A Very Lucky One. And A Very Strange One ...

Dare I Ask …

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

What’s Up?

I enjoyed another great road-kill cafe flight session on Friday morning with — in order of appearance — Turkey Vultures, one of the Bald Eagles, and Black Vultures. With clear skies and a perfect wind from the east/southeast, I created more than 600 flight images in less than an hour. I kept 74. As virtually every image was sharp on the eye, the best wing positions became the keepers.

More importantly, I learned a ton about the best R5 AF methods for flight photography in situations where the birds are flying toward you. I will be sharing quite a few of the images here on the blog soon, but what I learned about R5 flight AF Methods will be shared only in the Canon R5/R6 AF e-Guide (last update in progress) and in the BAA Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide (in progress).

Though it was ten degrees warmer than the day before, the pool was still too cold for me to swim. I hope to get back in the water today. I did head down to the lake right before sunset but with the wind and the sun in the southwest, I managed only a very few tiny-in-the-frame images of silhouetted Purple Martins. The martins arrived right on schedule on Wednesday.

Today is Saturday 6 February 2021. The forecast for this morning is for cloudy with gentle east winds turning northeast at about 9am. I will be heading down to the lake at about 7:30am, but the partially eaten armadillo will remain in the back-up fridge in the laundry room. It is supposed to be a lot warmer this coming week with lots of thunderstorms in the forecast.

I was somewhat stunned by the almost total lack of response/reaction to yesterday’s blog post.

This blog post took about two hours to create and makes forty-eight days in a row with a new blog post. Please remember …

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now at zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes can always help out by clicking here if they see fit.

Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro News

We now have two dozen (make that 23) Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro heads in stock. The ballhead that acts like (but is much lighter than) a gimbal-head, and that serves all purposes, has — as I predicted when I first used a FlexShooter Pro head — taken the world of nature photography by storm. And it’s all on the level too!

The BAA Used Gear Page

The Used Gear page continues to be very active. The BAA Used Gear Page is the place to sell your used photographic equipment. We will help you to get your gear sold quickly for 20 to 60% or more than what the big guys are offering … Doubt me? Check out the Recent Sales list for the past eleven months at the bottom of the page.

New Listings

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV/with Extras!

BAA Record-Low Price

Chuck Carlson is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV body in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $1249.00. The sale includes the original box, the cap, one Canon LP-E6N battery, the LC-E6 charger, the strap, the USB cable, the manuals, a 64GB Lexar CF card and reader, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your new camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Chuck via e-mail or by phone or text: 1-972-679-1200 (Central time zone).

What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for the most part. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab Chuck’s camera body right now and save a cool $1250.00! artie

Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip for the EOS 5D Mark IV

Chuck Carlson is offering a BG-E20 Battery Grip for the EOS 5D Mark IV in new condition in the un-opened original box for a very low $149.00. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Chuck via e-mail or by phone or text: 1-972-679-1200 (Central time zone).

The BG-E20 Battery Grip will give your 5D IV a pro-body feel while offering better control when you are shooting vertically, a vertical shutter button, and extra battery power as it holds two LP-E6/LP-E6N batteries. Save a very nice $150.00. artie

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens (with Extras!)

BAA Record-Low Price

Chuck Carlson is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $1299.00. The sale includes the original box, two each front and rear lens caps, the zippered lens case, the original Canon foot and a RRS replacement foot, a B+W UV filter, 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 Chuck via e-mail or by phone or text: 1-972-679-1200 (Central time zone).

This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98 meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is great for tight portraits, birds in flight, quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. It sells new for $2399.00; save a very sweet $1300 right now by grabbing this one. artie

Canon EF 24-70 f2.8L II USM Lens

BAA Record-Low Price

Chuck Carlson is offering a Canon EF 24-70 f2.8L II USM lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $799.00. The sale includes the the original box, two front lens caps, the rear lens cap, a B+W UV filter, 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.

