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Moon Potato posted:What camera body are you using? Once you get into using fairly long, fast lenses, having an advanced autofocus system becomes kind of necessary. My old D90 was struggling pretty badly with focusing anything longer/faster than 300/5.6, especially with more distant objects. D3200, so you're probably correct.
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Oct 27, 2013 20:14
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Moon Potato posted:It looks like they have the same corner sharpness complaints that I do about the non-Sport version, but it should be excellent on crop sensor bodies. I suspect more profound differences emerge between the Sigma and the Nikon when using a doubler, though (I usually stop down to f/11 with a doubler on the Sigma to get decent sharpness on a D800). I've never really understood the heavy emphasis on corner sharpness that places like DxO put on these lenses. Wide angle or standard length, sure, but the vast majority of photos taken with super telephotos, sports and wildlife shots, are going to be sharp subject, blown out background. When they are used for landscape, they are going to be stopped down. I'd love to try out that Sigma 120-300 2.8 but I don't think its something I would use. My 300 is practically welded to my 2x tc. Its very rare that I'd need less reach. Now, when they announce the new line of Sport super telephotos, that'll be a different story.
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Oct 27, 2013 21:07
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800peepee51doodoo posted:I've never really understood the heavy emphasis on corner sharpness that places like DxO put on these lenses. Wide angle or standard length, sure, but the vast majority of photos taken with super telephotos, sports and wildlife shots, are going to be sharp subject, blown out background. When they are used for landscape, they are going to be stopped down. Even if the corners were a bit *too* blown out, most people shooting birds are cropping anyways I would think.
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Oct 27, 2013 22:16
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800peepee51doodoo posted:I've never really understood the heavy emphasis on corner sharpness that places like DxO put on these lenses. Wide angle or standard length, sure, but the vast majority of photos taken with super telephotos, sports and wildlife shots, are going to be sharp subject, blown out background. When they are used for landscape, they are going to be stopped down. Having a zoom is much more important when you're shooting video and you want to get wide and closeup shots from the same setup. Beyond that, the Sigma's big selling point is the performance it offers at a pretty decent price point. Both the Canon and the Nikon 300/2.8 lenses are approaching twice the cost of the Sigma, and aren't all that much better. As far as the corner sharpness issue goes, it's not that big a deal when you're shooting a single subject that's pretty well separated from the background. I've had some shots where it would have been nice to have even detail across the leafy forest floor, a kelp bed or dense foliage or what have you, though. Anyhow, some shots from the marsh today: American Wigeon  Ruddy Duck  Fox Sparrow  Least Grebe. These guys are very camera shy, and this is the first shot I've been able to get of one that wasn't swimming away or diving.  Cormorant  Belted Kingfisher. I'm kicking myself because I accidentally bumped the aperture open before shooting this, and lost some image/highlight detail as a result. 
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Oct 28, 2013 00:49
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Moon Potato posted:] Not sure your IDs are right on these three. First one looks a Scaup, probably Greater. Second looks like A Song Sparrow to me, but there's a lot of variation depending on where you are. Third looks much more like a Horned Grebe to me. Least Grebes are only found in a small portion of the farthest south US from what I can tell.
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Oct 28, 2013 02:16
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BeastOfExmoor posted:Not sure your IDs are right on these three. First one looks a Scaup, probably Greater. If the first one is a scaup, then we've had a small group of females arrive at the marsh before any males have. I guess that's possible, but I've never seen ducks segregate themselves like that. For the second one, we have Song Sparrows in my area year-round, and Fox Sparrows winter here. In the last month or so, sparrows that are smaller and darker than our year-round residents have started showing up (like the one pictured). As you said, there's a lot of variation in both species, but these definitely seem to be a seasonal migrant. They do fit very well with the Pacific Northwest variant of the Song Sparrow, though, so maybe those travel down to California in the Fall and Winter. On the grebe, it looks like you're right.
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Oct 28, 2013 03:24
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Why not eared grebe? Definitely scaup and song sparrow. Fox sparrow is chunkier and fairly monochromatic on the back. There are a ton of song sparrow sub-species, particularly along the coasts. Nice photos- love the water drop on the scaup.
