it's too expensive for me - I could just manage but my wife says we can't afford both of us and well ...she's my gear caddy! ;)

Fly into the Jungle to float on the Amazon in northern Peru in comfort with explorations by native guides into the jungle to photograph birds.:love:

https://worldwidequest.com/index.ph...mazon_rainforest_expedition_cruise#ad-image-0

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
22,524
Envy.:sick:

I get travel tour material relating to my University days and the latest one has me just torn - it's too expensive for me - I could just manage but my wife says we can't afford both of us and well ...she's my gear caddy! ;)

Fly into the Jungle to float on the Amazon in northern Peru in comfort with explorations by native guides into the jungle to photograph birds.:love:

https://worldwidequest.com/index.ph...mazon_rainforest_expedition_cruise#ad-image-0

Jack
My guess is you won't need much caddying with that type of tour as you will be either on the boat, in a landcruiser or on a short stroll.
 
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Wiebe, I have been trying to get a decent shot of a lilac-breasted roller since my failure in South Africa 6 years ago! This time was more successful and I got a shot of a Eurasian Roller as well.
[...]
Beautiful Alan..., colourful without being too flashy ;)

Dug up my attempt - can you spot the tiny speck in the brush :cry:... :p
ZuidAfrika-194.jpg
(EOS-50D, EF70-200mm f/2.8L @ 200mm f/4.0 - cropped as far as reasonably possible from 50D sensor - at least the lens' sharpness outperforms the sensor :))
Wiebe.
 
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Envy.:sick:

I get travel tour material relating to my University days and the latest one has me just torn - it's too expensive for me - I could just manage but my wife says we can't afford both of us and well ...she's my gear caddy! ;)

Fly into the Jungle to float on the Amazon in northern Peru in comfort with explorations by native guides into the jungle to photograph birds.:love:

https://worldwidequest.com/index.ph...mazon_rainforest_expedition_cruise#ad-image-0

Jack
Hi Jack,
If you feel up to organizing your own itinerary, I found it is possible to save a significant amount - especially travelling with 2 (or more) persons... That way you could travel with your wife/caddy within your budget :unsure:;). It does take a lot of preparation though :(
W.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
22,524
Hi Jack,
If you feel up to organizing your own itinerary, I found it is possible to save a significant amount - especially travelling with 2 (or more) persons... That way you could travel with your wife/caddy within your budget :unsure:;). It does take a lot of preparation though :(
W.
An expert guide can make all the difference. Ours in Tanzania was simply fantastic. The driver was quite good, but the tour guide just knew so much.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
22,524
Beautiful Alan..., colourful without being too flashy ;)

Dug up my attempt - can you spot the tiny speck in the brush :cry:... :p
View attachment 181875
(EOS-50D, EF70-200mm f/2.8L @ 200mm f/4.0 - cropped as far as reasonably possible from 50D sensor - at least the lens' sharpness outperforms the sensor :))
Wiebe.
Here are some images that show what you can get out of cropping. The first is the full frame taken by my wife with the 5DSR + 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC at f/8 560mm, below that is the crop, and bottom is my effort with the 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC f/8 800mm. The bird is of comparable size to that in you shot yet you can crop the 5DSR image with not the sharpest of lens combinations and get good detail. This is why I love that body so much.

3Q7A9022-lilac_breasted_roller_full+5DSR.jpg3Q7A9022-DxO_lilac-breasted_roller_5DSR.jpg2B4A3195-DxO_lilacxbreasted_roller_5DIV.jpg
 
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Here are some images that show what you can get out of cropping. The first is the full frame taken by my wife with the 5DSR + 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC at f/8 560mm, below that is the crop, and bottom is my effort with the 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC f/8 800mm. The bird is of comparable size to that in you shot yet you can crop the 5DSR image with not the sharpest of lens combinations and get good detail. This is why I love that body so much.
Thanks for sharing Alan!
W.
 