Please contact Chuck via e-mail or by phone or text: 1-972-679-1200 (Central time zone).

The 24-70ii is the serious landscape photographer’s dream lens. artie

Canon Extender EF 1.4x III

Chuck Carlson is offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4X iii in excellent condition for a very low $219.00. The sale includes the original box,, the front and rear caps, the 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.

Please contact Chuck via e-mail or by phone or text: 1-972-679-1200 (Central time zone).

As regular readers know the 1.4X TCs are so important to what I do with a long lens that I always travel with one or two back-ups!. artie

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plugins) will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.

Topaz Stuff

As I said just a while back and have said often many times before, I should have listened sooner. If you, like me, are new to the Topaz party, please use this link to purchase. Right now I can wholeheartedly recommend both Topaz Sharpen AI and Topaz DeNoise AI. Though I have not yet worked with JPEGtoRAW AI or Gigapixel AI, I have installed both of these plug-ins and look forward to trying them on some I-Phone 11 images fairly soon. If you are thinking like me, consider the Utility Bundle that includes all four plug-ins mentioned above at a money-saving price.

Again, those who purchase Sharpen AI or DeNoise AI using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. I had a bit of trouble getting the two plug-ins installed and having them appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu. In addition, I will explain how to best learn about the two plug-ins by applying them on a Layer (in Photoshop).

RawDigger e-Guide pre-publication version

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.

Patrick and I began work on the guide some time in July 2020. At first we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three head-to-toe re-writes of the guide.

The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.

We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.

The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.

If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.

Canon R5/R6 AF e-Guide Info

So far, 99 folks have sent PayPals for their copy of the Canon R5/R6 AF e-Guide. And 33 who used my affiliate links to purchase their R5 have e-mailed for and received their free copy of the guide. If you e-mailed your Bedford receipt or sent a PayPal and did not receive your guide, please LMK immediately via e-mail.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far. Three folks wrote stating that they had a better way of setting up AF on their R5s. When I wrote back explaining why they were in error, two of them back-tracked. One stubborn guy is still doing it his way — less efficiently. Be sure to scroll down to read about my plans for a Canon R5/R6 User’s e-Guide. Understand that the info in the BAA Canon R5/R6 Autofocus e-Guide is so important that I opted to publish the AF guide immediately as the R5/R6 User’s Guide will take at least another month to finish.

BAA Canon R5/R6 Autofocus e-Guide

BAA Canon R5/R6 Autofocus e-Guide

Twenty-one pages. 3,452 words. 28-DPP4 screen captures showing the R5’s vaunted AF system in action. Note: the AF system of the R5 is identical to the AF system of the R6.

You will learn:

1- The two most useful AF Methods for general bird photography and for birds in flight.

2- How to set up your R5/R6 AF Menus.

3- What boxes to check (and un-check) under Limit AF Methods.

4- How to change the AF Method quickly, easily, and efficiently. Note: the default way of doing this is clunky, cumbersome, and inefficient at best. One person replied that this tip alone was worth the price of admission.

5- The only setting that should be used for Initial Servo AF pt for Face Detection + Tracking.

I you are currently using multiple back buttons either for general bird photography or for birds in flight, what you learn in this guide will change your life. For the better.

Here are the first three paragraphs of this e-Guide:

From the moment I learned about the new Canon mirrorless bodies, I read about using two or three back-buttons to focus using different AF methods. The word on the street said that the way to go for birds in flight was to use one button to acquire focus with Zone AF or with Large Zone: Horizontal AF and then switch to another button to activate Face Detection + Tracking AF and then use the shutter button to make an image. My immediate thought was, “This is insanity! There has got to be a better way.” In short, there is a far superior way to set up AF on your R5 or R6.

Remember that I got away from any form of back-button or rear focusing many years ago after finally realizing that it is always easier to do one thing (press the shutter button), than it is to do two things (press a back button and then press the shutter button).