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Oct 28, 2013 06:48
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I'm surprised about the scaup - there's been a group of about 4 females at Arcata Marsh for the last month, and I haven't seen any males at all (in the last couple weeks I've been doing some pretty thorough surveys of which birds are where to prepare for filming when I get my cinema gear back from servicing). I used to live right next to Lake Merritt in Oakland, and would always see them in huge flocks when they came down for the Winter.
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Oct 28, 2013 07:42
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I went to the Arctic and I saw Arctic Terns. Arctic Terns 11 by Execudork, on Flickr  Arctic Terns 13 by Execudork, on Flickr  Arctic Terns 15 by Execudork, on Flickr  Arctic Terns 20 by Execudork, on Flickr and a Long-Tailed duck.  Arctic Terns 3 by Execudork, on Flickr
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Oct 30, 2013 01:20
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They're vicious little buggers. This one's about a metre above my head. Bird Attack! by fuglsnef, on Flickr
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Oct 30, 2013 14:24
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ExecuDork posted:I went to the Arctic and I saw Arctic Terns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBzwv057GPs
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Oct 30, 2013 15:01
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I've been accumulating photos since late summer without any time to actually sit down and sort through them. White-Tailed Ptarmigan:  20130902-20130902-_MG_5744.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr  20130902-20130902-_MG_5779.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr  20130902-20130902-_MG_5827.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr  20130902-20130902-_MG_5850.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr Red-Necked Phalarope w/ LB Dowitchers:  20130929-20130929-_MG_6219.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr Dunlin:  20131011-20131011-_MG_6464.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr Lesser Yellowlegs:  20131011-20131011-_MG_6471.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr Long-Billed Dowitcher:  20131011-20131011-_MG_6479.jpg by beastofexmoor, on Flickr
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Oct 30, 2013 15:06
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BeastOfExmoor posted:
Phwoarr check out the plumage on that. What a beauty.
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Oct 31, 2013 01:09
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Mallard ducks (If I got that translation right.)  Högbo-12 by dabrovnijk, on Flickr  Högbo-10 by dabrovnijk, on Flickr  Högbo-9 by dabrovnijk, on Flickr erephus fucked around with this message at 23:35 on Oct 31, 2013 |
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Oct 31, 2013 23:32
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removed.
Revolucion fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Nov 29, 2020 |
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Nov 1, 2013 09:53
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I haven't had a lot of opportunity lately with fall migration slowing down, so here's a couple of shots from the summer: Yellow-headed Blackbird  Ruddy Duck  BeastOfExmoor posted:
erephus posted:Mallard ducks  Great shot of one of my bucket list birds. Are they hard to get close to?
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Nov 1, 2013 14:38
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InternetJunky posted:I haven't had a lot of opportunity lately with fall migration slowing down, so here's a couple of shots from the summer: Really liking this.
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Nov 1, 2013 19:08
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InternetJunky posted:I haven't had a lot of opportunity lately with fall migration slowing down, so here's a couple of shots from the summer: Love this shot as well. Showed it to my GF (also shoots) and she said it looked like a yellow bird wearing a popped collar vampire jacket. Can't unsee that now.
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Nov 1, 2013 19:32
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InternetJunky posted:Great shot of one of my bucket list birds. Are they hard to get close to? Thanks. I drug my 100-400 up like 5500ft of elevation gain (over only 5 miles) to get these shots. Totally worth it.
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Nov 1, 2013 21:53
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Nice shot. You must have been able to get pretty close. Looks like you barely cropped this at all. Also loving the ptarmigan. Def worth the climb.
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Nov 2, 2013 02:08
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InternetJunky posted:Yellow-headed Blackbird Beautiful shots! Everything's starting to come together with the documentary nonprofit I'm launching with a handful of other people, and we're finally done with the trailer for the bird-centric film about Arcata Marsh that we'll be shooting over the next year: https://vimeo.com/78197694
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Nov 2, 2013 02:17
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Moon Potato posted:Everything's starting to come together with the documentary nonprofit I'm launching with a handful of other people, and we're finally done with the trailer for the bird-centric film about Arcata Marsh that we'll be shooting over the next year:  Holy poo poo, more!
