Show your Bird Portraits

Jul 29, 2012
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Canada
The male Purple Finch was in our yard today (north-central Texas). We get House Finches every winter (some stay in the summer), but we don't get Purple Finches every winter--the last two winters we did not have them in our yard. They are not here in the summer.

Lovely shot. Well done Mike.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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It was the last day of our Florida trip today, apart from the drive back from Treasure Island, nr St Petersburg, to Orlando Airport tomorrow. The temperature dropped dramatically from the mid 70-80s to 55F with a cold gusty wind and heavy overcast sky. We came across Mr and Mrs Northern Cardinal hunkered down in a bush, and I thought I would show them for amusement as they are so puffed up trying to keep warm and they were taken hand held at 1/60s for him and 1/125 for her. These are 100% crops of the birds that occupy about 1000x2000px taken on the 5DSR with the 100-400mm II.Northern_cardinal_3Q7A5763-DxO.jpgFemale_northern_cardinal_3Q7A5751-DxO.jpg
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
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Alan I'm curious, given your love of the 5DSR, why you purchased the 5D4. I presume it's better high ISO but when downsizing don't you overcome most of that with the 5DSR. Is FPS a big factor? I'm trying to identify objectively just what I need/want in my next camera that was supposed to have already been a 6D2 when I sold the 6D. From being impatient to now being quite the opposite.

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Alan I'm curious, given your love of the 5DSR, why you purchased the 5D4. I presume it's better high ISO but when downsizing don't you overcome most of that with the 5DSR. Is FPS a big factor? I'm trying to identify objectively just what I need/want in my next camera that was supposed to have already been a 6D2 when I sold the 6D. From being impatient to now being quite the opposite.

Jack
It's slightly complex. I need two cameras, one for me and one for my wife when we go out together. A couple of years ago it was the 7DII and 5DIII, and I sold the 7DII when the 5DSR came out, which may have been a mistake. The 5DIV was then an upgrade over the 5DIII. I was very happy using the 5DIV + 400mm DO II + TCs while she used the 5DSR and 100-400mm II. The 5DIV + 400mm DO II at 400mm has the edge on AF for BIF, and a real edge in capturing bursts and speed of writing to card. However, on our recent Tanzania trip my wife took many of the same shots with the 5DSR + 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC while I was using the 5DIV + 400mm DO II + 2xTC and hers were invariably slightly sharper. I also frequently had to grab her camera as I needed the zoom on my side of the landcruiser. On this Florida trip, we travelled lighter as we are doing several hours hiking a day and I am using the 5DSR + 100-400mm II and leaving the heavier prime at home and she is carrying the Sony RX10IV. All in all, the 5DSR is giving superb image quality and is pretty good for BIF (I'll be posting several when I get back) and the zoom is a real boon. Frankly, the 5DSR at the isos I use most (640-1600, typically) has the best IQ of any FF available from any manufacturer, and the 100-400mm II is by far and away the best zoom available (apart from maybe the Sony) for IQ and AF - I can get very sharp shots of birds in flight at the edge of the frame as I track fast moving ones that are difficult to keep in the frame centre. For most of my shots, resolution is limiting.
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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Apr 30, 2017
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Well, as usually a lot of very nice to great shots when I have no time for stopping here... I have some favorites but it's not going to be fair do bring them forward: every one has his own taste and in many cases the difference is just tiny!
Yesterday I got an opportunity to go out and shoot. First stop was around the local Zoo and I got just few Yellow-faced Canary. Second - in the Zoo: I was informed that they have new bird there and I was very curious - Hamerkop, single representative of a genus and even entire family... In the second shot it's trying to hide that faulty beakDSC_4694_DxO.jpgDSC_4716_DxO.jpgDSC_4711_DxO.jpgDSC_4731_DxO.jpgDSC_4796_DxO.jpgDSC_4793_DxO.jpg
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
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Thanks Alan. Isn't that how it goes - there often is a sequence that affects the choices. Regardless you've done well other than the weight issue which seems to be a necessary evil if you're pushing the limits. For whatever reason, I find myself often up higher in ISOs so that is something that registers with me. It was very dramatically obvious when I shot 1D4 with 6D.

I do find the 14 FPS to be instrumental in some of the poses such as the waxwing with his mouth fully open but along with that goes extra culling. Still, I'd hate to drop back but would love more pixels. Maybe an R version will eventually give it all (probably not).

Jack
 
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