Hand Feeding - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/29/2003 05:56:22 PM · #1

In my local park, some of the squirrels are quite tame. They are used to people being around and a lot of them will actually harrass you for food. Some of them will eat out of your hands.

I was feeding one from my hand this afternoon when these two kids came up with their mom. They wanted to try it so I gave them each a handful of birdseed so they could give it a try...

imagesloyola

Canon EOS-20D

12/29/2003 06:00:15 PM · #2

a very candid pix, like it so much.

kiwiness

Canon Canon 1d x Mark II

12/29/2003 06:01:37 PM · #3

Lovely pic, very story telling.

12/29/2003 06:01:48 PM · #4

Very nice shot john, what lens were you using?

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

12/29/2003 06:03:59 PM · #5

Originally posted by lhall:

Very nice shot john, what lens were you using?

Canon 75-300 @ f/11

soup

Canon EOS-30D

12/29/2003 06:07:30 PM · #6

in the next frame the squirrel is attached to the cheek of the right hand kid. seems they don't like it when you run out of birdseed before they have had their fill././

12/29/2003 06:08:54 PM · #7

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by lhall:
Very nice shot john, what lens were you using?

Canon 75-300 @ f/11

Thanks - hmmm.. wonder if I need one of those?! Your shot has such good light and dof.

12/29/2003 06:32:50 PM · #8

Originally posted by lhall:

Thanks - hmmm.. wonder if I need one of those?! Your shot has such good light and dof.

I think highly of this lens... the Canon 75-300 f/4.0-5.6 USM IS Lens... It's a worthwhile purchase.

If I had it to do over again, I would likely buy the non IS version, but i'm not unhappy that I bought this one.

12/29/2003 06:51:25 PM · #9

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by lhall:

Thanks - hmmm.. wonder if I need one of those?! Your shot has such good light and dof.

I think highly of this lens... the Canon 75-300 f/4.0-5.6 USM IS Lens... It's a worthwhile purchase.

If I had it to do over again, I would likely buy the non IS version, but i'm not unhappy that I bought this one.

You don't really think the IS makes that much difference??

12/29/2003 07:05:42 PM · #10

It can make a difference but I'm seeing some side effects of it that I don't particularly like. I can't really explain it, but i'll put some examples together sometime and show you.

When I'm using the IS feature, there are some anomolies created in the out of focus backgrounds that I don't like. They only appear sometimes, but they only appear with the IS is turned on also.

ButterflySis

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

12/29/2003 07:07:42 PM · #11

Great shot, jm! He's just too darn cute!

Btw, I guess you didn't hear about the rabid squirrel incident last week (or so) did you?

Edit: learning to spell.

Message edited by author 2003-12-29 19:08:53.

12/29/2003 07:32:47 PM · #12

Originally posted by ButterflySis:

Great shot, jm! He's just too darn cute!

Btw, I guess you didn't hear about the rabid squirrel incident last week (or so) did you?

Edit: learning to spell.

Unfortunately, I have not heard of it, but that is something that always concerns me when I hand feed squirrels. I do pay attention to the squirrels when I plan to feed them like this. Rabid squirrels will usually show you signs of agression and there are other signs you can look for if you want an early warning.

However....

In general, I don't really think it's a great idea to hand feed squirrels. They are wild animals, no matter how tame they may seem. I have been nipped by squirrels before, but I believe it's my fault when it happens. You have to be still and silent or you will frighten them, and they can/will bite you if you startle them at this close range.

My problem is that i have this addiction to it :) They are so cute and, most of the time, they will just run away if you frighten them. It would probably be in my best interest to at least wear a glove to feed them. I don't know if that would protect me from a serious bite or not because they have teeth that are quite long if you have ever seen them up close.

:)

12/29/2003 07:37:25 PM · #13

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

John, I'm interested in this as well, I think I have seen what you're talking about in one of my test shots with the 70-200. Would be good to know if it's the same effect. I'm going to post my testshot and a crop shortly...

12/29/2003 07:42:06 PM · #14

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
It can make a difference but I'm seeing some side effects of it that I don't particularly like. I can't really explain it, but i'll put some examples together sometime and show you.

When I'm using the IS feature, there are some anomolies created in the out of focus backgrounds that I don't like. They only appear sometimes, but they only appear with the IS is turned on also.

John, I'm interested in this as well, I think I have seen what you're talking about in one of my test shots with the 70-200. Would be good to know if it's the same effect. I'm going to post my testshot and a crop shortly...

The anomoly is some strange 'cross-hatching' in the background. I also think it is more pronounced when your subject in the foreground is still and the objects in the background are moving.

12/29/2003 07:54:46 PM · #15

Here is my test image and a crop. Image specifics are:

Canon 70-200 2.8L IS lens @ 200mm + 2.0x II converter (400mm focal length), 1/125s @ F/11, ISO 800.
The crop is 100% and is from the outlined area on the full image. I took a range of shots with varying shutter speeds, this is the only one that showed this effect at all. I do think it is like what Setz describes.

Oh, some additional info; shots were handheld but braced, IS was in mode 1 (two-axis), and the shot is unprocessed except for levels adjustment.

Message edited by author 2003-12-29 19:57:22.

12/29/2003 07:57:03 PM · #16

That's it :) I have seen it much worse in other instances...

ButterflySis

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

12/29/2003 08:00:28 PM · #17

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

I understand! I'm the same way. I love animals and would probably feed them myself if I could get close enough. I was mostly being smart when I said that anyway. It is true though. Here and here is the story. It's not a very common thing for squirrels to have rabies, so I'd guess you're pretty safe! :-)

12/29/2003 08:05:04 PM · #18

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

That's it :) I have seen it much worse in other instances...

Ahh, thought so! I have a hypothesis as to why this happens. When the IS system moves the internal element, it's like a tiny perspective shift, and the OOF objects move differently than objects at the focal plane. The greater the ratio of the OOF object distance to subject distance, the worse this should be. In addition, it should look worse at smaller apertures, since the OOF objects will retain more detail and you'll see it more. Make any sense?

12/29/2003 08:09:47 PM · #19

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
That's it :) I have seen it much worse in other instances...

Ahh, thought so! I have a hypothesis as to why this happens. When the IS system moves the internal element, it's like a tiny perspective shift, and the OOF objects move differently than objects at the focal plane. The greater the ratio of the OOF object distance to subject distance, the worse this should be. In addition, it should look worse at smaller apertures, since the OOF objects will retain more detail and you'll see it more. Make any sense?

It makes sense. I still don't like it and i keep my IS turned off because of it.

12/29/2003 09:58:58 PM · #20

This makes me curious to know if the "crosshatching" you are describing is the same thing that deafwolf was asking about in this thread. The description sounds much the same as what he was experiencing.

12/29/2003 10:11:28 PM · #21

Originally posted by lhall:

Hi Linda,
No, the cross-hatching he was experiencing was on an old Sony Mavica, definitely no IS on that baby. What John & I are seeing is definitely an artifact of the IS (Image Stabilization). The effect also looks somewhat different, IMO.

fsteddy

12/30/2003 12:12:47 AM · #22

I have one of those old Sony Mavicas (with IS) and have never noticed any cross hatching. I will go back and look at some of my old pics, but I don't remember ever seeing them.