Stuff
We got to the limestone cliffs early and had some great flight action for the first 45 minutes. With the clear blue skies we decided to try for the West Indian Whistling Ducks but they were too far away. So we called it a morning and I decided to go with our guide for a short snorkel at Radar Reef. The Reef Squid were amazingly beautiful and almost surreal with their fluorescent color and strange shape. It was sunny and clear with blue skies so we did not head out until 4:30. Just as we arrived the large chick got fed by daddy. Our best action came when the sun ducked behind the hills to the west. I finally got some nice head portraits of Big Chick. Right after that I discovered a second large chick and several nests in an adjacent field.
Once again, big time thanks to Peter Kes who added a Nikon Lens chart under the Lens Chart tab above.
It’s not too late to join me for one of the spoonbill IPTs; both are now almost full. Please e-mail if you would like to learn about the late registration discount.
Yesterday’s Blog Post
In the A Comparison of the Canon 100-400 II L IS Lens and the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens blog post here yesterday, many folks took the time to leave helpful comments.
Below is my generic reply.
Thanks all for the insightful comments. Two folks suggested that the first image is sharper. I believe that the bird’s left eye in Image #2 is as sharp as the two eyes in Image #1 but that the Nazca’s left eye is not as sharp as its right eye. That, however, has nothing to do with the sharpness of the lens; it is a depth of field issue.
#1: Wide open with the 1-4 II is f/5.6. So f/13 is stopped down 2 full and one third stop (2 2/3 stops). With the 2-4/TCE-14III wide open is f/8 and f/10 is stopped down only two thirds of a single stop (2/3).
#2: In image #1 both eyes were on the exact same plane.
There are lots of Nikon lenses that I might add to my kit. Right now those include the new version of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens, one of the 70-200 lenses, a macro lens, and possibly the small, light, super-versatile Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Thanks for all the suggestions. And yes, comparing the 80-400 VR with the Canon 100-400 II would have been a more apt comparison.
with love, artie
The Streak
Today makes one hundred ninety-six days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about 90 minutes to prepare. 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. I was glad to learn that Gary Meyer sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition along with a pair of like-new Series III TCs for the (unbelievable) record low BAA price of $3458.00.
Booking.Com
Several folks on the Spoonbill IPTs used the Booking.Com link below and got great rates and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. 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.
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This image was created on our second morning on Cayman Brac with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) with the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering -1.3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/22 in S (Shutter priority mode, Tv in Canon). K7690 at 7:18am after a foggy/cloudy sunrise.
Center Group (grp) shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. AF micro-adjustment: -1.
Brown Booby wheeling in flight with nesting material; silhouette.
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Shoulda Beens …
I shoulda been at least down to ISO 200. I shoulda been up to at least 1/2000 sec. Why? Because winding up at f/22 was a waste (that might have caused diffraction, whatever that is …)
Exposure Math Quiz (and Primer)
Here is an exposure math quiz for you: if I had been at ISO 200 at 1/4000 sec. what would the resulting aperture have been?
If you are having trouble with the math above, grab your camera, make sure it is set up in third-stop increments (as it should be), dial in the original settings, and then count the clicks 🙂 Three clicks equals one stop. One click equals 1/3 stop. This is a skill that all photographers need to master so the more you practice counting clicks the more proficient you will become. Aperture and shutter speed are the obvious ones but do not forget that ISO is an equal partner in the exposure triangle.
Seeing the Situation
We have been photographing birds in flight over the unseen promontory just below the bird in today’s featured image from the opposite side every morning, with the sun almost behind us and the wind as always, somewhere from out of the east, and somewhat behind us. But with the pre-dawn color I realized there was a chance for a nice silhouette image if a bird banked and turned while attempting to land … Voila; it worked!
Or Did It?
Do you think that the bird in today’s featured image is facing the lens or facing away?
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
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.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
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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 :).
