Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

It is early on Wednesday 29 JUNE 2020 and I am headed out soon on another still, cloudy, perfect-for-flowers morning.

Via e-Mail from Blog regular Adam Rubinstein

Hi Artie,

The FlexShooter Pro arrived today, albeit delayed by USPS (I know, savlanut)… At first, I didn’t know precisely what to expect and instead of opening the box to find a baby alligator or plastic pink flamingo, I was treated to a beautifully crafted piece of hardware. After holding it in my precious hands for a few minutes, I popped it on my 304L, leveled it, and then mounted my Canon 500 IS II with the 5dmkiv. A couple of twists later and all I can say is wow, how did I manage all of these years without this ingenious device??? Gimbal be damned, this is a thing of beauty and substance and I am simply flabbergasted by this marvel of engineering. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Have a great weekend,
Adam

I had to look up “savlanut;” from The Messianic Times:

Israelis often demand “savlanut” (sahv lah NOOT), or patience, from others, for example, while most of them refuse to stand in line, honk at red lights in traffic as if to insist that they turn green and look down on those who pause while others speak. Although patience may be perceived as virtue here in the Land, its practice is rare.

SONY a7r IV Sale: only two in stock

Bedford’s is offering $300 off on the SONY body that I use the most, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera. Was $3,498.00, now $3,198.00. Use the BIRDSASART code at checkout and save another $50.00. In all, you save $350.00). Most of my tight head portraits are created with the 600 GM, the 2X TC, and the a7r iv. In addition I use it for most of my bird photogrpahy and all of my macro photography. Click here to order, but hurry as there are only two in stock. And don’t forget to enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout to saave an additional fifty bucks.

Please Remember

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so will not cost you a single penny and if you use Bedfords, you will save at least $50.00 on all orders greater than $1000.00. 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 shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and will 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.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

This image was created on the morning of 17 JULY 2020 in our butterfly garden at Indian Lake Estates. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 800: 1/8 sec. at f/? (probably f/8) in Manual mode. The exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger from a series of bracketed images. AWB at 7:20am early on a still, partly cloudy morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY e-guide along with the 2-second timer. Plamped in place to combat the breeze. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #3: Bloodberry aka Rouge Plant, Pigeon Berry, Turkey Berry, Baby Peppers (Rivina humilis) blossom — Medium depth-of-field

In the Why Make 161 Images of a Single Blossom? On Depth-of-Field at Relatively High Magnifications … blog post here, I was the only one who liked the medium depth-of-field image (Image #3, above) best. I did not like the super-sharp version (Image #4) at all because the background leaf is distractingly sharp. I liked the wide open Image #2 a lot, but liked more of the tiny individual flowers in focus in Image #3. Thanks to the few who commented.

I forgot to mention that this Florida native was photographed in our butterfly garden.

The BAA Used Gear Page

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% more than what the big guys are offering … Doubt me? Check out the Past Sales list at the bottom of the page.

Very Recent Sales (and there are many additional sales pending!)

BAA friend, California botany expert Bob “BugBob” Allen, sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2300.00 (was $2348.00), a Canon EF Extender 1.4X III in near-mint condition for a very low $229.00, and a second Canon EF Extender 1.4X III, this one in excellent condition, for a very low $199.00, all within a day or two of listing in late July 2020.
Anita North sold a Nikon D850 dSLR in excellent plus condition with a shutter count of 222,223for the silly low price of $1298.95 (was $1398.95), another D850 dSLR in very good condition with a shutter count 410,710 for the silly low price of $998.95 (was $1098.95), a Nikon TC-E20 III (2X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $196.95 (was $246.95), and her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $945.95 (was $1,095.95), all in early to mid-July 2020.
Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2349.00 and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $449.00 both soon after listing them in mid-July.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!

Angie Birmingham is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR in like-new condition for $7,996.95. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Your item will not ship until your payment clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Angie via e-mail or by phone at 1-361-815-8852 (Central time zone).

This, the lightest,latest, greatest version of the Nikon 400mm f/2.8 lenses, is superb for large mammals in low light and birds at close range. It is superbly sharp alone or with the TC-14E III. It offers the world’s sweetest Boken. As a new goes for $11,196.95 right, you can save a very smooth $3,200 by grabbing Angie’s lens. artie

This super telephoto prime is designed for FX-format Nikon F-mount cameras, however can also be used with DX models where it will provide a 600mm equivalent focal length. Its impressively bright f/2.8 maximum aperture excels in difficult lighting conditions and also enables extensive control over depth of field for isolating subjects using selective focus techniques.Two fluorite and two extra-low dispersion lens elements work to reduce chromatic aberrations; improve overall image sharpness, clarity, and color fidelity; and help to minimize the overall weight of the lens. Vibration Reduction image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake by up to four shutter speed stops, benefiting this lens’s use in low-light conditions. Additionally, a designated Sport Mode is well-suited to working in fast-paced conditions and a Tripod Mode helps to suppress subtle ground vibrations when working atop a support system. The Silent Wave Motor affords quick, quiet, and precise autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus override. An internal focusing design is also used, where only the internal lens groups are moved during focusing, to maintain the overall length of the lens during use and to promote faster focusing speeds. Dust- and moisture-resistant magnesium-alloy lens barrel benefits the lens’ use in inclement conditions. A removable tripod collar is included with the lens for well-balanced support when working from a monopod or tripod. The collar ring also incorporates ball bearings for smooth transitions between horizontal and vertical shooting orientations. Specialized electromagnetic aperture mechanism provides greater exposure control stability that is especially beneficial when working with fast continuous shooting rates. This 400 f/2.8 is compatible with optional AF-S Teleconverter TC-14, TC-17, and TC-20 teleconverters. B&H

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $200.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $100.00 on 6-13-20
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020
Price Reduced $100.00 on 29 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $8765.95 (was $9265.95). The front element is immaculate, the finish on the hood is dinged up pretty good but is functionally perfect, and the body of the lens is excellent plus. The sale includes the lens trunk, the strap, the front cover, the rear lens cap, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

In all systems, the 600 f/4 lenses are the weapons of mass destruction when it comes to birds and wildlife. I loved my Nikon 600 both alone and with the 1.4X teleconverter. If you use Nikon gear and have been dreaming of moving up to the big leagues, do get in touch with me ASAP to save $3,531.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie

Nikon Battery Grip & Charger Kit w/two extra batteries!

Price Reduced $150.00 on 2 JULY 2020
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering this virtually impossible-to-find-in-stock kit for a very low $898.00 (was $1148.00). Some folks have been on waiting lists for more than one year. The sale includes the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit, a Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB Battery Packs, the Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit (that includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger), and two extra N-EL18b Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries. Everything is in new condition. The sale includes the original boxes for the Battery Grip & the Charger and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

These items sell new right now for approximately $1488.00 (but only if you are super-lucky enough to find these items in stock) …

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Helping you achieve the most from your D850 DSLR, the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit from B&H includes the accessories needed to achieve a 9-fps continuous shooting rate, as well as extended battery life with up to 5140 shots per charge. This kit comprises the dedicated MB-D18 battery grip for the D850, an EN-EL18c rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover, and the MH-26aAK Adapter Kit and Battery Charger. The Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger and allows you to charge two of the large batteries at the same time. artie & B&H

The Last of artie’s Nikon Gear

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $50.00 on 6-13-20
Price reduced $50.00 on 7-29-20

Arthur Morris is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $646.95 (was $796.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and lens bag, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

This lens is smaller and lighter and costs a lot less than the f/2.8 version. It is relatively fast, very sharp, and extremely versatile. It pairs well with the TC-14E. It sells new right now for $1,396.95. Grab it now to save $750.00 artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $10.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $10.00 on 7-29-20

Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $476.95 (was $546.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I have always loved the lenses in this class. The Nikon version was a lot sharper than the Canon 24-105. It is a versatile multi-purpose lens with a thousand uses. I keep my SONY 24-105 on the front seat of my SUV every day and use it often. The 24-120 sells new right now for $1,096.95. Grab Artie’s pretty much new lens to save a cool $620.00! artie

What’s Up?