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Nov 2, 2013 02:26
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InternetJunky posted:
There will be. I'm already at work on editing a documentary short about the white-tailed kites, and there will be others during the production of the feature (because a year's worth of filming will get us way more than we need for a 2-hour docco). I'll post things here as they come out.
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Nov 2, 2013 02:36
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Ha! That looks awesome! Great work, I can't wait to see more.
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Nov 2, 2013 03:26
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Revolucion fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Nov 29, 2020 |
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Nov 3, 2013 00:40
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I was happy to get out and shoot yesterday, even if it was just common feeder birds. Everything is covered in 20+ cms of snow today.  Downy Woodpecker  Black-capped Chickadee 
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Nov 3, 2013 18:12
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Man, every time I check the EXIF on your pics I get this pang of jealousy at the sharpness and detail you get with ISOs I consider non-existent on the 1D4. I know I've said it before but goddamn.
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Nov 3, 2013 20:57
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800peepee51doodoo posted:Man, every time I check the EXIF on your pics I get this pang of jealousy at the sharpness and detail you get with ISOs I consider non-existent on the 1D4. I know I've said it before but goddamn. Oh Jesus, I never looked at that before. What tools are you using for noise reduction in post, Internet Junky? I really need to dump Aperture...
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Nov 3, 2013 21:02
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Moon Potato posted:What tools are you using for noise reduction in post, Internet Junky? The 1DX really is a game-changer in ISO noise. It's a hard switch to go back to a 7D. If you're curious, here's the same shot straight from the camera:  And here's a close-up of the noise at 8000 ISO: 
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Nov 3, 2013 22:03
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InternetJunky posted:The 1DX really is a game-changer in ISO noise. It's a hard switch to go back to a 7D. I bet. The difference I've seen between my 1D4 and the 7D I used to have is huge, and the difference between the 1D4 and 1DX seems even bigger. Those ISO 8000 shots look like my ISO 1600 shots. Maybe I'll look into trying to get a 1DX next year after the rumored price drop and also after I pull off that armored car heist I'm working on. Speaking of NR stuff, I've been trying out DxO Optics Pro the last couple days. They just released a new version with some fancy new NR algorithm they're calling PRIME that's supposed to be better than anything else on the market by at least one stop. Seems to work good but it's slooooooow as a motherfucker. It took something like 2 minutes to export a TIF on my 6 core desktop. It does have some cool features like downloadable camera + lens modules that auto correct for aberrations based on their lab setups and their presets are actually pretty right on. I doubt its gonna compete with Lightroom just based on workflow integration but it is certainly worth looking at.
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Nov 4, 2013 03:10
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Forgot about a few from Hawaii: Hawaii 2013 by hookshot88, on Flickr  Hawaii 2013 by hookshot88, on Flickr  Hawaii 2013 by hookshot88, on Flickr
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Nov 5, 2013 00:53
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Out of curiosity, have any of you tried selling any of your bird shots? There's a big Christmas craft sale in my city ever year and I was contemplating the idea of trying to sell some of my shots. I don't know what appeal bird shots have outside of bird nuts though. I'm sure some people would be interested in the typical owl/hawk shots, but I doubt the same interest is there for my American Avocet shots for example.
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Nov 6, 2013 18:50
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InternetJunky posted:Out of curiosity, have any of you tried selling any of your bird shots? There's a big Christmas craft sale in my city ever year and I was contemplating the idea of trying to sell some of my shots. I don't know what appeal bird shots have outside of bird nuts though. I'm sure some people would be interested in the typical owl/hawk shots, but I doubt the same interest is there for my American Avocet shots for example. I just did a quick cruis through the photos that you've posted in the thread. I think you're right that the raptor and owl shots are the most marketable. There were definitely some other shots that I think people might respond to. Specifically, shots of Waxwing, Wilson's Snipe, American Avocet, Red-Necked Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Atlantic Puffin, and Northern Gannet stuck out to me of possibly marketable as well.
