Show your Bird Portraits

[DominoDude]

Yes. I love Buffelheads. But we don't seem to have anything similar here in Europe. Maybe I'm mis-reading something in the French language bird guide?

...

That family don't have too many species in it. -> http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucephala
Maybe you can find some Bucephala clangula - Garrot à œil d'or - Common Goldeneye. We have them here in Sweden, and I think they might migrate to winterquarters around the Mediterranean.
Here's a male BIF I shot a few years back.

Followed by a swimming couple.

 

[scyrene]

Can anyone help ID? I took in Connecticut at the end of July. Having trouble finding it in ID books.

Thanks!

Canon 70D, 100-400 @400M F5.6 1/320 ISO 1600

This is absolutely lovely. The setting, the light, the reflection. Fantastic.

 

[Click]

This is absolutely lovely. The setting, the light, the reflection. Fantastic.

+1

Beautiful shot. Well done.

 

[scyrene]

One more wheatear

 

[DominoDude]

One more wheatear

Great shot! Most Wheatears don't let me get that close.

 

[scyrene]

One more wheatear

Great shot! Most Wheatears don't let me get that close.

Thanks They seem quite approachable here. I was helped by an intervening fence - they seemed to know I couldn't get too close to them.

 

[DominoDude]

One more wheatear

Great shot! Most Wheatears don't let me get that close.

Thanks They seem quite approachable here. I was helped by an intervening fence - they seemed to know I couldn't get too close to them.

Haha Yeah, they can be sneaky li'l bastards at times. Showing off while we can't get that extra meter closer.
I've had Curlews and Storks flying right in front of my car after an entire day of trying to stalk them unsuccessfully. Or when I'm going in 110km/h on the motorway, I see Eagles, Hawks, Falcons and Kites sitting on traffic signs 5 meters away from the road - I can focus and shoot at that speed, but not while sitting behind the steering wheel. *shakes an imaginary fist at raptors*

 

[scyrene]

One more wheatear

Great shot! Most Wheatears don't let me get that close.

Thanks They seem quite approachable here. I was helped by an intervening fence - they seemed to know I couldn't get too close to them.

Haha Yeah, they can be sneaky li'l bastards at times. Showing off while we can't get that extra meter closer.
I've had Curlews and Storks flying right in front of my car after an entire day of trying to stalk them unsuccessfully. Or when I'm going in 110km/h on the motorway, I see Eagles, Hawks, Falcons and Kites sitting on traffic signs 5 meters away from the road - I can focus and shoot at that speed, but not while sitting behind the steering wheel. *shakes an imaginary fist at raptors*

Lol, I still think you have the advantage, driving - I have to get to the birds by public transport, or on foot. And eagles! I have to envy you - there are no eagles near here

 

[ChristopherMarkPerez]

Thank's for the tip. I'll keep my lenses at the ready for those guys here in France (I see they're supposedly common here, as with elsewhere around Europe).

Yes. I love Buffelheads. But we don't seem to have anything similar here in Europe. Maybe I'm mis-reading something in the French language bird guide?

...

That family don't have too many species in it. -> http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucephala
Maybe you can find some Bucephala clangula - Garrot à œil d'or - Common Goldeneye. We have them here in Sweden, and I think they might migrate to winterquarters around the Mediterranean.
...

 

[TBag]

Hi All,

I've been lurking for a while now so thought it'd be good to share my first proper attempts at bird photography and the experiences I've had with my lens combinations. For a bit of background, I've got a 550D which I've had for a fair few years now, and started with the 55 - 250mm kit lens. I then went for the Sigma 150 - 500mm which I tried for quite some time before getting fed up with it's softness. After borrowing a mate's Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro, I couldn't go back to non-L lenses, so after much deliberation decided on a 70 - 200mm f2.8 IS II with Canon 2x Extender III. I haven't looked back since (anyone in Aus want to buy a Sigma 150 - 500?!)! All of the shots I've posted here were with the 550D + 70 - 200 f2.8 IS II + 2x Extender III (except the currawong, which was without the extender).

I've never shot with any other L-series lenses (aside from the 100mm macro), so don't really have anything to compare to, but I'm so stoked with how sharp the 70 - 200 with the 2x extender is - in my experience it can be just as sharp with the extender as without (as far as the limitations of the 550D will allow). My only gripe is that the autofocus is a little slow (but still on par with the Sigma and faster than everything else i've got), but I'm hoping that will improve when I upgrade to the 7D II when it arrives Can anyone give me their thoughts on whether or not that is correct - will autofocus speed and accuracy improve significantly if and when I upgrade from a 550D to a 7D II (or just a 7D if I can't afford the new one)?

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics, I'm happy to post some more (plenty more where these came from) if people are still curious about the performance of the 70 - 200 with 2x extender.

 

[scyrene]

Hi All,

I've been lurking for a while now so thought it'd be good to share my first proper attempts at bird photography and the experiences I've had with my lens combinations. For a bit of background, I've got a 550D which I've had for a fair few years now, and started with the 55 - 250mm kit lens. I then went for the Sigma 150 - 500mm which I tried for quite some time before getting fed up with it's softness. After borrowing a mate's Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro, I couldn't go back to non-L lenses, so after much deliberation decided on a 70 - 200mm f2.8 IS II with Canon 2x Extender III. I haven't looked back since (anyone in Aus want to buy a Sigma 150 - 500?!)! All of the shots I've posted here were with the 550D + 70 - 200 f2.8 IS II + 2x Extender III (except the currawong, which was without the extender).