I spent Saturday morning photographing a St. John’s-Wort species and a nice Spanish Needles blossom in neighbor-friend Ralph’s yard. He kindly showed me two blocks worth of Hooded Pitcherplants about two miles from home. In return, I shared my Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons spot with him. It was a great morning all around. I spent most of Sunday morning photographing the pitcherplants and then headed down to the lake for a short crane-fix.

Today’s questions are designed to make you think. They are scattered throughout the post. Feel free to answer one or all of them by leaving a much-appreciated comment. Extra points will be awarded for both the quality and the quantity of your answers 🙂

This blog post took more than four hours to create.

Please Remember

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so will not cost you a single penny and if you use Bedfords, you will save at least $50.00 on all orders greater than $1000.00. 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 shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and will 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.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Via e-Mail from Multiple IPT veteran and good friend, Donna Bourdon

Donna is a long-time Canon shooter who is dipping her toes into the SONY waters. After purchasing her a9 ii and 200-600 from Steve Elkins at Bedfords, she enjoyed a healthy discount on the SONY guide. She sent me this last night:

I never could have set my new a9 ii without the video. It is amazing that you and Patrick were able to figure out this complex camera so quickly and then develop and shar the guide and the videos with us. Donna

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

104 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

The BAA Used Gear Page

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% more than what the big guys are offering … Doubt me? Check out the Past Sales list at the bottom of the page.

Nikon D5 dSLR (XQD version) with extras!

BAA Record-low Price!

Dennis Westover is also offering a Nikon D5 dSLR (XQD version) in excellent-plus condition for a BAA record-low $3696.95. The body has only 22,208 shutter actuations. (NIKON rates the d5 shutter for 400,000 actuations). The camera was recently cleaned and check by Glazer’s Camera in Seattle. The sale includes the one EN-EL18 battery (the original battery), the NIKON dual battery charger, one Lexar 64GB 2933x XQD card, the Really Right Stuff L bracket, 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 Dennis via e-mail.

The D5 is Nikon’s vaunted professional digital camera body. It is fast and features Nikon’s best AF system. I used mine with success with all of my Nikon lenses including and especially the 80-400, thee 200-500, the 500 PF, and the 600 f/4 VR. The D5 sells for $5,496.95 new right now so you can save a handsome $1800 on this bargain-priced dSLR. With extras! artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

Sale pending first day of listing …

Dennis Westover is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens in excellent-plus condition for a BAA record-low $944.95. The glass is pristine. The lens hood has several very small scratches on the back edge of the hood, and as with all zoom lenses, there are a few tiny dust specs inside front element that don’t affect anything. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, the manual, the Cordura carrying case, the original box, Kirk replacement lens collar and Arca Swiss-compatible lens foot, the original lens foot and collar, 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 Dennis via e-mail.

This was my workhorse lens on the memorable Emperor Penguin trip in October 2018. It is amazingly sharp and versatile. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $2,096.95 you can save an incredible $1,202.00 by being the first to grab Dennis’s lens. artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 on 21 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my dearly departed Sequoia, I used the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4xteleconverter, and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:42:46am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult head portrait with the bird’s head perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor.

Is Perfectly Parallel Best?

In the Head Angle Questions: a Matter of Degree … blog post here, we discussed some head angle fine points. We will continue that discussion here today.

In Image #1, the bird’s head is very close to being perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor. You may note that the tip of the bird’s bill does not look as sharp as the base of the bird’s bill. The main reason for that is that the distal end of the bill is worn from being jabbed into the earth about 5,000 times/day. In addition, the tip of the bill is a bit farther away than the plane of the eye and the near end of the bill and thus slightly beyond the very narrow d-o-f.

Before I became capitán de la policía de ángulo de cabeza (captain of the head angle police) about 15 years ago, folks thought that perfectly parallel for a head portrait like this was the best head angle …

This image was also and obviously created (in the same hundredth of second as the image above) on 21 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my dearly departed Sequoia, I used the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4xteleconverter, and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:42:46am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane adult head portrait with the bird’s head turned two degrees toward us.

Two to Three Degrees Towards …

In Image #2, the bird’s head is angled about two to three degrees toward us. The bill tip to me looks only marginally softer than the bill tip in Image #1. But again, to me, the bird seems more engaged with the viewer. Note that as the bill in this image does not look as long as the bill in the first image as it is somewhat foreshortened.

Q#1: Which head angle do you prefer, Image #1 or Image #2?

Q#2: What takes away from the artistic merit of both Image #1 and Image #2?

This image was also created on 21 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my dearly departed Sequoia, I used the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4xteleconverter, and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/400 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:31:39am. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version. Image #3: Sandhill Crane 10-week old colt head portrait with the bird’s head turned two degrees toward us.

The Colt

The colt’s head angle is also about two to three towards us.

Q#3: Which of today’s three featured images is your favorite? Why?

Q#4: One of today’s three featured images was cropped just a bit from above and the left. Which one? How do you know for sure?

Q#5: Because the bird was blinking, I needed to replace the eye of the bird in one of the three images. Can you tell which one? How did you know?

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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 :).

What’s Up?

On Monday morning I headed back to the Ridge Audubon Center and photographed Florida Greeneyes. I was happy with the results but would not mind another crack at them … On Tuesday morning I began searching the side-streets for wildflowers but quickly realized that it was too breezy so I headed down to the lake. I found the two Mother’s Day adult cranes preening in their usual spot by some short posts along the edge of the South Canal. I was quite concerned as I did not see the surviving colt … After five minutes it stood up right between its parents; it had been nestled down in the tall grasses. Whew!

Jim and I drove into town to deliver my 2003 Toyota Sequoia (with almost 200,000 miles on it) to my doctor. My new SUV is being delivered tomorrow. Hooray.

We have only a single Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro left in stock … We are ordering more today. If you do not get the last one, it is recommended that you place a phone order (863-692-0906) now to ensure getting one from our second shipment; your card will not be charged until your head is shipped.

Please Remember

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so will not cost you a single penny and if you use Bedfords, you will save at least $50.00 on all orders greater than $1000.00. 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 shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and will 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.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The BAA Used Gear Page

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% more than what the big guys are offering … Doubt me? Check out the Past Sales list at the bottom of the page.

New Listings

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

IPT veteran Matt Schramer is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mk II camera body in near-mint condition (but for a single small rub mark on the lower right front corner) for a very low $597.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the strap, front lens cap, the USB cable, the manuals and the CDs that came with the camera, one battery and the charger, 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 Matt via e-mail or via phone at 1-360-801-1891 (Pacific time zone).

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II until about four years ago when we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. If you have any doubts, type the word “Cadieux” in the little search box top right and follow any or all of the links to see the great images that BPN Avian Moderator Dan Cadieux has created with his 7D series bodies … artie

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens with extras!

IPT veteran Matt Schramer is also offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition (but for a single very small ding on the white finish on the lens barrel) for $5,249.00. The sale includes the lens trunk with keys, the strap, the front and back lens caps, both original lens feet, the front lens cover, a LensCoat, a LensCoat Hoodie, a 4th Generation Design CRX-5 Low Foot, 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 Matt via e-mail or via phone at 1-360-801-1891 (Pacific time zone).

