How to get a bird to stand up and pose ... And Lots of Used Canon Gear

What’s Up?

I will have some great news from 4th Generation Designs about lens plates for the big SONY lenses for the FlexShooter Pro that will have ramifications for the big lenses from all manufacturers for most all tripod heads.

The long-delayed FlexShooter Pro Minis should be ready for shipping to us this week with their arrival expected next week.

Need System or Upgrade Advice?

These are certainly exciting and volatile times in bird and nature photography: Canon, Nikon, SONY? Upgrade or switch systems? Yikes! If you are thinking about switching or upgrading and have questions, feel free to call me on my cell at 863-221-2372 for a free ten-minute consultation. The only thing that I ask in return is that you make a firm commitment to use my B&H affiliate links or to buy from Bedford using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout if you decide to go forward. Remember that Steve Elkins at Bedford can save you a few additional bucks on lens/camera/accessories packages. See the blog for his contact details. Either way, it will not cost you one penny more.

Be sure to leave a message if I do not pick up and I will get back to you. And please follow that up with an e-mail or a text stating your name and a good time for me to call you back. I spend lots of time each day walking, swimming, and watching football and baseball 🙂 And napping.

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 4. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot lately with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page.

Recent Sales

Peter Noyes sold his Sony Alpha A7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition with a shutter count of less than 1,000 for $1998.00 the first day it was listed in early November.
Top Used Gear page seller Anthony Ardito sold his gripped Nikon D850 in like-new condition for only $2,399.00, his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for only $3,396.95, his Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for $1,796.95, and his Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF lens in like-new condition for only $1,196.95, all during October 2019.
I sold my lightly used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in Excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $9796.95 in late October 2019.
John Nelson sold his Canon 500mm f/4 IS USM lens (the “old five”) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $2749.00 in mid-October 2019.
Multiple IPT participant Larry Master sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $5,989.00 and his Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in like-new condition for $2099.00.
BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold a Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter in excellent condition for only $229.00 the first day it was listed in mid-October.
Top BAA Used Gear page seller Jim Keener sold his Canon mount Zeiss Distagon T 15mm f/2.8 ZE lens in like-new condition for the crazy low price of $799.00 (was $949.00) in early October 2019.
Allen Dale sold a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $3399.00 in early October 2019.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital Camera Body with extras!

Jerry Barrack is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital Camera Body in near-mint condition for $ 1,999.00. The sale includes the Battery Grip BG-E20 (a $295 value), one extra Canon battery, a RRS B5D4 camera body plate, the strap, the front cap, the original product box with everything that came in it including the warranty card, and insured shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

The high-megapixel 5D Mark IV was my favorite Canon camera body. The AF system was superb and the files large, detailed and luscious. I used mine with all of my favorite Canon lenses including the 100-400 II, the 500 f/4L IS II, and the 600 f/4L IS II. With the two super-telephotos, I consistently made sharp images with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs. A new 5D IV currently sells for $2,799.00; you can save a very nice $900.00 by grabbing this one. artie

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

BAA Record-low Price

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $5,799.00. A LensCoat (included) was on the lens from Day One. Also included are the front lens cover, an off-brand low-foot, the original foot, the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

The 500mm f/4 super-telephoto lenses have long been the world’s most popular for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Canon’s Series II version is light, fast, super-sharp, and, in competent hands, produces amazing images with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. The 500 II is relatively small, easily hand-holdable for some folks, and is much easier to travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the 600 II. The lighter 600 III costs an astounding $12,999.00. 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. Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Jerry’s lens as it should sell quite quickly. Or not 🙂 As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a practically new copy and saving a very nice $3,100.00. I loved my 500 II. artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II Digital Camera Body

BAA Record-low Price

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera body in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $648.00. The sale includes battery grip BG-E16 (a $295.00 value!), an extra off-brand battery, an off-brand camera body plate, the camera strap, front cap, the instruction manual, the original product box with everything that came in it, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II before we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. This is a great digital starter camera. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. B&H is offering a used one in 9-condition for $899.95. You can save a cool $251.90 by grabbing Jerry’s camera body now. artie

Canon EF 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS USM (Zoom) Lens

BAA Record-low Price

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon zoom lens EF 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS USM (the white version) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $699.00. The sale includes the lens hood, the rear cap, the lens bag, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

