Sigma 800MM F5.6 EX APO

[kipper]

http://www.adorama.com/SG80056NKAF.html ... &item_no=6

This lense looks oh so tempting for the price. Now all I need is for a rich relative to die. At $7600AU I think it's a lot more reasonably priced then say $15000 for the Nikkors. Or at $50 a week I could have it in 5 years

[Glen]

Kipper last months Photo Trader had a Nikon 800mm F8 for sale, will get the number for you. Only one stop slower and probably about $1k

[mic]

Kipper,

Cut both your legs off and sell them to the Organ merchants, use the money to but 2 Sigma 800's and get them attached to your empty leg sockets

Now you can walk and take great shots of the Moon.

Mic.

[kipper]

Glen, if you could provide me with details of Phototrader that would be good. I'm not fussed if the items are second hand.

[Glen]

I feel a bit funny about posting someones number, but they did advertise it in a national mag, so:

From Photographic Trader No 113

Nikkor 800mm F8 IF-ED lens in excellent condition with filter set, built in lens hood and original fitted aluminium case David 0419 332 013

He had a few lenses with reasonable prices listed before this one in the same ad. Filter set is handy as it takes 39mm filters rather than 122mm one on the front. Now get yourself a 2X TC, gives 1600mm, add the crop factor means 2400mm, you will be photographing the dust mites on the birds back! I think you have found your new walk around lens kipper



ps don't forget to upgrade your Markins now, maybe RRS?

[kipper]

Nah, did you see that Howitzer Tripod I posted not long ago. That's my new kit.

Will be taking photos of the next Sydney D70 Meet.......................from Melbourne.

[Glen]

Kipper mount it on a block of concrete in the backyard. Interested to see how you get on with this lens, nice thought it is genuine Nikon from the days when that meant something

[Matt. K]

Kipper
An 800mm lens becomes 1200mm on the D70. You will have very limited use for this lens and you won't be able to use it on a hot day because of heat distortion in the air. Better off with the 200-400 VR by a long shot.
Also, hitting focus on a moving target with 1200mm is usually a matter of good luck.

[Glen]

Matt, Kipper is young with good eyes and strong of limb, 1200mm will be a walk in the park for him

[Matt. K]

Glen
He could always hire a caddy?

[kipper]

Matt K. Small Birds, you can't shoot small birds with a 400 focal length. You don't have the reach, you have to get too close. Then you disturb them. I had focal length of 340MM (with TC) and Nicole had a focal length of 400MM with the 80-400VR and shooting a flame robin at 15-20M results in a bird that is just a blip on the radar. Pros use 400MM / 600MM with TCs or 800MM lenses.

[kipper]

Glen I haven't decided on whether I will get one just yet. A 600 or 800MM lense would have to be very very reasonably priced for me to consider one
I'm not going to spend the amount I did on the 70-200VR. So a secondhand one and a bit of luck will have to come my way.

[birddog114]

China has a lens 600mm made by bamboo can fit Nikon mount for coupa hundred aussie bucks

[kipper]

Woot, there is hope

[Glen]

Kipper, another way to look at it is buy Matt K camo gear then you could sneak up on them and just use the kit lens

[kipper]

You don't think they'd notice a moving bush in clearings?

[Glen]

Seriously they often don't. Build yourself a hide or get a ghilli suit, there is a guy who sells them on ebay (think his name is Mr Ghilli). Dont forget to do a self portrait after you get it so we can compare it to Matts's avatar

[kipper]

http://www.birdphotos.com.au believe in not disturbing the birds, and allowing them to fly about without feeling threatened. The way they feel they can achieve this is by using big lenses, they look like they've succeeded. However the downside that Greg was telling me is that the 600 w TC has a min focal length of 5.5m

[yeocsa]

www.birdphotos.com.au believe in not disturbing the birds, and allowing them to fly about without feeling threatened. The way they feel they can achieve this is by using big lenses, they look like they've succeeded. However the downside that Greg was telling me is that the 600 w TC has a min focal length of 5.5m

Hi Kipper,

You are absolute right. That's why, the best combination, is a 600 and 300.
The 300 is for flight shots and for subject that happen to appear very closeby. The other alternative, many of them carry with them Extension tubes (12, 25 and 35). By attaching them, they can get MTF from 5.5m down to a more managable distance.

regards,

Arthur

[birddog114]

you can go for the 200VR/ 300VR or 600.

