Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
November 2nd, 2024

Sony a9 iii Amazing with All Lenses and Both Teleconverters

Your Calls

Autofocus-wise, which of today’s six featured images do you think is the most amazing? Separate question: which is your favorite image? Why? for both.

What’s Up?

Bob Eastman and I are having fun every day at Sebastian Inlet. On Thursday afternoon we spent lots of time with the very cooperative white morph Reddish Egret along with Wood Storks and a variety of other wading birds. It drizzled on Friday morning so we spent a productive 45 minutes working a flock of about 800 Sanderlings as the flew in formation over the waves, alternating turning to show us their white bellies and an instant later, their flashing white wing stripes. Oh, to be a shorebird.

In the last blog post here, I too loved Bob’s Snowy Egret. But I would not trade it for my Osprey trying to lift off — Image #2. Did you not notice the fish???

Today is Saturday 2 November 2024. We will be headed back to Sebastian early again. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, we hope that you too choose to have a wondrous day.

Be sure to click on each image to enlarge is and check out the amazing autofocus capabilities of the Sony a9 iii, 120 frames per second with 0.5 second pre-capture. Be sure also to check out Karen McCormick’s like new a9 iii below.

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.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

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.

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 $1,200.00. artie

This image was created on 8 March 2024 at Stick Marsh, Fellsmere, FL Seated on a two pillows, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1200: 1/3200 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:06:24am with some clouds in the low eastern sky.

Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1: Roseate Spoonbill braking to land

Made for Stick Marsh

The Sony 300mm f/2.8 is perfect for the incoming spoonbills at Stick Marsh. And for pelican and Brandt’s Cormorant flight at La Jolla. And for the Bald Eagles at Homer. And as I am getting older every single day, I am loving and more often than not using this versatile lens bare or with either teleconverter as my go-to walk-around rig. As you will see with Images #2 and #3 below, the AF is ridiculous even with the 2X at f/5.6.

The a9 iii gave me four perfect frames of this incoming spoonbill, each razor sharp on the eye, and each with a significantly different wing position. Bob Eastman helped me pick this one out as my favorite.

The AirBnB that I rented for mid-late March/early April 2025 is close to being sold out. If you would like to explore the possibility of joining me there next spring, please get in touch via e-mail.

This image was created on 31 May 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Walking on the pier, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (at 600mm) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500: 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:08:42am on a very cloudy afternoon.

Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #2: Boat-tailed Grackle males chasing

My Hand-holdable 600mm f/5.6 Rig With Science-fiction-like Autofocus

The Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (at 600mm) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera rig is superb for those who like to walk around without a tripod and concentrate on both flight & action and general bird photography.

Again, the incredible frame rate of the a9 iii produced four spectacular, almost identical frames. And again, East Bobman helped me select the cream of the crop.

This image was created on 31 May 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on a pillow on the beach left of the pier, I used the hand held a href=”https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1746375-REG/sony_fe_300mm_f_2_8_gm.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/SO30028GM/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xSO30028GM” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (at 600mm) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:11:45am on a mostly sunny morning.

Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #3: Black-bellied Whistling Duck braking to land

Hand holding Forever

The 300 f/2.8 is so small and light that most folks can hand hold it comfortably for hours on end. And that includes me at age 78 with a bum right shoulder. In our first three days at Sebastian I used the 300 most often with the 1.4X TC more than 50% of the time. With the dark skies this morning I went to the 400mm f/2.8. Hand held. Also with ease.

This image was created on 8 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Walking on the pier, I used the hand held 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 5000: 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 1/6 stop short of perfect. AWB at 9:10:22am on a cloudy morning.

Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.

Image #4: Boat-tailed Grackle female taking flight

Pre-Capture on This One!

There is no doubt about it, setting and using 0.5 second pre-capture was 100% responsible for creating this image. Humans, especially old ones with slow reflexes, are just not quick enough to press the shutter button soon enough to catch liftoff. I have Pre-capture on My Menu so that I can turn it on when shooting flight and action. As long as you are actively focusing, the camera will save the 30 images prior to your pressing the shutter button (belatedly!)

Those who did not use my link to purchase their Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens, can order their a copy here for $209.93.

Click on the image to enlarge and to be able to read the fine print.