The 500 f/4 super-telephoto lenses have long been the world’s most popular for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Canon’s Series II version is light, fast, super-sharp, and produces amazing images with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. The 500 II is relatively small, easily hand-holdable for some folks, and is much easier to travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the 600 II or the 600 III! Lastly, and you might find this amazing, the magnification for the 500 II is the same as it is for the 600 II: .15X. How is that possible? Magnification is calculated at the minimum focusing distance of the lens — 12.14 feet (3.7 meters) for the 500 II and 14.77 feet (4.5 meters) for the 600 II. Simply put, the 500 II focuses more than two feet closer than the 600 II. Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Matt’s lens as it should sell quickly. Or not 🙂 As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a pretty much new lens while saving a very handsome $,3,750.00! I loved my 500 II! artie

Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter)

Matt Schramer is also offering a Canon EF 1.4X III teleconverter in like-new condition for $229.00. The sale includes the original box, the lens pouch, the front and rear lens caps, 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 Matt via e-mail or via phone at 1-360-801-1891 (Pacific time zone).

As regular readers know, I depended so much on TCs when I shot Canon that I always traveled with two spare 1.4X-s and one spare 2X TC. These sell new for $429.00 so you can save a very nice $200.00. artie

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

104 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

This image was created at Lakeland, FL on 15 FEBRUARY 2019. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the original AF king, the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/ in Manual mode. AWB at 10:38am on a mostly sunny morning. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and did a fine job of getting the eye sharp. The system used an AF point just to our right oof the bird’s eye. Anhinga — preening adult female in full breeding plumage

Preening Bird Head Angle Tips …

Birds spend lots of time cleaning their feathers. Preening birds often offer wonderful photographic opportunities simply because they stay put and are often relatively easy to approach. I love working tight in such situations. BPN friend Joe Przybyla found this gorgeous lady bird for me at one of the hotspots detailed in The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide. (Joe is the co-creator of this guide.) Thanks, Joe!

For years I have stated the following:

Ninety-nine percent of excellent tight images of a preening bird feature the bird’s open eye and have the plane of the bird’s face and bill perfectly parallel to the back of the camera, aka the sensor and formerly referred to as “the film plane.” For this image, I sat down on a concrete walkway in order to get parallel to the bird’s face and bill as noted above.

The SONY 100-400 GM Lens

When working with relatively tame birds, the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens can be a deadly weapon with oor without the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter. The minimum focusing distance of .98 meters, slightly more than 3 feet 2 1/2 inches, is outstanding. As regular readers know I often use this combo handheld for butterflies and on a tripod for medium-sized and larger flowers. In both of the situations, the narrow angle of view (with or without the 1.4X TC) fit my clean, tight and graphic style perfectly. Note: today, in similar situations, I would unequivocally go with the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.

In pure flight and action situations, I would go with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. The a9 ii is most often paired with either the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens or the tripod-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens (the latter often with the 1.4X TC).

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

On Friday morning, I wound up photographing a single Bloodberry (Rivina-humilis) blossom in our butterfly garden for well-more than 30 minutes before heading down to the lake. On Saturday morning it looked as if it might be cloudy so I decided to head to Tiger Creek Preserve to look for some new wildflowers. But even before I left ILE it became evident that it was gonna be another hot sunny morning so I made a u-turn and headed down to the lake. I started off with a perched Great Egret while practicing my RawDigger-evaluated bright white exposures. Next I spent 30 minutes photographing a picked and Plamped Virgina-Buttonweed-(Diodia-virginiana) flower. At less than 1/2 inch the tripod-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E was perfect for the job. For the most part I worked between 1.2X and 1.6X magnification. Photos to come.

What They are Saying About the FlexShooter Pro

Learn more about the ballhead that acts like a gimbal head and see the instructional video here.

Experiencing Weightlessness– Wow!

By Gregory

I own a Canon 500 mm lens, and a while back severely damaged the muscles and nerves in my left arm. With the FlexShooter Pro, I feel like the bionic man. I can use the lens, enjoy it, and try to create some great shots. It has given back to me the ability to enjoy my camera again.

Goodbye Gimbal!

By David

I use the FlexShooter Pro my Nikon 800mm f/5.6 lens, a precision piece of equipment. It is smooth as silk even with the heavy lens, stays and where you point it. There is no need for tightening and loosening knobs! The head weighs next-to-nothing and allows for a comfortable over the shoulder carry with your lens tucked neatly away. It is the best of both worlds: a gimbal head and a ballhead neatly packaged in a single, attractive, lightweight unit.

Much More Versatile Than a Gimbal Head!

By Timothy

While I do not have a lot of experience with a gimbal head, I know that they are big, bulky and heavy. As a mixed shooter of both landscapes and wildlife, the FlexShooter Pro was an interesting choice. After two weeks of solid use, I have found it to be well-built, very functional, and much more versatile than a gimbal head or ball-head alone.

The Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro Head

The Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro Head: $679.00 plus shipping only from BIRDS AS ART

Before I began carrying the FlexShooter Pro, I insisted that Csaba Karai, the Hungarian designer, make me a batch with a larger knob. He kindly did and continues to do so. But even with the larger knob, some folks — especially those with relatively weak fingers — prefer a levered clamp to a clamp with a knob ss they are easier to operate. In North America, the Levered FlexShooter Pro Head is now available only from BIRDS AS ART. Over the past month we have had several inquiries. Right now we have five in stock.

Do understand that the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro Head maintains all the great benefits of the FlexShooter Pro, the ballhead that acts like a gimbal and works great with any rig from the longest, heaviest super-telephoto lens to a camera-body-mounted wide angle. The latter is possible because of the bi-directional clamp; it is no longer necessary to travel with a gimbal head for long lens photography and a ballhead for scenic photography …

You can order yours here for $679.00 plus shipping in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store.

The Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro Head

Setting the Tension

The Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro Head ships with the tension knob (A) at the loosest setting, with the knob fully turned router-clockwise. Note: not all “Arca-Swiss compatible” lens plates have identical measurements. You can follow the steps below with the plate or a short lens (or camera body) in your left hand, and the head in your right hand (or resting on a table). If you are setting the tension for a plate that is affixed to a super-telephoto lens, it is recommended that you mount the head to a sturdy tripod before following the steps below.

Here is how to set the tension correctly for your specific lens plate.

1- Begin with the lever open and then close it. It should close very easily.

2- Pull the lever to open, place the lens plate into the jaws of the clamp, and close the lever. Again, it should close very easily. With the lever fully open, tighten the tension knob (A) two turns (clockwise).

3- Now close the lever. If it closes with a decent amount of force needed, you have set the proper tension. Set it and forget it unless you are using a different plate (that might have a slightly different width).

4- If it still closes easily, tighten the tension knob (A) two more turns (clockwise). Repeat until you need a decent amount of force to close the lever. Do not force things. If it is very difficult to close the lever, loosen the tension knob (A) one turn (counter-clockwise).

5- By experimenting, you will learn to set the correct tension quickly and easily. Once you get it right with a decent (but not excessive!) amount of force needed to close the lever, you are good to go. Set it and forget it; the tension knob will stay in place.

If you do some serious macro photography, and do not own and use a focusing rail, I recommend that you use the FlexShooter Pro rather than the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro so that you can move the plate in the jaws as needed when pointing your macro lens downward …

What’s Up?

With both fields and the South Peninsula flooded, I have been sticking to the side streets in search of wildflowers. I learn a bit more about working with the tripod-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E.

I will be heading out early today — Wednesday 15 JULY 2020. Mid-July? Are you kidding me?

Thanks to the folks who commented on the color or B&W question in the Some Respite From the Heat; this would make a nice jigsaw puzzle. On Not Letting the Old Man In … And a Used Like-New Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens! blog post here. Opinions were divided 50-50. I far prefer the color version as the yellow leaves remind me that my favorite time at Bosque is early in the season when there are still some yellow leaves on the cottonwoods.

