Canon 100-400 II-7D II/You Can't Handle This Versatility! 100-400 II Versatility--the 4th of a Series

What’s Up?

A full day of work was interspersed with a nice swim, my core exercise program, and my first ice bath in two weeks. Then early to bed and early to rise. I have tons more on the 100-400II and the 7D II and lots more Southern Ocean and San Diego images to share with you here and will be doing that on a daily basis.

This blog post took about 3 hours to prepare. It was published at 5:25am from my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL.

CNPA

On Thursday I fly to Charlotte, NC and then drive to Spartanburg, SC to present 3 programs at the Carolina Nature Photographer’s Annual Meeting. My keynote presentation, “What Makes a Great Natural History Image,” is being generously sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. I hope to see many of you there. Be sure to say “hi” and get a hug. Learn more or register here.

IPT Updates

Click here for info on all currently scheduled IPTs. Please note that many are sold out.

Galapagos Photo-Cruise

With the recent cancellation of two spots, I am in dire need of putting a few more folks on the Samba for this incredible trip. Please contact me via e-mail to learn of the huge, ever-increasing 4-figure discount that I am offering. I need one male roommate and one couple. Happy campers only please :). In a hurry? Call me today, Wednesday, 11 FEB at 863-692-0906. See below for details.

Roseate Spoonbill/Hooptie Deux IPT

The Roseate Spoonbill/Hooptie Deux IPT is once again sold out with a waiting list.

The Palouse IPTs

IPT #2 is now sold out. There are two openings on the long-sold out #1 Palouse IPT.

South Georgia October 2015

Do consider joining me in South Georgia next October for the trip of a lifetime. See here for the complete details.

Save $242

Register now for the South Georgia trip and receive a $242 on your return airfare. Please e-mail for details.

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This image was created in sunny conditions at Coronado, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 158mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop off the blue sky: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was spot on. AWB. After exposing for the WHITEs, the relatively dark underwings were lightened during the RAW conversion in DPP 4 by moving the Shadow slider to +4. Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. Central AF point (manual selection)/AI Servo (always best for moving subjects)/Shutter Button AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. The latter is almost always best when hand holding. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1:Heerman’s Gull in flight

Canon 100-400 II-7D II/You Can’t Handle This Versatility!

In the hands of a competent, creative photographer the 100-400II/7D II combo can yield an almost incredible variety of images even on a simple late afternoon walk on the beach. All of the images in today’s blog post were created on the afternoon of Day 2 of the recently concluded San Diego IPT.

This image was created in cloudy bright conditions at Coronado Beach, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 241mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop in late-in-the-day sun: 1/640 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode was perfect. AWB. Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. AI Servo/Rear Focus/Zone AF as framed activated two AF points, four up and to the right of the center row that were active at the moment of exposure. The right-hand of those two AF points caught the tip of the bird’s bill and resulted in a sharp-on-the-eye image. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Adult Western Gull vertical in late afternoon light

Zone AF

I began experimenting with Zone AF on the San Diego IPT in an effort to overcome the problems resulting from the 7D II AF Grid Void. (Read more in the Two Things I Do Not Like About the 7D Mark II blog post.) See Image #2 in yesterday’s blog post here for another example. More coming soon.

Zone AF performed quite well in this image.

This image was created very late on a clear day at Coronado, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 400mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was a bit of an under-exposure. The image was lightened during conversion in DPP 4 with the Brightness slider. AWB. Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. One row below and two AF points to the right of the central AF point/AI Servo (always best with moving subjects)/Expand/Shutter Button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (the latter almost always best when hand holding). The active AF point fell on the lower reflection of the bird’s legs. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #3: First winter Sanderling running

The 7D II 1.6X Crop Factor

For me, the 7D Mark II crop factor is real. See the many previous comments and discussions. Having a hand holdable 640mm effective focal length lens when pursuing speedy subjects is a big advantage. AF is much more responsive when you do not have to add a 1.4X TC to the mix….

