Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

This image was created at Morro Bay, CA with the the hand held Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. AI Servo/Rear Focus/Zone AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). The AF system activated three AF points that fell on the bird’s neck and the base of the bill and nailed a sharp eye. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Long-billed Curlew on wet sand

This image was created at Morro Bay, CA with the the hand held Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/2000sec. at f/9 is the equivalent of my sunny bright white ISO 400 exposure in full sun: 1/2500 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. One point to the right and one row up from the center AF point/AI Servo Expand Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). The selected AF point fell right on the bird’s eye. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #4: Western Gull head portrait of bird in breeding plumage

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

Price reduced $210.00/BAA Record-low!

Larry Master, multiple IPT participant who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for a now BAA record-low $5,989.00 (was $6,199.00). The sale includes the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, the lens truck with keys, the original product box, an Aquatech silicone lens cap, a Lenscoat, an off-brand 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 Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

The 500mm 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, in competent hands, 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. The lighter 600 III costs an astounding $12,999.00. 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. The seller for the last one that sold here had five calls the first day; the first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it … Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Larry’s lens as it too should sell quite quickly. Or not As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a practically new copy and saving a very nice $2,800.00! I loved my 500 II. artie

What’s Up?

Very early on Thursday morning, someone dumped a load of stale bread, pretzels, and apples on the grass at the parking circle near the pier. When I arrived for my walk, there were lots of Boat-tailed Grackles. But when I finished there were several Turkey Vultures dining on bread and apples. Go figure. I set up my Induro GIT 304 in the car topped by the FlexShooter Pro and went to work at 1200mm with the a7r IV. Photos and more soon.

I was pleased to learn recently of the sale of Don Carter’s SONY a7r III, the sale of Larry Masters’ Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the sale of Bill Hill’s Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, and the sale Mark Overgaard’s Canon EOS 7D Mark II. I sold my gripped D850 and my 500 PF. In addition, the following sales became pending yesterday: Larry Master’s Canon 5D Mark IV, Anthony Ardito’s gripped D-850, his Nikon 500 PF, his Nikon 24-70, and his Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 –all on the first day of listing! In addition, the sale of my Nikon 600 VR also became pending yesterday. There are still lots of great buys available on the Used Photo Gear page here.

I am thisclose to finishing the Nikon D850 User’s Guide and Video.

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019. Details will be announced here soon.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page.

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

Larry Master, multiple IPT participant who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for $6,199.00. The sale includes the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, the lens truck with keys, the original product box, an Aquatech silicone lens cap, a Lenscoat, an off-brand 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 Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

The 500mm 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, in competent hands, 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. The lighter 600 III costs an astounding $12,999.00. 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. The seller for the last one that sold here had five calls the first day; the first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it … Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Larry’s lens as it too should sell quite quickly. Or not As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a practically new copy and saving a very nice $2,800.00! I loved my 500 II. artie

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

FlexShooter Pro News

All FlexShooter Pro BigFeet are now in stock in the BAA Online Store. You can click on the chart above or here for more information.

Coming Soon

The FlexShooter Mini

The Mini has experienced further unavoidable production delays.

Several months ago I had a FlexShooter Mini to test on both the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT and the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. It is a smaller, lighter (one pound!) version of the amazing FlexShooter Pro. I used it often with both the Nikon 500 PF and the SONY 100-400 GM with great success and in a pinch, I was able to make sharper images with the Nikon 600 and the TC-E14. All with the Mini mounted on the lighter Induro GIT 204. I suggested to developer/manufacturer Csaba Karai that the Mini needed a bit more spring tension. As there was a problem getting the balls for the new Minis anodized properly, delivery will be delayed several weeks. When we do receive our first shipment, the Minis will have my suggested changes.

The FlexShooter Mini with the lighter Induro GIT 204 is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom is their workhorse lens for bird and nature photography. It will sell for $579 plus shipping. Folks who wish to be assured of getting one from our first shipment can order theirs by phone by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 asap. Your card will not be charged until your Mini is shipped. We already have five orders to ship from our first shipment.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have only two FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. All BigFeet are in stock in the BAA Online Store here. Click here to access the pretty-much-complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.