With one sign-up already, I am really going to try to make Bosque work, hoping that it will be the first-ever socially-distanced IPT … The very best news is that the 2020 Festival of the Cranes has been canceled so we will be able to visit on what are usually the perfect dates! Do check out my Bosque Gallery here to see the creative possibilities.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

John Buswell is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in near-mint condition for a very low $598.00. The sale includes the front lens cap, the strap, the one original battery and charger, a 32 GB Sandisk Extreme Pro 160 MB/s compact flash card, the manual, the original product box, 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 John via e-mail or via phone or text: 1-978-380-0456 (Eastern time zone).

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II until about four years ago when we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. If you have any doubts, type the word “Cadieux” in the little search box top right and follow any or all of the links to see the great images that BPN Avian Moderator Dan Cadieux has created with his 7D series bodies … artie

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

102 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 on the morning of 11 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 800: 1/30 sec. at f/? (probably f/8) in Manual mode. The exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger from a series of bracketed images. AWB at 8:10am early on a still, partly sunny morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY e-guide along with the 2-second timer. Plamped in place to combat the breeze. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1: Green Garden Spider on Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia) blossom

The Situation

On the morning of Saturday past, I returned to the corner of Flamingo Drive and Bougainville Drive — just six blocks from my home — to check out the three Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons blossoms. Two of the three flowers had a Green Garden Spider on it. I spent a good thirty minutes photographing the larger of the two spiders. The third blossom had a smaller brown spider on it; I passed on that one, opting to concentrate my efforts on the largest more colorful subject.

This image was also created on the morning of 11 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 1000: 1/200 sec. at f/? (probably f/5.6) in Manual mode. The exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger from a series of bracketed images. AWB at 7:58am early on a still, partly sunny morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY e-guide. Plamped in place to combat the breeze. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Green Garden Spider on Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia) blossom — wider view

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s two featured images is the strongest? Do you like the tighter view in Image #1 or the wider view in Image #2? Do let us know why. Feel free to comment on the two image designs as well.

Depth-of-Field Question

Despite the fact that the aperture probably used for Image #1 was smaller than the aperture used for Image #2, much more of the spider is in sharp focus in Image #2. Why?

Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. A 100% crop of Green Garden Spider on Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia) blossom — wider view

Manual Focus Question …

After clicking on Image #2 to enlarge it, take a close look and let us know if you think that focus on face was spot on, slightly back focused, or slightly front focused. Explain why.

Do note the incredible detail in 7r iv files ….

Bosque del Apache 2019 IPT Notice the incredible variety of images that you can learn to make by developing your skills and your creative vision on a BAA IPT.

Bosque del Apache NWR 2020 IPT

NOV 18 (afternoon session) thru the morning session on November 23, 2020. 5 DAYS. Four full and two half days. $1999.00. Deposit: $500.00. Limit: 8 photographers/Openings: 5.

Extra Day Options: Please e-mail to learn about the before or after In-the-Field Day options.

Be sure to check out my Bosque Gallery here to see the creative possibilities.

The very best news is that the 2020 Festival of the Cranes has been canceled so we will be able to visit on what are usually the perfect dates!

I quit going to Bosque several years ago as conditions had worsened each year for several seasons running. In 2018, things had improved dramatically and in 2019 the photography was great. Simply put, I know Bosque better than anyone. Join me to learn how wind and sky conditions influence bird photography, how to create dramatic sunrise and sunset silhouettes, how to be in the right place at the right time, and how to create contest-winning blurs. As usual, you will learn to get the right exposure every time, to use your camera’s AF system to create pleasing, balanced image designs, and to improve your flight photography skills.

We should get to photograph many thousands of Snow Geese, more than a few blast-offs, some Ross’s Geese, and lots of Sandhill Cranes in the water, taking flight and flying. Depending on local conditions we may get to shoot some ducks: point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck. With any luck, we might enjoy sunrises and sunsets that leave you in tears. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. Join me to learn to think like a pro and to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather. Every time we make a move, I will let you know why. When you get home, applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable.

Lunch is included.

To Register

To register, send your $500 deposit — check made out to BIRDS AS ART — via US Mail to PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Or call Jim weekdays at 863-692-0906 to put your deposit on a credit card. Balances should be paid in full by check no later than two months before the IPT. Remember that with the uncertainty of the pandemic, folks may cancel at any time for any reason and still receive a full refund.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

Several days a week I receive e-mails like this:

I just got some new (fill-in-the-blank) gear. I love the blog. I learn so much. I have been visiting every day for (fill-in-the-blank) years.

I reply:

Thanks for your kind words. Congrats on the new gear. Be careful not to drop it! Did you remember to use my B&H affiliate link or get your new stuff from Steve Elkins?

The replies (if any), usually go like this:

Sorry. I forgot. I will use one of your links next time.

Please Remember

If you enjoy the blog, please remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so will not cost you a single penny and if you use Bedfords, you will save at least $50.00 on all orders greater than $1000.00. 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 shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and will be greatly appreciated.

Read today’s blog to learn of my Macro Plan B, Part I. Part II will be along soon.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

101 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 on the morning of 9 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/80 sec. at f/? in Manual mode; the exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:23am early on a barely sunny morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY e-guide along with the 2-second timer. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1: Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia) blossom and friendly spider

The Lens: Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for SONY E

The lens itself is great. It is obviously well-constructed, it is very sharp, and at f/2.8 it is fast. It is relatively inexpensive. Best of all it is a 2X macro lens! It focuses down to an incredible 9.7″ from the plane of the sensor and can yield subjects at twice life-size!

Because there are no electrical contacts on the lens, no information of any kind is transmitted to the camera: not the aperture or even the name of the lens …

There is however a huge design problem: there is no groove on the lens in which to seat the Venus Optics Laowa Tripod Collar for 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO. The only spot to place the tripod collar is on the narrow strip of the lens barrel between the focus ring and the aperture ring. The fit is poor at best, and when the collar is loosened to rotate the lens, it slips and twists out of place and covers part of either ring. The collar often becomes skewed. And it is almost always difficult at best to fully tighten it.

There is plenty of room for a groove in which to seat the tripod collar on the proximal (near) end of the lens barrel. Had they sensibly placed it there, the rig would have been fully functional and much better balanced. It often baffles the mind to think that someone actually got paid to design the lens and the tripod collar.

Now at this point you are likely thinking that it is time to return the lens. But despite the challenge of using it on a tripod and the lack of EXIF data, I actually love the lens. That said after using it for only a single morning … A 100mm 2X macro lens is not something to be taken lightly.

This image was created on the morning of 9 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Sony E and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/80 sec. at f/? in Manual mode; the exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:23am early on a barely sunny morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY e-guide along with the 2-second timer. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Grassleaf Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia) blossom (wider view)

Your Choice?

Do you prefer the tighter framing and image design (along with the friendly spider) of Image #1 or the wider version (sans arachnid), Image #2? Why?

This image was created by BPN Landscape Moderator, my friend, Andrew McLachlan. He used the handheld Nikon D800 and the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Nikon F with a Raynox DCR-250 diopter screwed onto the front of the lens to achieve 4X magnification — four times life-size. ISO 400. Flash as main light: 1/80 sec. at f/22. Meike dual flash macro system on Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Andrew McLachlan. Image #3: Baby Garden Spiders

Baby Garden Spiders!

By adding a diopter, Andrew got to four times life-size. In addition, adding flash and working handheld adds a ton of versatility to these amazing lenses. You can see more of Andrew’s excellent photography in his nature galleries here. He created both Focus on Frogs and Ontario Landscapes – A Photographers Guide.. Landscape folks might wish to check out Andrew’s forum here.

