Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Chris Calohan on November 18, 2015, 11:00:58 pm

Title: Great Egret
Post by: Chris Calohan on November 18, 2015, 11:00:58 pm
Got the Lens from UPS at a quarter to 4 PM and it was a drizzly, crappy light day but hey, I had a New Lens and who doesn't shoot a new lens as soon as they get it.

Nikon 200-500 5.6 at 5.6, 500mm 1/320 ISO 1250

I love the creamy bokeh at 5.6 and also love the crispness in the detail of the lichen on the tree limb.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on November 19, 2015, 12:24:10 am
"That's a great photo, Mr. Photographer. You must have a great lens!"    :)

I guess you do. And I think that is one of your best. Audubon would be proud of it.

Eric
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Paulo Bizarro on November 19, 2015, 04:06:27 am
Fine shot.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: kers on November 19, 2015, 04:12:58 am
looks great indeed- nice contrast !
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Chairman Bill on November 19, 2015, 07:02:00 am
Certainly is a great Egret. Superb.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Bob_B on November 19, 2015, 09:04:29 am
+1; especially about the crispness of the lichen contrasting that smooth bokeh.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: francois on November 19, 2015, 11:33:30 am
Great posture and smooth background… Another very nice portrait!
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Arlen on November 19, 2015, 02:27:19 pm
Beautiful photo, and a great example of the disappearing one-legged subspecies.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: NancyP on November 19, 2015, 05:44:52 pm
Sweet! Now why can't we stand motionless on one leg for hours at a time....
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: luxborealis on November 19, 2015, 07:21:32 pm
Fine photograph, Chris.

I would love to hear more about your experiences with the 200-500, especially under marginal light conditions. Frankly I'm a little concerned about f/5.6 being max, as some of the best lighting is at the edge of day. The lens certainly seems sharp enough to hold fine detail, but are you finding that your ISOs are regularly higher than what you would normally shoot and possibly too high for the grain to hold up in prints of 14" to 16" or even 20"?
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Chris Calohan on November 20, 2015, 08:32:04 am
Fine photograph, Chris.

I would love to hear more about your experiences with the 200-500, especially under marginal light conditions. Frankly I'm a little concerned about f/5.6 being max, as some of the best lighting is at the edge of day. The lens certainly seems sharp enough to hold fine detail, but are you finding that your ISOs are regularly higher than what you would normally shoot and possibly too high for the grain to hold up in prints of 14" to 16" or even 20"?

This was shot is similar, though a bit more light conditions at ISO 400. In Photoshop, though I realize it is not the best test, I took the shot first posted up to 16x20 with marginal grain disparity. This one, shot at ISO 400 will hold pretty much as large as I want to try. I'm going to test print both today at 13x19 to see how well they hold up. For more "static" shots like these, this lens is as good as my 80-400 at 400 5.6 but for fast movers, its going to take more practice. I do find if I do my initial focus lock at 400 then zoom into 500, I can get and keep a good focus lock but that if I try it strictly at 500, not as easy to do the initial capture. I've only been able to shoot it twice, both in about 10 minute increments so my test analysis is not overly accurate.

"Lofty Aspirations"
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: Chris Calohan on November 20, 2015, 08:55:36 am
Terry: This is a Belted Kingfisher in full afterburner. They are small, fast and especially skittish of human beings, so getting within 35-50 feet of one for a shot requires great stealth or, as in this case dumb luck. It was shot at ISO 400, 1/3200, F:/7.1 at 480mm on the 200-500. I was about 40 feet out from him. The Cormorants in the BG were another 50 or more feet from him...I kind of like the bokeh blend between the subject and the BG.
Title: Re: Great Egret
Post by: francois on November 20, 2015, 11:02:55 am
Wonderful, I like the out of focus cormorants!
Well done.