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 September 28, 2019 on the Fort DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/4000 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode was about +1 1/3 stops on the analog scale. AWB at 8:32am in sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click the image to see a larger version and see if you can spot the red jighead … Image #1: Immature Brown Pelican in wings up flight

Standing for Tripod-mounted Flight Photography

Today’s featured images were created at the same location as the striking Great Egret images in the blog post here. For that series, I was seated behind my lower tripod. I know some folks who can shoot flight off the tripod while seated, and even a few who can do the same thing while lying prone. But not me. When shooting flight off a tripod with a big super-telephoto lens my great preference is to stand at full height behind my tripod with the viewfinder just at or slightly below eye level. At the beach, try to pick a fairly level spot and make sure that the legs of your tripod are seated firmly in the sand.

FlexShooter Pro Beach Tip

When setting up your tripod in the parking lot, pull out the legs of your tripod one at a time. After the first leg is extended to the height that you want, place the tip of that leg on the ground and pull the other two legs out until they hit the ground so that the tips of the second and third legs extend to the exact same length as the first leg. Now spread the legs of your tripod and check the bubble level on the tripod platform; the bubble will be perfectly centered in the scribed circle. Next, after making sure that the three legs are fully spread and firmly seated, loosen the black lever on the FlexShooter Pro and level the large silver ball perfectly by centering the bubble in the scribed circle.

Now when you begin photographing on the beach, pick a relatively flat spot and note the location of the bubble with relation to the scribed circle on the tripod platform. With just a bit of practice, it becomes easy to center the bubble on the tripod platform in the scribed circle by pulling one or two tripod legs in and seating each firmly in the sand; when the bubble is centered, you are ready to start shooting without having to loosen the black lever and level the large silver ball of the FlexShooter Pro. You need to trust me here: after a bit of practice, leveling the tripod platform becomes easy with a bit of practice. You can even learn to do it quickly when standing in the water and working on a shifting-sands substrate.

Image #1A: Capture One unsharpened 300% screen capture

The Red Jighead & Bird Rescue

While converting the RAW file in Capture One, I noted a small red (baited?) jighead with the hook stuck in the pelican’s underwing secondary coverts. Almost anywhere that folks are fishing in Florida, pelicans are getting hooked. About 22 years ago at Blind Pass on Captiva, I was carrying a young pelican to my car. I was going to bring it to the local bird rescue operation as it had a single 8/0 O’Shaughnessy hook deep in its neck. The young bird died in my arms …

If you frequent such areas — they are often quite good for bird photography — it is a good plan to have a few numbers for local bird rescue folks on your cell phone. As I spend a lot of time at DeSoto, I have two numbers for the great folks at Birds in Helping Hands (wildlife rescue, rehab, & release) on my i-Phone8+. They even come for gulls!

SONY a7r IV Resolution

If you are not as impressed with the resolution of SONY a7r IV image files as I am, try blowing up some of your images to 300% and see how they stand up … Notice also the complete absence of noise at 300%.

This image was also created on September 28, 2019 on the Fort DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. Again I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/5000 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode was about -1/3 stop on the analog scale. AWB at 8:34am in sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version and the amazing sharpness and detail of this relatively large crop. Image #2: Sandwich Tern fishing in full downstroke flight

AF Modes for Flight

Patrick Sparkman swears by Wide for flight with SONY and loves the way he can move a bird in flight around in the frame. At this time, my preference is for Center Zone. For Nikon folks, we recommend only center Group (grp) for flight photography. For Canon, most will work with center Expand/Surround with eight AF points surrounding the selected (center) AF point.

With Image #2, the lower-left corner of Center Zone AF acquired and held accurate focus on this fishing Sandwich Tern.

Wing Positions

Today’s two featured images illustrate two very good wing positions. With the amazing AF technology in today’s digital camera bodies, making a sharp flight image is only step one. For every twenty razor-sharp on the eye images, I am happy to have one really good flight shot with a nice wing position. The pelican in Image #1 shows us the wings up position. In a perfect world, the near wing would have been raised a bit more thus eliminating the underwing shadow. With Image #2, I’d consider the wings fully down (and forward) wing position to be fantastic and very dynamic. Note the beautiful look at the dorsal surface of the near-wing.

