Astronomy, Photography and Weather
March 28, 2024, 02:43:18 pm
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: IAA lecture programme continues alternate Wednesdays from September - an excellent programme of lectures- Queens University Belfast - Bell Lecture Theatre. Also keep an eye out for the Summer Events
 
  Home Help Search Gallery Staff List Login Register  

Another Heron

Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Another Heron  (Read 344 times)
JohnC
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1631

Gloucester : UK


View Profile
« on: April 22, 2009, 12:04:13 am »

I went to The Wild Fowl Trust today  to see what a 1.4 X  extender was like on  my 100-400mm lens. It loses automatic so I had to focus on manual. It also loses a stop but that's not a problem ,what are further problems are that I can't have the AF Drive on 6.1 fps (High) and A1 Focus/ Servo, both these last two modes are for flight and fast moving subjects or with the A1 focus a still  subject that's liable to move a little like a standing heron. Also trying to track a flying bird on a tripod even with a ball head is useless unless they are slow flying or are a reasonable distance away. Maybe a Wimberley Arm would be the thing to have. So, in the end  I took the  borrowed 1.4 X off and took the camera off the tripod. The photos are sort of OK but IMO that's all. I'll go back and try again. Also what this heron was doing was to get itself a duckling which one observer said it  had succeeded in doing and also it seems that 5 ducklings  in another 'family'  suddenlybecame 4 after a pike (they assume) had grabbed it. Quite a gory trip really. The heron certainly caused some anguish amongst the parent ducks who were extremely agitated and made attempts at 'going for' the heron. The heron looks graceful and demure but it belies their true nature, they are aggressive, intelligent ,efficient  hunters.



125/sec f10 560mm ISO 100




1/640 sec. f8  150mm ISO 320




1/125 f10 ISO 100




1/640 f8  ISO 320 150mm





Report Spam   Logged

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

jgs001
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1280


Horsham, Sussex, UK


View Profile WWW
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2009, 12:55:52 am »

Not sure about 1 John, looks like it moved on you. The rest are all good. I really like the third one
Report Spam   Logged

John
Canon 450d, EF-S 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS, Raynox DCR250
HQE5 + C80ED & Vista 80s. NexStar Skymax 102 SLT.

*** My Astro Blog ***
JohnC
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1631

Gloucester : UK


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2009, 11:10:51 am »

Yes, 1 has  moved and that's why I won't use the 1.4 X  again but that's ok ,that's what I wanted to check  and I got my answer. No. 3  seems ok and was also taken on manual  and also at 1/125 sec.  both at ISO 100(tripoded) Maybe I should have had the  ISO higher to get a faster speed but you can't just hope a subject like this won't move. Also you're stuck if it takes off. You can see when these are about to fly and  on auto that gives time to open the field of view up but only auto will get a decent photo. Bit of a learning curve really.

Anyone comments re. this would be welcome.
Report Spam   Logged
jgs001
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1280


Horsham, Sussex, UK


View Profile WWW
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2009, 11:16:24 am »

The only thing I can add really, is that I frequently push the ISO to get a faster shutter speed. I aim to have at least 1/200 or more if I can get away with it, with an ISO of up to 400. If I have to go to 800 or 1600, then I only normally to that to get up to over 1/125...
Report Spam   Logged

John
Canon 450d, EF-S 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS, Raynox DCR250
HQE5 + C80ED & Vista 80s. NexStar Skymax 102 SLT.

*** My Astro Blog ***
JohnC
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1631

Gloucester : UK


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2009, 04:22:46 pm »

Yes, I'll try again I think and up that ISO. I'm obsessed with a low ISO to keep noise out of photos. Skies / Lightning   are one thing to shoot at  a low ISO 100 off a tripod but  not the likes of a Heron even if it is standing still.
Report Spam   Logged
jgs001
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1280


Horsham, Sussex, UK


View Profile WWW
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2009, 04:35:14 pm »

I've taken to using ISO400 even in bright light now... so I can get a shutter speed of 1/1000, and with some of the birds even that's not enough. I got a belter of a shot of a feeder, the Bluetit decided to leave whilst the mirror came up and even at 1/1000 it's a blue blur....
Report Spam   Logged

John
Canon 450d, EF-S 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS, Raynox DCR250
HQE5 + C80ED & Vista 80s. NexStar Skymax 102 SLT.

*** My Astro Blog ***
martinastro
Martin Mc Kenna
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5182


Maghera, N. Ireland


View Profile WWW
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2009, 11:34:49 pm »

Great captures John, I love the 2nd and 3rd images. Enoyed the fascinating text which complimented the images  Smiley
Report Spam   Logged



Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Bookmark this site! | Upgrade This Forum
SMF For Free - Create your own Forum

Powered by SMF | SMF © 2016, Simple Machines
Privacy Policy