What’s Up
Every day I feel a bit better and Tuesday was no exception. And I got some substantive work done on the BAA Current Workflow Guide. t
I was pleased to learn that Fort DeSoto IPT veteran Ed Blanton will be joining the Palouse group. He makes six.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of 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.
Please Don’t Forget …
As always–and folks have been doing a really great job for a long time now–please remember to use our B&H links for your major and minor 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 BAA Online Store (as noted in red at the close of this post below) we would of course 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. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Gerry Keshka
Hi Artie, I wanted to share how much I appreciate your Used Gear “service.” You have posted how you help sellers, but the other side of the equations is how much this service helps buyers. I have purchased three lenses (Canon 200-400, 500 f4 II, and 70-200 F2.8) all lovely experiences and I saved almost $5K over retail. Each of the sellers was delightful, willing to help me assess if the purchase was right for me by sharing their experience with the lens. Each lens was in the condition advertised (or better), and typically included several “add-ons” that would have cost several hundred dollars.
Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Sandra Calderbank
Hi Artie, I wanted to take a few minutes to thank you. I have sold two camera bodies on your BAA used gear site. Your friendly expertise and knowledgeable, trustworthy buyers have made this an extremely satisfying experience. Selling on BAA Used Gear page is the best transaction experience I have ever encountered. Thank you for all you do for our photography community. Sincerely, Sandra
Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Tom Phillips
Artie, Thanks so much. I sent your check via my online banking. I never expected the 400 DO II and the 1DX II to sell within minutes of your posting the ad! I know that the 300 f/2.8 II is still up, but still, the results have been amazing. Another plus is that James McGrew is a professional artist and photographer and he was really looking and wanting that combo and is appreciative and excited to be able to find a great deal. Tom.
Recent Successful Used Gear Sales
The Big Ticket Items Continue to Sell Like Hotcakes on the Used Gear Page in May!
- David Ramirez sold his Canon EOS 5D Mark III in near-mint condition for $1449 in late-May.
- The sales of multiple IPT veteran Dr. Gil Moe’s Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, his 1.4X III TC, and his Xtrahand vest were all pending as of the first day of listing.
- Hisham A. sold his Wimberley WH-200 Tripod Head in excellent condition for $449 in early May.
- Larry Peavler sold a Canon Extender EF 2X III in like-new condition for $299 within days of posting it in mid-May.
- Tom Phillips sold his Canon EOS-1DX Mark II (Premium Kit) in near-mint condition for $4499 and his Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO II USM lens in like-new condition for $5,798 both within hours of listing them in mid-May.
- Ron Paulk sold his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II USM zoom lens in excellent condition for $1100 and the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT & Canon ST-E3-RT Transmitter/package for $425 on May 14, 2017, the day after it was listed.
- Larry Peavler sold a Canon EF 100-400 zoom f/4.5 – 5.6 L IS Telephoto Zoom lens, the old 1-4, in excellent condition for $549 soon after it was listed.
- Ron Paulk sold his Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens in excellent condition for $999and his Canon EF 100mm Macro f/2.8L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $549 the day they were listed.
- Ron Paulk sold a Canon EOS-1D X Professional Digital Camera Body in excellent condition for $2699 and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens in mid-May before they were listed and is kindly sending me a check for the 2 1/2%.
New Listings
Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Another Real Gem
Philip Laing is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $7299. The sale includes the E-163B front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, lens trunk 500B, both Canon tripod feet, the lens booklet, the original product box, a RRS LCF-53 replacement foot, and insured ground shipping via UPS to U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Phillip via e-mail or by phone at 208-983-2390 (Pacific time).
The 500 f/4s have long been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Canon’s Series II version is light, fast, super-sharp, and produces amazing images with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. The 500 II is relatively small, easily hand holdable, and is much easier travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the 600 II. Lastly, and you might find this amazing, the magnification for the 500 II is the same as it is for the 600 II: .15X. How is that possible? Magnification is calculated at the minimum focusing distance of the lens, 12.14 feet (3.7 meters) for the 500 II, and 14.77 feet (4.5 meters) for the 600 II. Simply put, the 500 II focuses more than two feet closer than the 600 II. Dr. Gil Moe had five calls on his 500II on the first day it was listed. The first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it. Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Phillip’s lens as it too should sell almost instantly. As the 500 II goes for $8999 new you will be getting a barely used lens while saving $1,700. artie
Xtrahand Vest, by Vested Interest: Size Medium
Kevin Hice is offering a green Xtrahand Vest, size Medium, for $250. The vest is in like-new condition with the thick shoulder pads, two large and two small front pockets, the large rear pocket, the rear tripod pocket, and insured ground shipping via UPS or FEDEX to U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Kevin via e-mail or by phone at 701- 460- 6112 (Central time).
