They Didn't Know! Do You? If You Own a Super-telephoto Lens, You Must Gotta Read This!

What’s Up?

On Tuesday, I got lots of work done on the two upcoming Falklands land-based IPTs and stockpiled a few more blog posts for your enjoyment while I am away. I was thrilled to learn that Ajit K Huilgol’s friend, MN Jayakumar, will be joining him on the August 2017 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. Both will be traveling from India. We have already gotten some great feedback on the new ISO 6400 Killdeer MP4 video. See yesterday’s blog post here if you missed it.

On Monday evening my swim was in fact cut very short by thunder and lightning. So on Tuesday, I made up for it in part by swimming a very slow 100 lengths of the pool, 50 laps, or just a bit more than a mile and an eighth. My shoulder is doing quite well.

Please note that the “you must gotta read this” in the title was a tongue-in-cheek play on words 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of the folks whom I see in the field, and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

The Streak: 313!

Today’s blog post marks a totally insane, irrational, illogical, preposterous, absurd, completely ridiculous, unfathomable, silly, incomprehensible, what’s wrong with this guy?, makes-no-sense, 313 days in a row with a new educational blog post. There should be no end in sight until my big South America trip next fall. Or not… As always-–and folks have been doing a really great job recently–-please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. For best results use one of our many product-specific links; after clicking on one of those you can continue shopping with all subsequent purchases invisibly tracked to BAA. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. Please remember: web orders only. And please remember also that if you are shopping for items that we carry in the new BAA Online Store (as noted in red at the close of this post below) we would appreciate your business.

Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the yellow-orange tab on the right side of the menu bar above.

September Used Gear Sales Flaming Hot!

• Good friend and BAA Japan IPT co-leader–the oft-honored BBC and Nature’s Best photographer Paul McKenzie–sold his Canon EOS 1DX in excellent condition with an extra Canon battery for $2299 in mid September two days after it was listed.
• Eric Karl sold his Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal Extender in excellent condition for the full asking price, a very low $8,099 in mid-September.
• Gary Meyer sold his Canon EOS 5D Mark III in mint condition for $1599 with an off-brand battery grip in mid-September.
• IPT veteran Ken Siegel sold his Canon EOS-1DX in excellent condition with several extras for $2899 in early September.
• Roger Doughty sold his Canon EOS-1DX in “like-new” condition for $2,749 and his Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for $1,049 both within hours of listing them in early September.
• Multiple IPT veteran Phil Frigon sold his barely used Canon EOS 5DSR in like-new condition for $2799 within three hours of listing it on September 6.
• Joe Alexander sold his Gitzo GT3532LS carbon fiber tripod and a Wimberley V-2 WH-200 gimbal head both in like-new condition for $799 within an hour of listing it on September 6.
• IPT veteran Larry Master sold his Canon EOS 5DSR in like-new condition for $2799 in early September.
• Top pro Jim Zuckerman sold his Canon 7D Mark II in excellent condition for $899, his 5D Mark II in excellent condition for $799, and his Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens in very good condition for the amazingly low price of $1049 in early September, all within a week of listing.
• Yours truly sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II lens in near-mint condition for $4783 in early September.
• Multiple IPT-veteran Sheldon Goldstein decided to keep his Canon EOS-5D Mark III and have it converted to Infrared by Kolari Vision using the link on the right side of each blog page. Folks who use that link will receive a free copy of my IR White Balance Guide.

New Listings

Canon EOS-5DS R with Extras!

Yours truly, Arthur Morris, is selling one of his two Canon EOS 5DS R bodies with the Canon battery grip for $2549. The camera is in excellent condition but for a very small, very fine sort of x-shaped crack in the upper-right corner of the top LCD screen. The battery grip is in good plus condition. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, an extra two battery for a total of two, and insured ground shipping via FedEx.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Credit card or Paypal +4% is fine with me.

Please contact artie via e-mail or by phone at 863-692-0906.