A7r IV AF Tracking and Accuracy for Flight Photography

A7r IV AF initial focusing acquisition and tracking accuracy for flight photography with the 600GM are superb. As weak as my arms are, I am pretty sure that had I not injured my shoulder two years ago, I would have easily been able to handhold this super-light lens for flight …

Image #2A: Capture One screen capture

A7r IV Sharpness and Resolution

You can get an idea of the original framing for Image #2 by ignoring the Loupe in the screen capture above. Doing so, it will be obvious that this is a fairly large crop. A flattened 8-bit a7r IV file comes in at `72.3MB. The cropped master file is 101.9MB. Thus, 41% of the original pixels were cropped away and discarded. The sharpness and detail in the cropped image file are indeed remarkable.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 7)

Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or relocated) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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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

I walked an easy 1 1/2 miles on Sunday morning and swam twice, once before brunch and once after dinner for a total of 88 lengths, exactly one mile. I photographed down by the lake with the 200-600 and the 600/2X, both with the a7r IV. It was not a great session. I did have a gorgeous Red-shouldered Hawk on the ground in beautiful light in a very nice setting. But I got too greedy and tried to get too close, that with the 1200mm rig set up on the FlexShooter Pro in my Sequoia … Next time.

It is nice to have practically guaranteed cranes and vultures every morning when you are looking to test new gear. This morning I ran into blog regular Tilo Samter and his wife photographing down by the pier at ILE. It was nice meeting them.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s two featured crane images do you like best? Why?

IPT Updates

You can see all IPT details here.

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019. Details will be announced here soon.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page.

New Nikon Listings

Nikon D850

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito is offering a gripped Nikon D850 in like-new condition for only $2,399.00. The sale includes the MB-D18 Multi Battery Power Pack, the Nikon Battery Chamber Cover BL-5, a Nikon EN-EL 18c Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (10.8V, 2500mAh)- “the Nikon D5 battery”, a dual D5 battery charger — the Wasabi Power Dual Battery Charger for Nikon MH-26, MH-26aAK, EN-EL18, EN-EL18a and Nikon D4, D4S, D5 with Adapter for Canon LP-E4, LP-E4N –as recommended by Steve Elkins at Bedford’s, the small Nikon D850 battery and charger, a Sony 64GB XQD card, a Sony XQD/SD card reader, the original product box and factory operating manuals/accessories, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. All products were originally purchased from Bedford’s Camera one year ago with the USA warranty. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Anthony Ardito via e-mail.

The Nikon D850 was my preferred Nikon body for 18 months. After trying it, I sold my D5 and purchased a second D850 as a backup. Both the AF system and image files are superb. artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for only $3,396.95. The sale includes the original product box with all of the factory accessories/operating manuals and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This lens was originally purchased from Bedford’s Camera in May 2019 with the USA warranty. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Anthony Ardito via e-mail.

Of all of my Nikon lenses, I will miss the 500 PF the most. It is an amazing flight lens and does quite well on static subjects with the TC-E14. On many trips, it was the only lens that I carried into the field. Some days I handheld it, and on some days it was mounted on the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini artie

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito is also offering a Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for $1,796.95. The sale includes the original product box with all the factory accessories/operating manuals and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. It was originally purchased from Bedford’s Camera one year ago with the USA warranty. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Anthony Ardito via e-mail.

The amazingly versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are the world’s most popular mid-range telephoto, I made zillions of great images with my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. The Nikon version works well with both the TC-E14 and the TC-E17 teleconverters, even with a crop factor body. They are easily hand-holdable and are great for tame birds, landscapes, urbex, indoor stuff like concerts and recitals, and just about anything you want to photograph. As new one sells for $2,796.95 you can save one grand by grabbing Tony’s lens right now. artie

Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF Lens

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito is also offering a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF lens in like-new condition for only $1,196.95. The sale includes the original product box with all of the factory accessories/operating manuals and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. It was originally purchased from Bedford’s Camera in March 2019 with the USA warranty. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Anthony Ardito via e-mail.

