Dragonflies and Damselflies

[Nemorino]

Just to test high ISO
R5m2 + RF 100-500L
@ 1/4000s, f/7.1, ISO 51200
denoised with DxO

 

[Click]

Beautiful shot. Well done, Nemorino.

 

[Maximilian]

I finally managed to go outside again to get some fresh air.
The winter damselflies are already out again and busy reproducing.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm (yeah, got that one new), almost no cropping.
f/16, 1/1000, ISO1600, focus on her eyes, parallel alignment with room for improvement
But I now can declare the 2026 Franconian d&d season open

 

[Maximilian]

Yet another one. Different angle, worse parallel alignment, but beautiful reflections in the wings.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm, f/16, 1/800, ISO1250

 

[AlanF]

I finally managed to go outside again to get some fresh air.
The winter damselflies are already out again and busy reproducing.
R6m2+100-500+2xExt.@1000mm (yeah, got that one new), almost no cropping.
f/16, 1/1000, ISO1600, focus on her eyes, parallel alignment with room for improvement
But I now can declare the 2026 Franconian d&d season open

View attachment 228812

About time you got the 2x! It works surprisingly well with the 100-500.

 

[Maximilian]

About time you got the 2x! It works surprisingly well with the 100-500.

I am not pleased yet. I don't get it to work reliably.

At longer distances, I lose detail and the image becomes blurry. I try to never go below 1/2000 so that I’m not the cause (camera shake).
This shot shows that it’s not the extender’s fault. This close-up, for example, shows a lot of detail. So it's not a lemon.
I know that atmospheric disturbances play a role here, but it's not only far away.

Maybe you can give me some additional advice what I have to take care of ...

 

[AlanF]

I am not pleased yet. I don't get it to work reliably.

At longer distances, I lose detail and the image becomes blurry. I try to never go below 1/2000 so that I’m not the cause (camera shake).
This shot shows that it’s not the extender’s fault. This close-up, for example, shows a lot of detail. So it's not a lemon.
I know that atmospheric disturbances play a role here, but it's not only far away.

Maybe you can give me some additional advice what I have to take care of ...

They may need more sharpening. DxO's module for the RF100-500mm + 2xTC doesn't work that well and I sometimes export them unsharpened and sharpen in Topaz - nothing strong, just standard settings. I've tested it extensively here on charts etc, and it outresolves on the RF 100-500mm at 1000mm the RF 200-800mm at 800mm. So, I am happy using the RF 100-500mm for travel with the 2xTC as an accessory. Here are some typical shots taken at random from the R5 and R5ii. They are all crops where 1 pixel = 1 pixel of original so no downsizing etc. You may need to send your extender back.