I've never shot with any other L-series lenses (aside from the 100mm macro), so don't really have anything to compare to, but I'm so stoked with how sharp the 70 - 200 with the 2x extender is - in my experience it can be just as sharp with the extender as without (as far as the limitations of the 550D will allow). My only gripe is that the autofocus is a little slow (but still on par with the Sigma and faster than everything else i've got), but I'm hoping that will improve when I upgrade to the 7D II when it arrives Can anyone give me their thoughts on whether or not that is correct - will autofocus speed and accuracy improve significantly if and when I upgrade from a 550D to a 7D II (or just a 7D if I can't afford the new one)?

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics, I'm happy to post some more (plenty more where these came from) if people are still curious about the performance of the 70 - 200 with 2x extender.

These are all wonderful.

 

[Click]

Hi All,

I've been lurking for a while now so thought it'd be good to share my first proper attempts at bird photography and the experiences I've had with my lens combinations. For a bit of background, I've got a 550D which I've had for a fair few years now, and started with the 55 - 250mm kit lens. I then went for the Sigma 150 - 500mm which I tried for quite some time before getting fed up with it's softness. After borrowing a mate's Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro, I couldn't go back to non-L lenses, so after much deliberation decided on a 70 - 200mm f2.8 IS II with Canon 2x Extender III. I haven't looked back since (anyone in Aus want to buy a Sigma 150 - 500?!)! All of the shots I've posted here were with the 550D + 70 - 200 f2.8 IS II + 2x Extender III (except the currawong, which was without the extender).

I've never shot with any other L-series lenses (aside from the 100mm macro), so don't really have anything to compare to, but I'm so stoked with how sharp the 70 - 200 with the 2x extender is - in my experience it can be just as sharp with the extender as without (as far as the limitations of the 550D will allow). My only gripe is that the autofocus is a little slow (but still on par with the Sigma and faster than everything else i've got), but I'm hoping that will improve when I upgrade to the 7D II when it arrives Can anyone give me their thoughts on whether or not that is correct - will autofocus speed and accuracy improve significantly if and when I upgrade from a 550D to a 7D II (or just a 7D if I can't afford the new one)?

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics, I'm happy to post some more (plenty more where these came from) if people are still curious about the performance of the 70 - 200 with 2x extender.

Great shots Tbag...And welcome to CR

 

[Keith_Reeder]

Cormorant, Bridlington, E. Yorkshire.

70D, Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 OS + Canon 1.4x TC.

A common enough bird. but this individual was obliging and in beautiful light, making for a nice image all the same.

 

[Steve]

A common enough bird. but this individual was obliging and in beautiful light, making for a nice image all the same.

I'll take good pics of common species over bad pics of rarities any day.

 

[Keith_Reeder]

(Ruddy) Turnstone, Bridlington, E. Yorkshire.

70D, Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 OS, Canon 2x TC, 600mm handheld.

 

[Keith_Reeder]

Reed bunting, Buckton, E. Yorkshire.

70D, Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 OS, Canon 1.4x TC, 420mm handheld.

All about the light, this one - and even though I'm not a big fan of "hand of man" elements in my pictures, the age of the barbed wire mitigates it to an extent.

 

[Click]

Very nices shots Keith. I especially like the Cormorant.

 

[Keith_Reeder]

Yep, I like it too - if only because that kind of light is a rarity in my part of the world.

Steve's observation chimes nicely with my way of looking at things: I was a birder for years before becoming a bird photographer, and since doing so I've gained a new appreciation for species I'd barely have looked at twice.

I also think that the Cormorant gives a pretty good indication of the IQ potential of the 70D/Siggy 120-300mm combo, well converted and processed: there's nothing about it that makes me think "if only I'd been using a full frame body/Canon prime lens/Sony sensor..." or any such nonsense..!

;D

Here's another of the same bird - dapper little thing. And I've just realised (having noticed that uploading via the forum strips the Exif ) that this was with the 2x TC: at the short end of the zoom range (240mm), but it was on there.

 

[Steve]

I also think that the Cormorant gives a pretty good indication of the IQ potential of the 70D/Siggy 120-300mm combo, well converted and processed: there's nothing about it that makes me think "if only I'd been using a full frame body/Canon prime lens/Sony sensor..." or any such nonsense..!

Yup, eye level shots with good light, clean backgrounds and good post trumps top end gear every time. I've seen lots and lots of bad pictures taken with 1DX's and 600 f4 II's.

 

[Keith_Reeder]

I've seen lots and lots of bad pictures taken with 1DX's and 600 f4 II's.

Yep - I've seen lots and lots which were taken in great light too, Steve. In fact I'm frequently shoulder-to-shoulder with supposedly far better kit than mine (often in crappy light, too - like when I'm shooting rugby or moto-x during the Winter), and I rarely see incontrovertible proof of its superiority, either in IQ terms or in terms of the number of "keepers".

There's usually a slight edge, but never one commensurate with the difference in price..!