This is a great, versatile travel and Bosque lens. It sells new for $1349.00. It would make a great starter kit for a beginning nature photographer when paired with the (1.6X) crop factor 7D Mark II above. It sell new at B&H for $1349.00. You can save a handsome $650.00 on this one. artie

Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens for Canon EF in mint condition for $399.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens shade, the soft lens case, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

The definition of versatility, the Canon EF-mount 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM from Sigma is an Art-series zoom covering a useful wide-angle to short-telephoto range. Featuring a constant f/4 maximum aperture, this lens strikes an ideal balance between a portable form factor along with a bright enough design for working in available lighting conditions. Complementing this design, an Optical Stabilizer helps to minimize the effect of camera-shake throughout the zoom range for sharper handheld shooting. A Hyper Sonic Motor also contributes to intuitive handling and provides especially fast and quiet autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus override. B&H

Canon Extender EF 1.4X III

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for a very low $224.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

As regular readers know, I used both Canon telecoverters regularly and with great success. They were so important to my work with Canon super-telephoto lenses that I always traveled with two extra 1.4X-s and one extra 2X. artie

Canon Extender EF 2X III

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for a very low $224.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

As regular readers know, I used both Canon telecoverters regularly and with great success. They were so important to my work with Canon super-telephoto lenses that I always traveled with two extra 1.4X-s and one extra 2X. artie

Sigma APO Macro 180mm 1:3.5 HSM IF Lens (for Canon EF mount)

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Sigma APO Macro 180mm 1:3.5 HSM IF lens in near mint condition for $299.00. The sale includes front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

I loved my super-sharp Sigma 150 macro for Nikon and 180mm was always my favorite focal length for small subjects for the extra reach it affords. artie

Canon 400mm f/5.6L Lens

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon 400mm f/5.6L lens (my old “toy lens”) in very good plus condition with some scuff marks here and there for the BAA crazy record-low price of $549.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the tripod mount an off-brand lens plate, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

Canon Speedlite 550EX Flash

Jerry Barrack is also offering a Canon Speedlite 550EX Flash in excellent condition for only $99.00/ The sale includes 4 new lithium batteries and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

When I used Canon and II used flash, the 550EX was my favorite. artie

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (Zoom) Lens

Jerry Barrack is offering a Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (zoom) lens in near-mint condition for the you-might-as-well-give-it-away-free price of $99.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

Don’t laugh; I used this excellent lens for close to ten years when I shot Canon. The predecessor to both 24-105s, it is an excellent, do-everything, B-roll, don’t-leave-home-without-it lens. artie

Wimberley WH-101 Gimbal Head w/QR C-30 clamp and a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod

Jerry Barrack is offering a Wimberley WH-101Gimbal Head w/QR C-30 clamp and a heavy-duty Gitzo 410 tripod both in good condition and both for the silly low price of $399.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos are available upon request.

Please contact Jerry via e-mail or by phone at 1-201-638-3510.

I loved the original Wimberley head especially when I needed to get taller. I kept mine and used it often in three-hatch vehicles where the extra height was a huge advantage. In addition, the longer swimg arm made it more stable than the newer V2.This rig is perfect for folks with big lenses who neeed mega stabilty while not moving around much in the field. And you will never-ever beat the price. artie

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Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers 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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on September 26, 2019 on the Fall DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter, and the the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/400 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was about +1 1/3 on the analog scale. AWB at 6:54pm as the sun went behind some light clouds. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF. The selected AF point was placed on the bird’s eye. Click on the image to see a larger version. Willet standing on tiny sand spit

The Situation

It was late in the day and the shorebirds were cooperative. I was sitting behind my lowered tripod working (as usual) at 840mm. This winter plumage Willet was walking around the tiny sand pile while I took lots of photos in the soft light. For twenty minutes the little sand spit was a distracting element in the frame. I thought that it would be nice if the bird stood up on the little platfrom. And that is exactly what it did.

I created about twenty images of the Willet posing nicely. Today’s featured image with the bird staring right down the lens barrel was my favorite. Sometimes when you get what you wish for it can be very sweet …

Getting What You’ve Wished For in Bird Photography

If you remember a time when a bird or a flock of birds did exactly what you wanted them to do, please share by leaving a comment.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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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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 :).