Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

I was unable to get my MacBook Pro (and the almost surely messed-up back-up drive) for shipment to the data recovery outfit by Fed-Ex Overnight on Saturday afternoon; the Fed Ex depot in Lake Wales was closed when I got there. It will ship today. Fingers still crossed. I will spare you the gory details until I learn more.

If you need to get in touch with me, please shoot an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372.

The favored Kansas City Chiefs destroyed the upstart Cincinnati Bengals in the first half, leading 21-3. They botched the last few seconds of the second quarter, leaving a bit of a sour taste in fans’ mouthes, but what could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything. Led by cocky young gunslinger Joe Burrow, the Bengals took the lead late in the game. The quarterback of the “Dynasty of One,” Patrick Mahomes, led the Chiefs to a trying field goal at the end of the fourth quarter. Ominously for the Bengals, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss as they had in their miraculous come-from-behind win over the Buffalo Bills last weekend. But the Bengals intercepted a deflected Mahomes’ pass and drove for the point-blank game-winning field goal.

The Bengals are on to their first Super Bowl since 1988 to face the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams beat their long-time rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, with the second second-half comeback of the day. San Fran had beaten the Rams in the last six games they had played over the past three seasons. So much for winning streaks.

In the Super Bowl, to be played on Sunday February 13, I will be pulling for the cocky young gunslinger. I fly to Anchorage for the Homer IPTs on the 15th.

Today is Monday 31 January 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. It finally got below freezing here today: 30 degrees! It is supposed to warm up this week. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 80 days in a row with a new one.

Again, please realize that having three back-ups of your images should be mandatory (he said after the horses may have escaped from the barn …)

My Recent Comment at the “Disaster Pending” blog post here:

Thanks all for your comments and suggestions. I may be getting back to some of you for help when the smoke clears. As far as the expense of data recovery, that is fortunately pretty much irrelevant to me. The laptop should be fine, unless the Fed Ex plane crashes.

Mentally, I am in pretty good shape and will be, no matter the outcome, that thanks to The Work of Byron Katie. As far as cloud storage and backup, one of the problems here at ILE is that we have very slow internet with lots of promises but zero options at present. Please correct me if upload and download speeds have nothing to do with cloud storage.

with love, artie

This image was created on 18 October 2021 at Sebastian Inlet. I used the hand held 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 (while standing –double gasp!). ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that this exposure was perfect. AWB at 8:58am on a variably sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2A: Osprey rising after missed strike — re-crafted as a vertical!

The Things That I Hate About the World’s Best Bird Photography Camera, the Sony Alpha 1

I love the quality of color of the Sony a1 raw files. I love the fine-feather detail of the sharp 51MP images. And most of all, I love that the remarkable AF system of the a1 with its Bird Eye/Face Detection feature has enabled me to become both a better flight photographer, and a better all-around bird and nature photographer as well.

There are however, several things that I strongly dislike about this great mirrorless camera body. Keep reading to learn about my pet a1 peeves.

Your Favorite Camera Body

If anything really bugs you about your favorite camera body, consider leaving a comment and sharing that information with us. Be sure specify your camera system and the particular body you use, and let us know what pisses you off.

Tied for First: Why Image Playback Forever?

When you press the Playback button to review an image, you must either press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button to get back to active Shooting mode. If you forget to press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button, you will see the image in the viewfinder when you raise the camera to your eye. Then you must either press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button to clear the viewfinder. If you were after an action shot, sorry Bud, you missed it. If you were after a particularly nice pose that lasted only an instant, you were screwed again.

I first complained to Sony about this with the a9 and then with the a9 II. The folks at Sony said, “Don’t worry about it. It will become second nature.” Well, three years later, it has not. It continues to happen to me several times during most shooting sessions. I have suggested often to Sony that a simple Firmware update could give users the option of having the reviewed image turn off automatically after three, five, or even 10 seconds. Or Never, if anyone out there would like that option. Obviously, I could never understand why anyone would want the reviewed image to be displayed forever, or understand why that is the default in the first place.

Tied for First: What AF Method Was I Using?

With camera bodies from every major camera manufacturer that I know of, you are able to examine a raw file on your computer and determine what AF Method was used. Period. And simple. Sony’s Imaging Edge software, though a pain to use, allows you to see the location of the active AF point, but it does not tell you whether you were using Spot S, Tracking: Zone, or Tracking Spot S. How are you supposed to learn about the AF system of the a1 (or the AF systems of any of the other Sony bodies for that matter), if you are not able to determine after the fact which AF Method you used to create a given image?

This situation is utterly ridiculous; Sony should be embarrassed.

Third: Why Can’t Custom Key Settings Be Saved With Memory Recall?

