Summer Tanager Teen Male-Repost

Great capture, showing the whole bird while including habitat and the berry adds behavior to the whole. Overall the image looks rather soft and I'd see if additional sharpening would help.

Regarding the additional sharpening...I think I was sharpening too much on my first two posts so I backed off a bit. I'll bump up the sharpening a bit and repost. Thanks Dottie

Added a bit of sharpening to the bird only.

Hi Dottie,
Really nice perch, subject and background. It definetely appears soft and your second post appears you are trying to sharpen an image where the original capture maybe wasn't really sharp. But only you know how the original looks. If the original is tac sharp, then the post processing and downsizing has degraded the image.
Thanks for posting,
Ronnie G.

I like the way the you have framed the tanager with the leaves. There is a brighter slash of green above the bird IMHO detracts some. Nice photo.

Neat capture Dottie, it's a terrific composition and pose by the bird. Agree it looks a tiny bit soft, but it's still a very nice capture.

Thanks for all the positive comments. The images was sharp, but the hugh crop degraded the image. I shot with a Canon 100-400mm @400mm with a 1.6 crop factor camera. I don't use my 1.4 tc with this lens because it does not focus automatically. I suppose the only way to improve this in the future is to shoot with a 500mm lens. I'll have to put that on my wish list! Dottie

Hello Again Dottie,
The equipment you are using is perfectly fine for avian photography. At 400mm it's a tad short but a 500mm will only gain you 100mm. The difference between those lens is the 500mm f/4 handles the teleconverters much better. Without spending any more money you need to try and figure a way to get closer to the birds. Even with a 500mm you will have the same problem. I use a 500mm and have to use the Nikon 1.7x converter most of the time and still crop a little. Again, don't think you have to spend a fortune to play this game. Work with what you have before you spend a bunch of money. I shot with a 300mm for around 38 years before moving up to the 500mm. I've seen many fantastic images with the 100-400mm so I know the quality of that lens.

Ronnie G.

Great subject. I like the pose, the berry is a nice bonus. I like the way the light is on the bird, and the whole bird is visible.

nits noted, but I do like the pose, and especially like the plumage--don't get to see these youngsters often enough.

Thanks for all the positive comments. The images was sharp, but the hugh crop degraded the image. I shot with a Canon 100-400mm @400mm with a 1.6 crop factor camera. I don't use my 1.4 tc with this lens because it does not focus automatically. I suppose the only way to improve this in the future is to shoot with a 500mm lens. I'll have to put that on my wish list! Dottie

Great light, really brings out the colors in the bird.

Dottie,

I agree with the comments about the original image being a touch soft and the repost looking a bit over sharpened, some where in between would be best.

I like the pose of the tanager, the berry in the bill, the setting and your choice of comp.

I've seen terrific shots taken with the 100-400mm, with less focal length than a 500mm improving your stalking skills can provide beautiful images and get you closer to the birds. I don't believe you always have to have a 500mm to create the images you want.

Nice colourful bird Dottie, I would put the sharpening between the two posts. You might like to work out ways to get a little closer, those skills will still be helpful even with a 500.

I looked at the original again, and the image was not as sharp as I thought. Thanks for everyone's comments.

Beautiful bird and great catch with the berry. You have caught the light falling perfectly. The leaves surrounding the bird create nice framing. You might push the ISO just a bit, as a faster shutter will increase sharpness.