A Version for Most Systems

Laowa makes a 100mm macro lens for all major camera systems (as above).

Note: For those like me working on a tripod, the Wimberley P-20 plate mounted in reverse is best for these lenses.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

Bird photography here at ILE has been slow the past few mornings. On Tuesday, I tried and failed on some Wild Turkey hens with three poults. This morning — Wednesday 8 JULY 2020 — I created a few frames of the Mother’s Day crane family and headed home early.

It has poured here for the past three afternoons with thunder and lightning keeping me out of the pool until about 7pm; my late swims have been a delight.

With two folks signed up, I decided that with discretion being the better part of valor to cancel the Fort DeSoto Fall 2020 IPT due to my concerns about COVID 19.

If you have any questions on focus breathing please leave a comment. If you have a great SONY 200-600 image or two that you would like to share with me, please shoot it or them (1200 pixels on the long side) to me via e-mail.

Four of the five flash cards that I listed two days ago sold on the first day. Only this one remains:

San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card

I am offering a brand new in the unopened sleeve San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card (Up to 160 MB/s: 1067X) for a very low $89.99. Save $30.00 as these sell new for $119.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% (to birdsasart@verizon.net) or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card same day. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Don’t Let The Old Man In – Toby Keith (Clint Eastwood) 2019

Thanks to long-time friend Alan Levine for sharing this with me. This short video (4 minutes, 2 seconds) is beautiful, wonderful, and inspiring for folks of all ages. The backstory here is quite interesting as well.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

101 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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.

New Listings

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens (with extras!)

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2349.00. The sale includes the original box, the front lens cover, the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, a brand new Canon PL-C 52 Drop-in Circular Polarizing filter, a RRS Lens Plate 63A, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you use Canon and don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. A new 500 II sells right now for $8,999.00 so you can save an amazing $6,650.00 by grabbing Art’s original version 500mm f/4 IS lens right now. artie

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $449.00. The sale includes the original box, both lens caps, the lens hood, the LZ1324 Lens Case, a RRS lens plate #86, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

The original 100-400 is a sharp, amazingly versatile telephoto zoom lens. When I used Canon, I made hundreds of great images and saleable with this lens (including the front cover of Scott Weidensaul’s book, “Return to Wild America.” Denise Ippolito loved hers also. Art’s lens would make a great starter lens for a beginning bird or nature photographer, especially when paired with a 7D Mark II … artie

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is also offering a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $99.00. The sale includes the original box, both lens caps, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

This compact lenses features a versatile 4X telephoto range and a fast, quiet AF motor and is characterized by its light weight. It is well-suited for a variety of subjects, including portraiture, nature, sports, and travel. A Super Spectra coating has been applied to individual elements to reduce lens flare and ghosting in order to achieve high contrast and accurate colors. Additionally, it features a seven-blade diaphragm to produce smooth and pleasing bokeh. It is designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount DSLRs but can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 120-480mm equivalent focal length range. If you are looking for an inexpensive starter lens for a child or grandchild, you will have struck gold with Art’s 75-300! B&H

Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter)

Sold first day of listing!

Multiple IPT veteran Patricia Fishburne is offering a Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter) in near-mint condition for a very low $129.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, 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 Pat via e-mail or by phone at 1 (239) 236-5207 (Eastern time zone).

Regular readers know that I have long depended on both teleconverters for much of my bird photography. The series III TCs were designed for the series II super-telephoto lenses but if you have an older lens (like Art Leyenberger’s\ above), the series II TCs will perform well for you. artie

Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter)

Sold first day of listing!

Multiple IPT veteran Patricia Fishburne is offering another Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter), this one in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $99.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, 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 Pat via e-mail or by phone at 1 (239) 236-5207 (Eastern time zone).

Regular readers know that I have long depended on both teleconverters for much of my bird photography. The series III TCs were designed for the series II super-telephoto lenses but if you have an older lens (like Art Leyenberger’s above), the series II TCs will perform well for you. artie

This image was created on the morning of 6 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode; the exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:53am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Sandhill Crane adult studio head portrait

Sandhill Crane Adult Studio Head Portrait

For this one, the “studio” setting was provided by the concrete driveway where the bird stood. I got out of my vehicle to get higher and avoid the house in the background … Learning to recognize such situations can provide great rewards.

Focus Breathing

I have heard the term focus breathing for many years and possibly for several decades. I thought that it applied only to zoom lenses that zoomed internally, that is, lenses did not extend when you zoomed to a longer focal length). Arash Hazeghi mentioned that the SONY 200-600 does not give you 600mm when you are working close (as with today’s featured image). My first response was that I had never really noticed nor did I consider it a problem. But I owed it to myself to learn more about focus breathing. I found an article on the PhotographyLife website by Nasim Mansurov and read it carefully. I learned that I was wrong in my understanding of focus breathing (but only 100% wrong!). Interested folks can learn a lot from Nassim’s Understanding Focus Breathing article here. I urge all who use a telephoto zoom lens and those who do focus stacking when shooting macro, landscape or architecture photography to study this article.

Here is a direct quote from the beginning of the piece:

Focus breathing is a term that describes the change in focal length that occurs as a result of adjusting the focusing distance of a lens. It is a common issue that occurs on many photographic lenses. As focus is adjusted from close focus to infinity, focus breathing causes noticeable changes in both angle of view and magnification.

These changes are often clearly visible to the photographer during the process of focusing, with different lenses exhibiting varying levels of focal length changes. Focus breathing issues can occur on both prime and zoom lenses. (Italics mine.)

Focus Breathing and the SONY 200-600 G Lens

Tuesday evening I grabbed my 200-600, zoomed to 600mm, turned AF off, walked as far from my house as I could, and focused manually on one window. As I turned the focus ring to closer focus, the window obviously got smaller in the frame. As regular readers know, I am not a big fan of testing, but I am 100% positive that at minimum focusing distance the SONY 200-600 GM zoomed out to 600mm will actually give you something like 550mm of reach (or possibly a bit less).

Focus Breathing and MFD Info for the SONY 200-600 G Lens (and others)

Nasim concludes with this:

Is focus breathing a big problem that every photographer needs to be aware of? Not really. Most photographers aren’t even going to notice any differences in angle of view and magnification when using most lenses at close distances.

For me, that about sums it up. I never noticed the focus breathing/shorter focal length issue with the 200-600 until Arash Hazeghi pointed it out.

Folks need to understand that the MFD of the 200-600 is a very superb 7.87 feet. That compares quite favorably with the MFD of the SONY 600mm f/4 GM at 14.8 feet, and the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF lens at 9.84 feet.

The magnifications work out to .2X for the 200-600, .18X for the 500 PF, and a still respectable .14X for the weapon of mass destruction, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM.

Therefore, even with the focus breathing issues significantly reducing the focal length of the SONY 200-600 for close work, it is still the clear winner when it comes to working tight (again, as with today’s super-sharp featured image …)

Just for the record book, the MFD for the SONY (and the Canon) 100-400 lenses is an amazing 3.22 feet that results in magnification as great as 0.35X (depending on the focal length).

The a7R iv and the SONY 200-600 G Lens

In the SONY e-Guide (by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris), we state clearly that for flight photography the a7r iv/200-600 g combo is less than ideal. The a7r iv with the 200-600 is, however, perfect for close work and for general bird and nature photography; with good technique and a decent shutter speed the huge a7r iv files are incredibly sharp. And the a7r iv does well with flight photography on the 600mm f/4 GM both alone and with either TC. AF, however, is not as good as it is with the a9 ii.

Both Patrick and I have trouble distinguishing sharp 200-600 G images from sharp 600mm f/4 GM images despite the fact that the GM lenses are supposed to be of much better quality than the SONY G lenses. Or not!