Like most camera bodies, the a1 allows you to register different groups of settings that can be recalled almost instantly by choosing 1, 2, or 3 on the mode dial. On most cameras, this is a great time-saving feature that allows you to switch tracks quickly and easily. Like this, from the Sony a1 Help Guide:

Memory Recall (MR): Recall Camera Settings. You can call up frequently used modes and numerical value settings that have been registered in advance.

The huge Memory Recall problem with the a1 is that you cannot save Custom Key Settings when using MR. When I go from shooting in M (Manual mode) to working in S (Shutter Priority Mode), as I do often when creating pleasing blurs (or trying to), I first set AUTO ISO and then go to Custom Key Settings and assign Exposure Compensation to the Thumb Wheel. When I go back to working in Manual Mode I need to retrace my steps by going back to Custom Key Settings and assign ISO to the Thumb Wheel.

It would be nice, not to mention super-convenient, to be able to save both of the above configurations as say MR 1 and MR 2 so that that could be accessed by turning the mode dial. But Sony MR does not save Custom Key Settings. This is not something that I would expect or hope for with a $6500.00 camera body.

Fourth: Why No Vertically Tilting Rear Monitor?

I love shooting ground level images using the tilted rear monitor (especially when I have my reading glasses with me). I’ve done this with the camera body and/or the lens on the ground, with my rig mounted on a Panning Ground Pod or a splayed tripod, using the ankle-pod technique, or recently, in San Diego, simply holding the camera below me in midair while I was seated. With the a1, however, you are pretty much restricted to working in horizontal format. There have been dozens of times when I’ve wished that the a1 had an articulating screen that could be used to shoot both horizontals and verticals at ground level.

Fifth: Why Only +/- Two Stops on the Analog Exposure Scale in Manual Mode?

When you are working in an automatic exposure mode like S (shutter priority), A (Aperture Priority), or P (Program), the analog exposure scale at the bottom of the viewfinder is active from -5 stops to + five stops. When you are working in M (Manual mode) as I do for more than 95% of my bird photography, the analog exposure scale is active only for -2 to +2 stops. If you are at +2 stops and you add one click more of light, the indicator jumps to off scale plus with the right-facing triangle on the right end of the scale flashing to indicate more than 2 stops of over-exposure (rather than indicating the exact amount from +2 1/2 to +5 stops).

Why? Again, this makes zero sense to me and seems like something that could easily be fixed with a firmware update.

Sixth: Shutter Closing on Power Off Too Slow

The a1 offers a great Menu item that gives users the option to have the camera close the shutter when it is turned off. This helps keep the sensor clean. The problem is that it takes five seconds (and sometimes longer, possibly related to the battery power), for the shutter to close. So when you are in a situation where you need to add or remove a teleconverter right now, this instant, folks will often forget to wait to hear the soft clunk that signifies that the shutter has closed. Summing up, this is a great feature. I just wish that it were a lot faster, perhaps instantaneous.

Seventh: A Recommendation for the Manufacturers of all Digital Camera Bodies

I have thought of this one for well more than a decade. When you are working in an automatic exposure mode such as Tv (time value or shutter priority), or Av (aperture value or priority), all camera bodies record the Exposure Compensation (EC). You know if you were working at +2 stops or -1/3 stop. At present, however, it is not possible to know the EC when you are working in Manual mode (unless you happened to be looking at the analog exposure scale at the moment the image was made and either remembered or wrote down the EC value).

When you are working in Manual mode, all digital and mirrorless camera bodies know the exact difference between the exposure suggested by the camera and the actual exposure at the instant each and every photograph is created. If the cameras could record the data from the analog exposure scale and record it in the EXIF, users could access that information and learn more about exposure than ever before. Just a thought.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I slept long and well on Thursday night. I guess I was knackered from the great San Diego trip. When I left for California, the pool was 86°. When I got into the pool on Friday afternoon it was 81°. That’s the good news. I dressed warmly and enjoyed my 1/2 swim. The forecast for tomorrow morning is for a balmy 29° with a strong wind from the northwest. If that pans out, it will be my coldest ILE morning since I moved here in 1999. I will definitely not be heading out early for photography.

I did not make it down to the lake until after my swim. As I pulled up, bins in hand, both adult eagles flew from the nest in hot pursuit of a Turkey Vulture that must have gotten a bit too close. It seemed as if one of the eagles would surely take the intruder down. But it escaped, unscathed. I was wishing that I had a lens in my hand with the camera turned on.

I thought that I saw a grey head in the nest and just before I pulled away, I saw a single large grey wing flap above the edge of the nest. The single eagle chick has survived and is doing well. It seems that this pair has only one young. The tiny chick sure grew a lot in the two weeks I was gone!