I waited a bit too long to get my first 5DS R but once I did, I quickly added a second. I used each of them more for birds than I did my EOS-1DX Mark II. Go figure. I fell in love with the amazing sharpness and fine feather detail of the 5DS R image files and the AF system was great as well. It is the premier landscape body in the Canon system. artie

Canon EOS-5DS R with Extras!

Dear friend and multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman is selling his Canon EOS 5DS R with the Canon battery grip in like-new condition for $2899. Includes the original box and everything that came in it, an extra battery for a total of two, and insured ground shipping via FedEx.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

I waited a bit too long to get my first 5DS R but once I did, I quickly added a second. I used each of them more for birds than I did my EOS-1DX Mark II. Go figure. I fell in love with the amazing sharpness and fine feather detail of the 5DS R image files and the AF system was great as well. It is the premier landscape body in the Canon system. artie

Like-new Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

Sold!

Ed Hutchinson is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS USM lens in like-new condition for $3795. There are no scratches, scuff marks, or other blemishes to suggest that the lens has been used. It comes in the custom Canon lens trunk with keys and includes the lens hood, the leather hood, the rear lens cap, and the strap. Also included is a brand new LensCoat for this lens (#LC500M4) in an unopened package. The Canon manual and registration card are provided, The registration card has only the purchase date entered. The lens will be shipped in the original Canon box by insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only.

Your lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ed by e-mail or phone at 832-689-8111 (Central time).

I owned and used this great lens for well more than a decade before upgrading to the 500 II. Lenses of this versatile focal length have long been the world’s most popular super-telephoto lenses for good reason: they are long enough for bird, fast enough for big mammals, and–in the right hands–can produce razor sharp images with both the 1.4X ad the 2X TCs. artie

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

Sold!

Ed Hutchinson is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM lens, the “old 1-4,” in like-new condition for $649. There are no scratches, scuff marks, or other blemishes to suggest that the lens has been used. The lens comes with all original accessories: E-77 II 77mm Lens Cap, Lens Dust Cap E (Rear), ET-83C Lens Hood, LZ1324 Lens Case with Strap, Tripod Collar, User Guide, and Warranty Card. The cost of insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only is included.

Your lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ed by e-mail or phone at 832-689-8111 (Central time).

The 100-400 is a versatile intermediate telephoto zoom lens with 1,000+ uses. It makes a great starter lens especially for folks who do general nature and wildlife in addition to birds. I’ve sold 100s of images made with a 1-4 and denise loved hers for many years forsaking it only recently for the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. Ed’s 100-400 is priced to sell. artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Sold!

Ed Hutchinson is also offering an EOS 5D Mark III camera in like-new condition for $1499. There are no scratches, scuff marks, or other blemishes to suggest the camera has been used. The camera comes in the 5D Mark III/EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens Kit box, butthe lens is not included in this offer. The box contains all in-box items as purchased, including battery pack & charger, strap, cables, discs, documentation, and warranty card.

The camera will be shipped by insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ed by e-mail or phone at 832-689-8111 (Central time).

I have owned and used this superb, full frame, 22mp digital body for several years. It was always my first choice for scenic, Urbex, and flower photography until I fell in love with the 5DS R (for a lot more money!). And I used it quite a bit for birds and wildlife with great results. artie

Canon EOS 7D Camera

Ed Hutchinson also is offering an EOS 7D camera in like-new condition for $379. There are no scratches, scuff marks, or other blemished to suggest the camera has been used. The camera comes in the original box with all in-box items as purchased (except as noted below), including battery pack & charger, strap, cables, documentation, and warranty card. One of the two discs originally included, EOS Digital Solutions Disc, is missing, however downloading the current software from the Canon web site is recommended as the information on the disc is now outdated. The package also includes David Busch’s Compact Field Guide for the Canon EOS 7D. The camera will be sent by insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only.

Your camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ed by e-mail or phone at 832-689-8111 (Central time).

This 7D would make a great starter camera body for any new digital photographer. artie

This image was created at Nickerson Beach on my 5-week Long Island visit. Geoffrey Montagu on our left, Bill Dix on our right

They Didn’t Know! Do You?