Arash recently replaced his Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens/D5 or D850 combination with the SONY 600mm f/4/a9 ii and is now routinely posting super-sharp flight images made at 1200mm in the Avian Forum on BPN …

Strangely, Arash trashed the SONY 200-600 over the course of several e-mails last week. He finally realized that it was possible that he had received a damaged lens. I am happy to report that he had the lens replaced and is now making some very sharp images with his new 200-600 and the a9 ii.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

On Saturday morning I found a nearby home with extensive flowering plantings. I have close to zero interest in photographing non-native flowers, but there was a gorgeous tropical heliconia species and I could not resist doing some abstracts. There were some neat wildflowers across the road near a drainage ditch but by the time I spotted them it had gotten breezy. I returned this early morning — Sunday 5 JULY 2020 — and spent a solid hour with the Sigma 150mm/Vello adapter/a7r IV combo.

I headed down to the lake by 7:30am and found and photographed the Mother’s Day crane family. I saw the surviving chick, hatched on 9 or 10 May, fly about 15 yards. More good news: Old Gnarly’s surviving colt is alive and well. The family must have crossed the canal a few weeks ago to Avocado where they have been happily dining in a corn-feeder-equipped backyard. Thanks to my new neighbor/friend Ron who alerted me to the family’s location.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Flash Card Sale

San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card

I am offering a brand new in the unopened sleeve San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card (Up to 160 MB/s: 1067X) for a very low $89.99. Save $30.00 as these sell new for $119.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 240GB Premium XQD Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a brand new (out of the sleeve but never used) Delkin 240GB Premium XQD Memory Card for a very low $299.00. Save a cool $136.00 as these sell new for $435.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

SONY 128GB XQD Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a lightly used SONY 128GB XQD Memory Card (R:440 MB/s, W: 400MB/s) USB for a very low $89.99. Save $89.00 as these sell new for $169.99. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a near-mint Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card for a very low $99.99. Save $90.01 as these sell new for $190.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a lightly used Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card for a very low $69.99. Save $120.01 as these sell new for $190.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

99 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

This image was created on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working down the slope near the canal, I handheld the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 181mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:09am on a morning with aa few clouds in the eastern sky. Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure; the system picked an AF point halfway down the colt’s long neck right on the same plane as the eye. Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult and colt

Keep or Delete? Why

In the Keep or Delete? blog post here, I posted:

The image above is a Capture One Screen Capture. After enlarging the image, please leave a comment letting us know whether you would keep this one or delete it. And let us know why you made your decision. If it is a keeper for you, consider letting us know your plans for the image optimization.

Several folks responded stating that they would keep the image and shared reasonable plans for the image optimization.

Image #2: Crop of Sandhill Crane adult and colt

An Insta-Delete for Me

For me, this one is an insta-delete as the colt’s head is turned about two degrees away. BTW, that does not mean the my answer is right for everyone. As someone mentioned, I have a nice collection of about one zillion Sandhill Crane image.

For a complete treatise on head angles, visit the Head Angle Fine Points thread on BPN here. There have been 392 replies and 151,314 views. Who knows, you might learn something. From the Educational Resources Forum (the ER).

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 on 21 JUNE 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 248mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:58am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #3: Great Egret immature standing on dock

Mis-understanding Perspective Changes and Sun Angle

In the Behaviors on the Dock of the Bay. Working a Subject. Eye Replacement. And An H-V AF Tip for All Systems blog post here, I wrote:

I stopped my SUV about a foot or two short of being on sun angle. Note that the shadows of the bird’s legs (and the pole) are angled about 10-15 degrees to the left. Before you scroll down to see today’s four featured images, try to figure out why I did not get right on sun angle and leave a comment.

It seemed like such a simple question, but many folks struggled. Below are some relevant conversations from the Comments section.

With Gary Prestash:

I think that there are 3 reasons why you stopped short of sun angle. (1) the post on the opposite side of the dock would constrain your shooting view of the bird;

(1) is incorrect. As I said elsewhere here, if I pulled forward to get right on sun angle there would have been nothing between the bird and me. And since I was working at 1200mm I would not have been constrained in any way!

(2) that same post would cast a shadow that might cover part of the bird;

(2) is incorrect. As I said elsewhere here (and above!), if I pulled forward to get right on sun angle there would have been nothing between the bird and me.

and (3) you wanted the blue water behind the bird as your b/g, not the darker shadowed water.

(3) is 100% correct and is the answer that I was looking for.

with love, a

With David Policansky

Artie: Thanks for these, and happy Fourth of July.

Thanks and ditto, David. But it’s Groundhog Day here; every day is pretty much the same.

The temperature might have reached 70 here on Nantucket today.

It was 104F in some places in Ontario in the past few days! I’d rather be on Nantucket!

I have two favorites, the scratching egret and the one with the open mouth.

Thanks for sharing those.

The scratching one would be my favorite alone except for the eye; I think, most animals, including birds, close their eye when scratching their face like that, so the wide-open eye looks just slightly odd. I might not have noticed if you’d not mentioned it.

David, David, David. Yes, many animals and birds protect their eyes when scratching. But if you go back and read carefully you will see that I replaced the eye in Image #4 … So at times, they keep their eyes wide open, unprotected by the nictitating membrane. That is one of the reasons that I have no qualms about replacing nictitating-covered-eyes. If you think that I am pulling your foot, I’d be glad to send you the RAW file 🙂

As for why you were off sun angle, first, let me say to Gary Prestash that moving your point of view cannot affect the shadow of a post, so if the post isn’t casting a shadow on the bird from the viewpoint where you took the photo, moving wouldn’t make it cast a shadow on the bird.

First off, changing one’s point of view does affect the shadow cast by the post. If I moved my vehicle forward so that the sun was right behind me and pointed at the post, the shadow of the post would disappear behind the post. If I moved my SUV backwards, the angle between the post and its shadow would increase. As for the second part of your statement, I was confused at first but I believe that if I moved the car back far enough, the shadow of the right hand post would have fallen on the bird (even if our view of the bird would have been blocked by the left-hand post. Whew! That taxed my brain cells 🙂

But it would wreck the composition, I think, by putting the post on the right too close to the bird.

I am confused again 🙂 Please understand that when framing Image #1 I was thinking of it only as an educational image: I was not at all concerned with any compositional or artistic aspects of the photograph.

with love, artie

With J Marr Miller (who almost hit the nail on the head):

Artie, You chose to be slightly off sun angle because you wanted to avoid the tree reflections in your water backgrounds.

My Reply:

Yes sir! More simply put, I wanted the blue water background. Notice that in Images #s 2 & 5 that a some dark reflections crept into the sides of the frame.

Starting from Scratch for Better Understanding

Scroll up and take a good look at Image #3. Put yourself in the driver’s seat. Note that if you pull the car up a foot or two that instead of a blue water background — my heart’s desire for this series of images — you would have had a darker background consisting of the reflections of a tree on the far shore (as stated above by J Marr Miller).

Now try the same exercise while noting what happens to the shadow of the post as you pull forward or move the car back …

Questions are of course quite welcome.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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 :).

What’s Up?

Photography at ILE becomes more difficult each day as the heat of summer intensifies. Few flowers are blooming and there are not many birds around. On a more positive note, The Perch has been becoming more active lately.

The forecast for today — Thursday 2 July (can you believe that it is July?), is for sunny to partly cloudy with a high of only 92 degrees along with afternoon thunderstorms. The pool is up to 91 degrees … I will be heading down to the lake before 7am to see what I can find.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #2: Spatterdock bud/BLUER version — I liked this one best

BLACKER OR BLUER?

