The Sony 1200mm Puffin Head Advantage

What’s Up?

Photography at Grimsey Island, Iceland continues to be fantastic. On Friday the highlight was a long flight session with fulmars and kittiwakes On a very windy Saturday afternoon, we had dozens of puffins lying straight at us. On Sunday morning, we worked the Black Guillemots perched with Butterfish and in flight; I created 1957 images of that species. Then it was more fulmars and kittiwakes in flight, perched puffin head portraits, flying puffins, and a young Snow Bunting getting fed. All in all, I created 4698 images during today’s morning session.

If you would like info on Greg Downing’s 2024 and/or the 2025 Grimsey Island puffin trips, please shoot me an e-mail by clicking here.

Speaking of today, it is Sunday 30 July 2023. Right now, it is 1:11pm in Iceland, 9:11am on the east coast. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. I need a long nap; it will begin one minute after I hit Publish.

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The Fact$ of Life

The market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, many depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.

In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4060! Yes, 4060 educational blog posts. Please, therefore, remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It will not cost you one cent to do either.

B&H

Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.

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Money Saving Reminder

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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. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was also created on 26 July 2023 at Grimsey Island, Iceland. Standing at full height, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod)/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the Sony a7R IV (Now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/125 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:58:13 am on a cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Atlantic Puffin with fish for chick/warmer version with slightly looser crop

The Sony 1200mm Advantage

While I made lots of good images at 1200mm with Canon, the Nikon dsLR TC-20E 2X teleconverter was something of a dog. It was even difficult to make sharp images with the 1.7X TC and the Nikkor 600mm VR lens. Reviews are mixed on the Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-2x. With Sony, the sharpness of a1 images made with the 600mm f/4 GM, the a-1, and the FE 2X TC is astounding. Even at silly low shutter speeds like 1/125 second.

This is the same image as Image #1. Made on 26 July 2023 at Grimsey Island, Iceland. Standing at full height, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod)/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the Sony a7R IV (Now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/125 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:58:13 am on a cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Atlantic Puffin with fish for chick/cooler version with slightly tighter crop

Your Call

Do you like the warmer colors in Image #1 or the color colors in Image #2?

Do you like the slightly looser crop in Image #1 or the slightly tighter crop in Image #2?

Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: 100% Crop of the Atlantic Puffin with fish for chick image

Insane Detail

I believe that anyone who knows bird photography would be stunned by the sharpness of the 100% crop of today’s featured image. The yes of the fishes are phenomenally sharp. My favorite one is the one that is visible through the translucent body of another fish. Being able to create sharp images of static subjects at 1200mm with relatively low ISOs is a great advantage for all nature photographers. That said, many folks shy away from using the 2X TC with any super-telephoto lens. Try it. You just might love it. Especially if you use Sony gear.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.