Super-fast and super-sharp, this one is the Nikon landscape photographer’s dream lens. artie

200-500mm f/5.6E ED AF-S VR Zoom Lens

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito is also offering a Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED AF-S VR Zoom lens in like-new condition for the very low price of $899.95. The sale includes the original product box with all of the factory accessories/operating manuals and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This lens was originally purchased from Bedford’s Camera one year ago with the USA warranty. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Anthony Ardito via e-mail.

This inexpensive Nikon-starter super-telephoto zoom lens is sharp and versatile. It was my first big Nikon lens. I fell in love with it instantly and used it until the 500 PF was released. At that time, I went to the Nikon 80-400 VR for its versatility. artie

BIRDS AS ART

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

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 October 11, 2019, during my first session with my newest lens. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lensat ( 600mm) with the the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800 (could have been ISO 400). Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode was about zero on the analog scale. AWB at 8:10am on a clear, sunny morning. I am not sure if I used Upper Right Zone or Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF. Either way, it was active at the moment of exposure. There is no program that I know of that you can use to access the AF info after the fact … And as far as I know, there is no menu option for seeing the selected AF point, the active AF point, or even the AF mode during Playback. If I am wrong, I would love to hear about it. This is a serious problem with the high-end SONY camera bodies. It would seem that it could be rectified with a firmware update. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane preening back

First Impressions

I had realized last week that the 2-6 was a variable aperture lens: f/5.6 at the shot end, f/6.3 at the long end. For bird photographers, the pretty much means that it is an f/6.3 lens. Strike one. When I got the box on Thursday and opened it, the lens looked big and heavy and seemed clunky. Strike two. When I put it on the scale and compared it to the weight of my Nikon 500 PF/gripped D850 I was pleasantly surprised. With the lens foot removed, the 2-6/a7r IV combo weighed 6 lbs, 7.7 oz with a card in the camera. The Nikon 500 PF/gripped D850 rig, with the lens foot removed am a card in the camera, weighed 6 lbs., 3.3 oz. Because of the far lighter weight of the camera, the SONY rig weighed only 4.3 ounces, a bit more than 1/4 pound than my beloved Nikon rig. That was good news.

More good news: while handholding, the lens handled beautifully in the field. Unlike the 600mm f/4 GM that comes in two pounds heavier than the 2-6, I was able to handhold the 200-600 rather easily. (Note: I can handhold the SONY 600mm f/4 using the knee-pod technique and make sharp images at least at 840mm. But when a bird flew by, my formerly damaged left shoulder did not allow me to raise the lens and fire; that is why I was on the tripod for the striking Great Egret striking situation detailed in the blog post here). With the 2-6, the entire zoom range is covered with a quick twist of the wrist over about 75 degrees — you get from 600 to 200 (and back again) in an instant. The lens does not change length when you zoom in and out. That is a huge plus, especially when working on a FlexShooter head.

Best of all, the handheld images were sharp. Very sharp. Scary sharp. Because the new 2-6 is a G series lens rather than a GM series lens, I had been a bit concerned about image sharpness and about the quality of the build of the lens. I now have no concerns with the former and time will tell on the latter; the lens does, however, seem sturdy and well-constructed. I’ve had only a few halfway decent flight chances so it is too soon for me to make a definitive statement on photographing birds in flight with the 200-600/a7r IV combo. (Note: flight photography with the 600 f/4 GM/1.4X TC/a7r IV combo was quite excellent as you will see by the fishing Sandwich Tern images that will be featured here sometime this week.) The more that I’ve used the new rig the more I am liking the SONY 200-600.

A Caution

Folks moving from the Canon 100-400 II, the Canon 400mm f/4 DO II, any 80- or 100-400 lens, or the Nikon 500 PF need to understand that sharpness technique errors that lead to lens shake will be exacerbated by the square of the focal length! Yes, the square of the focal length. If you are going from a 400mm focal length to a 600mm focal length the math looks like this: Six squared is 36; four squared is 16; 36 divided by 16 is 2.25. Unsharpness due to lens shake at 600mm will affect the image 2 1/4 times more than unsharpness due to lens shake at 400mm. For the 500 PF, the math looks like this: Six squared is 36; five squared is 25; 36 divided by 25 is 1.44. Unsharpness due to lens shake at 600mm will affect the image nearly one and one half times more than unsharpness due to lens shake at 500mm.

