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Hi there,

I went out today to see if I could get any decent bird photos. Here is what I came up with... I wasn't happy with the sharpness of most of the shots. I think I need to work on my telephoto lens/tripod technique!!

There wasn't much out there to shoot today!

All taken with the 500 f4

Comments welcome







Thanks for looking
Paul

Nice shots Paul, with particularly nice framing and descriptions

THanks Glen,

I'm glad you like the borders. I have tried making HEAPS of different border actions with shadows, multiple mattes, colours etc but have found that they all take the attention away from the actual picture.

This one works for me

Hi Paul.
Wow, these are really great and professional looking!! I partically like your website too. How long have you been taking photo's? Some really top stuff here!
Did you say 500mm f/4? Kipper, you here that?
Cheers, Jase.

I like the superb blue wren.

One day I'll make some decent fotos of him.
Do you use a tripod or do you shoot handheld ?
500mm f4; sounds like a really nice lens.

Cheers,
CD

Thanks waspo. That's quite a compliment!

I've been taking photos for around 2 years. Still have WAAAY too much to learn

christiand:

I always use a tripod. I think I need something a little more stable than my current one though.

500 f4 is certainly a nice lens (unless you talk to my shoulder or back after carrying it around for a few hours!!)

Paul

Yes I know NikonUser has the 500 F4 secondhand. It was I who directed him to this website

He bought the 500 F4 AFS IF-ED from Camera Exchange, and I was interested at it at the time. Somebody, I think Fozzie, directed me to a website where Paul was talking about how he just bought it. The rest is history.

Nice shots Paul. I saw a few New Holland Honeyeaters when I went upto Bunnings, they're in a peice of land next to it owned by Melbourne Water.

#1, a bird I havent' seen but I'll be harsh here. Light too harsh, better captured earlier in the morning.

#2 I like this one the most.

#3 Little bugger is on the ground so you'll have to get down there with it. Setup ya tripod or get a groundpod so that you're at eye level with the bird.

I prefer #2 out of the 3 images. The border definitely helps with the presentation and I can see #2 being printed out as a large poster print. The colours are just perfect and well suited to the rest of the scene.

#1, a bird I havent' seen but I'll be harsh here. Light too harsh, better captured earlier in the morning.

I agree. I was going to go early this morning but my bed was WAY too cozy today This shot was taken around midday.

EDIT: Is there anything in Post Processing that can be done to help?

#3 Little bugger is on the ground so you'll have to get down there with it. Setup ya tripod or get a groundpod so that you're at eye level with the bird.

I took this shot just as it landed... then tried to move the tripod lower. Do you think it stayed around for me to take the shot? Nope... as SOON as I had repositioned the tripod, composed the shot, half-pressed the shutter....GONE. I may have called him some nasty names after that

NikonUser, in regards to #3, that's where you'll have to be patient and learn the birds habits. I'm going to get a big telephoto lens probably at the end of October and the Superb Fairy Wren is one of the birds I have marked for capture.

The last time I shot them I watched their feeding habits as they usually fly from feeding to a safe zone when they're spooked. Then return, perching along the way.

I watched this behaviour at Banyule and when I was at the Brisbane Ranges. There were a heap of Wrens and Flame/Rose Robins feeding in an open field, the would perch as they went out.

Wow Darryl, you really know your stuff!
Never really been a bird fan until I saved a Canary from being attacked by Minors. I love the little fella, or hen should I say. She now has a red male for company which sings magnificently!

Have you decided to go with the 500 or 600 kipper? New or Used?

I really need to get myself some extension tubes to get closer focus. There have been a few times where I've been too close to focus on the little birds. Last week I had a TINY little finch (around 5cms long) land around 1/2 a metre from my head. I would have needed my macro for that one!!

Paul

G'day,
500F4 Hooley dooley.... Like the lighting and framing in shots 2 and 3, #2's my fav, good angle and background... Good borders too, nice and subtle, are they an action?

Yeah the borders are an action that I created....

something like this...for a full size (3000x2000) image

1) Select All
2) Create New Layer Via Cut
3) Select Background Layer (not the image layer)
4) Increase canvas size by 5px on all sides (black)
5) Increase canvas size by 120px on all sides (white)
6) Increase canvas size by 400px on bottom (white)
7) Increase canvas size by 15px on all sides (black)

Simple really.

Paul

Bewdy, thanks Paul

Great photos Paul.

I agree with the comments above regarding your framing. Very nice. I'll have to put my thinking cap on and do something like that myself without actually copying yours

Well there is a Nikon 600MM F4 AFS (Series I) I think going for sale at Camera Exchange for $7k.

However I'd prefer to go a new 500 F4 as it will retain it's value (I hope) if I decide to sell if I don't use it enough to warrant having one. However I'm sure I'll put it to good use. It will be a bit of a dent on the side pocket if I ever get around to getting it. Hence why I'm taking my time thinking about it, plus I need to sell a few items before I can buy.

kipper wrote:Well there is a Nikon 600MM F4 AFS (Series I) I think going for sale at Camera Exchange for $7k.

However I'd prefer to go a new 500 F4 as it will retain it's value (I hope) if I decide to sell if I don't use it enough to warrant having one. However I'm sure I'll put it to good use.

kipper,
With that 7K you're closely to achieve the brand new 500/AF-S II, and you're right! the 500mm AF-S II is the most sourced lens among wildlife and bird shooter, resale value of it is greater than any other pro zoom lens which I experienced in the past, not only that, the 500 AF-S II is more easier change hand if you need to.

a dent on the side pocket

Can be done by calling the " Dent removal" with new technology, it can be solved and fixed in few minutes

Hence why I'm taking my time thinking about it, plus I need to sell a few items before I can buy

What are you going to sell? Kidney? or other body parts?

KP paid a high price for his replacement kidney few years ago.

So you reckon the 500MM is more sourced than the 600MM?
Perhaps it's because it's better bang for buck?
I was told that a 500MM is great, but if you're really serious about birds go a 600MM F4.

kipper wrote:So you reckon the 500MM is more sourced than the 600MM?
Perhaps it's because it's better bang for buck?
I was told that a 500MM is great, but if you're really serious about birds go a 600MM F4.

600mm, never thought of it! with 100mm difference, I can cope with + a TC if needed to.
600mm is hard to get off your hand if you want to off load it from your inventory.
500mm is a damm heavy lens already, I'll live with it!

Yeah well the 600 F4 would purely be stuck to a tripod + wimberley/black widow head. You'd never be able to even contemplate handholding that sucker.

Personally I think the 500 F4 is a good all rounder.

Waspo, I'm only just a baby learning to crawl when it comes to birds. There is so much to learn. Nicole knows heaps more than me, she can atleast identify different types of waders and knows quite a few birds by their sounds. I know a few birds by their sounds but not a lot, plus I like my raptors and haven't really concentrated much on any other birds since.