The default method of switching AF Methods with the R5/R6 bodies is cumbersome at best. It involves first pressing the grid button (my name) on the upper right back of the camera and then pressing the hard-to-access M-Fn button to toggle through the AF Methods. This method is so bad that it will not be mentioned again in this guide.

The guide is free to all who have ordered an R5 or an R6 using my B&H affiliate link or from Steve Elkins/Bedfords using the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Please send your receipt to me via e-mail. It will take me a few days to a week to verify the B&H purchases. Bedfords folks should expect their free e-Guides fairly quickly.

To purchase your copy of the e-Guide, please click here or send a PayPal for $25.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words R5/R6 AF Guide in your PayPal e-mail.

Everyone who gets the guide will receive a free update no later than the first week in February.

Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide

As regular readers know, I am working on a complete Canon R5 Camera User’s e-Guide. This will require a lot of research, a lot of time, and a lot of effort. I am hoping to have it complete by late February. As always, folks who use the BAA affiliate links to purchase their Canon gear will receive a substantial discount.

Understand that the info in the BAA Canon R5/R6 Autofocus e-Guide is so important that I opted to publish the AF guide right off the bat to help folks get started with their new camera bodies. I may soon offer a pre-publication version of the User’s e-Guide … With a small discount, of course.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a9 ii, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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 late on 28 January 2021 down by the lake at ILE. Working away from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 404L/Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter, and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by pure luck: 1/3200 sec at f/5.6 in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this one to be a very a slight over-exposure on a sliver of bright yellow sky. AWB at 6:39pm. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Fly-by Great Egret at sunset

The Very Lucky One

I was a bit late getting down to the lake. With some light clouds in the west, there was already some nice rich color in the sky. I set up the Induro 410, quickly leveled the Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, grabbed the big lens from the front seat, and mounted it securely. I turned the camera on, looked up at the sky, and saw this bird coming. I had no clue as to the ISO, the shutter speed, and the aperture. I didn’t even know which TC I had on. But I followed my own oft-given advice: when something unexpected happens, acquire focus and push the shutter button. This one turned out to be a very lucky one-shot wonder.

In this instance, Ben Franklin, who said, By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail, was wrong. But being prepared is much better than having to rely on being lucky.

This image was also created late on 28 January 2021 down by the lake at ILE. Working away from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 404L/Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter, and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. Multi-metering +2 stops of exposure compensation (EC) in Shutter Priority (S) mode. Auto ISO set ISO 800: 1/3200 sec at f/5.6. RawDigger showed this one to be one full stop under. AWB at 6:47pm. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Great Egret with twig at sunset

The Very Strange One

I converted the raw file for Image #1 more than a week ago. When I went to finish processing Image #1 on Friday evening, I chanced upon the raw file for Image #2. I had no memory of creating that image. I had no memory of ever having seen it before. I thought, “This is a killer; how could I have missed it?” I thought that it would make a nice companion to Image #1, so I worked it up.

Another strange thing about the second image is that I have never seen any wading bird carrying nesting material down by the lake. And I have no clue as to where the nearest rookery is.

Click the image to see a larger version. Image #2A: Topaz DeNoise on Auto on the Great Egret with twig at a sunset image

A Topaz DeNoise on Auto

Click on the image to note the great job that DeNoise on Auto did with the noise on the backlist feathers and especially with the noise on the distant shoreline.

A Note on RawDigger Learning

As noted above, RawDigger showed Image #2 to be one full stop too dark. As I was working in S mode at +2 EC, I have learned that in similar situations setting an EC of +2 2/3 stops (yes, +2 2/3 stops is not a typo), would result in a cleaner image with much less noise in the dark tones. In the RawDigger e-Guide we explain why almost everyone under-exposed richly colored silhouette images. Hint: it has to do with the RGB histogram on your camera …No spoilers please. 🙂

Typos

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