What’s Up?
Though pretty well jet-lagged on Wednesday, I optimized a few images, worked on several blog posts, and answered a ton of e-mails. I had planned an early evening swim but for the second day in a row thunder and lightning intervened. It has been 97 degrees most days in Florida recently.
This blog post took about two hours to prepare.
Important Help Needed with the 2017 Fort Desoto Fall IPT
Right now we have nobody signed up for the 2017 Fort Desoto Fall IPT. Jim spoke to a lady who said that she had registered but had not heard from us. He checked the sheet with no luck and called her back also with no luck. If you registered for this IPT and have not heard back from us, please shoot me an e-mail at your earliest convenience. If you have not registered for this IPT, you should as it will be a very small group. Please remember that I will always go with only a single registrant (unless otherwise noted for overseas IPTs). Understand also that I am cutting way back on IPTs.
The Streak
Today marks five days in a row with a new educational blog post.
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 the BAA 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.
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Repair bill |
For Want of a Towel …
I remember the morning that I created this image quite well. I rarely kneel as I often get cramps in my hamstrings, but kneel I did on that morning. It is easier to change your position when kneeling than it is when you are sitting in eight inches of water. I remember moving often to stay on sun angle and I remember getting back on my feet by putting both hands in the saltwater and pushing myself up. And then hurrying to get my hands back on the camera to make a few images. I did try to dry my hands off a bit on my sun shirt but …
Months after, while micro-adjusting one of my 5D IV bodies well before leaving for the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT, that camera body failed. I could not see the rear LCD and several of the buttons and controls quit working. My bad. I sent the body in to Canon Repairs at Jamesburg, NJ and they fixed it right up. The charges were $567.35 but with my 30% Platinum CPS discount the total dropped to $407.72.
In the future, my plan is to keep a dry towel around my neck in situations when I am needing to get low when working in shallow water.
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This image was created on the Spring 2017 Fort DeSoto IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and my favorite bird photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop as framed: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: 5. Center Large Zone/AI Servo/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The system selected a T-shaped array of 4 AF points that painted the spot where the bird’s head entered the water. Perfection! Image #1: Marbled Godwit probing for invertebrates |
5D Mark IV Frame Rate
The 7fps frame rate of the 5D Mark IV enabled me to create many excellent sequences of the Marbled Godwits as they fed. I created many images like #1 above with the bird’s head below the surface, images of the bird lifting its head out of the water, and images like #2 below that show the bird holding its invertebrate prey. Image #1 and #2 were created less than 2 seconds apart.
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This image was created on the Spring 2017 Fort DeSoto IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and my favorite bird photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop as framed: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: 5. Center Large Zone/AI Servo/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The system selected a single AF point that fell on the spot where the side of the bird’s neck meets the side of the upper breast. Near-perfection! Image #2: Marbled Godwit probing for invertebrates |
Large Zone AF
As regular readers know, I have been becoming more and more enamored with Large Zone AF over the past year. With today’s two featured images, Center Large Zone AF performed pretty much flawlessly. By studying the position of the AF points selected by the system (in the two images captions) we can begin to understand one of Large Zone’s great advantages. Had I been using Expand I would have need to change the position of the selected AF point when the bird went from head in the water (Image #1) to lifting the bill out of the water to posing with its prey item (Image #2). That would have been 100% impossible as it all happens much too fast. But — as it did in today’s situation — Large Zone AF will move the AF point or points as needed quickly and automatically, thus giving you much greater compositional freedom than if you were using a single AF point or using AF Expand (or AF Surround).
Notice that with a fairly large-in-the-frame subject, Large Zone AF yielded a perfect basic image design with the bird well back in the frame. To learn more about Composition and Image Design check out the following resources:
- Learn the basics in the original The Art of Bird Photography (soft cover).
- The section on Advanced Composition and Image Design in The Art of Bird Photography II (ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images on CD or via download.)
- Check out Denise Ippolito’s great new e-book, Bird Photography — The Art of the Composition.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
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Obviously folks attending the IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors. The good news is that the days are relatively short in October. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. |
The Fort DeSoto 2017 Fall IPT/September 22 (afternoon session) through the full day on September 25, 2017. 3 1/2 FULL DAYs: $1649. Limit 8.
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, gulls, and terns who winter on the T-shaped peninsula that serves as their wintering grounds. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and the spectacular Long-billed Curlew. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher almost guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, and Tricolored Heron are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. And Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork would not be unexpected.
Folks who sign up for the IPT are welcome to join us on the ITF/MWS on the morning of Tuesday, September 26 as my guest. See below for details on that.
On the IPT you will learn basics and fine points of digital exposure and to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.
This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Though I have not decided on a hotel yet — I will as soon as there is one sign-up — do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same hotel (rather than at home or at a friend’s place).
A $500 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check after you register. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with ten folks so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, gear advice, and instructions for meeting on the afternoon of Friday, September 22.
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Fort DeSoto in fall is rich with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or early October. I hope that you can join me there this October. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. |
BIRDS AS ART In-the-Field/Meet-up Workshop Session (ITF/MWS): $99.
Join me on the morning of Tuesday September 26, 2017 for 3-hours of photographic instruction at Fort DeSoto Park. Beginners are welcome. Lenses of 300mm or longer are recommended but even those with 70-200s should get to make some nice images. Teleconverters are always a plus.
You will learn the basics of digital exposure and image design, autofocus basics, and how to get close to free and wild birds. We should get to photograph a variety of wading birds, shorebirds, terns, and gulls. This inexpensive afternoon workshop is designed to give folks a taste of the level and the quality of instruction that is provided on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-tour. I hope to meet you there.
To register please call Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand to pay the nominal non-refundable registration fee. You will receive a short e-mail with instructions, gear advice, and meeting place at least two weeks before the event.
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BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. |
Fort DeSoto Site Guide
Can’t make the IPT? Get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here.
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 please remember that I am 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, 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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Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
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 :).
Artie, I heartily agree that each person has to use what they feel is right for themselves, no problem there.
I plan to acquire a 6D2 in due course but will not be an early adopter so I don’t have any feedback. As usual preliminary assessments have been mostly negative with the focus on dynamic range.
I agonised for ages over the 1Dx2 vs 5D4+1Dx and rented the 5D4 and the 1Dx2 before deciding.
I plumped for the 1Dx2 for four reasons: frame rate for sports and wildlife; the best possible f8 AF (for my 400DOii+2xtc); if I decide the 1dx2 was too much at least I knew I had tried it and would have no buyer’s remorse; and (most importantly) I could afford it with a 0% 24month finance deal plus lens cashback. And OK, pride of ownership played no small part !!
Most of my images are more behavioural than freeze-fast-action (Artie rather than Arash) and sometimes I look at the image and wish I had the extra MP of the 5DIV but when I hit the shutter and hear that frame rate…. To be honest I would have been perfectly happy with either model but I am fortunate to be able to give the the 1Dx2 a real go. And I know that it holds its price well so if I do decide it is too much, I would look on the money difference as cheap rental and pick up the 5DIV to go with my 7D2 for fast frame rate.
It is just fantastic to know we have such options available to us.
Good that you are happy with your choice. I hope that you used my B&H affiliate link for your purchase 🙂
with love, artie
Hi Artie,
Continuing from the previous blog and a posting I made some time back, I have the following observation. As we get older we tend to become much more resistant to change. That’s a survival mechanism because increasingly we are unable to do the things we used to or learn new complicated tricks (I’m closing in on 70).
I struggled immensely in making the final choice of the 1DX2 over the 5D4. I love a few of the 1DX2 options such as the lighted focus points, which I knew from the 1D4, a lot. I dearly wanted more than 20 MP, coming from the 6D, but I also wanted MUCH more than 4.5 fps.
I certainly did not and do not relish the increased weight of the 1DX2 but I quickly became addicted to 14 fps. An in-focus burst is not at all unlikely and that’s twice the poses of the 5D4; not at all inconsequential. A look at a burst of a pelican coming in for landing showed me exactly how his toes were down and caught the water, how they went into “water ski” mode and at what point “parachute” mode engaged. Looking at a 7 fps burst you can’t say you haven’t missed anything because you don’t know what you have missed. I can , however, do the reverse of that.
I am not a good photographer and based on my age will never attain such a title but I tend to be a perfectionist so I try my best. I did not own a 1DX so was not habituated to any of its features. It has taken me months to explore and I’m still learning the 1DX2 AF system but I am learning it and I see clearly its HUGE potential for accurately catching the shots one might miss fiddling (5D4 also has most of this).
It’s not a matter of not having time to switch. By using more than just the shutter (think programmed buttons) the instant switch from focus points and modes and even the complete switch of the camera’s shutter speed F stop, AF zone etc. (Register/recall shooting function) is available in mere msec. Because the AF-ON and * buttons “override” the shutter you can be pressing two at once with desired predictable results and the thumb/finger action is intuitive and instantaneous.
While I fully appreciate your desire to stick with what you know, and I appreciate your massive talent and experience, I feel you do a disservice to your followers if/when you don’t acknowledge the functionality that has been presented by Canon in the amazing 1DX2. BTW the 5D4 is also amazing and for the dollar, so is the new 6D2 which is much lighter.
I hope I do not come across as a know it all. I know very little. My strength is simply that I persist.
Jack
Jack: Have you used the 6D2? If so, what is your impression? I have the 6D and so I’m not tempted to upgrade, because my 7D2 seems to do everything that the 6D2 does better than the 6D, and then some, except for the swivel screen. But if I didn’t have a 6D then I’d likely get the 6D2.
Hi Jack,
As I was a huge fan of the 1DX my lack of enthusiasm for the 1DX II has nothing to do with increased resistance to change as I age 🙂 It has everything to do with the fact that the 1DX II is not right for me at this point in my life. I have 58,000 actuations on my 1DX II so it is not as if I have not used it or given it a fair shake. I am in the process of trying to get mine replaced by Canon because of my continuing oil spatter on the sensor issues. If they, or eventually B&H, replace it with a new one my plan is to sell it immediately.
with love, artie
I shoot a lot of high school sports and purchased a 1D X last year for the high frame rate. I also have a 5D Mark III and the difference is significant. If I’m attempting to catch the ball coming off the bat at a softball/baseball game or peak action on a basketball game, I have a chance. With the 5D III, it’s pure chance.
I liked my 1D X a lot better than my 1DX II. That said, in some instances, a high frame rate can be an advantage.
with love, artie
Hi, Artie. Beautiful images. I agree that 7 fps is enough for most applications. The original 7D was “only” 8 fps! But I would suggest a slightly different way of looking at frame rate. You said that at 1/1000 sec the 1DXII misses 98.6% of the action while the 5D4 misses 99.3%, not much difference. The other way of looking at it is that the 1DXII captures twice as much action as the 5D4–1.4% as opposed to only 0.7%.
But, I think, to each her own. 7 fps wouldn’t stop me from buying a camera I otherwise loved. The 10 fps of the 7DII was one of several factors that led me to upgrade my original 7D, but wouldn’t alone have led me to upgrade. My bottom line is that we’ve got to the stage where no decent camera is holding back our photography. Certainly not mine!
Hi David, You are of course 100% correct when you write “The other way of looking at it is that the 1DXII captures twice as much action as the 5D4–1.4% as opposed to only 0.7%.” at least for folks who are able to keep the subject in the frame while tracking a bird in flight … But noting that would not have helped me make my case 🙂
What can I say? I love my 5D mark IV bodies.
with love, artie
Beautiful shots of the Marbled Godwit. Certainly 7fps served quite well there. But cannot the higher frame rate of the 1DX II nevertheless give one more wing-position choices when photographing birds in flight, especially for some wingbeat frequencies? I was surprised to read you’re dumping yours for a third 5D IV, but I suppose I might too if bothered by the sensor-oil problem. (Fortunately, I haven’t been – knock on wood.) I also wonder if the 1DX II would succumb as easily to wet hands (yikes!).
Hi Rob, Good to hear from you. Glad that you liked the images. I do too, and seeing a young Marbled Godwit in New York City in 1976 or 1977 changed the course of the remainder of my life Much for the good.
Yes, the “higher frame rate of the 1DX II nevertheless give one more wing-position choices when photographing birds in flight” but only for folks who are able to keep the subject in the frame while tracking a bird in flight … That with the much heavier camera body. As noted previously, that is something that is now extremely difficult for me to do. For me being determined and anticipating a good wing position often seem to get the job done …
Do let me know if you and Cathy are interested in a Galapagos Photo Cruise in August of 2019.
with love, artie
ps: theoretically the pro bodies should do much better with moisture but I did trash a 1DX when I dunked only the battery compartment into saltwater for one second. The damage took several months to materialize. And I did total two 1D Mark IV bodies in the rain in the Southern Ocean in a single day. My bad on those two 🙂