I did learn yesterday that setting the OSS (Optical Steady Shot) to 1 rather than 2 or 3 better stabilizes the subject in the viewfinder. The trick is to remember and get in the habit of going to 3 for flight photography …

In short, handholding and getting sharp images at a focal length of 600mm is far more difficult than when handholding at 400mm (or at 500mm). What are the implications here? You need to go to faster shutter speeds (with correspondingly higher ISOs), improve your sharpness techniques, sit and use the knee-pod technique whenever possible, or put the rig on a tripod. The Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini will be dead-solid perfect for the SONY 200-600 with any SONY body. We hope to finally have the Minis in stock within two weeks after a lengthy production delay.

Preening Bird Photo Tip

When photographing a preening bird, strive to have the eye visible and the bird’s face perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor. As was done with Image #1.

This image was also created on October 11 during my first session with my newest lens. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens at ( 600mm) with the the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400 (could have been ISO 400). Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/800 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode was about zero on the analog scale. AWB at 8:16am on a clear, sunny morning. For this one, I used Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF. Either way, it was active at the moment of exposure. There is no program that I know of that you can use to access the AF info after the fact … And as far as I know, there is no menu option for seeing the selected AF point, the active AF point, or even the AF mode during Playback. If I am wrong, I would love to hear about it. This is a serious problem with the high-end SONY camera bodies. It would seem that it could be rectified with a firmware update. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane head portrait

Thoughts on the SONY 200-600

For me, I do not envision ever going into the field with the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 GM lens and the 200-600. If I do carry an auxiliary lens on a Black Rapid Curve Breathe strap on my shoulder while carrying the big lens, it will be the 100-400 as it meshes much better with the 600 in terms of focal length coverage and because of its great close-focusing capabilities. On the other hand, if I want to head out handholding a single lens, the 200-600 will be my choice. Along with the 1.4X teleconverter in my fanny pack. (I have yet to test the 200-600 with the 1.4X TC.).

For folks who have never and will never own a 600mm f/4 lens — the latest versions from the major manufacturers average about $13,000 new, the SONY 200-600 represents a whole new world of possibilities: you sacrifice 1 1/3 stops of speed (f/6.3 vs f/4) in exchange for handholdable 600mm of reach (along with the versatility of a 200-600 zoom). Like the Nikon 500 PF ($3,596.95), the SONY 200-600 is — at $1998, relatively inexpensive (but very difficult to get at this time).

Minimum Focusing Distance

While the Minimum Focusing Distance (MFD) of the 2-6 pales somewhat in comparison to the .98 meter (3′ 2.22 inches)close focus of of the CANON 100-400 II and the SONY 100-400 GM. But those working around tame birds and wildlife will be justifiably impressed with the MFD of the 2-6 (2.4 meters or 7.87 feet), especially when compared to the MFDs of the SONY 600mm GM (4.5 meters or 14.67 feet), the Canon 600mm f/4L IS III (somewhat better at 4.2 meters or 13.78 feet), and the Nikon 600mm f/4 VR (4.39 meters or 14.4 feet).

My Prediction

My prediction is that the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens may become the life-changing super-telephoto weapon-of-choice for the ever-growing legions of bird photographers going to mirrorless camera body systems … That if — and this might be a very big if — the 2-6 proves to be more than adequate for flight photography with the a7r III and the a7r IV. I have no doubt, however, that the 2-6/SONY a9 (or a9 II) combo will be best for photographing birds in flight (albeit at “only” 24 MP). Time will tell on flight photography with the 200-6oo and either the a7R IV or the a7r III …

This is a Capture One screen capture of Image #3. Click to enlarge

Editing My SONY Images with Capture One

As mentioned here before, when I view SONY images in Photo Mechanic, the small embedded JPEGs do not allow me to enlarge the image enough to judge critical sharpness. To do that, I go to Capture One Pro 12 and use the (adjustable) Loupe (P) to enlarge as needed. I use Large for the Loupe size and 100% for the magnification. I may be doing a video detailing exactly how I set up and use Capture One so that I can do my editing (pick my keepers) quickly and efficiently.

