Show your Bird Portraits

briangus

CR Pro
Apr 6, 2017
115
223
Bangkok
+1 Super! Keep us posted on the R for bird photography and anything else. I'm especially curious about how it performs with big whites.

Jack
Thanks Jack, The R works flawlessly with my 200 F2.
With the 100-400 II there is a reticence sometimes for it to focus and it needs a bit of assistance getting there.
Once locked on it stays locked on
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,355
22,528
Thanks Jack, The R works flawlessly with my 200 F2.
With the 100-400 II there is a reticence sometimes for it to focus and it needs a bit of assistance getting there.
Once locked on it stays locked on
I have read other accounts of difficulties of AF of the R with telephotos. When does AF need help to focus?
 
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briangus

CR Pro
Apr 6, 2017
115
223
Bangkok
I have read other accounts of difficulties of AF of the R with telephotos. When does AF need help to focus?
Usually happens when trying to focus on distant subjects like the bird in these photos and the
previous focus isn't in range.
The R was set to one shot with small FP but have experienced it using servo as well.
I was using the 28-70 prior to the 100-400 and when I switched to the 100-400 and tried to focus it just does nothing.
I had to manually focus the R whereas on the birds first visit I was using the 5D4 and it locked on straight away.
Once it was focused there were no further issues.
I had started setting the focus limiter switch on the lens to 3m - ∞ which seems to help but I had forgot I had full range set.
Only other lens I have had issues with was the 135 F2 in low light where it went a bit haywire when focusing, again setting the focus limiter helped.
Back up Sungei tomorrow so will give it more thought if it happens again
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,355
22,528
Usually happens when trying to focus on distant subjects like the bird in these photos and the
previous focus isn't in range.
The R was set to one shot with small FP but have experienced it using servo as well.
I was using the 28-70 prior to the 100-400 and when I switched to the 100-400 and tried to focus it just does nothing.
I had to manually focus the R whereas on the birds first visit I was using the 5D4 and it locked on straight away.
Once it was focused there were no further issues.
I had started setting the focus limiter switch on the lens to 3m - ∞ which seems to help but I had forgot I had full range set.
Only other lens I have had issues with was the 135 F2 in low light where it went a bit haywire when focusing, again setting the focus limiter helped.
Back up Sungei tomorrow so will give it more thought if it happens again
There are many reports of the EOS R performing well for birds, but there have been some negatives here and this negative review https://www.holgercremer.org/single...the-EOS-R-is-useless-for-Wildlife-Photography
If I get an R series, ti will be from a store that allows no quibble return so I can test it well.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
There are many reports of the EOS R performing well for birds, but there have been some negatives here and this negative review https://www.holgercremer.org/single...the-EOS-R-is-useless-for-Wildlife-Photography
If I get an R series, ti will be from a store that allows no quibble return so I can test it well.

That was a pretty negative review I must say. Visually, it did look to be quite low light but ... I have seen so many superlatives relative to AF, I'm surprised.

Alan, I'm depending on you!! Get over there and buy the R and fill me in. I need it by around the middle of March and will not be thinking it will fully replace my 1DX2, rather it needs to be a great back-up.

However, it should be able to perform reasonably well with the 400 + - converters with spot servo AF. I believe as has been stated that many of the ergonomic complaints have work-arounds for those who are not a chronic complainers. Ethan Zentz has one on loan and he shot in a gym the other day with the 200 - 400 X1.4 at ISO 8000 I believe and wasn't overly critical - I'm waiting for more feedback from him. The ND adapter is a must for me.

Now, you wouldn't really want me to beat you to it would you?;) So get over to your trusty shop and buy it on condition!:giggle: ASAP

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,355
22,528
That was a pretty negative review I must say. Visually, it did look to be quite low light but ... I have seen so many superlatives relative to AF, I'm surprised.

Alan, I'm depending on you!! Get over there and buy the R and fill me in. I need it by around the middle of March and will not be thinking it will fully replace my 1DX2, rather it needs to be a great back-up.

However, it should be able to perform reasonably well with the 400 + - converters with spot servo AF. I believe as has been stated that many of the ergonomic complaints have work-arounds for those who are not a chronic complainers. Ethan Zentz has one on loan and he shot in a gym the other day with the 200 - 400 X1.4 at ISO 8000 I believe and wasn't overly critical - I'm waiting for more feedback from him. The ND adapter is a must for me.

Now, you wouldn't really want me to beat you to it would you?;) So get over to your trusty shop and buy it on condition!:giggle: ASAP

Jack
Jack
I am not buying the R, even for you. The R is a competent and fine camera but I am looking for the longer term when new models come out that satisfy my needs better. Why? Well, I have the 5DIV already, which is undoubtedly better than the R for bird photography ( Mt Spokane who uses both says the 5DIV is a better camera in general, and he is a dispassionate observer, unlike many). I prefer the 5DSR to the 5DIV because of the higher pixel density and lack of AA-filter, and will wait until there is an updated successor. I won't buy another Canon that has an AA-filter.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Oh, Alan how could you! Of course if I had the 5D4, I'd have the MPs and the only thing I wouldn't like is the size/weight (as a back-up). You have an alternate smaller camera that's versatile but I was long ago planning to buy the 6D2 as a replacement for my 6D, which as you know served me well. I liked the size and weight and lived with the limited features happily so I expect the R would perform similarly for me but at this stage I want good AF, not 6D level AF. If not for my trip I'd probably be just like you, only considering a higher level R version eventually.

BTW everyone, pray for my birdies and other critters; it's -36C here tonight and that's not a wind chill factor, it's mighty cold out. I did restock the suet feeders and seeds but ... :( Just think, a few days ago it was +6C. It's nuts.

Jack
 
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Valvebounce

CR Pro
Apr 3, 2013
4,555
450
57
Isle of Wight
Hi Jack.
Wow, -36°C I do hope that you, the birds and critters can find places to snuggle up and keep warm, hopefully they all had a good feed up on your feeders to help get them through, I find I cannot comprehend -36°C, the coldest I’ve experienced was the walk in freezer I helped to build a few years ago at -20° and that was cold even working hard finishing the trim during the test run! The coldest natural temperature I’ve experienced would be negative single digit °C and throw in some wind chill! I’m glad I don’t have to exist in temperatures colder than that!

Cheers, Graham.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Graham the northern folk way up by the pole would tell you what real cold is. But I can say at -36 if you step out in house clothing you're freezing within a few seconds, nothing like -20C. Yesterday, at sunset, a moose wandered into my back yard and just laid down for the night in the snow - like how do they survive!;)

Jack
 

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Don Haines

Beware of cats with laser eyes!
Jun 4, 2012
8,246
1,939
Canada
Graham the northern folk way up by the pole would tell you what real cold is. But I can say at -36 if you step out in house clothing you're freezing within a few seconds, nothing like -20C. Yesterday, at sunset, a moose wandered into my back yard and just laid down for the night in the snow - like how do they survive!;)

Jack
I spent several winters in Resolute, NWT, Canada. To put the cold into perspective, we kept the 4X4 in a heated garage, the garage was heated to -40C.
 
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