Show your Bird Portraits

tron

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Nov 8, 2011
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Alan, ISv very nice pictures.
Alan and others just a thought about D500 500PF combination. This is 500mm but at 20Mp
D500 is 20Mp and EOS 90D is 32.5. SQR(32.5/20) = 1.2747 So a 90D with a 400mm combo is effectively 400*1.2747=509mm equivalent only with smaller pixels which is a minus but at f/4 (if we are talking about the 400DOII) which is a plus.
And assuming we encounter the help of DXO :cool: ofcourse.

This situation reminded me of a very funny/cute metric that was invented by a forum member:

Pixels per duck! :D:D:D Funny but this isn't this our target when we seek more megapixels and bigger lenses? As many pixels as possibly on our photo target.
 
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Jack Douglas

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Apr 10, 2013
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The thought just entered my head, seeing such close ups, which I enjoy as much as anyone, that sometimes we get so engrossed in resolution and detail we tend to forget context and photographic principles of composition and so forth. In other words, is it possible one could end up ignoring what it is that makes a great photograph due to too much pixel peeping? Some time ago PBD recommended the book, The Photographers Eye, and as a beginner it really open my eyes up. Not sure I've advanced that much but at least I'm aware of what I should be aiming for. This leads to my quandary since I love FPS but only have 20 Mp and all this gear talk gives me GAS, but do I really need to spend more? ;)

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Alan, ISv very nice pictures.
Alan and others just a thought about D500 500PF combination. This is 500mm but at 20Mp
D500 is 20Mp and EOS 90D is 32.5. SQR(32.5/20) = 1.2747 So a 90D with a 400mm combo is effectively 400*1.2747=509mm equivalent only with smaller pixels which is a minus but at f/4 (if we are talking about the 400DOII) which is a plus.
And assuming we encounter the help of DXO :cool: ofcourse.

This situation reminded me of a very funny/cute metric that was invented by a forum member:

Pixels per duck! :D:D:D Funny but this isn't this our target when we seek more megapixels and bigger lenses? As many pixels as possibly on our photo target.
You are absolutely correct, they produce approximately the same number of pixels on target. But, you have to take into account as well the quality of the pixels. The big killer is the AA-filter on the 90D. Optyczne measures the MTFs of sensors of cameras and for the 90D it's about the same as for the D7500, which has the same sensor as the D500 - see https://www.optyczne.pl/433.4-Test_aparatu-Canon_EOS_90D_Rozdzielczość.html and look at the Matrix section with the comparative chart. I regularly measure the resolution of my different lens/body combinations using charts at 12-19m with settings and post-processing I use for my bird photography (resolution is where I can just visually resolve chart lines). I find the 500mm PF/D500 has 10-15% more resolution than the 400mm DO II or 100-400mm II/D90, and similarly the 1.4xTC on the 500mm PP vs 400mm DO II (the 100-400mm ii not as good). Basically, the AA-filter is a 10-15% hit on resolution. Canon, I can't forgive you for not giving us an AA-filter-free option like with the 5DSR.

Another measure is megapixels per kg. The 500mm PF wins out by a factor of 2 there, which is the key factor for me! Come on Canon, show us what you can do in return, probably an RF if it ever happens.
 
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The thought just entered my head, seeing such close ups, which I enjoy as much as anyone, that sometimes we get so engrossed in resolution and detail we tend to forget context and photographic principles of composition and so forth. In other words, is it possible one could end up ignoring what it is that makes a great photograph due to too much pixel peeping? Some time ago PBD recommended the book, The Photographers Eye, and as a beginner it really open my eyes up. Not sure I've advanced that much but at least I'm aware of what I should be aiming for. This leads to my quandary since I love FPS but only have 20 Mp and all this gear talk gives me GAS, but do I really need to spend more? ;)

Jack

Hi Jack, I occasionally just do these close ups for personal curiosity more so than anything. Texture and what they look like close up and magnified like this truly amazes me...
But, I totally prefer the composition of birds etc full body and more in their natural surroundings in most images.
I'm just having fun and often times try to get every perspective that I can when I'm out playing with my cameras.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
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Alberta, Canada
Hi Jack, I occasionally just do these close ups for personal curiosity more so than anything. Texture and what they look like close up and magnified like this truly amazes me...
But, I totally prefer the composition of birds etc full body and more in their natural surroundings in most images.
I'm just having fun and often times try to get every perspective that I can when I'm out playing with my cameras.

