Un-baited Rat Take-off Image! More Amazing Canon Used Gear Listings with shock-the-world, record-low prices for another 600 II, another 11-24mm, and lots more. And a brand new in the box Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight.

Happy 2018

Jim Litzenberg, Jennifer Morris, and I hope that each and every one of you and your friends and family you has a great 2018 filled with peace, love, accomplishment, success, travel, wonderful images, and good health. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a great 2017; without the support we receive from each of you, BIRDS AS ART would not exist; I would be working as a greeter in Walmart.

Stuff

When I woke Sunday morning I was concerned about the fact that my 600II/2XII/5DIV would not focus the previous evening. Was it the lens, the TC, or the camera body? I had lots of ideas as to how to find a solution. Turns out the the AF switch was on M. Duh! Can you say “operator error”? All of course is fine.

Sunday morning — cold and still — was, with a northwest breeze developing, fair to lousy for photography with only a few vulture flight shot keepers. The evening was much better. I am really getting into rhythm with the Anhinga that sits on The Perch most late afternoons: showing rare patience I managed one spectacular take-off image. Coming soon.

I spent a good part of the morning micro-adjusting my new (still oil spattering) Canon EOS-1DX II with my 100-400 II and my 1.4X III ii at both the long and short ends. The system extrapolates the correct micro-adjustment for focal lengths between 100 and 400mms and between 140 and 560mms with the TC. I also micro-adjusted the 1DX II with the 600 alone. On Monday morning, in about 90 minutes, I will finish up by MA-ing the 1DX II with the 600 II, the 1,4X III i, and the 2X III i. The last chore with be the 1DX II with the 400 DO II and the 2X III ii.

The pool temps continued to drop so I used my new snorkeling vest and kept myself fairly warm for another easy mile. It was the first time that I had done a mile four days in a row. Soon I will be one month without swimming.

Click on the logo-link above for great holiday savings!
$300 off on the Canon 100-400 II!

The Streak

Today makes one hundred fifty-five days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took less than an hour to prepare including the time spent optimizing the image. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Brand New Listings

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

BAA Record-Low, Shock-the-world priced

Walt Anderson is offering a barely used EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint to like-new condition with extras for the BAA record low price of $9395.00. The sale includes the LensCoat that has protected his 600 since day one, a RRS stuff foot (installed), the original foot, the lens trunk, the original box and everything that came in it: front cover, rear cap, manuals, & the rest, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your personal of certified check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Walt via e-mail or by phone at 1-847-721-8319 (Central time).

WMD: Weapon of Mass Destruction!

Walt, a long time BAA friend and an IPT veteran as well, is the inventor of the Better Beamer Flash Extender, the very first BAA mail order item. When it comes to taking care of his gear, Walt is fastidious.
The 600 II is the state of the art super-telephoto for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports. If I can get it to a location, it is 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 $2,104.00 by grabbing Walt’s might-as-well-be-new lens right now. artie

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens

The Landscape Photographer’s Dream Lens

Walt Anderson is also offering a Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM lens in like-new condition for $1799.00 — tied for the record-low BAA price. The sale includes the lens hood, the suede lens pouch, the front and rear lens caps, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your personal of certified check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Walt via e-mail or by phone at 1-847-721-8319 (Central time).

I own and use this truly versatile, astoundingly sharp super wide angle zoom; it is perfect for scenic, landscape, and architectural photography. The 11-24 currently sells new for $2,699.00; save a cool $900.00 by grabbing Walt’s lens. artie

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

Fast & Versatile: BAA Record-Low, Shock-the-world priced

Walt Anderson is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition with for the BAA record low price of $1299.00. It was recently cleaned and checked by Canon. The sale includes the tripod ring (collar), the original box and everything that came in it including the tough fabric case, the front and rear lens caps, all the rest, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your personal of certified check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Walt via e-mail or by phone at 1-847-721-8319 (Central time).

The 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens is amazingly versatile and at f/2.8, fast. I still own one and have made zillions of great images with it. It works well with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs, even with the 7D II! It is easily hand holdable. It is great for tame birds, landscapes, urbex, indoor stuff likes concerts and recitals, and just about anything you want to photograph. A new 70-200 II currently sells for $1,899 so you can save an even $600 by grabbing Walt’s like-new copy asap. artie

Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight

The Latest/Greatest Nikon Flash: Brand News in the Box!

