DSLRUsers.com

Hi all,
Went up to Healesville Sanctuary to test out the Sigma 70-300mm. Weather was pretty crud, but managed to get a few shots off. Filled a 1g card, and as usual I'll probably get only several good shots.
Here's just a couple I quickly finished up PPing.
Cheers, Jase.

Jase - the 2 shots you have posted are great - the Sigma has certainly shown its mettle, and of course your prowess as well.

Both are very good. #1 is great - made me say wow. Would you mind posting up your exif data?

Hey, I was just there yesterday! You did a lot better than me on the raptor shots, that's for sure.

--Chuan, who didn't end up with any usable photos of flying birds of prey…

Thanks guys for the comments! I tell ya, I reckon you've got to be pretty lucky to catch them in flight. They're constantley zipping about all over the place. The owl was sitting on the trainers arm for about 2 sec's!
So, Chuan I wouldn't feel bad. When I went to the second show in the afternoon, I didn't get any good shots!
Anyway, here is the Exif for you Willy Wombat.
#1. Aperature Priorty, 1/125@300, f/5.6, Matrix Metering, ISO 400, AF-C, RAW (aRGB), WB:Cloudy-1, Enhanced Saturation, Hue:0, Tone:Low Contrast
#2. Shutter Priorty, 1/320@240, f/5.6, Matrix Metering, ISO 400, AF-C, RAW (aRGB), WB:Cloudy-1, Enhanced Saturation, Hue:0, Tone:Low Contrast

The pic below is the same as #1 Exif.

I also experimented with lowlight setting ISO to 1600 and got this frog @300mm using the macro feature. I was quite suprised at how well it came out!

The 2nd shot is so sharp, look at that eye.. you've done great justice to the sigma lens..

Great shots Jase, really good action shot of a Whistling Kite.

What type of bird is the 2nd? Somebody said Owl but I don't think it is given the shame of the head/beak. Maybe Powerful Owl or Barking Owl. It's not a species from outside of Australia is it?

I'm going to have to get upto Healesville and also Kryal Castle's Full Flight Conservation.

Great shots Jase. Looks like you're getting the hang of the Sigma. Love the clarity in the 2nd shot - that eye IS crisp, well done !

Using the right settings, in the right environment, this lens can give very professional-looking photos indeed....as can most lenses.

Did many people stare at you when you zoomed that puppy out to 300mm macro ?? The thing looks like a rocket launcher when fully extended, don't you think ???

Keep up the great work

Thanks guys!
Dave, I'm really suprised with this lens although judging by some pic's I've seen come out of it I shouldn't be, and you're right about having the right settings to exploit it's abilities.
It does stick out a long way in macro and when taking the frog shot, people were trying to avoid bumping into it.
Kipper, the 2nd shot is an Owl but what type, I'm not sure. I was too busy trying to set the camera and take a shot to listen to what the Keeper was saying.
It's certainly worth a trip!
Cheers, Jase.

Good work Jase.

The shot of the owl is stunning!

Jamie

Thanks Jamie,
I did notice your shots of the Wedged-Tail Eagle which are fantastic!! How do you like the Nikon lens?
This is the closet I could get to the raptor, in a controlled enviorment of course.



...and here is an Emu.

Did they say how old the Wedge Tail was?
Looks old (definately not juvenille) as it's quite black. Apparently it gets darker each year until it practically becomes black.

You might want to try pping the jesses out, or leave them in if it doesn't worry you.

This is the sort of shot I'd like to get in the wild of one of these beauties. Might just have to go to a sanctuary for the time being

Did you ask the trainer at all if you could position yourself between him and the bird and get him to call the bird? Seen photographers on another forum being allowed to do that and get good shots.

Hi Kipper,
The Eagle was mainly on the ground during this shot. In the afternoon show, it got bit of a spook from something falling in it's cage.
It wasn't behaving how it should during the show and actually flew straight toward me then swooped up into the tree above.I was surprised to say the least and thought it was going to land on my lens.
I only managed this headshot. Conditions weren't too good and I couldn't get a decent focus. I suppose if I thought quick enough to use the flash...

The Keeper had to tempt it off and it ended up on the otherside of the grounds eating a piece of gladwrap.
I'm not too sure of the age but I'd visit there again. You should visit the place for sure.
Things move pretty quickly as the birds aren't out for long. Well, not that day anyway due to the weather. I guess you've got to be in a pretty good spot to nail an excellent shot.
Do you have a link to any photo's taken of the birds there?

Do you have a link to any photo's taken of the birds there?

What do you mean Waspo?

Here is the same bird. I think I posted these a while back.

Alex

Sorry Kip, you mentioned that guys on other forums get the Keeper to make the birds fly towards them. Just thought they may have some of their shots posted.

WoW Alex, nice and sharp. What lens did you use?

Waspo, yes they do have some of their shots posted on Naturescapes.net. Register up and I'll point you to them.

Thanks Darryl, just signed up!

Thanks, Jase. I used 70-300 G. Sometimes focal lengths on that lens are not sharp and some are sharp, I noticed that mine is crap at 300, but OK below that. I cropped the hell out of those pics too.

Alex

Alex, I noticed a little softness at 300mm on my Sigma. About 240mm seams to be nice. I'll have to learn not to go past this. What speed were you at? I like how much you've frozen the flight to capture more detail. Got any Exif on these you can post?
Cheers, Jase.

Jase
Enjoy looking at your work. Thanks for posting. Some stunning eagle shots there!

Jase,

Both were at 1/1000 s, f/4.2
focal length: 100 mm
ISO: 1250

Cheers
Alex

waspo wrote:Alex, I noticed a little softness at 300mm on my Sigma. About 240mm seams to be nice. I'll have to learn not to go past this. What speed were you at? I like how much you've frozen the flight to capture more detail. Got any Exif on these you can post?
Cheers, Jase.

Hi Jase
I find I can usually push the Sigma to about 270mm with reasonable clarity, but as always, it comes back to available light and settings used. The SB800 can help on occassion as well if the subject is in close proximity and the light levels aren't quite enough. BTW, I really like the Emu photo. That is a fantastic shot !

Thanks Dave,
The Emu is OK, not as good as I'd like and have seen posted here. I get the feeling this photography stuff is the luck of the draw in most cases especially when dealing with animals.
Alex, thanks for the info. Looks like you had similar conditions to work with. I never thought to push the ISO that high but judging by your shots it worked out great!
Cheers, Jase.

http://www.platinumweaver.net/gallery/Parks/index.php

Saves picking out images and bloating this thread so 56kers cant load it

WOW!! Some really nice shots there Dean! What lens did you use? 56k, whats that?

Hi Jase. Great shots mate. Well done. You have really come forward in leaps & bounds in a very short time.

Regards
Meicw

Thanx Meic, but it's only with yours and Andy's help which gave me a good starter to photography. Without your help at the Zoo, I would have been totally lost. Highly appreciated! We should get together again, perhaps at the Zoo or Healesville for a meet.
Cheers, Jase

G'day guys,
How'd I miss this thread? The Zoo was fun eh? Some of the bird shots posted here would make most of the guys here very happy, they've been great. I've always had trouble getting anything in flight but these are terrific...

Well done guys...

Thanks Andy,
...up for another meet at either of the wildlife parks?