With the 600 you can't hand holding + you should have proper head + pod and extra bit & pieces as lens plates (w/ Arca Swiss dove tail) + some things like Wimberley Sidekick, or King Cobra gimbal head and be careful when you mount it with your D70. Otherwise you will have the 600 with the detached D70's mount but no D70 body attached to it. I've seen one and never stop LOL.

[MHD]

yes, actually that is what I have been thinking when reading this thread...

When you start talking about going beyond 400mm you start talking serious hardware, not just in the lens but in what you need to do to support the lens...

[birddog114]

Even with the Wimberley Sidekick, the 600 is the beast and could not comfy on the Wimberley Sidekick. I had a try on it.
Any gimbal head is a must to use with it.

[yeocsa]

Wimberley Sidekick is the way to go. You can use it both for flight shots and static. This is a must have for bird photography.

regards,

Arthur

[fozzie]

kipper,

The Wimberley Sidekick is excellent .

Here is the website, to spend some more of your hard earned money:

http://www.tripodhead.com/products/sidekick-main.cfm

From order to dispatched/receipt 6 calendar days.

[birddog114]

Wimberley Sidekick won't work well with the 400 or 600, full gimbal head required.
Sidekick for under 400mm is excellent.

Buy the sidekick and try on the 600, then you'll discover what I mentioned.

[birddog114]

This is the one you need for the 400/600:
WH-100 or WH-101

[birddog114]

And another less than AU$1k to spend on the accessories including lens plate.
How often are you using this 600mm? need a car, a trolley for transport and a "solid" camera body as D2h or D2x to mount it on.

And an assistance? can I be yours?

[kipper]

I'll talk to Greg at birdphotos to see what they use.

[Glen]

Kipper, we will be calling you Big Lens Kipper soon! I wasn't meaning to get within a couple of metres with camo just if you use a blind you will be less noticed. Here is one from Kirk Photo:

[sirhc55]

Glen a Canon user in mufti

[Glen]

Kipper just had a look at Birdphotos, they really have some excellent shots. One thing which I thought was interesting, especially with the world being megapixel crazy and the fact that they are Canon sponsored is that they use a 1D with 4mp.

Sirhc, would you be seen with a Canon? That is standard wear to save embarresment.

[kipper]

Glen I was quite shocked aswell when Greg from Birdphotos told me that he uses a Canon EOS 1D and then read up that it's only a 4MP. It's not like the D2H though and has a fast drive (eg. 8fps)?

[kipper]

Speaking of fast drives, would be nice if Nikon make something in between the D2X and the D70 eg. 6 to 8mp with 8fps (not burst but continuous). Perhaps they have or are and I've missed the press release.

[birddog114]

Nothing wrong with the D2h or 4MP with bird photo, I have seen many bird photos taken with D2h on other site, same as Ron Reznick, before the D2x he had the D2h and now he got the D2hs + D2x, he took so many beauti bird photos with 4MP DSLR.

[kipper]

Link me up to this Ron Reznick website

Nevermind, found it

[birddog114]

Link me up to this Ron Reznick website

http://www.digital-images.net/

[kipper]

Btw, my birthday is on Monday.....parents asked me what I'd like. Don't think they'd appreciate it if I asked for a Sigma 800

[birddog114]

Btw, my birthday is on Monday.....parents asked me what I'd like. Don't think they'd appreciate it if I asked for a Sigma 800

Why not, they love you!

[birddog114]

And Ron shoot with the 300VR which he got it somewhere in March, before it he got the AF-S 300/2.8, I think he owns the Nikkor 500 with coupa TCs as well but his 300 is alway travelling with him on many workshops accross the States.

[kipper]

I'm sure he would of used the 300MM or 500MM with TCs for those small bird shots. Either that or he disguised himself as tree and the lens was a branch.

[birddog114]

As far I known he uses 300mm with TCs more than the 500mm.

[birddog114]

kipper,
This for you:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 95232&rd=1

It's so cheap about AU$3k, your birthday present from your mum & dad