Walt Anderson is offering a Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight in new condition with for the BAA record low price of $499.00. Walt purchased it to Bought to check the fit for Better Beamers; it has never had batteries in it.
The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your personal of certified check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Walt via e-mail or by phone at 1-847-721-8319 (Central time).

This flash sell new for $596.95 so you can save nearly 100 bucks and wind up with a brand new one anyway! artie

Click here for Amazing 5D Mark IV Bundles and Deals

Here is the best news: those who have used a BAA B&H affiliate link to purchase a 5D Mark IV (or other items totaling $3200 or more) are invited to send us a copy of their B&H receipt via e-mail and receive a free copy of the guide. If you would like to review the document before it is published, please send your receipt now. This offer is also valid for future purchases.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created by BPN member Isaac Grant at Great Kills Park on Staten Island, NY with the Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the blazingly fast Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 4000. Evaluative metering plus about 1 2/3 stops as framed: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in in Manual mode in cloudy conditions. One AF point down from the center AF point/AI Servo/Surround shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the rat. It is likely that one of the upper assist point fell on the bird’s upper breast and helped maintain sharp AF tracking. Snowy Owl with rat Image courtesy of and copyright 2017: Isaac Grant Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.

What Makes This One So Special?

A very great majority of the Snowy Owl images in flight either incoming or with prey are created in situations where the birds are attracted to the photographer with live pet store mice or even furry little fishing lures that are cast at the bird and then retrieved. What makes this one so special is that the owl caught the big rat all by itself with no help from anyone. Not to mention that it is a spectacular image. I personally have nothing against the use of live bait though I understand that many folks find this practice repulsive or immoral or both. It is not, however, against the law and it does not hurt the birds. It might even help them. I am not a big fan of such images being honored in prestigious international contests in which live baiting is prohibited … In any case, mazel tov to Isaac on this amazing image, one to be very proud of.

Isaac is a skilled and dedicated bird photographer who is very active in BPN’s Avian Forum, home to many great bird photographs where honest critiques are done gently.

Adapted from the BPN post here:

My plan for the day was to photograph this Snowy Owl in the snow. Previously I posted a shot of this bird on the ground with the rat. In the field we did not know that the rat was in its talons but thought it was odd that it was sitting with its wings down a bit. Turns out it was defending its dinner. When it was flushed by two people running up the beach in the snow (!!!) we saw that it was holding a rat. This image is the 3rd frame of the series and was created just as it became airborne. So my plan worked out perfectly. Snowy Owl in the snow with naturally caught (not baited) prey. Happy New Year everyone. Isaac.

Adapted from Isaac’s Response to My Comment in the Same Thread

Thanks Artie. The camera was tripod-mounted. A group of 5 of us were watching the snowy for about 45 minutes while it just sat there. I watched it earlier in the morning get flushed by a jogger and fly into the woods. It did not return for a long time and I had given up looking. I was not happy about not being able to photograph it in the snow. A friend called me and said that he just saw it fly back to the exact spot where it had been so I quickly got back to where it was and then watched it for a long time. We were wondering if it was hurt because it had its wings down a bit as if it were in pain or struggling. I know now that it was more of a territorial gesture while it protected its yummy rat. I was set up completely differently to shoot the owl as it just sat still on the beach in the snow. It was sitting on the low side of a little hill near where the beach bends north, just on the other side of a jetty. At almost the last second I saw the 2 people approaching. As fast as I could I upped the ISO and shutter speed to capture the action as I knew it would take off to my left; the people were coming from my right. At the same time I moved the camera left a little to give the bird room to fly into and to get the bird as it took off. This is full frame. Have a few shots where I clipped the wings as it took off. I probably had less than 2 seconds to make the changes and get the shot before the bird was gone. This was one case where I was more than happy to have set up the camera the way I did to make changes on the fly. Also where the 14 frames per second of the 1dx ii really pay off. Isaac

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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.

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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 :).