Show your Bird Portraits

[AlanF]

Some people are whingeing in other threads about the sharpness of the Sigma 150-600mm C based on a chart from TDP. Yesterday, I took out the lens with my 5DSR and tried it with the 1.4xTC at 840mm at a reserve where the birds are usually too far away. I was gobsmacked with the results. I was photoing an arctic tern about 60m away, with the others in the hide using their spotting scopes to see the far away birds, when it was photobombed by mummy tern with food for junior.

These are crops. Mummy is entering the frame at the top right corner, as far away form the centre as possible, (where junior is). The corner is sharp at 840mm! Junior has been fed a second later in the lower frame.

 

[AlanF]

Here are a couple more from yesterday with the lens at 600mm. The sedgewarbler was 10-15m away, and pretty small. The juvenile dunnock was only 6m away. But, the exposure was only 1/60s hand held.

 

[AlanF]

And a fun one from the day before at 600mm, where I liked the reflections and background for a little egret on the hunt (5DSR).

 

[Jack Douglas]

What is Mogwai?

Jack

Gremlins.

http://gremlins.wikia.com/wiki/Mogwai

Thanks for that. Guess I've lived too sheltered a life, it's anew one for me.

When are you getting your 1DX2's? I'll be looking for tips.

Jack

The dealer emailed me on Thursday saying Canon Canada should be getting them on the 5th, so barring any further delays late this coming week or early the week after.

I stripped the tripod thread out of my last 1DS MkIII on Friday too, I had to drill and helicoil it!

Scott. don't know if it's applicable in your case but I purchased via CPW from Camera Canada and saved a very significant $. Our Loonie is now sitting at around 73 cents so it might be worth your while unless you get a preferred price via CPS. PM me if this is of any value.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Alan, begs the question why you'd purchase a 400 DO II?

Jack

 

[Click]

Nice shot, Alan.

 

[AlanF]

Alan, begs the question why you'd purchase a 400 DO II?

Jack

Speed of focus. The bare 150-600mm slowly gets there and the 210-840mm crawls there. Once they do focus, they are very consistent. The IQ of the 400 DO with 1.4xTC on the 5DSR is amazing, but my copy of the Sigma is pretty close. The DO has blisteringly fast AF even with the 2xTC and exceptional IS. Aside from BIF, the Sigma is an incredibly good lens and is still fine for slow big birds. If you have the 1DX or 5D III or IV, the 400 DO with 2xTC is king, but for the 5DSR,the Sigma is difficult to beat

 

[Jack Douglas]

Alan, begs the question why you'd purchase a 400 DO II?

Jack

Speed of focus. The bare 150-600mm slowly gets there and the 210-840mm crawls there. Once they do focus, they are very consistent. The IQ of the 400 DO with 1.4xTC on the 5DSR is amazing, but my copy of the Sigma is pretty close. The DO has blisteringly fast AF even with the 2xTC and exceptional IS. Aside from BIF, the Sigma is an incredibly good lens and is still fine for slow big birds. If you have the 1DX or 5D III or IV, the 400 DO with 2xTC is king, but for the 5DSR,the Sigma is difficult to beat

Makes sense. Sounds like what I wouldn't tolerate - the 6D with 300 X2 just made me angry when there was any action. The 400 X2 with 1DX2 is great unless we are talking very low light and off center AF points.

Anyone using the 1DX2 with 300 2.8 II X2 III that wishes to comment on AF speed?

Jack

 

[privatebydesign]

Some people are whingeing in other threads about the sharpness of the Sigma 150-600mm C based on a chart from TDP. Yesterday, I took out the lens with my 5DSR and tried it with the 1.4xTC at 840mm at a reserve where the birds are usually too far away. I was gobsmacked with the results. I was photoing an arctic tern about 60m away, with the others in the hide using their spotting scopes to see the far away birds, when it was photobombed by mummy tern with food for junior.

These are crops. Mummy is entering the frame at the top right corner, as far away form the centre as possible, (where junior is). The corner is sharp at 840mm! Junior has been fed a second later in the lower frame.

Allan, I know you are talking about me and that simply isn't fair for two reasons. First, I didn't whinge, I just pointed to empirical data. Second, I have owned a Sigma 150-600 (I got it as part of a multi lens deal), I sold it after using it once because it was utter garbage.

As for your images that you were "gobsmacked with the results", I'm sorry, they illustrate nothing sharp at all.

What exactly is 'gobsmackingly sharp' in this 100% crop?

 

[AlanF]

That frame is 700x700 pixels blown up from a 50 mpix image with no sharpening using a 1.4xTC at 840 mm of a bird at 60m away. It's at f/9, which is above the DLA for the 5DSR. If you want to make proper criticism, I have posted a whole series in this thread of shots at reasonable distances for you to choose from at f/6.3 at 600mm without the TC.

At 600mm, the lens is very similar to my 300mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC or my 400mm DO II + 1.4xTC and significantly sharper than my 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC at 560mm and f/8. At 840mm, it's as good as the 400 DO with the 2xTC.

At 400mm, my 100-400mm II is very similar to the Sigma, which was found by lensrentals when comparing 10 copies of each - see https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2016/08/the-sort-of-great-400mm-shootout/ - and I prefer the Canon to the Sigma at 400mm as opposed to vice versa at 560mm and 600mm.

 

[dpc]

House sparrow

 

[dpc]

Uncertain about this one, but possibly a house finch.

 

[Ryananthony]

I haven't been able to get out lately, but here is a Crow that was standing in grass while I was out on a picnic with my camera.

 

[dpc]

House sparrows, male and female...

 

[dpc]

Yellow-rumped warbler...

 

[Click]

Very nice series, dpc. I especially like your last picture.

 

[Click]

I haven't been able to get out lately, but here is a Crow that was standing in grass while I was out on a picnic with my camera.

Nice. Well done, Ryananthony.

 

[bjd]

Common Reed Bunting by Diane and Brian Dorling, auf Flickr

Cheers Brian

 

[bjd]

Black-Tailed Godwit by Diane and Brian Dorling, auf Flickr

Cheers Brian

 

[Jack Douglas]

V nice, bjd.

Jack