Help on Birds

[Dave61]

Hi folks, not a great shot of this buzzard, even though it is my best out of three. Lens used was the 55-250mm IS, can you please tell me what is the best way to get a really good shot of it, plus would I be better to put the 70-200mm f/4 IS back on.

Buzzard by David Ore, on Flickr

[antoeknee]

Re: Help on Birds

Hi Dave, is this quite a large crop too? Looking exposure info see aperture was f18 . Given that most lenses sweet spot tends to be f8 to f11 this isn't ideal. Opening up would give you benefit of reducing ISO and increasing shutter speed.

Of course best way to get good images is to get close.

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

Cheers Ant, think I made a mistake having it on Shutter speed. It was a big crop too.

[Stan]

Re: Help on Birds

The main thing is you need a longer lens. 200 or even 250 is no really long enough unless the buzzard is just above head height.

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

It just flew just past, I do have the 75-300mm so would that be better ? No IS on it.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Help on Birds

Dave,

Looking at the image, I personally,will not bother with it. I find that it is better to spend time with an image that is not so far away. My lens combo on the 760D is 70-300mmL (using 300mm most times) + 1.4 HD Kenko TC which gives me 672mm. If the image is beyond this distance I will not bother editing etc as it is a waste of time. The more you crop the more IQ is lost. For holidays and travel I will take the 55-250mm lens with the kenko convertor but this limits your focal length to 560mm (using 250mm) ; not too bad for light weight travel.

Hope this helps in some way.

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

Thanks Nat, and yes it does help so thank you

[ctrollen]

Re: Help on Birds

I'm a newbie and in the same boat as you, Dave.

I have just spent some time in Suffolk, including a few days at Minsmere, and I can say that there's absolutely no substitute for getting as close as possible. At Minsmere I was using my (new to me) 100-400mm and still could have done with more reach most of the time.

Like Nat, when "out and about" I generally took the 55-250mm as it's a lot lighter (however, for one walk along the Deben estuary I really could have done with the bigger lens as there were loads of waders on the water's edge!)

Also, the ambient light was an issue. Most days were cloudy and the light was not great.

I also have a Kenko 1.4x converter and tried it with both lenses at varying times but the degradation in IQ with the given light and having to use a high ISO (which the 750D seems to struggle with a bit) did not produce very good results.

I did manage to get some tips on the 100-400mm lens from a nice bloke in a hide at Minsmere (he had a F/2.8 300mm with a 2x Canon TC and my lens envy kicked in!) who recommended pulling the lens back to about 350mm and using apertures of 7.1 or 8 for the best IQ.

I realise that I still have an awful lot to learn and that I am yet to get the best out of the equipment that I have, so still on a steep learning curve, but I hope this helps a bit.

I will post some of the better pics when I can.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Help on Birds

Dave & Chris, I am only an amateur around here and although I can take some fairly OK shots with BIF the real answer is a long lens with a 1.4 TC (500mm or 600mm). However, weight is a problem for me and so I have to accept that I cannot achieve some of the results achieved by Jeff, Stan, Brian & other more experienced members. Therefore I try to get in as close as possible within my lens capabilities, 560mm or 672mm (depending on what I am carrying at that time).

Furthermore, as Jeff always says, Gulls are good practice targets for BIF shots.

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

The weight is also a problem for me, I have been looking at this lens, and thank you too Chris.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-canon-ef-70-300mm-f4-5-6-is-usm-lens/p1010309

[Lepus]

Re: Help on Birds

Dave , I would seriously consider going longer if you can , the Sigma and Tamron 600 mm Zooms are an ideal option for wildlife , also the later canon 1-400 , the Canon 400 prime , or the Canon 300 f4 with a 1.4 converter , I believe those are your best options . It would in theory save you money in the long run . 300mm on it`s own , though usable at times , is very rarely long enough for most Wildlife , unless you have bags of time to set up hides and bait places . If weight is really that much of an issue , I am guessing either the 300 f4 plus 1.4 converter or the 400 prime , which would also benefit from a 1.4 , would be your best options , those offer not so bad reach , with a cropped sensor body , ie not full frame camera .

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

I have to be very care, as I have a bad back plus carrying the camera round my neck makes the pain worse, so it can not be a heavy lens. Or what about the Canon 1.4 extender.

[djguk47]

Re: Help on Birds

............... plus carrying the camera round my neck makes the pain worse........

Have a look at Black Rapid for a camera strap rather than the standard Canon one which hangs around your neck. Not the cheapest but what is the price for reduced pain and comfort?

[Stan]

Re: Help on Birds

400 is going to be the minimum for most bird shots. As well as the 150-600, I also have the 300 f4 and 1.4x, a combination which both Dee and I have used for about 8 years now and always provides excellent results. It is also a combo I use for most of my dragon and butterfly shots - you can get them as big in the frame as with a macro lens but with the advantage being further away, less chance of spooking them. Also prime lenses always tend to perform better than zooms and with this combo you in fact have 2 primes - 300 and 420mm.

The lenses are easy to carry around all day without problem, particularly if you use the black rapid as suggested - we have used them again for quite some time and being over the shoulder don't drag on your neck at all

Stan

[Dave61]

Re: Help on Birds

Thanks for that David, it would be a great help having that, but would it be safe using on the 70D ? Christmas time I will have a look at getting a 150-600mm.