Posted by Paul Whippey on August 6, 2012 at 4:34 PM
Sounds like something my mother would say!
Thanks for the comments on my last post everyone. Thanks for the tips on cropping too!
I've been doing more testing of the Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM II today with small birds, I'm absolutely bowled over by the detail this lens extracts, even with TC's. The mk1 was a stupidly sharp lens, but this is insane!
Lens observations so far: I had to dial in +7 on the AF micro adjustment with the extender in place, the bare lens needs no adjustment. The 90 degree detents on the lens tripod collar speed up portrait-landscape transitions enormously if your in a hide.
Techs: Canon 7D, EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM II with 1.4x extender mk 3. ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/320th sec, Aperture priority, -0.33 EV. Tripod, gimbal head and hide. Imported with ACR, processed in CS5. 25% of LHS and top cropped.
Thanks for looking.
Posted by John Robinson on August 6, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Nice young spadger Paul.
Not too keen on the perch but easily sorted if you've got the stuff hide front and settled. I know they say not so common but I counted 47 under my niger feeder today !
JR
Hi Paul.
Should not worry to much about the perch i do like the bg and the pose of the bird with its mucky beak,that lens really works a treat.
Keith.
Posted by Neil Burton on August 7, 2012 at 3:48 AM
I loved my mk1 but found the shots needed to be f8 with a 2xTC, so the 500 f4 won its place in my heart. Would still love a 300 for travelling though. This is a fine example.
Desptire sparrows being not common it is all I have on my terrace. Everyone else has finches and woodpeckers....
Little buggers have had all the peas and beans in my garden
Like the cane but would rather have it more obviously a garden picture if a non natural perch is used.
Great detail as you say
Ian
Posted by David Taylor on August 7, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Very few round here, now. Nowt wrong with the perch, and I love the sparrow's messy beak.
Posted by David Sewell on August 7, 2012 at 9:51 AM
Excellent detail on the large version. No shortage of the little blighters atound our way at present. They are nesting just above our front door, and providing us with fresh c**p on the doorstep every morning. Serves us right for feeding them I suppose.
David
Posted by Nick Mckeown on August 7, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Cracking image Paul and the lens is resolving tons of detail. I quite like the perch as they also sit on the canes in our garden. Nice crop and great BG. No nits from me matey!
Nick.
Posted by Paul Whippey on August 7, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Thanks for the comments everyone.
We have loads of these in my garden and Jackdaws that clear a feeder in half a day! After posting it looks like the jpeg compression has removed a lot of detail though. I wasn't very happy with the perch, but I thought it worked okay due to it being a garden, but there wasn't much else to show the habitat as Ian said. I'll do some work around that.
I've just bought a 2x mk3 extender, so it will be interesting to see how this lens performs wide open at 600mm. I'll try and put some examples up that do it justice! Now all I need is some decent weather....
Discussion
11 repliesThanks for the comments on my last post everyone.
I've been doing more testing of the Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM II today with small birds, I'm absolutely bowled over by the detail this lens extracts, even with TC's. The mk1 was a stupidly sharp lens, but this is insane!
Lens observations so far: I had to dial in +7 on the AF micro adjustment with the extender in place, the bare lens needs no adjustment. The 90 degree detents on the lens tripod collar speed up portrait-landscape transitions enormously if your in a hide.
Techs: Canon 7D, EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM II with 1.4x extender mk 3. ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/320th sec, Aperture priority, -0.33 EV. Tripod, gimbal head and hide. Imported with ACR, processed in CS5. 25% of LHS and top cropped.
Thanks for looking.
Not too keen on the perch but easily sorted if you've got the stuff hide front and settled. I know they say not so common but I counted 47 under my niger feeder today !
JR
Should not worry to much about the perch i do like the bg and the pose of the bird with its mucky beak,that lens really works a treat.
Keith.
Desptire sparrows being not common it is all I have on my terrace. Everyone else has finches and woodpeckers....
Like the cane but would rather have it more obviously a garden picture if a non natural perch is used.
Great detail as you say
Ian
David
Nick.
We have loads of these in my garden and Jackdaws that clear a feeder in half a day!
I've just bought a 2x mk3 extender, so it will be interesting to see how this lens performs wide open at 600mm. I'll try and put some examples up that do it justice!
Oscar
Bob