Birds of Prey - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

12/09/2005 05:48:44 PM · #1

I went out yesterday looking for a rare visitor here, a Snowy Owl. We have had a few around and I wanted a better shot. No luck but it was such a nice day I stayed out and took a few shots of other birds of prey around the North Fork of the Skagit River here in Washington State. Hope you like them and comments are always welcome.

ShutterPug

Canon EOS-6D

12/09/2005 06:10:40 PM · #2

Great timing with your shots - very nice

Marc923

12/09/2005 06:12:43 PM · #3

Great shots. My fav is the 3rd one.

nsbca7

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

12/09/2005 06:14:10 PM · #4

Originally posted by lepidus:

Great shots. My fav is the 3rd one.

definatly

philup

Canon EOS-5D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

12/09/2005 06:15:03 PM · #5

Great shots...left you some comments..!!

Dr.Confuser

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

12/09/2005 07:17:21 PM · #6

I've said it before and I'll say it again now, in my opinion "JB is about the best bird photographer around here." He is to birds what DrJones is to Nudes, or Jacko is to Bug Macros."

These are great shots JB! Thanks for sharing them!

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

12/09/2005 07:34:37 PM · #7

Thanks Chuck but I have a long way to go to match those names! But what a compliment!

My biggest problem is my developing passion is driving the need for a big expensive new lens and maybe even body. My trusty Tamron 200-500 F5 - 6.3 is nice when the light is full but "I feel the need for speed." Maybe Santa will deliver a new Nikon D-200 and a Nikon 200-400 F4?

LOL.

Message edited by author 2005-12-09 19:35:32.

Dim7

Canon EOS R

12/09/2005 08:05:21 PM · #8

Your pictures are Amazing!
I love Raptor pictures too!

12/09/2005 08:42:14 PM · #9

Thanks. Your Great Grey in the Free Study challenge is one of the best!

Marc923

12/09/2005 09:10:05 PM · #10

Originally posted by Digital Quixote:

I agree. Also, up there, is rscorp

Message edited by author 2005-12-09 21:10:46.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

12/10/2005 01:11:05 PM · #11

Originally posted by lepidus:

Originally posted by Digital Quixote:
These are great shots JB! Thanks for sharing them!

I agree. Also, up there, is rscorp

Yeah, I love his Albino Chickadee.

ragamuffingirl

Sony Alpha NEX-5N

12/10/2005 05:57:17 PM · #12

I think I like the second one better. I like the way the sun is coming through the owl's wings. Also, the way he's looking at you in the third one kinda creeps me out. It's like he's contemplating eating you.

12/11/2005 12:49:41 AM · #13

Thanks to all for the comments. And Alice, looks you you really do know what I mean about barely catching him ..... you have one of your own!

12/11/2005 01:58:53 AM · #14

Very nice shots. I tried local birds..need more lens! hard to get good focus on the leetle birds. I get some water bidres now and then when I am near the water - in flight is really tricky, you must have a LOT of practice!

You have both the bigma and tamron 200-500 - which do you prefer and why? I don't (yet) have a big zoom, but have both sigma and tamron lenses and i think the tamrons focus faster/better.
My best and not so good shots:
(these will make yours look better!)

Alrright, i cheated - these are at the national aviary and in cages ;)

I tried like hell on that last one - the camera wouldn't fire without focus lock.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/11/2005 01:31:14 PM · #15

Chris

I do not have the Bigma but I do have the Tamron 200-500. I bought it over the Bigma because it had less zoom (3x vs 10x) which I figured would give it better optics. It filled the range I normally shoot when out for birds. For the price this is a great lens but not fast and a touch soft. If the light is good and I kick the ISO up to 400 then I can shoot pretty good stuff using fast shutter speeds. These were at 1/1000 wide open using a monopod. I have shot it in good light using a Tamron Pro 1.4 Teleconverter and had reasonable success.

Bottom line is this lens will do well if you do not want to go out and spend $5k or more on a good optics. Someday (soon I hope) I'll be buying either the Nikon 200-400 F4 VR or the Nikon 500 F4. But for now this one serves me well.

BTW - Where did you find the Snowy Owl. They are down this year (rare for here) and I have seen them but not close enough to get a good shot.

edit: I guess I should have read your post closer. I see the owl shots were in captivity. Still pretty nice.

Message edited by author 2005-12-11 13:39:14.

Flash

Nikon D700

12/11/2005 01:42:52 PM · #16

Some more birds of prey shots. Fort Worth Zoo w/ Robin Holden.

Sigma 50-500Ex

this is an 8x12 crop of the photo to the left used in another past thread to illustrate the capability (or lack of) of the Sigma 50-500Ex

Message edited by author 2005-12-11 13:56:25.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

12/11/2005 01:53:33 PM · #17

Originally posted by jbsmithana:

Chris

I do not have the Bigma

I have shot it in good light using a Tamron Pro 1.4 Teleconverter and had reasonable success.

BTW - Where did you find the Snowy Owl. They are down this year (rare for here) and I have seen them but not close enough to get a good shot.

The last shot you posted lists as having been shot with the Bigma, so i assumed...

How do yo like that TC? I have a tamron SP 70-210 2.8 on the way and am thinking of that one or the kenko pro converter.

the owl was/is behind glass. My first outing with my Rebel - a very consumer tamron 28-80 lens for that shot, and I should re-do my PP work since i know more now after 11 months more experience.

ragamuffingirl

Sony Alpha NEX-5N

12/11/2005 01:56:54 PM · #18

What is a Bigma? I'm sure it's not something I can get for my Olympus anyway, but I still want to know. :(

Flash

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/11/2005 01:57:42 PM · #19

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

What is a Bigma? I'm sure it's not something I can get for my Olympus anyway, but I still want to know. :(

The Sigma 50-500Ex is sometimes referred as a "bigma"

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

12/11/2005 02:41:09 PM · #20

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

What is a Bigma? I'm sure it's not something I can get for my Olympus anyway, but I still want to know. :(

Sigma's site on it

b&h (pricing)

and the other lens used here...
tamron SP 200-500

makes you want to run right out get a 20D and one fo these lenses, huh?

ragamuffingirl

Sony Alpha NEX-5N

12/11/2005 05:53:02 PM · #21

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:
What is a Bigma? I'm sure it's not something I can get for my Olympus anyway, but I still want to know. :(

Sigma's site on it

b&h (pricing)

and the other lens used here...
tamron SP 200-500

makes you want to run right out get a 20D and one fo these lenses, huh?

Yes, but like the D70, the 20D is right out of my price range. :( Maybe if Glenn's would let me keep it on lay-away for about two years!

scrum8

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

12/11/2005 08:47:44 PM · #22

Here are some I took with the EF 70-200 f/4 L

and some more recently with the EF 100-400 f/4.5 L. Still getting use to this lens.

12/12/2005 12:30:27 AM · #23

Very nice stuff Bruce. Great job getting close with the 70-200. I love my Nikon 70-200 2.8 but find it a bit short most of the time for these type shots.