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Excellent cropped image. I'm sure it's great gear but credit where credit is due. Your spouse really nailed the focus on that one. In my experience that's the hardest part of cropping a small subject out of a large frame. A sharp eye with a nice spectral highlight makes all the difference even in an image without a lot of micro detail. Nicely done!
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
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Excellent cropped image. I'm sure it's great gear but credit where credit is due. Your spouse really nailed the focus on that one. In my experience that's the hardest part of cropping a small subject out of a large frame. A sharp eye with a nice spectral highlight makes all the difference even in an image without a lot of micro detail. Nicely done!
Thanks. Spot on about eye and highlight. And a sharp beak always helps.
 
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Yes. Sharp beak and those little stray feathers where the beak connects to the head. Not sure what they are called. The final image looks like it has a bit of 2X itis. The 2x is a tricky one. Sometimes it's amazing and sometimes it's just not. Sort of a blessing and curse. I like having it in the bag but I don't use it as much as I used to.

edit: I'm kind of curious to see what the R's can do with 2x's. I have found that if I can focus with live view on a DSLR it improves the reliablilty of the AF with a 2x. The existing R doesn't appear to be great with long lenses but that should get better with either firmware updates or new models.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Cannot agree more - yet scouting for reputable local tour guides and booking your own travel / lodging can make the difference!

Wiebe, it's a busy time right now but I'll likely PM you sometime for some ideas. People are getting killed in areas that don't have the best security or a society like ours and that concerns both my wife and I, in particular when one would like to have their best gear along. I was thinking I really want to go to Costa Rica but ... I think a group is far better than a couple but I can't easily assemble family members and would have difficulty likewise outside the family. I did visit Peru "economically" with my wife and kids long ago so I know that certain activities can be accomplished relatively inexpensively.

Going through old shots and found this, probably never even viewed after shooting with the 6D. Now with the 1DX2 I generate even more shots that might be worthy but they just pile up and get forgotten.Cedar waxwing_7568.JPG

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
22,524
Yes. Sharp beak and those little stray feathers where the beak connects to the head. Not sure what they are called. The final image looks like it has a bit of 2X itis. The 2x is a tricky one. Sometimes it's amazing and sometimes it's just not. Sort of a blessing and curse. I like having it in the bag but I don't use it as much as I used to.

edit: I'm kind of curious to see what the R's can do with 2x's. I have found that if I can focus with live view on a DSLR it improves the reliablilty of the AF with a 2x. The existing R doesn't appear to be great with long lenses but that should get better with either firmware updates or new models.
The 2xTCIII works very well with the 400 DO II on the 5DIV and has very consistent focus. But, the 5DIV is held back by its AA-filter. A bare 100-400mm II on the 5DSR gives better resolution than the same lens with the 1.4xTC on the 5DIV.
 
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IMO the issues with the 2x go beyond just AF. Even when focused in magnified live view which should be ideal focus it can be a bit mushy with low contrast at times. At least with my copy. I've never owned a camera without an AA so i'll have to take your word on how much of a difference that makes. My main body is only 20 MP's so large crops don't really work for me regardless.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
22,524
The 2xTCIII does lower the higher frequency MTFs (30 cycles/mm) on the 300mm f/2.8 II to ~0.5, which is similar to the 1.4xTCIII on the 100-400mm II, with smaller attenuations of the 20 cy/mm values:
http://www.objektivtest.se/tester/canon-extender-ef-2x-iii-test/
http://www.objektivtest.se/tester/canon-extender-ef-14x-iii-test/
http://www.objektivtest.se/tester/canon-ef-100-400-mm-f45-56-l-is-ii-usm-test/
There is a hit on fine detail using the 2xTC but the extra focal length more than makes up for it. The hit is significantly higher with the 2xTC than with the 1.4xTC on the same lens.
My favourite combination is the 400mm DO II + 1.4xTCIII on the 5DSR. But, it would be unfair on my wife for me to use that and give her the 5DIV with the 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC when we travel together - not that the 5DIV combo is bad but it can't compete with the 5DSR combo for IQ.
 
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