As most of you know, I used and depend on my (Magnum) Xtrahand Vest extensively both in the field and for air travel. At spots in the Southern Ocean and in the Galapagos archipelago it is absolutely indispensable as it allows me to carry the extra lenses that I might need, along with water, food, and extra clothing. As I am pretty sure that Vested Interest has gone out of business, this represents a rare chance to get yourself an Xtrahand Vest. artie
Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Duncan Douglas is offering a lightly used Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens (the “old five”) in like-new condition (but for some small scratches on the bottom of the original lens foot) for $4199. The sale includes the original box, lens trunk, the lens strap, the front leather cover, the rear lens cap, a 4th Generation Designs CP-51b replacement foot with all the wrenches, the original Canon lens foot, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. The lens is expected back today, Monday May 15, 2017 after being cleaned and checked by Canon.
Please contact Duncan via e-mail.
The 500 f/4s have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. We have sold more than a few recently for $3999 and even two for $3799. Bill’s lens is priced a bit higher as it is in pristine condition. If you don’t have the cash for the 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds (exactly) then this is your next best option if you want to get your hands on a 500 f/4. The 500 II goes for $8999 so you will be saving a cool $4,800 and getting a virtually brand new lens to boot. artie
Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a RRS L-bracket
Price typo correction
David Ramirez is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (with extras) in near-mint condition (but for two small rub marks/nicks on the upper part of the body. Photos available upon request) for $1449. The camera had only 7963 shutter actuation’s on it. It has had Vello glass screen protectors on both LCDs from the beginning. Included are the original box, one battery, the charger,the discs, the strap,the manual, the front lens cap, a RRS L-bracket, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact David via e-mail or by phone at 541-892-3726 (Pacific time.)
I 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 for a while with the 5DS R (for a lot more money!). In addition, I loved my 5D III body for birds with my big lenses and both TCs. artie
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These four images were created on Saturday afternoon on the DeSoto In-the-Field Meet-up session with the hand held Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and my favorite bird photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/11. AWB. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: -5. Two rows up and one to the right of the center AF point AI Servo/Expand/Shutter Button AF was active at the moment as is best when hand holding. Here is the location of the selected AF point for each image.
Dunlin in breeding plumage ruffling |
Your Editing Help Needed
I cannot recall making four consecutive behavioral images of such high quality as those presented above. Each image is razor sharp on the eye and the exposure is perfect. Yet even when choosing your keepers from a series of static portraits, it is usually fairly easy to pick the single best image.
Though the four images are quite similar, each is distinctly different. Feel free to comment on the what you think are the positives of each image. And the negatives, if any. Please also leave a comment and let us know which of today’s four featured images is your absolute favorite. And do let us know why you like it. I have a clear single favorite and a second best and will share those with you in a blog post here in the not-too-distant-future. Please remember that the blog is designed to be interactive; the more folks who comment the more everyone learns.
Hand Holding the 500 II at 1000mm
Big time thanks to “Machine Gun” Mike Hankes who opted to gently work a group of shorebirds that I passed by opting instead to photograph a Reddish Egret on the spit. When “Big Red” flew off, I grabbed my 500 II with the 2X III in place off the tripod and approached Mike and the single remaining Dunlin low and slow. Once in position without scaring the bird, I placed my left forearm on the sandy beach. My left hand — well out on the lens barrel, cradled it from below while my right hand (of course) held and operated the 5D IV. I used my left hand and arm to control the elevation of the lens as there was a small hillock of sand between the subject and me. In fact, you can see a faint “bird in heaven” halo by the legs in each image.
AF Strategy
Take a close look at the AF point selection and placement for each of the four images and notice how I shifted the lens a bit with each frame in response to changes in the bird’s posture and position. My choice of a single AF point that was two rows up and one to the right of the center AF point turned out to have been a brilliant one as it enabled me to keep the subject well back in the frame while avoiding clipping its tail or wing feathers with the left frame-edge.
C for me the out and out winner:
Why:
1. more dynamic feel: there is motion blur in the wing, and what you are capturing here is motion. It is most evident in this frame
2. Head angle is perfect: I feel better connection and eye contact with the subject in this frame
3. Eye height is optimal: a bit too low in the frame in the next image D
In short: this picture says to me: I am ruffling my feathers, and LOOKing at you now!
Dave.
C is my favorite because the spread and blurred wing lets the viewer know exactly what the bird is doing. D has the wing totally blurred so it is not clear what the blur is. All four are great as a sequence but taken singly, C is the only one where the behavior is clear to the viewer.
In processing, I might like a little water on the bottom cropped off below the wave, and a bit of background added on top.
I like C because it has a very dynamic feel. Also the head is turned a little more towards the viewer almost engaging the viewer.
I, too, tend to like C the best…part of it is in focus, part lends a feeling of action (the wing)…I mostly like in-focus photos, not blurry ones.
Order of preference is C, D, A, B. I like C due to the movement in the wings which makes the image less static and the slight turn of the head even though the wing is a little tight to the edge of the frame. D is a close second with the bird leaned over just a bit to create a diagonal in the frame. A provides a good view of the beginning of a wing stretch, this was almost my favorite. B seems too static for me and the bird’s head has a feeling of crowding the top of the frame.
A is the best static shot, but I like C the best. It is sharp and shows a little action with the ruffling and spreading of the wings. I wouldn’t be ashamed to take credit for any of these, great work.
You guys are doing great; keep ’em coming!
with love, artie
Hi Artie,
Nice shots. I really love the color on this bird too.
I prefer A over B because the bird’s head in B is too close to the top of the frame. Also, in A we get to see more of the wing feathers;
I prefer C over D because, again, more wing feathers and I really like the positioning of the bird how the head is turned towards you.
Of the four, my favorite shot is C because of the beautiful color, framing, sharpness plus blur and the position of the bird turning towards you.
In all the photos I really like the color and sharpness of the images. I also like the tiny little wave at the bottom of the frames – it adds interest.
I also like that you can’t really tell where sky starts and ocean ends. The bird is the main and prominent feature in each shot. In the bathing shots I like how the bird is bent over just a bit. This adds more motion and interest to the shots.
A,C,B,D from favourite to least favourite.
Best HA is probably B followed closely by A and D. C is the worst HA IMO.
I actually think D is the most interesting overall pose with the downward tilt and ruffled feathers but I really don’t like the blurred wing position.
Picking A based on the position of the left wing combined with good HA.
I like C for the blurred wing but the HA kept it out of spot #1.
B is just a little to average all around despite best HA.
Those are my thoughts, I might change them over time staring at these. C could be a winner and would have been if HA was like B or A or D. Because C has good ruffled feathers showing some action and the blurred wing is pleasing to my eye.
Artie: I also prefer A for the reasons others have given. I’d keep them all for a while and continually struggle to decide whether to keep the other 3, but A is the clear winner for me. Congratulations on 4 wonderful images.
Sorry! I meant above and BEHIND the bird for there added canvass.
Good stuff. See the upcoming blog post on my two faves and how I optimized them 🙂
With love, artie
A is my clear favourite with the more extended and in focus wing. lf it were mine I would add canvass above and below the bird and see how “content aware fill” would look. It would look a million dollars I reckon.
My order of preference: D, A, B, C. Most of it has to do with the position and angle of the bird’s head. For me, C is my least favorite, bad head angle and blurred wings. Both A and B, the head is too high in the frame, creating an unbalanced (top heavy) image. In D, the position of the birds head in the frame (well balanced) and the angle of the head in relation to the camera creates the most appealing image to me. That head position and angle overwhelms any detraction caused by the blurred wings. Some would consider the blur adds motion, which is what is going on. So the blur could be considered a positive.
All good images. Order of preference would be A, B, D, C. A is preferred because I like the wing that it sticking out. B there is less wing showing. D & C less preferred because of the movement in the bird blurring the feathers/wing. Given the sharpness of the rest of the bird it is a minor criticism. Minor point, but I’d also like a little more open space by the tail. That said, great shots.