Two Very Different Whistling Duck Images!

Canon EOS 5D Mark III/24-105 Infrared Rig with Many Extras!

Price reduced $100.00 on 29 May 2024

Morro Bay IPT veteran Dane Johnson is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (converted to infrared, as noted below) in near-mint conditions with the BG-E11 battery grip (in like-new condition) and a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens (also in near-mint condition) for a ridiculously low $899.00 (was $999.00). The Super Color Infrared (590nm) conversion was performed by Life Pixel in November 2017 and included a custom lens focus calibration. The shutter count is approximately 12,330. The sale includes everything above, the front body cap, the front and rear lens caps, the EW-83H lens shade, all the items that came in the original boxes (camera strap, battery charger, cables, manuals, etc.), the original product boxes, a Canon RS-80N3 Remote Switch (cable release), two RRS L-plates (for the camera and for the battery grip), three extra LP-E6 batteries, four Delkin 32GB CF 700X UDMA 6 compact flash cards, a Hoodman loupe for checking focus in the rear panel in live-view mode, a Photoshop action for channel switching the color channels (loaded on the CF card in the camera), 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 Dane via e-mail or by phone at 1-559-593-0989 (Pacific time zone).

When I shot Canon, I dabbled in IR for a while — had a ton of fun and made some good images at Bosque and the Palouse. Dane’s offer above has so many extras that you could toss the camera in the trash and still come out ahead! artie

Important Notice

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In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.

Live Life to the Fullest

Join an Instructional Photo-Tour. For nearly a week of private instruction and great flight photography, check out the Jacksonville IPT.

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images is the strongest? Anyone who sees this blog post is invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

What’s Up?

I spent five 1/2 hours on the phone yesterday afternoon sharing my laptop screen with a senior tech guy name Mario from HomePage Security. He is a brilliant guy and was worked like a dog fixing many errors on both BPN and the BAA Blog. He has not yet fixed the blog post notification problem. But we are not giving up yet.

The early morning whistling duck flight photography continues to be excellent. By using different lenses and lens/TC combinations with the a9 iii, I have been able to create some strikingly different images. Today is Wednesday 29 May 2024. I will be headed down very soon to look for more different duck stuff. Whatever you are doing, I hope that you too choose to have a great day.

If you plan on purchasing a Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera (or anything else for that matter), please remember to use or write for either my Bedfords discount code or my B&H affiliate link. Folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase the a9 III will receive my .DAT settings (the complete camera set-up) along with a Buttons and Dials Guide.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Save 15%!

If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.

I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.

Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 code in the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.

Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com

B&H

To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.

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.

Bedfords Simplified

Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.

Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.

Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.

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 stave 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 created on Thursday 26 May 2024 down by the lake near my home. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 420mm) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800: 1/4000 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:17:52 am on a variably sunny morning. Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Blacked-bellied Whistling Duck flock on final approach

Still Great!

The Whistling Duck action continues to be excellent every morning to the left of the pier down by the lake as the clear sunrises continue. You can see with today’s two, totally different flight images, I am always driving for something new. Before I walked into the lake to get a bit closer to any incoming birds, I grabbed the 300mm f/2.8/1.4X TC rig. In this, the first frame of about a twenty-frame sequence, I got really, really lucky: the birds were arranged perfectly — I could not have painted this one any better. In addition, the six ducks were very close to being on the exact same plane.

This image was created on 28 May 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. ISO 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:17:11am on a clear sunny morning. Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper version. Image #2: Black-bellied Whistling Duck — braking to land

Pano Crop to Maximize the Marsh Grass Background

I expanded canvas right just a bit using Content-Aware Crop. The trick to doing that successfully is to work in small increments. The top of the original frame was mostly clear green while the lower left area had the lovely, mottled colors. Thus, a small crop from above to create the pano crop. In this one I also love the warm early morning light and the neat braking pose.

a9 iii E-mail Set-up and Info Guide

a9 iii E-mail Set-up and Info Guide

For those who think that my comments on the a9 iii are pure hype, know that I sold the second of my three a1 bodies last week. Lots more on the switch coming soon.

If you plan on purchasing a Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera (or anything else for that matter), please remember to use or write for either my Bedfords discount code or my B&H affiliate link. Folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase the a9 III will receive my .DAT settings (the complete camera set-up) along with a Buttons and Dials Guide.

Typos

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