I have known Bill Dix on BirdPhotographer’s.Net for more than few years and met his good buddy Geoffrey Montagu there only recently. Bill’s photography has improved by leaps and bounds since I first saw some of the images he posted for critiquing many years ago. Bill and Geoffrey are big time photography buddies and do many trips together. I met them at Nickerson Beach on the All Time Greatest-ever Black Skimmer Chick morning. As we got back to the parking lot we were chatting about this and that. I am not sure how the subject of drop-in filters on big telephoto lenses came up but it did. I did have my beach cleaning kit in my Wheeleeze… (To learn more about this great big-wheeled beach cart click here and scroll down.)

Next I asked them how often they cleaned the drop-in filters on their Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens. I was shocked when both Bill with 8 years of bird photography experience and Geoffrey after 3 years of working with long lenses asked “What’s a drop-in filter.” I explained that all of the big super-telephoto lenses, both Canon and Nikon, had clear glass drop-in filters that needed to be cleaned every few weeks at the least…

I asked permission to remove the filter from Bill’s lens and as expected, it looked as if it had spent some time in the cat’s litter box… Geoffrey’s was in the same condition. I grabbed my soft-bristled paint brush, the small bottle of LensClens, and my old t-shirt from my lens cleaning kit (see same along with the how-to instructions below) and went to work…

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens and my beach cleaning kit.

If You Own a Super-telephoto Lens You Must Read This!

The above image is pretty much self-explanatory. To clean the drop-in filter, Canon users simply squeeze in the two silver tabs and lift the filter drawer straight up. Nikon users have to press in the knob and turn it counterclockwise release the filter drawer. Be sure to note the orientation of the filter drawer, the direction that it faces. With Canon lenses, the letters that spell Canon face the front of the lens.

Cleaning the Drop-in Filter

Hold the filter drawer by the edges so that you do not touch the surface of the glass while cleaning the filter. If your filter looks pretty clean try tilting it while viewing it against a dark background. You will likely be surprised. Then take your soft-bristled brush and whisk the surface of both sides of the filter. You will likely need to do wet cleaning as well unless you cleaned it recently. For a wet cleaning, place several drops of LensClens fluid on a small area in a corner of your old t-shirt. Never put the LensClens fluid directly on the filter or on any lens surface. Next bunch up a totally dry part of the t-shirt and dry and buff the glass taking care to get right to the edge all the way around. Again, check the filter by tilting it while viewing it against a dark background. One you are satisfied that it is clean, check for proper orientation and then replace it carefully by inserting it straight in until it snaps.

Why Clean the Drop-in Filter?

A dirty drop-in filter will destroy the accuracy of your autofocus system and seriously degrade image quality.

My Cleaning Kit

My Cleaning Kit

My cleaning kit–stowed in a heavy duty zip lock bag–consists of an old but clean t-shirt–I do throw it in the washing machine every once in a while, a soft-bristled brush, a bottle of LensClens, and some clean, dry Q-tips. I use the Q-tips to clean the viewfinder but not as often as I should. After moistening the tip I rub it onto the viewfinder, then I dry it with the other end of the Q-tip. Then I break the Q-tip in half and stick the shaft end into a balled up section of the old t-shirt and polish the viewfinder until it is completely dry.

LensClens is amazing stuff. I use it to clean all lens surfaces and external elements. I use it to clean the screen on my MacBook Pro. I use it to scrub my camera bodies clean; it works great on the LCDs. It is used to clean the the finest multi-coated lenses on earth (and in space too!) LensClens #1 is for multi-coated optics–the only one that BAA sells, has a fast evaporation rate and leaves no zero; that makes it the perfect lens cleaning fluid.

When heading out in damp or threatening conditions I place 2or 3 dry t-shirts into their own zip lock bag so that when one gets damp there is another dry one waiting in the wings. You cannot dry the front element of a lens with a damp cloth… The more dry t-shirts the merrier.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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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 🙂