The Capture One Screen Capture

As regular readers know, I do pretty much all of my SONY and Nikon RAW conversions in Capture One Pro 12. If you enlarge the screen capture, you can see all of the adjustments I made to the RAW file before converting it and bringing it into Photoshop as a TIF file.

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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up

I’ve been swimming and walking and continuing with the intermittent fasting program and am feeling great. On Friday, I felt so good that I swam twice! And I have been working on the D850 video and e-guide.

I got my SONY 200-600 from Bedford’s on Thursday afternoon and took it down to the lake on Friday morning. I glanced at the images and all that I can say is that they are scary-sharp! In Monday’s blog post I will share my initial impressions of the 2-6. I will say that they are favorable.

There is so much exciting stuff going on and I have so many images and lessons to share that I feel I should be doing a blog post every day: Galapagos images; DeSoto images: the skinny on the SONY 600 f/4GM with the 1.4 and 2X TCs; taking-care-of-SONY basics; and so, so much more. But I promised myself to leave at least some time for myself … Anyhoo, there will be lots more great stuff here every other day.

Your Favorite?

Please leave a comment and let us know whether you like the image with the dark background or the high key image better. And why.

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019. Details will be announced here soon.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page.

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

Larry Master, multiple IPT participant who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for $6,199.00. The sale includes the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, the lens truck with keys, the original product box, an Aquatech silicone lens cap, a Lenscoat, an off-brand 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 Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

The 500mm 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, in competent hands, 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. The lighter 600 III costs an astounding $12,999.00. 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. The seller for the last one that sold here had five calls the first day; the first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it … Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Larry’s lens as it too should sell quite quickly. Or not As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a practically new copy and saving a very nice $2,800.00! I loved my 500 II. artie

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Sold!

Multiple IPT participant Larry Master, who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $899.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the original product box, the lens case, a LensCoat, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US lower-48 addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

The 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the world’s most popular mid-range telephoto, is amazingly versatile. When I used Canon I made zillions of great images with it. It works well with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs, even with the 7D II! It is easily hand-holdable. It is great for tame birds, landscapes, urbex, indoor stuff like concerts and recitals, and just about anything you want to photograph. A new 70-200 II currently sells for $1799.00 so you can save a cool $900.00 by grabbing Larry’s practically new copy asap. artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Sale pending

Multiple IPT participant Larry Master, who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in like-new condition with 3200 actuations for $2099.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the front body cap, the strap, and also 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 Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

The high megapixel 5D Mark IV was my favorite Canon camera body. The AF system was superb and the files large, detailed and luscious. I used mine with all of my favorite Canon lenses including the 100-400 II, the 500 f/4L IS II, and the 600 f/4L IS II. With the two super-telephotos, I consistently made sharp images with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs. The camera, still in production, sells for $2799.00. artie

Canon EOS 70D

Multiple IPT participant Larry Master, who will be joining me again on the upcoming Bosque IPT, is offering a Canon EOS 70D in like-new condition for $499.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the front body cap, the strap, and also 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 Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 Eastern time.

I know several folks on the blog who own and use the 70D for nature and bird photography and are quite happy with the results. And you cannot beat the price! artie

Four-lens Canon EF-S Bundle

Price Reduced $150.00 on July 13, 2019.

IPT veteran Mark Overgaard is also offering a four-lens EF-S bundle, all in near-mint to like-new condition for the crazy-low price of $799.00 (was $949.00). EF-S lenses work only with Canon crop sensor bodies such as the 7D, the 7D Mark II, the 70D, and the 80D.

Here are the lenses:

• Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
• Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
• Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
• Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

The sale includes all front and rear lens caps and hoods and insured ground shipping by UPS or FedEx to the lower 48 states only. For all but the 18-135mm lens, the original Canon box is also included.

Please contact Mark via e-mail.

