Show your Bird Portraits

AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
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There are a few who post here using the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF, which is about as sharp the very expensive Nikon 500mm f/4. I had the chance to test the 500PF on the Nikon D850 against the RF 100-500/R5 as a pair of Mallards settled on my neighbour's lawn and were not disturbed by me. Here are some collages of 100% crops of the heads of the ducks at full size, taken from the full images which are reduced in size here. It's interesting to see how the zoom stacks up against one of the best 500mm primes. Both are really good, but do you think one has the edge (the crops from each camera are one above the other in the same order)? Vanilla output from PL4 with no additional sharpening.

Female_Mallard_full.jpgMale_Mallard_full.jpgFemale_Mallard_CanonvsNikon.jpgMale_Mallard_CanonvsNikon.jpg
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,351
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You can't go wrong with either of those lenses. I think the bare zoom is so close to the bare prime, that the versatility of zoom makes it my first choice for a days shooting but I have to say I am more than happy taking out either. It was same with the 100-400mm II vs the 400mm DO II but the zoom there is so much lighter. The prime pulls ahead with TCs, and a 1000mm f/11 would be a killer plus. However, this time last year at the beginning of lockdown, I was taking every day shots of Longtailed Tits flying into a nest in my garden with insects in their beaks. and I was getting sharp images of those insects using the 500PF. This year I am using the R5/100-500m but no Longtailed Tits. I don't know whether the 100-500mm could match these and would love to be able to find out.


Insects_in_beak1.jpg
 
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john1970

EOS R3
CR Pro
Dec 27, 2015
971
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Northeastern US
AlanF nice comparison. The top image, which I believe is the Nikon 500 mm PF, appears a bit sharper to me, but the 100-500 mm zoom is not bad by any means. I eagerly await the announcement of the RF 500 mm f4 especially if the rumors that it will be significantly lighter and shorter than the current EF version are true.
 
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HenryL

EOS R3
CR Pro
Apr 1, 2020
359
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Hiked a different section of the park this past Saturday, this trail being more densely wooded with pockets of water here and there. Came upon some Snowy Egrets with the sun peaking through the canopy. The stark contrast of the white birds in the dark surroundings really strikes me...and the reflections don't hurt either IMHO. These guys were skittish, and I struggled to find vantage points where reeds don't get in the way without spooking them.


R5_101_9412_DxO.jpg

R5_101_9470_DxO.jpg

R5_101_9538_M_DxO.jpg
 
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digigal

Traveling the world one step at a time.
CR Pro
Aug 26, 2014
283
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Great pictures from you guys recently, Alan, henry, & usern4cr. This is a Snowy that I took last mo in Fla who was defending his nesting site. I just love those guys--they're such divas when they are courting and nesting. Converted it to BW in LR because it got rid of the busy background.
We're leaving this week to photograph courting and nesting flamingo on the Yucatan peninsula (it should be insufferably hot and humid--ugh) so hope to have some of those to post soon. R5 + RF 100-500
CatherineYou, rang?.jpg
 
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usern4cr

R5
CR Pro
Sep 2, 2018
1,376
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Kentucky, USA
Great pictures from you guys recently, Alan, henry, & usern4cr. This is a Snowy that I took last mo in Fla who was defending his nesting site. I just love those guys--they're such divas when they are courting and nesting. Converted it to BW in LR because it got rid of the busy background.
We're leaving this week to photograph courting and nesting flamingo on the Yucatan peninsula (it should be insufferably hot and humid--ugh) so hope to have some of those to post soon. R5 + RF 100-500
CatherineView attachment 197120
Beautiful photo, Catherine. I hope you enjoy your Yucatan trip. I'm jealous - well, my wife isn't into photography as you & your husband are, so trips like that aren't so easily on our radar!
 
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usern4cr

R5
CR Pro
Sep 2, 2018
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Kentucky, USA
These are the start of the (hopefully) better backyard photos from my big file on the big Winter ice storm we had in Kentucky.
(a few of them in the file were previously shown for consideration in a show, but are included here for completeness)
(R5 & RF 100-500L)


A03_0014_1_2k95%.jpg


A03_0186_1_2k95%.jpg


( is it just me, or does this look like he's got a "smoking habit"? ) :LOL:
A03_0310_1_2k95%.jpg



A03_0312_1_2k95%.jpg


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Cheers!
 
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usern4cr

R5
CR Pro
Sep 2, 2018
1,376
2,308
Kentucky, USA
These are the start of the (hopefully) better backyard photos from my big file on the big Winter ice storm we had in Kentucky.
(a few of them in the file were previously shown for consideration in a show, but are included here for completeness)
(R5 & RF 100-500L)


View attachment 197125


View attachment 197126


( is it just me, or does this look like he's got a "smoking habit"? ) :LOL:
View attachment 197127



View attachment 197128


View attachment 197129


Cheers!
Thanks, Click!
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
CR Pro
Apr 30, 2017
2,569
7,452
There are a few who post here using the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF, which is about as sharp the very expensive Nikon 500mm f/4. I had the chance to test the 500PF on the Nikon D850 against the RF 100-500/R5 as a pair of Mallards settled on my neighbour's lawn and were not disturbed by me. Here are some collages of 100% crops of the heads of the ducks at full size, taken from the full images which are reduced in size here. It's interesting to see how the zoom stacks up against one of the best 500mm primes. Both are really good, but do you think one has the edge (the crops from each camera are one above the other in the same order)? Vanilla output from PL4 with no additional sharpening.

View attachment 197104View attachment 197105View attachment 197106View attachment 197107
I would say the upper photos are slightly better but: as I know you are not shooting from tripod - hard to say if it's the same focus accuracy/stability (if we are comparing just the lenses, if we are comparing the systems the variables are getting even more).
I'm not guessing witch one is the prime and witch one is the zoom. They are pretty much comparable in this case (and I'm sure it's what you are saying here).
And it's my dilemma: when I go traveling (I hope it will happen sooner than later) which lens to take with me: 200-500 (at 500 not as sharp as the prime but just go on/under let say 400... and it's something: huh - in picture quality and unfortunately in the weight) The distance to the object also plays - in favor to the prime for smaller birds and in favor to the zoom for closeups like insects (or bigger birds - go figure!). It seems with yours 100-500 there is not much of that dilemma!
 
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