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Nov 6, 2013 19:30
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InternetJunky posted:Out of curiosity, have any of you tried selling any of your bird shots? There's a big Christmas craft sale in my city ever year and I was contemplating the idea of trying to sell some of my shots. I don't know what appeal bird shots have outside of bird nuts though. I'm sure some people would be interested in the typical owl/hawk shots, but I doubt the same interest is there for my American Avocet shots for example. Unless you've got a boring* bird doing something fun or interesting your best bet are going to be raptors/owls. Don't expect to move much of anything though as demand isn't high. I did find a nice niche though; rednecks. Redneck's want pictures of animals and they pay pretty well for them. I'll take a handful of my stuff to fairs and craft shows in smaller towns in the state and can usually move a few here and there. If you're going to rent a booth/space bring a  and set up shop next to someone making fun of liberals or selling OBUMMER crap. I'm not kidding.*boring to the average Joe Edit: Rule of thumb - If it's "majestic", kills things larger than bugs or if humans hunt it for sport then country bumpkins will buy it. Maker Of Shoes fucked around with this message at 20:07 on Nov 6, 2013 |
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Nov 6, 2013 20:03
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I'm mainly thinking of cards and not wall-prints here, but I think snowy/winter bird scenes have a chance to be sell-able at a holiday craft sale. Cute pics of chickadees, cardinals, titmice, etc, in a clearly winter scene might do OK. Aside from obviously bad-rear end birds (owls, big herons etc), what draws my eye are really unusual lighting or really colorful backgrounds. But again this is for cards, and I don't think I have any larger nature photo prints that I didn't take myself.
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Nov 6, 2013 20:59
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The only time I've ever sold photos is for environmentalist charity auctions. I didn't make any money of course but its nice they were appreciated. Maker Of Shoes posted:Unless you've got a boring* bird doing something fun or interesting your best bet are going to be raptors/owls. Don't expect to move much of anything though as demand isn't high. I did find a nice niche though; rednecks. Redneck's want pictures of animals and they pay pretty well for them. I'll take a handful of my stuff to fairs and craft shows in smaller towns in the state and can usually move a few here and there. If you're going to rent a booth/space bring a Ha, I've totally seen guys with these booths at the farmers market in Klamath Falls. It's all bald eagles and elk.
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Nov 6, 2013 21:13
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800peepee51doodoo posted:Ha, I've totally seen guys with these booths at the farmers market in Klamath Falls. It's all bald eagles and elk. Hey man, I need a way to fund my habit. 
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Nov 6, 2013 21:41
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Maker Of Shoes posted:Hey man, I need a way to fund my habit. Sheeeit, no judgement here. Do you wear a RealTree Advantage Max 4 HDtm camo jacket for ultra authenticity? I tell you what, nothing makes you an instant friend to the rural conservative outdoor enthusiast like a sweet camo jacket. Nature photo dollas++
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Nov 6, 2013 21:51
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Unfortunately Canadians don't really go nuts over Beaver shots (well, not the beaver shots I have anyway) the same way the American Rednecks go bonkers for Bald Eagles. I don't really want to change what I enjoy shooting for the sake of sales, I'm just curious if there's any demand out there for "ordinary" birds. I just found out it costs almost $1000 bucks to sell at the craft fair I was thinking of so this is all just a moot point anyway.
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Nov 6, 2013 22:03
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InternetJunky posted:I just found out it costs almost $1000 bucks to sell at the craft fair I was thinking of so this is all just a moot point anyway. Wowzers.  I think the card idea above is pretty solid. Earlier in the thread someone posted a bookmark they made from a cropped shot and I've been thinking about doing that too. Get a whole bunch of different bird types together from my existing stuff, crop it to an interesting book mark size and throw on a quick species label on the edge with Photoshop or whatever. Sell them together or individually. Not quite the same as a print but its still your work getting moved.
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Nov 6, 2013 22:12
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