In the Aquatic Jewels! Which version do you prefer? And More on RawDigger and Exposing to the Right blog post here, I asked if folks preferred the blacker version or the bluer version.

The first folks who commented liked the blacker version. Then Gary Axten wrote this:

I’m going to buck the trend; I prefer the blue version. The blue bleeding into the oof highlight on the blue version looks more natural than the blue into black. Plus I prefer the water colour.

Have you considered focus stacking for images like this?

And then, Adam agreed:

I share Gary’s observations and find the blue version a bit more natural and realistic. The background glow provides balance against the iridescent blue on the edges.

I agree; the bluer version is my favorite by far for the reasons above.

Focus Stacking?

In his comment, Gary Axten asked:

Have you considered focus stacking for images like this?

I have thought about focus stacking for some of my flower photography, but rejected the idea for several reasons:

1- SONY does not offer automatic focus stacking.

2- Doing it manually is too much work for me.

3- With the Sigma 150/Vello adapter combo I am bracketing the exposures like a maniac because Zebras only work (to some degree, at least), when I am wide open. That would mean creating far too many images.

With the (floating) spatterdock image made at a shutter speed of 1/6 second, it is likely that the flower would move at least a bit during the creation of five or ten or 15 images …

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Via e-Mail from Chris Latham

I bought the e-guide and videos for my A9 and A7r4 cameras and whilst I initially thought the price was a little steep at $125, I soon realized the amount of work that went into testing the vast array of menu settings that you promote. I made a couple of tweaks to the custom key layout but the instruction on the use of zebras (with both ISO and Exposure Comp) is worth the price of admission alone.

Perhaps we could meet up for a beer in Seahouses next time you’re over for a UK Puffins and Gannets IPT so I could thank you in person for the effort you and Patrick have put into this great guide and the videos. Chris

Via e-Mail from Phillip Bird

As a new user of the Sony A7RIII I ordered your Sony e-Guide as soon as I unpacked the camera. Buying the guide is one of the best camera-related investments I have ever made. I am learning so much and I’m sure that the guide is saving me a great deal of time and frustration in dealing with all of the options available on this amazing camera. Thanks to you and Patrick for putting this guide together. Phill

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

100 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

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. 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%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …

The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells. With the pandemic and the down economy, the market had been somewhat depressed, but sales have been brisk for the past few weeks. And over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices the used prices of many items have been dropping steadily. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value … That said, the prices on used Nikon gear are dropping as well. You can see all the current bargains here on the Used Gear Page.

Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.

Recent Sales

Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon D500 DSLR Kit in excellent condition and a 16mm-80mm F2.8-4.0 VR Nikkor zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $985.00 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $3195.00 (was $3450.00), both in mid-JUNE 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record-low $3045.95 (was $3095.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Arthur Morris sold his Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only) in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,795.95 (was $1995.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for $850.00 (was $896.95) and a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00, both soon after being listed in late-MAY 2020.
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, sold a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00 and a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00, both soon after they were listed in early June 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95 in mid-June 2020.

Price Drops

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

John Bowden is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 in near-mint condition for $1599.00 (was $1,699.00) — the shutter count is only 16,172. The sale includes a ProMediaGear universal L-bracket (model PLX3 — an $89.95 value), the original product box, the manuals, the EOS Digital Solution Disk, the EOS Digital Software Instruction Manual, the camera strap, the single battery (with the protective cover), the charger, the front cap, the interface cable, the cable protector, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 (Eastern 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 John’s camera body right now and save a cool $400.00. artie

Anita North’s D-850s

Anita North is a skilled photographer. Over the years, you have seen some of her great images here on the blog. When it comes to pressing the shutter button, she is the most aggressive photographer I have ever run into. Her basic rule is If it’s in the viewfinder, press the shutter button and hold it down! As you might expect, she often gets far behind with picking her keepers.

Anita shoots a ton of frames but her style works well for her. On occasion, she comes up with something magical that most folks — including and especially me — would miss. If you are considering purchasing either of the well-used camera bodies below, do know that the D850 shutters are rated to “200,000 cycles.” As both of Anita’s D850s exceed that (one by miles), that statement is obviously just an estimate. Though I do not shoot nearly as much as Anita, I have never — in my 36 years of photographing birds — had a shutter fail. Neither has Anita. I would not bet against the shutters on either of the camera bodies below might very well outlast the photographer who purchases one of them …

Nikon D850 dSLR #1

Silly Low Price!
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in excellent plus condition for the silly low price of $1298.95 (was $1398.95) — shutter count 222,223. The rubber eye-cup is missing so there is a bit of wear showing on the metal of the eye-cup. The camera is, however, in perfect working condition. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, one extra (brand new) Nikon battery, the front body cover, the strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my very favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon D850 dSLR #2

Silly Low Price!
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in very good condition for the silly low price of $998.95 (was $1098.95) — shutter count 410,710. There are some scuff marks on the corners and the bottom of the camera but otherwise, the camera looks to be in excellent condition. A 1 x 1/8″ strip of the rubber finish is missing on the flash-card door. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, two extra Nikon batteries, the front body cover, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). The camera has the above-mentioned nick on the rear monitor, no battery, and no eye-cup. The camera, however, is in perfect working condition. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my very favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X Teleconverter)

Sold 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $146.95 (was $196.95). The sale includes 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 has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I used the TC-E-17 II often with both my 600mm f/4 VR and my 500mm f/5.6 PF lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $396.95 so you can save a nifty $200.00 on this item. artie

Nikon TC-E20 III (2X Teleconverter)

Price Reduced $50.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E20 III (2X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $196.95 (was $246.95). The sale includes 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 has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I did make some sharp images with the TC-E-20 III with my 600mm f/4 VR lens. This, the third and best version of the Nikon 2X TC, fits well with the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR and the 300mm f/2.8 VRR lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $496.95 so you can save a smooth $250.00 on this item. artie

Nikon Battery Grip & Charger Kit w/two extra batteries!

Price Reduced $150.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering this virtually impossible-to-find-in-stock kit for a very low $998.00 (was $1148.00). Some folks have been on waiting lists for more than one year. The sale includes the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit, a Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB Battery Packs, the Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit (that includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger), and two extra N-EL18b Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries. Everything is in new condition. The sale includes the original boxes for the Battery Grip & the Charger and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

These items sell new right now for approximately $1488.00 (but only if you are super-lucky enough to find these items in stock) …

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Helping you achieve the most from your D850 DSLR, the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit from B&H includes the accessories needed to achieve a 9-fps continuous shooting rate, as well as extended battery life with up to 5140 shots per charge. This kit comprises the dedicated MB-D18 battery grip for the D850, an EN-EL18c rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover, and the MH-26aAK Adapter Kit and Battery Charger. The Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger and allows you to charge two of the large batteries at the same time. artie & B&H

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $200.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $100.00 on 6-13-20
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $8865.95 (was $9265.95). The front element is immaculate, the finish on the hood is dinged up pretty good but is functionally perfect, and the body of the lens is excellent plus. The sale includes the lens trunk, the strap, the front cover, the rear lens cap, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

In all systems, the 600 f/4 lenses are the weapons of mass destruction when it comes to birds and wildlife. I loved my Nikon 600 both alone and with the 1.4X teleconverter. If you use Nikon gear and have been dreaming of moving up to the big leagues, do get in touch with me ASAP to save $3,431.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced 50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced 50.00 on 6-13-20
Price reduced 50.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $945.95 (was $1,095.95). The sale includes the original box, the lens bag, the front and rear caps, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

This was my workhorse lens on the memorable Emperor Penguin trip. It is amazingly sharp and versatile. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $2,096.95 you can save an incredible $1,201.00 by being the first to grab Anita’s lens. artie

