Brand New Sony 600mm f/4 OSS GM Lens! And an a9 iii

A First Ever Request

The item below appeared in the Safe to Go in the Water. Six images made with a v2.02 a-1 blog post here.

Your Call

The challenge today is to put today’s six featured images in order with the strongest one first and the weakest image (in your eyes) last. As each of the images is quite strong, you will need to put on your critiquing hat to sort them out. Be sure to click on each one to enlarge it. Don’t be a chump; have some fun and take a shot at the challenge. I will share my list in the next blog post that will feature the work of Geri Georg on the Nickerson IPT.

Thanks to the few who posted a comment.

If you enjoy the blog but did not leave a comment with your list, please take a moment to re-visit the last post and leave a comment. Your doing so would be greatly appreciated. Tuesday’s post will feature the work of BAA friend and student Geri Georg. In addition, I will share my ranking of the six photos in the previous post.

What’s Up?

Bob Eastman and I have been having a blast, photographing every morning and every afternoon since he drove down from Wisconsin and arrived midday on Friday. Though photography has not been great at ILE, each of us has made some excellent images in most every session. Today is Monday 28 October 2024. We will be driving over to Sebastian this afternoon where we will be staying in an AirBnB for 26 nights, hoping to put a hurt on the Ospreys diving for fish. There is still lots of room at the inn. If you would like to join us, scroll down for the details. We hope that you too choose to have a wonderful day.

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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.

Supporting My Efforts Here

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If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

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

BIRDS AS ART SONY 600mm f/4 Images

Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens
Brand new in the box!

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a brand new in the box Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a ridiculously low $9998.00. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it including the rear cap, the heavy duty lens strap, the front lens cover, the 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. Please contact Karen via e-mail.

The 600mm f/4 lens have long been the weapon of mass destruction for bird and wildlife photographers. Over past 40 years, only very rarely have I made a trip without my Canon, Nikon, or Sony 600. The Sony is the lightest on the market. With most of the weight to the rear, it is beautifully balanced, hand hold-able by the young and strong. Mine goes on a tripod or a BLUBB 99% of the time, almost always with either teleconverter. The lens sells for $12,998.00 at B&H and elsewhere. And B&H has two used ones for $11,437.00 and $11,047.00! Some lucky person is going to grab Karen’s brand new, never used lens and save $3,000.00. artie

BIRDS AS ART SONY A9 iii Images

Sony a-9 iii Mirrorless Camera Body

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Sony a9iii Mirrorless camera in like-new condition for a ridiculously low $4,798.00. The sale includes the original product box, the body cap, the battery charger, one battery, the strap, 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.

Your purchase will also include my two a9 iii Set-up e-mails and any future updates.

Please contact Karen via e-mail.

I’ve loved my a9 iii so much for flight and action that I sold two of my a-1 bodies to purchase a second a9 iii. Working at 120fps gives you four times as many wing positions and flight poses as any other mirrorless camera body. Most every single image will be sharp on the eye. And the raw files can stand up to decent crops. A new one sells at B&H for $5,998.00. B&H does not have a single used one in stock. KEHs, is offering a like-new a9iii for $5823.00! If you have been thinking of an a9 iii, grab Karen’s a9 iii right now and save $1,000.00. artie

Do not click on the composite image; simply scroll down for the best viewing. While Sebastian Inlet is justifiably famous around the world for the Ospreys diving for migrating saltwater fish each fall, there are a variety of desirable avian subjects there as well in October and November. Keep reading if you would like to join me on what will surely be a memorable photographic and learning experience.

Pick Your Own Dates Short-notice Sebastian Inlet Ospreys and More BAA Personalized Instructional Workshops

Ridiculously Inexpensive!

Dates: October 29 (arrive on the afternoon of Monday the 28th) thru the morning session on Saturday 22 November

Right now I have four folks for the last week, 17-22 NOV. So any few days (or a week!) after 28 OCT and before mid-NOV would be fabulous.

As BIRDS AS ART lost more than $100,000 in tax year 2023, I am moving forward looking more at sharing expenses than at making money. Simply put, for more reasons than I will list here, sharing an AirBnB or VRBO place maximizes learning while reducing your overall travel costs.

Consider joining me at Sebastian Inlet this fall for some great bird photography and a ton of learning. Life is short; what are you waiting for? While a 600mm f/4 lens is ideal, you could do the whole trip with a variety of other lenses including a 500mm f/4, a 400mm f/2.8, a 400mm DO, a 200-600, a 100-500, a 300mm f/2.8 with TCs, or one of the great new Nikon Z telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses.

Bob Eastman is driving from Wisconsin and doing all 26 days, from 28 OCT thru the morning session on 22 NOV, prime time for Ospreys diving and catching a variety of saltwater fish. There are four bedrooms in this great AirBnB property that is just 22 minutes from the south jetty at the State Park, 24 minutes from the northwest pool where the Ospreys spent a lot of time last year. Please note that NOV 21-22 are sold out.

Hopefully, those who come would stay for a week or ten days (or all 26 days!) to maximize the opportunities. As above, fewer days would work also. Fly to Melbourne (MEL) or Orlando (MCO) and rent a car. Local folks who would like to arrange a morning or two of In-the-Field Instruction during October should get in touch via e-mail.

Here, if you stay in the AirBnB with me, are the ridiculous low rates for the in-the-field sessions (that include the daily Image Review and Photoshop sessions).

$250 for a morning session

$150 for an afternoon session.

Brunch and dinners at the AirBnB will cost you $20/day.

If you are interested, let me know your preferred dates via e-mail and I will get back to you with the per/night price for the lodging.

Typos

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