I went out to photograph some turkeys, but this Red Tailed Hawk kept screeching and driving every other creature out of the field. In revenge I shot it . . . with camera of course.
It was about 200 yards away in the top of a pine tree. I had to use stacked 2.0 and 1.4 TCs to get any kind of image. Even so it is quite soft. Still, revenge must be served!
Aaron - When photographing birds . . . size matters! Yes, I am compensating . . . for my aging eyes! As one parishioner told me, "Getting old is not for wimps!"
You are correct, it is all manual focus with tcs of 2.0x and above or when using more than one at a time on my 40D. Canon's 1D3 will AF up to f/8, which would work with the 2.0x tc, but I am still reeling from the price of the 500/f4 lens. With practice I am getting better at manual focusing, but often rely upon LiveView with zoom for critical focus . . . when I have the time. However, without Image Stablization the whole enterprise would be quite hopeless! I have to hold the shutter button half-way down to kick in I.S. while focusing manually.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on June 10, 2009 at 5:10 PM
This may be a bit soft but considering the focal length and hawk's perch I think you did an admireable job with this image. Thanks for sharing.
Discussion
4 repliesIt was about 200 yards away in the top of a pine tree. I had to use stacked 2.0 and 1.4 TCs to get any kind of image. Even so it is quite soft. Still, revenge must be served!
40D, 1400mm, f/8, 1/800s, ISO 800, cropped.
http://www.meade.com/lx200-acf/index.html
The guys with the big lenses must be overcompensating for something!
That combo can't autofocus can it? Incredible focal length...
You are correct, it is all manual focus with tcs of 2.0x and above or when using more than one at a time on my 40D. Canon's 1D3 will AF up to f/8, which would work with the 2.0x tc, but I am still reeling from the price of the 500/f4 lens. With practice I am getting better at manual focusing, but often rely upon LiveView with zoom for critical focus . . . when I have the time. However, without Image Stablization the whole enterprise would be quite hopeless! I have to hold the shutter button half-way down to kick in I.S. while focusing manually.