The BAA Sony 300mm f/2.8 Lens Guide

Impressed by my Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) images? Use either my Bedfords or B&H affiliate link to purchase your Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens and shoot me your receipt via e-mail and request a copy of the first-ever BAA Lens Guide. I thought that it would take only minutes to create this guide, but I was dead wrong. In the process of creating it, I learned a ton about the lens. And even better, I discovered a simple yet potentially fatal flaw that was resulting in sporadically unsharp flight images. The set-up fix is simple. Just be sure to use one of my affiliate links and get the guide for free.

If not, you can purchase a copy here for $209.93. Yes, it never hurts to use my links and it never costs you one penny more. And if you contact me via e-mail before you make a major purchase, I can often save you some money.

This image was created on 15 October 2024. Working from the front seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 2000. 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:48:52am early on a sunny morning.

Tracking: (upper left) Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #5: Red-shouldered Hawk adult on The Perch II

a9 iii Raw File Color Tip

Huge thanks to Anita North, currently on in the middle of a six-month African safari to multiple countries by herself!. On a rare phone call recently, I mentioned that I was less than thrilled with the somewhat boring color of most a9 iii raw files. She told me to set Adobe Vivid as the Color Profile during the raw conversion in Adobe Camera Raw. Wow! The results are gorgeous. For this one I actually decreased the Vibrance a bit before hitting “Open.”

This image was created on 28 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 185mm) and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500: 1/2000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:13:10am on a then very cloudy morning.

Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #6: Sandhill Crane adult throwing dried grasses

Cranes Getting Frisky

Before Bob and I headed to Sebastian Inlet, the cranes were beginning their courtship behaviors. Those the grass tossing that almost always results in jumping, dancing, bowing, and running. I’d expect to have a few chances on copulating cranes when we get back to ILE.

BIRDS AS ART SONY A9 iii Images

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 did sell two of my three a1 bodies.

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), a Buttons and Dials Guide, and an a9 iii Info Sheet.

Typos

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

October 31st, 2024

Come On Down Right Now for Ospreys and More

What’s Up?

Bob Eastman and I had a fabulous morning at Sebastian Inlet on Wednesday. We had three Ospreys dive into the water within 20 feet of us. All caught a fish. Each struggled to get it out of the water. Each failed. But oh, what an adrenaline rush. Check out the images then get in touch with me via e-mail or cell phone: 863-221-2372 ASAP, and get yourself a plane ticket. There is lots of room for you at the nicest AirBnB I’ve ever been in.

Today is Thursday 31 October 2024. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you choose to have a great day.

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.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

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.

ddc 728w

This image was created on 30 October 2024 at Sebastian Inlet State Park,FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 4000. 1/3200 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:19:14am in the shade before the sun broke through. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1: Osprey taking flight after a missed strike

Challenging Exposures

The day began with heavy cloud cover. That followed by bright sun at about 8:15am. To make things even more difficult, the birds would fly in and out of the shadows thrown by the bridge behind us. By 9:00am the sun was so bright that we decided to head home early. By the time we got over the bridge, it was cloudy dark We decided to try a different spot, and by the time we got in position, it was cloudy bright. I almost forgot to mention that we had several rainbows. The sun cam out with a vengeance at 10:00am so we hit the road, celebrating a great morning.

This image was also created on 30 October 2024 at Sebastian Inlet State Park,FL. Again, standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 5000. 1/3200 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:22:09am in the shade before the sun broke through. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect.

Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #2: Osprey struggling to take flight wit fish in its talons

Do Not Be Afraid of High ISOs

Image #1: ISO 4000. Image #2: ISO 5000. You wind up with much higher image quality and much less noise by using a high ISO than you’d get by underexposing at a lower “supposedly better” ISO. Don’t be a high ISO chicken.

My double Noise Reduction technique worked wonders on all of today’s featured images, including and especially #s 1 & 2. This technique, scoffed at by many, is detailed in the Digital Basics III Video Series.

This image was created on 30 October 2024 on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet State Park,FL by my good friend Bob Eastman. Seated in a low field chair he used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500. 1/3200 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 1/6 stop short of perfect. AWB at 8:25:35am on a then sunny morning.

Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #3: Snowy Egret midair squabble
Image courtesy of and copyright 2014: Bob Eastman

Kudos to Bob on This One!

We both got on this fight quickly and — thanks to Sony Zebra technology, came up with the right exposure in an instant. That was no easy chore. I got some good ones, but would trade them all for Bob’s two best. As I say often, less experienced photographers with their cameras set up properly and a modicum of instruction can — in a given situation — create better images than a professional using the same gear. I was a bit to Bob’s left shooting the 300mm f/2.8 with the 1.4X TC and a v2.02 a-1.

This image was created on 30 October 2024 at Sebastian Inlet, north of Vero Beach, FL. Standing at full height, I used the Robus RC-5570 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 One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/4000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:50:17am on a then sunny morning.

Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.

Image #4: Osprey carrying fish

Going Long

I grabbed the 600 with the 1.4X, took my tripod to a little used vantage point, and waited for an Osprey to catch a fish and fly into the wind toward me. It did and I shot.

This image was also created on 30 October 2024 at Sebastian Inlet State Park,FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/4000 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:22:09am on a then cloudy fairly bright morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect.

Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #5: Brown Pelican sub-adult in flight lookin to dive

White Sky Photography

When we tried a new spot after the clouds came, we ran into a guy with a lens who was leaving. We started chatting and when I told him that I preferred clouds to sun at 9:30am he was astounded. He was terribly in fear of high ISOs. We chatted a bit more and I learned that he was shooting in Manual mode with AUTO ISO, and that he did not know how to view the histogram on his R6. When I tried to explain a few things to him he was totally resistant. So, I wished him a happy birthday and went off to create Image #5.

Just for the record, if you use AUTO ISO with manual mode you lose all control over exposure; when you do wind up with a good or perfect exposure, it is due to pure luck.

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.

October 30th, 2024

Geri Georg Does Nickerson Beach Quite Well

What’s Up?

Bob Eastman and I had a great first morning at Sebastian. Aside from a zillion Ospreys fishing the inlet, a cooperative white Morph Reddish Egret on the beach made our day. The afternoon looked like bird photography death with a strong SE wind and sunny blue skies but I scouted around and found a fabulous afternoon spot with lots of tame wading birds, many of them in the shade. I hate to give up even on a single session. There is still lots of room in our lovely AirBbB just 22 minutes from the inlet. Get in touch via e-mail to explore the possibility of joining us.

One of the great advantages of joining me on an IPT or an Extended IPT is that I will get to look at and process your best images while creating a screen capture Camtasia video to share with you and the group. The image optimizations for all seven of todays images were done by yours truly, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.

Geri’s images show just what can be done with “just” the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) If you would like to learn more about switching to Sony, please get in touch via e-mail.

I was glad to learn that Karen McCormick sold her brand new Sony 600mm f/4GM lens for the full asking price within an hour of it being listed. She still has a great a9 iii for sale.

Today is Wednesday 30 October 2024. We will be heading back to the state park well before sunrise. I hope that all of you boys and girls have a wonderful day too. Today’s post featured the work of longtime friend and student Geri Georg of Colorado. She joined me for both the DeSoto IPT last spring and Extended IPT at Nickerson Beach. As with many, many others, I helped Geri transition from Canon to Sony about two years ago.

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.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

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.

ddc 728w

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

Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM Lens

Mark Harrington is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM refurbished by Canon to Like-New condition for a very low $850.00. The sale includes the lens with front and rear caps, original product box, manual and software, Lens case LZ1326 and Lens Hood 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 Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is an abomination. Why? Because the lens does not accept either teleconverter. Hard to believe, but true. If you shoot Camon mirrorless you are far better off with this lens and the EF to RF Adapter. Thus, the versatility of this popular lens is wrecked.

The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes especially with fall color peaking in many areas. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on feeding sprees right next to the road. Lenses in this class are easily hand holdable by just about everyone. artie

ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see the blog post here.

This image was created on 14 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Standing, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:11:52pm on a sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1: Black Skimmer adult in flight
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

Shutter Speeds for Flight Photography

From where I sit, 1/4000 second is a great first choice for flight photography. 1/2500 and 1/3200 second are fine for most flying birds. You can often get away with 1/2000, 1/1600 or even 1/1250 second. Anything slower, and you need to pan perfectly with the bird to get the eye sharp. Some folks like 1/8000 second to completely eliminate wing tip blur. I rarely go there as I do not mind blurred wingtips as they convey motion. Remember that with film we shot flight at 1/500 second.