The Last of artie’s Nikon Gear

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $50.00 on 6-13-20

Arthur Morris is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $696.95 (was $796.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and lens bag, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

This lens is smaller and lighter and costs a lot less than the f/2.8 version. It is relatively fast, very sharp, and extremely versatile. It pairs well with the TC-14E. It sells new right now for $1,396.95. Grab it now to save $700.00 artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $10.00 on 5-28-20

Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $486.95 (was $546.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I have always loved the lenses in this class. The Nikon version was a lot sharper than the Canon 24-105. It is a versatile multi-purpose lens with a thousand uses. I keep my SONY 24-105 on the front seat of my SUV every day and use it often. The 24-120 sells new right now for $1,096.95. Grab Artie’s pretty much new lens to save a cool $610.00! artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working down the slope near the canal, I handheld the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 181mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:09am on a morning with aa few clouds in the eastern sky. Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure; the system picked an AF point halfway down the colt’s long neck right on the same plane as the eye. Click on the image to view a larger version. Sandhill Crane adult and colt

The Mother’s Day Crane Colt Family

The colt in today’s featured image was hatched on either 9 or 10 MAY of this year. That makes the colt — now almost as tall is its parents, about 7 1/2 weeks old. How fast they grow! Its nest-mate perished about 2 1/2 weeks ago.

Keep or Delete? Why

The image above is a Capture One Screen Capture. After enlarging the image, please leave a comment letting us know whether you would keep this one or delete it. And let us know why you made your decision. If it is a keeper for you, consider letting us know your plans for the image optimization.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

Saturday moring was still and sunny with a heavy haze to the east the created dead-solid perfect conditions for flower photography. I found and photographed a nice pink (species ?) and an amazing tree totally covered with large yellow blossoms. I need to edit (pick my keepers) from Friday and Saturday today so that I do not fall any further behind.

The forecast for today — Sunay 28 June 2020 — is still and sunny turning partly cloudy with an afternoon high of 95 degrees. Par for the course. With the hot weather, the pool is up to a much too-warm 89 degrees; the nights are too warm and the pool too large for my heater/chiller to keep up. I took a day off from all exercise lasst Thursday as I passed a thankfully small kidney stone. Anyone interested in the alternative medicine tricks that saved me from posssibly major pain and grief is invited to shoot me an e-mail with the words Kidney Stone Alternative Remedy as the subject line.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Via e-Mail from Phillip Bird

As a new user of the Sony A7RIII I ordered your Sony e-Guide as soon as I unpacked the camera. Buying the guide is one of the best camera-related investments I have ever made. I am learning so much and I’m sure that the guide is saving me a great deal of time and frustration in dealing with all of the options available on this amazing camera. Thanks to you and Patrick for putting this guide together. Phill

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

99 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

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. 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%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …

The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells. With the pandemic and the down economy, the market had been somewhat depressed but sales have been brisk for the past few weeks. And over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices the used prices of many items have been dropping steadily. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value … That said, the prices on used Nikon gear are dropping as well. You can see all the currrent bargains here on the Used Gear Page.

Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.

Very Recent Sales

Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon D500 DSLR Camera in excellent condition and a 16mm-80mm F2.8-4.0 VR Nikkor zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $985.00 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $3195.00 (was $3450.00), both in mid-JUNE 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record-low $3045.95 (was $3095.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Arthur Morris sold his Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only) in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,795.95 (was $1995.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for $850.00 (was $896.95) and a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00, both soon after being listed in late-MAY 2020.
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, sold a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00 and a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00, both soon after they were listed in early June 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95 in mid-June 2020.
Blog regular Fred Innamorato sold his Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens in excellent plus condition for $3099.99, a Canon EF 300mm f /2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $2899.00, a Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II lens in excellent plus condition for $999.00, an EOS 5D Mark IV camera body in excellent plus condition for $1549.00, a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in excellent plus condition for $2698.00, a Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00, a Canon EF Extender 2X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00, and a Canon Extension Tube Set, the EF 12 II and EF 25 II, in excellent plus condition for $124.90, all on the first day of listing in late-MAY 2020.

New Listing

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

John Bowden is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 in near-mint condition for $1,699.00 — the shutter count is only 16,172. The sale includess includes a ProMediaGear universal L-bracket (model PLX3 — an $89.95 value), the original product box, the manuals, the EOS Digital Solution Disk, the EOS Digital Software Instruction Manual, the camera strap, the single battery (with the protective cover), the charger, the front cap, the interface cable, the cable protector, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 (Eastern tme 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 John’s camera body right now and save a cool $300.00. artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs 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 at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #1: Photo Mechanic Screen Capture of Spatterdock bud

Washed Out RAW Files are the Best Exposure

I have always exposed to the right to ensure reduce noise and create large image files. But is was not until recently when Patrick Sparkman introduced me to RawDigger and taught me the fine-points of that app that I have been able to perfect exposing to the right. We hope to have our RawDigger Guide be published in about two to three weeks. Looking at the RED channel in the Photo Mehcanic histogram it seems that the image is mega-over-exposed but in fact RawDigger showed it to be the perfect exposure from a well-bracketed series.

I have long stated that in most instances your images should look washed out on the back of the camera. That was very much the case with today’s featured image. The trick is in the optimizing with most of the heavy lifting done during the RAW conversion (in Capture One for me). See the two versions of the same RAW file below.

Singh-Ray Filters

Singh-Ray filters have been used by the world’s top photographers for many decades. Who? Art Wolfe, Tony Sweet, John Barclay, my friend Ian Plant, my great friend Denise Ippolito, Nevada Weir, Brenda Tharp, Cole Thompson, Chuck Kimmerle, and the late Galen Rowell among others. Singh-Ray has been and is the name in quality filters. For this image I used the Singh-Ray a 77mm warming circualr polarizer set to dark to eliminate the reflectionos on the surface of the water.

No other filter manufacturer comes close to matching the quality of Singh-Ray’s optical glass that is comparable to that used by NASA. And they continue to pioneer the most innovative products on the market like their ColorCombo polarizer, Vari-ND variable and Mor-Slo 15-stop neutral density filters. When you use their filters, you’ll create better, more dramatic images and, unlike other filters, with absolutely no sacrifice in image quality. All Singh-Ray filters are handcrafted in the USA.

Best News: 10% Discount/Code at checkout: artie10

To shop for a Singh-Ray Warming Circular Polarizer (for example), click here. As their website is under-going re-construction, be sure to mention the artie10 discouont code when you call. In addition to enjoying the world’s best filter at 10% off you will be supporting my efforts here on the blog.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #2: Spatterdock bud/BLUER version

Optimizing Properly Exposed Images

Whatever program you are using to convert a properly expposed washed-out looking image file, you will wish to experiment with the following in no particular order:

1: Set the White Point

2: Pull down the Exposure slider.

3- Move the Highlight slider to the left.

4- Adjust the Brightness — this will always be the last step.

Once you have the TIF file in Photoshop a Curves adjustment can be made to darken the dark tones after pinning the highlights with three dots.

As you can see in Images #2 and 3, the results can be spectacular.

Spatterdock

If this flower looks familar to you, it is likely that you first saw it the What the ? Image #2 Mystery Answer Revealed. Wimberley Plamp II Techniques. A Great Macro Tip. And everything you wanted to know about spatterdock but were afraid to ask … blog post here.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #3: Spatterdock bud/BLACKER version

The SONY 100-400 GM Lens

The SONY 100-400 GM lens with its .98 meter Minumum Focusing Distance (MFD) can — with or without the 1.4X teleconverter — be great for medium-sized and lager flowers. I’ve been using it almost every day recently. And you can do the same with your Canon 100-400 II as it offers the same great MFD.

Your Call?

Which version do you prefer, the BLUER version of the BLACKER version? Please let us know why you made your choice.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).