Jack
I fully concur with your interest and shot, I do the same and of course every composition has merit based on whatever criterion is applicable to the intended use. I guess in my heart, I wish I could have the talent to produce award winning photography but that's an absurd thought. Thus, my comment has always been, the most important aspect of photography should be "having fun". You said it! :)

And I'm trying very hard to protect myself from GAS.

Jack
 
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tron

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Nov 8, 2011
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We don't have here Robins - sorry!
But here is my "Merry Christmas" card - Hawaiian style (;) and you have your question answered right now). This is (may be:unsure:?!) my last edition of that RAW file. Red-Tailed Tropic Bird - adult.

P.S. " So they would have to have a flying ticket and a passport! " -:): yeah, we have such a birds here (many actually), some of them even have a GPS antennas on them (plus few rings on the legs). Like the Bristle-thighed Curlew and some others...
Some birds like the Red-Tailed Tropic bird on my Xmas card are ringed too... but so far I haven't seen GPS antennas on them!

View attachment 187911
But you do see the GPS Antennas! They are red! :D
Great photo of yet another exotic bird by the way!
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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Had a great Christmas day so far, a two and half hour walk with the kids and grandkids on a really sunny day with the D500+500mm/5.6 PF slung over my shoulder for a test drive. The first is another Robin, 11.2m away, side-lit and against a bright sky. The bad news is that the D500 is an absolute pig when comes to storing settings and retrieving them rapidly. I would normally compensate for the lighting by having +1.7ev stored in setting C2 or C3 on a 5DSR or 90D and flicking the mode dial. The good news is that the sensor and noise are so good that pushing through 1.7 ev is a doddle. The detail with the 500mm lens at 11.2m is nearly as good as the 100-400mm II on the 90D at 5.6m in my previous posting. I came across a heron not too far away and got a supersharp shot of it. The good news is that it is really sharp. The bad news is that it is the first time I have seen Moire on a heron. My take home lessons so far are that the Canons are far easier to use and that the 90D is going to be more reliable for closer shots where there is the danger of Moire. But, it's looking like the Nikon is going to be better for squeezing out detail from far off targets. So far, it's AF is really good.
Back to another bird - cooking the turkey.
They are 100% crops, as usual.

View attachment 187913View attachment 187914View attachment 187915

For such a small bird 10m with such a detail is impressive (especially for the prize tag and the weight of the lens)! Thanks for the info!
You are lucky man for your Christmas weather: here it was rainy (from moderate to heavy 50/50) plus very strong winds. My part of the town was lucky - we had non stop an electricity. Thousands of people on the island had a blackout - all the day!
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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Christmas Cardinal Headshot ;)
[7D Mark ii with 100-400mm L ii Lens]

View attachment 187923
I love your pictures Durf! In order to keep myself fit for the moment when I will see that very rare moment when every thing is working for great photo like background, light and even the opportunity for nice composition (birds have to collaborate;)) I use to practice my basic technique. It is very disappointing when you have such a moment and you miss it because your own bad job. AND I DON'T MEAN THIS PARTICULAR PHOTO - it looks great for me... I mean that if you are able to routinely take such a photos you should have much better chance to NOT miss the rare great opportunity!
 
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I love your pictures Durf! In order to keep myself fit for the moment when I will see that very rare moment when every thing is working for great photo like background, light and even the opportunity for nice composition (birds have to collaborate;)) I use to practice my basic technique. It is very disappointing when you have such a moment and you miss it because your own bad job. AND I DON'T MEAN THIS PARTICULAR PHOTO - it looks great for me... I mean that if you are able to routinely take such a photos you should have much better chance to NOT miss that rare opportunity!

I often study the background and light before I position myself to snap many of these bird pics. I have a few spots I use for most of my bird shots that I can also manage to shoot at the widest apertures possible with the birds really close to me, the background can get pretty awesome looking for sure. With the light changing in the backgrounds it often looks quite different from these same spots from one hour to the next.
I do this background planning when doing flower and mushroom shots etc quite often also.
 
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ISv

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Now some from yesterday (day after Christmas - nice weather!) and few from today (drizzling but most of the time fine around the South Shore)...
I took the photo of the Common Myna only because of the flowers fallen from the Sausage Tree. To stay/take photos under that tree - your own risk (check Wikipedia for Kigelia africana please:))!
The juvenile Night Heron is just drying after the Christmas rains...

DSC_5393_DxO-1.jpgDSC_5476_DxO-1.jpgDSC_5479_DxO.jpgDSC_5531_DxO-1.jpgDSC_5665_DxO-1.jpg
 
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