All that said, on rare occasion, it is possible to get the eye of a flying bird sharp at speeds as slow as 1/60 or 1/30 second. But never consistently.

Kudos for Geri to picking my favorite sunny day shutter speed for flight: 1/4000 second.

This image was created on 15 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Standing, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. Multi Metering +2/3 stop. AUTO ISO set ISO 400. 1/8 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Shutter Priority mode. AWB at 6:59:25am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/3 stop under.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #2: Black Skimmer flock blastoff blur
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

Getting Out Early

If you are walking down to the beach when it is still dark, blurs are often your only choice until the sun comes up. On IPTs, when blurs are on the table and the backgrounds are consistently light toned, I teach folks to work in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO and Exposure Compensation (EC) on a convenient dial or wheel. Kudos to Geri for being open to new concepts and especially for digging blurs. Not everyone does.

Let’s see what ISO you would have needed to get to a shutter speed of 1/2000 second that early that morning.

1/8 @ ISO 400
1/15 @ ISO 800
1/30 @ ISO 1600
1/60 @ ISO 3200
1/125 @ ISO 6400
1/250 @ ISO 12800
1/500 @ ISO 25600
1/1000 @ ISO 51200
1/2000 @ ISO 102400

Necessity is often the mother of invention when it comes to photographing in extreme low light conditions. Blurs anyone?

This image was created on 16 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Seated on dry sand, right next to me, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/1600 second at f/9 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 9:23:45am on a barely cloudy very bright morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #3: Black Skimmer — large chick barking
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

200-600 with the 1.4X TC

As the birds were not letting us get very close, I suggested to Geri that she add the 1.4X to get more pixels on the bird. She did, and she did. Not all students listen to the instructors suggestions 🙂 Good on Geri!

This image was created on 17 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Seated on dry sand, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 8000! 1/1250 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:58:39 am on a very cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #4: Osprey directly overhead staring at photographer
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

You’ve Heard This One Before

When the shot is there, press the shutter button; if you try to change anything, you will wind up with nothing. Above, I suggested that 1/4000 sec. is a great choice for flight photography. When Geri saw the Osprey above looking right down at her, she pressed the shutter button despite the relatively slow of flight shooting shutter speed of 1/1600 sec. Then, she got a bit lucky. The better your hand holding sharpness techniques, the luckier you will get.

This image was also created on 17 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Seated right next to me on damp sand, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 5000! 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 10:00:52am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #5: Black Skimmer adult jumping up after bath
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

Wind Direction and Bathing Birds

Bathing birds will almost always jump into the air at the end of their bath; those that do will always jump up and flap while facing into the wind, just as they do when taking flight. We stayed late on a stormy morning and used the NE wind to our advantage while working a receding tidal pool.

This image was created on 18 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Seated on dry sand, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/1600 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 1:19:30pm on a cloudy day. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #6: Black Skimmer large chick begging posture
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

Why Were We on the Beach at 2pm?

It was pouring rain when we woke up in our AirBnB on Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. We worked on images for a few hours and when the rain quit and the sky brightened just a bit, I said, “Let’s go. We’ll see if they are letting folks in for free because of the bad weather. They were and we had a great afternoon session.

This image was also created on 18 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach Extended IPT by friend and multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg. Seated on dry sand right nest to me, she used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 250. 1/1600 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 2:10:47pm on a cloudy day. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.

Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #7: Black Skimmer adult feeding large chick
Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Geri Georg

The Feeding Shot!

Tern and skimmer chick feeding shots are difficult to impossible for two main reasons:

1- The odds of getting two good head angles is always at least four to one against you.

2- Getting a decent look at the faces of both the adult and the chick is very challenging.

3- Having both the adult and the chick nicely juxtaposed with regards to the imaging sensor might be the biggest challenge of all.

Kudos to Geri on all counts for Image #7. And big time thanks for allowing me to share your work with the boys and girls here on the blog.

Typos

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