This image was created very late on a sunny afternoon at Coronado, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 241mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual was perfect. Learn more about the correct exposure here below. Auto WB! Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. Center AF point/AI Servo/Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. All potentially active AF points fell on the sky…. Again, see more below. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #4: US carrier headed to sea

The Correct Exposure for Silhouettes

The correct exposure for silhouettes should leave the image on the rear LCD looking washed out. Period. A simple Levels adjustment here brought this image too life. If your silhouettes look great with rich colors on the back of the camera then they are well under-exposed. Under-exposures result in smaller file size, reduced image quality, and less data in the RAW file….

AF Explanation

As no active AF point was anywhere near the ship it would seem impossible that AF was active at the moment of exposure when this image was created. My explanation is that in some low contrast situations one of my Custom Case 3 parameter settings enables the system to “hold AF” long enough for you to create a sharp image.

I got a lot of work done on the 7D Mark II User’s Guide on the flights to and from San Diego and hope to have at least a pre-publication version available for sale no later than February 20. Yes, that’s 2015. 🙂

ABP II

If you cannot create a workable exposure with any subject in consistent light in ten seconds or less then you need to get yourself a copy of “The Art of Bird Photography II” and study the section entitled “Exposure Simplified.” ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images, on CD only. Order yours here, save the file to your computer, and archive the CD.

This image was created after sunset at Coronado, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 248mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/4 sec. at f/20 in Tv mode was perfect. Color temperature 9000K. Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. 65-Point Automatic Selection/AI Servo/Rear Focus activated the two AF points just to the right of the central AF point as framed that were active at the moment of exposure (the latter almost always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #5: surf at sunset pleasing blur

Pleasing Blur Techniques

To create this image I went to a lower than usual ISO, set a slow shutter speed, and panned slowly during the exposure. Note that at f/20 I ran the risk of having to deal with lots of dust bunnies. Had I taken the time to turn off Highlight Tone Priority, I could have gotten down to ISO 100 at f/10. Better yet would have been to have had my Singh-Ray 3-stop ND in my pocket; had that been the case I could have easily been working at f/5.6. Note that Highlight Tone Priority should be enabled only by those converting their RAW files in DPP.

Singh-Ray Filters

Singh-Ray filters have been used by the world’s top photographers for many decades. Singh-Ray has been and is the name in quality filters. I often use both their 3-stop and 5-stop Neutral Density filters in both the 77mm and 82mm sizes) to attain slower shutter speeds in a variety of conditions including bright sun with the 5-stop ND. Toward that end, BIRDS AS ART is working with Singh-Ray to produce a 5-stop Neutral Density filter to to fit the filter drawers of Canon Super-telephoto lenses. Stayed tuned for info on that.

No other filter manufacturer comes close to matching the quality of Singh-Ray’s optical glass that is comparable to that used by NASA. And they continue to pioneer the most innovative products on the market like their ColorCombo polarizer, Vari-ND variable and Mor-Slo 15-stop neutral density filters. When you use their filters, you’ll create better, more dramatic images and, unlike other filters, with absolutely no sacrifice in image quality. All Singh-Ray filters are handcrafted in the USA.

Best News: 10% Discount/Code at checkout: artie10

To shop for a Singh-Ray Neutral Density Filter, click on “Neutral and color density,” choose the filter and size that you want, and then click on Add to Cart. Wait for a new screen to render. Then click on the text after “Have a coupon?” and type artie10 into the blank box. A healthy 10% discount will be applied to your total. In addition to enjoying the world’s best filter at 10% off you will be supporting my efforts here on the blog.

This image was created on the way back to the car well after sunset at Coronado, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 400mm) and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode was right on. Color temperature 9000K. Rig on the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap. 65-point/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #6:full moon in pink sky

Being in the Zone

You will know when you are in the Creative Zone. It seems that there is a wonderful image practically everywhere that you look. On the way back to the vehicles I noticed that some light clouds surrounding the rising full moon gave the sky a magenta pink hue. The foggy halo around the moon added to my excitement. Those who were with me got excited too. The correct exposure here in Av mode avoided any blinkies on the sky.

Do consider joining me for a once in a lifetime trip to the Galapagos archipelago in July, 2015.

GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience. July 14-28, 2015 on the boat. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $12,499. Limit 14 including the leader:/Openings: 4.

My two-week Galapagos Photo-Cruises are without equal. The world’s best guide, a killer itinerary, a great boat (the Samba), and the best leader with eight Galapagos cruises under his belt. Pre-trip and pre-landing location-specific gear advice. In-the-field photo instruction and guidance. Jeez, I almost forgot: fine dining at sea!

The great spots that we will visit include Tower Island (including Prince Phillips Steps and Darwin Bay), Hood Island (including Punta Suarez, the world’s only nesting site of Waved Albatross, and Gardner Bay)—each of the preceding are world class wildlife photography designations that rank right up there with Antarctica, Africa, and Midway. We will also visit Fernandina, Puerto Ayora for the tortoises, Puerto Egas—James Bay, North Seymour and Isla Lobos for nesting Blue-footed Booby (most years), South Plaza, Floreana, and Urbina Bay, all spectacular in their own right. We visit every great spot on a single trip. Plus tons more. And there will he lots of opportunities to snorkel on sunny mid-days for those like me who wish to partake.

We will be the first boat on each island in the morning and the last boat to leave each island every afternoon. If we are blessed with overcast weather, we will often spend 5-6 hours at the best sites. And as noted above, mid-day snorkeling is an option on most sunny days depending on location. Note: some of the walks are a bit strenuous. Great images are possible on all landings with a hand held 70-200mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter. I bring a longer lens ashore on most landings as that fits my style. I generally work with either the Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS or the Canon 200-400mm f/4 L IS with Internal Extender.

Do know that there is a NatureScapes Galapagos trip: one week for $8495. Thus, my trip represents a tremendous value; why go all that way and miss half of the great photographic locations?

The Logistics

Fly to Guayaquil, Ecuador on July 12, 2015. Travel insurance/rest day: July 13 (We may or may not offer a photo outing on the 13th). Fly to the archipelago on July 14 and board the Samba. Get off the boat on July 28. Fly to Guayacil that afternoon. Fly home on the early morning of July 29 unless you are staying on or going elsewhere (or catching a red-eye flight on the evening of the 28th).

$12,499 includes just about everything: all transfers, guide and park fees, all food on the boat, transfers and ground transportation, your flights to the archipelago, and three nights (double occupancy) in a top notch hotel in Guayacil. If you are good to go, a non-refundable deposit of $5,000 per person is due immediately. The second payment of $4,000 is not due until 11/1/14. The final payment of $3449 per person will be due on 2/1/15. A $200 discount will be applied to each of the balances for couples or friends who register at the same time.

Purchasing travel insurance within 2 weeks of our cashing your deposit check is strongly recommended. On my past two cruises a total of 5 folks were forced to cancel less than one week prior to the trip. My family and I use Travel Insurance Services and strongly recommend that you do the same.

Not included: your round trip airfare from your home to and from Guayacil, beverages on the boat, phone calls, your meals in Guayacil, personal items, and a $600/person cash tip for the crew and the guide—this works out to roughly $40/day to be shared by the 7 folks who will be waiting on us hand and foot every day for two weeks. The service is so wonderful that many folks choose to tip extra.

Please e-mail for the complete itinerary and for additional info and images. Please cut and paste “Galapagos 2015 Info Please) into the Subject line.

IPT Updates

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

Learn the secrets of creating contest winning images in our “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs.”

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

In our A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly, we discuss just about every technique ever used mankind to create pleasingly blurred image. Ninety-nine point nine percent of pleasing blurs are not happy accidents. You can learn pretty much everything that there is to know about creating them in this instructive, well written, easy to follow guide.

If what you’ve learned here on the blog about theCanon EOS 7D Mark II has inspired you to purchase this great new camera body, please consider using the logo link above to support my efforts here in bringing you the latest, greatest educational materials on daily basis. Note: the 7D II is now in stock so no pre-ordering should be necessary.

If what you’ve learned here on the blog about the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens has inspired you to purchase this sharp, amazingly verstatile lens, please consider using the logo link above to support my efforts here in bringing you the latest, greatest educational materials on a daily basis.

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