Wide angle King

..."fisher"...

So here's one of the results from the recent wide angle sessions..
Still not completey satisfied and tried some new ones today only to find out at the end of the day that the Kingfisher was only half in the frame..
It's on the other side of a small but very deep stream and you don't want to know how i get across it so checking was not easy...

Better luck next time and hope to post some more soon..

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Canon Eos 1Dx
Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Aperture: F 10
Exposure mode: M
Exposure compensation: - 0
Flash:No
Flash exposure compensation:
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: AI Servo (in AF-On modus)
ISO: 6400 set to Auto
Lens: Sigma 12-24mm @ 12mm
Focal length:12 mm
AF mode: Auto Focus
On tripod in water
Levels/Curves/USM/Contrast/Saturation/Noise Ninja/Home stewed Sharpening-mix/ Adobe Photoshop CS6

I think this is a great idea, Jeroen, and when it works it will be a really great image, but you are not quite there yet. With so much detail in the background, the kingfisher needs to be a little closer to the camera so that it dominates the frame a little more. Easier said than achieved I know.

David

Certainly unusual shot Jeroen but I think I,m with David on this one.Will certainly appeal to the masses though I should imagine.
JR

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments and perhaps you could help me out with this one...
I had the same thought of the Kingfisher larger in the frame but the problem is that minimal focus distance is not much closer then this..I tried to get about 1-1,5cm closer yesterday but then i only had half the Kingfisher in the frame as i had not placed the camera properly as i expected the Kingfisher to land closer to the lens..

Perhaps a fisheye lens could focus closer but the look of a fisheye image does not appeal to everyone and my idea was to do it with the 12-24 to show as much of the landscape as possible.(and i do not own a fisheye yet..)

I have thought of using a macro ring but then i would lose the feeling of a (wide angle) landscape shot.
Do you have any other clever thoughts on how to get this done properly..??
Perhaps using a converter or something else to minimize focal distance..?

Hope to hear from you and all the best!

Firstly the KF is too dark compared to the BG, I can see maybe some flash but more will spoil it... so new perch? They sky is also too bright and detracts.

No idea how to get what you want (without photoshop distortion ;) ) but I can see the potential.

Hi Neal,

I completely agree on your comments and as said this is an ongoing project and some day soon i will find the way to get it right..
Have allready tested another perch wich does not lead from the corner and also set the F-number to F16 to get less distortion. The light is a problem here as the place is dark in the FG and very bright in the BG. I might try flash or flashing into a relfector to get that right if the Kingfishers accept all this stuff..

I think I would stick with the 12-24, Jeroen. A slight difference in the perching position of the bird will make a huge difference to the size it appears in the frame. Continue long enough and I am sure you will get the result you want.

David

Hi Jeroen.

You may not have seen my LOWL post from August last year but I shot it with a 24-70 f2.8 at 24mm on a full frame 5Dmk2. If you check the information pics on the repost from last August you will see that the LOWL was no more than 15 or 20CM from the lens. I love taking this type of shot but sometimes I find that ultra wide lenses can be just to wide

I look forward to seeing it when you finally nail one but this is a great start

Bob

Hi Bob,

I thought of using the Canon 17-35mm F2.8 lens i have but noticed that it will only focus from around 35-40 cm wich for the Kingfisher would be way too far. Also the Kinfisher is half the size of a Little Owl so the effect will be very different.
I am amazed though that the 24-70 can focus at such a short distance!
The distance to the Kingfisher in the above shot was approximately 10 cm. I would love to get as close as around 5-6cm but the lens allows only a minimal focus distance of around 8-10 cm

Hi Jeroen. You could be correct and pehaps it was alittle further away than I thought. However the 24mm does bring the subject in a bit closer

Bob

Hi Jeroen,
May be you can rent the 8-15 Fish-zoom-eye (if you don't own it) and use it in the 12mm (in this position it is no longer a visible fisheye on a FF-camera I thought). You can almost focus to the frontlens. I did some tests last year with a catterpillar in the heather and could let the catterpillar almost touch the frontlens. Most of the time he was on it, that does not work.
Hoep this will help you a little more.
Good luck with the project and keep it dry.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the great advise! I will take it into account and see what's possible and if i can get my hands on that lens.

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Hi a nice image I have a sigma 14mm f2.8 HSM that I use it can focus down to 5cm from the front of the lens I think that the 12mm is to wide, have a go with it set around the 14mm to 18mm to see how it looks.

Phil.


one with the 14 mm & d700

Hi Jeroen, how about hiring the Canon 14mm 2.8 or 8-15 f/4 fisheye, both cool lenses. Can I assume you using a remote? If you are you can use another bit of kit with the 1DX which might be better, but want to ensure you don't go for some kit that is out at the moment? Can you drop me a line.

Cheers
Steve

Wow Phil, i have only seen Tawney's at dusk, stunning

Hi guys,

Thanks for your comments so far and they have been really helpful!
Will drop you a line Steve!

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel