The Resurgence of BPN. Canon Skimmer Flight Images. And Another Canon Fire Sale!

BirdPhotographer’s.Net

BirdPhotographer’s.Net (BPN for short), is flourishing again. Check out the action right now on the first page of the Avian Forum. There are many mega-educational threads. Here are two:

• Roger Smith’s Mallard image here. Is it possible to ruin a good RAW file?
• Raybel Robles’ White-rumped Sandpiper image here. What is the right way to handle sweet, warm light?

I learned early on, in February 1984, that there is no better way to improve your bird photography than having your images critiqued by others. For me, it all started when Milton Heiberg asked, “Why did you put the yellowlegs right in the middle of the frame?” I responded, “Where else would you put it?”

BirdPhotographer’s.Net: Honest critiques done gently. And it ain’t just birds! You will be learning a lot more about BPN here soon.

This image was created by Ann Pacheco at Nickerson Beach earlier in the season. She used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III and the EOS-1DX (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 1000. Evaluative metering probably -1/3 stop off the grass: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB on a sunny afternoon. Image #1: Black Skimmer in flight above the colony Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ann Pacheco

Ann Pacheco

Ann Pacheco is one of many bird photographers who have learned and honed their skills in the Avian Forum at BPN. Check out another great discussion on handling the sweet light in the image above here. One of the things that I love abot BPN is that the members and mods have no problem disagreeing with each other yet do so in a completely civil manner. 🙂 Really!

Thank you Ann for allowing me to share your images here today. You can see more Ann Pacheco images on her Feathered Stories website here.

This image was created by Ann Pacheco at Nickerson Beach earlier in the season. She used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III and the EOS-1DX (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering probably -1/3 stop off the grass: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB on a sunny afternoon. Image #2: Black Skimmer wheeling with fish for young Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ann Pacheco

My Critique of Image #2

Hi Ann, I did not think that I was gonna like this when I looked at the thumbnail because of the somewhat pancaked view of the upper wing. But I was way wrong. The background is luscious. And the fanned tail and the splayed primaries on the near wing are neat. As is the killer look back head angle. Techs and color look spot on to me.

You can see all of the comments on this image in the BPN thread here.

Exposure Question

Yes or no. Are the exposures for Ann’s two images the same?

Another Canon Fire Sale

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (with extras)

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV body in like-new condition (with extras) for $2,499.00. The sale includes the Canon battery grip (BG-E20), four (4) Canon LP-E6N batteries, the front cap, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, the camera strap, the original product boxes, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

What can I say. The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon dSLR. Fabulous image files and an excellent AF system. I owned and use three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for two years. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab Anthony’s practically new body asap. The 5D IV currently sells new for $3099.00 so you will be saving a cool $600.00 (not to mention the battery grip and three extra batteries!) artie

Canon EOS-1DX Mark II

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II body in like-new condition (<41,000 actuations)for $3,999.00. The sale includes one (1) Lexar 128gb cfast 2.0 3500x card, one (1) sandisk 64gb cfast 2.0 extreme pro card, one (1) sandisk cfast card reader, one extra Canon LP-E19 battery, the front cap, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, the camera strap, the original product box, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

The 1DX Mark II is Canon’s rugged, blazingly fast professional digital camera body. It features a great AF system and high quality image files with great dynamic range. I owned and used two of these for several years. As a new 1DX II currently sells for $5,699.00 you can save $1703 on a practically new body with less than 2,000 shutter actuations. artie

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens (with extras!)

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in like-new condition (with extras!) but for one small ding on the near lens barrel for $9,199.00. Other than the 1/8 inch blemish, the lens and the glass are immaculate. The sale includes a Canon extender EF 2X III (a $429.00 value), a CRX-5 low foot/plate (installed) (a $122.00 value), the original foot, the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the tough front lens cover, the lens strap, the original product box, a camo LensCoat, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

The 600 II is the state of the art super-telephoto for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports. When I could get it to my location, it was my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $11,499, you can save a cool $2,300.00 by grabbing Anthony’s might-as-well-be-new lens right now. And that is without the two valuable extras. artie

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in like-new condition for $999.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens hood, the original product box, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

I owned and used the 24-70II for several years. It is much sharper edge to edge than the lighter, more versatile Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens. I consider the 24-70II a must lens for serious landscape photographers. This lens currently sells new for $1599.00. artie

Canon EF 16-35mm F/4L IS USM Lens

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens in like-new condition for BAA record-low by far price of $449.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens hood, the original product box, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

The lightweight 16-35 f/4 is the Canon landscape photographer’s dream wide angle lens. artie

Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens and a 1.4X III TC

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for $1,499.00. The sale includes a Canon extender EF 1.4x III ((a $429.00 value), the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, the lens hood, the original product box, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

Y’all know how much I loved and now miss this amazingly versatile lens. artie

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for $1,099.00. The sale includes rear lens cap, front lens cover, the lens hood, the original product box, owner’s manual, USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

I owned and used the original IS version of the incredibly versatile 70-200 for birds and wildlife and landscapes and Urbex for many years with both teleconverters. It was great indoors for events like granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals. A new copy of the 70-200 II currently sells for $1,949 so you can save a small fortune by grabbing Anthony’s lens. artie

Canon Speedlite (flash) 600EX-RT plus extras

Anthony Ardito is offering a Canon Speedlite (flash) 600EX-RT flash in like-new condition for $399.00.  The sale includes the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT (a $285.00 value), the flash covers, the original product boxes, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

This is Canon’s top-of-the-line, most powerful pro flash, with a great extra. artie

Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Lens (for Canon mount)

Mega-bargain!

Anthony Ardito is offering a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens (for Canon mount) in near-mint condition for $250.00. The sale includes rear lens cap, front lens cover, the lens hood, the original product box, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

Several folks on IPTs have used this lens and made lots of sharp images. A telling factor is that there are no used copies of this lens available on eBay or in the B&H Used Gear listings. And you simply cannot beat this price. artie

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens (for Canon EF mount)

Anthony Ardito is offering a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF mount in like new condition for $399.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, front lens cover, the lens hood, the original product box, 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 Anthony via e-mail.

The Canon EF mount Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Lens is a fast standard-length prime designed to achieve high optical performance through the incorporation of both three Special Low Dispersion glass elements and one molded glass aspherical element. These elements, coupled with an advanced optical design, work to minimize sagittal coma flare and chromatic aberrations in order to provide high image sharpness and clarity. The lens’ large diameter and floating system also help to correct for vignetting to ensure maintained peripheral brightness. A Super Multi Coating has been applied to lens elements, too, to reduce flare and ghosting for higher contrast and color fidelity. As part of the Art line within Sigma’s Global Vision series, this lens’ is designed to achieve truly notable optical performance and is ideally suited for creative and artistic applications. B&H

The Used Photo Gear Page

You can see the complete listings and past sales here.

Typos

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