Today is Saturday 29 January. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 78 days in a row with a new one.

This Just In

At 6:00am the overnight low was 42°, 13° warmer than originally forecast. It is supposed to get down to 31° on Sunday morning …

Please remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that 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.

From Blog Regular Elinor Osborne via e-mail

Thanks so much for doing handling my used gear sales. You are very helpful. The process is easy. And the Used Gear Page is the place to find the best customers.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.

Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

This image was created by Greg Gulbransen on 21 January 2022. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens and the Nikon D850 dSLR. ISO 640: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:52:44pm on a cloudy afternoon. Group AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Photo courtesy of and copyright 2022: Greg Gulbransen Image #1: Snowy Owl striking

Images #1 and #2 were made with the very same lens that is for sale here:

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens(with Extras)

BAA friend Greg Gulbransen is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in near-mint condition (with extras) for a very low $8496.95 (Payment by teller’s check or Long Island, NY — cash pick-up only). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, a RRS low foot (a $110.00 value), the original lens foot, the LensCoat (a roughly $100.00 value) that has protected the lens since Day 1, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until the money is in the bank.

Please contact Greg via e-mail.

The 400mm f/2.8 lenses are the fastest big lenses in production. This, the newest Nikon version available, is super-sharp. It is a very versatile lens for wildlife photographers, especially those doing Africa, big game, and birds in low light situation. It creates incredibly sharp images with the TC-E14. It is currently back-ordered at B&H where it sells new for $11,196.95. You can save a very handsome $2700.00 by grabbing Greg’s pretty much new lens right now. artie

This image was created by Greg Gulbransen on 21 January 2022. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens and the Nikon D850 dSLR. ISO 640: 1/2500 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:43:26 on a cloudy afternoon. Group AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Photo courtesy of and copyright 2022: Greg Gulbransen Image #2: Snowy Owl, angled flight pose

Your Calls

After clicking on each image to view the spectacular high-res versions, try your hand at the following:

• Which is the stronger image? Why?
• What do you like best about Image #1?
• Would you have cropped Image #1 any differently? How and Why?
• What do you like best about Image #2?
• Would you have removed the tiny bit of grass from the lower right corner of Image #2?

Nikon D850 Users e-Guide & Video Purchase here.

Nikon D850 Users e-Guide & Video

$50 via download

This great guide includes 15 pages of text, a 46-image gallery, and a comprehensive camera handling video.

The text covers all of the menu item settings that I used on my two D850 bodies and each gallery image has a legendary BIRDS AS ART educational caption. The emphasis is two-fold:

1- getting your camera set-up so that it is optimized for bird photography.

2- sharing everything that I know about the Nikon AF system so that you can create consistently sharp images of static subjects, and most especially, of birds in flight and in action.

Though this guide is designed for the D850, nearly all of the info applies to the D5 and to the D500 as well. You can purchase your copy in the BAA On-line Store here. Both files are large so you will need a good internet connection to download them.

The Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide Please click here to purchase.

The Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide: $30.00 (or free to some–see below for details on that).

by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Patrick Sparkman

There is lots of misinformation out there on the Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune feature. Much of that involves vast over-simplifications. Patrick Sparkman and I developed a way of using the Automatic Fine-tune feature effectively with the D5, D500, the D7500, and the D850. Patrick, however, was on a roll and perfected a method for using the Focus Peaking feature available only on the D850 to quickly and accurately micro-adjust all lenses and TC-Es with your D-850. If you own a D850 you should be using D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune rather than Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune. It is faster and easier and more accurate. While there is some halfway decent info online with regards to Nikon Automatic Fine-tune feature, I have never seen a word about using the amazing D850 Focus Peaking capabilities to determine an accurate AF Fine-tune value. You can thank Patrick Sparkman for rectifying that situation.

With both Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune and D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune, the use of a LensAlign Mark II unit is recommended as best by far for accurate results, and thus, this guide is written reflecting that. Taping a sheet of newsprint on a wall or using the FoCal kit does not assure you of the True Parallel Alignment (TPA) that is guaranteed when you set up your LensAlign properly. Without TPA your results will be off anywhere from a little to a lot. You can purchase the LensAlign Mark II alone here. Or you can purchase the LensAlign/FocusTune combo here. If you do not own either of those we suggest that you decide which to purchase after reading this guide through once. That said, we recommend the LensAlign/FocusTune combo for reasons that will become obvious as you make your way through the guide.

Do understand that much of the set-up information included in the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide is by necessity a duplication of information included in The LensAlign/FocusTune Micro-Adjusting Tutorial e-Guide.

Please click here to purchase.

Typos

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