If you are sold on Canon crop factor bodies like the 7D Mark II (see the work of Dan Cadieux), and are looking for some supplementary lenses, this package represents an incredible deal. These four lenses sell new for $1796.00 so you can save $997 by grabbing this great collection now. artie

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

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 September 26, my scouting just before the Fort DeSoto IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400 (should have been ISO 800). Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/160 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was about -2/3 stop on the analog scale. AWB at 6:04pm in full shade late on a sunny afternooon. Upper Left Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. Image #1: Tricolored Heron juvenile with green reflections background

The Situation

On my scouting afternoon before the last DeSoto IPT with multiple IPT participant Shonagh Adelman along for the ride, we were photographing at one of my favorite DeSoto afternoon locations. We noticed a huge feeding spree tight against a mangrove forest on a curving spit of land. There were about two hundred young pelicans herding bait with a few dozen wading birds including Great and Snowy Egrets and the single young Tricolored Heron pictured in today’s two featured images. I thought that if we hugged the shore we might be able to get somewhere near sun angle. But with my first step, my left foot sank deep into the muck so I quickly abandoned that approach. With the seemingly impenetrable mangrove forest on our left, it looked as if we were defeated. Refusing to give up so easily, I poked my head into the forest and was amazed to see a pretty decent trail. We walked the path for about 100 yards and then made our way to an opening along the edge. The pelicans had already moved off, but the wading birds hung around still feeding. The bottom was a lot firmer and the birds were typically DeSoto-tame.

Working With Mega High-Mega-pixel Cameras …

For Image #1 — in retrospect — I should have removed the teleconverter or — at the least — gone to ISO 800 for an additional stop of shutter speed. When working with super-high mega-pixel camera bodies like the SONY a7r IV and the Canon 5DsR, any sharpness-technique errors that result in lens-shake will be exacerbated and the effects of (subject) motion-blur will be more evident than they would be than when working with cameras that produce smaller RAW files. Why? Any movement at all will affect more of the tightly packed pixels … So with the 7r IV, there will be times when I need to go to higher shutter speeds (and thus, correspondingly higher ISO settings).

In short, lower mega-pixel cameras are more forgiving across the board with sharpness errors. And many folks believe that the lower mega-pixel files are better with noise as well. But the apparent gains with high-ISO performance when comparing larger image files with smaller image files are misleading. If you take an image from a high mega-pixel camera body and resize it in Photoshop down to the pixel dimensions of a lower mega-pixel file — Image > Image size w/Bicubic Sharper (Reduction) — the image originally from the higher mega-pixel camera will actually be less noisy and will often exhibit better dynamic range as well. (Thanks again to Patrick Sparkman for helping me to understand this important concept.)

Image #2: An unsharpened 100% crop of Tricolored Heron with green reflections background

An Unsharpened 100% Crop

Sharpness at 840mm even at relatively slow shutter speeds (1/160 sec) is astounding. Note that wet birds will always show less fine feather detail than dry birds, especially in soft light. And do remember that this 100% crop is unsharpened.

This image of the same bird was also created on September 26, my scouting day just before the Fort DeSoto IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode was about +2 stops on the analog scale. AWB at 6:18pm in open shade late on a sunny afternooon. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the bird’s eye. Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper-looking version. Image #3: Tricolored Heron juvenile standing in white water

An Exposure Lesson

Image #1 was created at about -2/3 stop. Why? Because the dark water influenced the meter to open up thus endangering the white feathers on the belly and otherwise scattered throughout the bird’s plumage. I needed to under-expose from the meter reading suggested by the camera to prevent over-exposing the white feathers. With SONY, however, I do not use this line of thinking to come up with the right exposure; I simply adjust the exposure parameters (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO) until I see some faint Zebras on the whitest feathers.

Image #3 on the other hand, was created at about +2 stops. Why? The white water will influence the meter to under-expose by a mile. The relatively dark young heron has little influence on the meter as it occupies perhaps five to ten percent of the frame. So I needed to open up about two stops to prevent under-exposing the heron. With SONY my approach for these high key images is to adjust the exposure parameters so that I see lots of Zebras on the white water. Again, this prevents under-exposing the heron.

As I say here often, in low light, when the scene averages to a very light tone, the meters on all of our high-end digital cameras are very dumb … (They do a lot better when the sun is out …)

AF Considerations (all systems)

Whether you are using Canon, Nikon, SON, or something else, the following is generally true: If you opt to focus with a small or large array, you will enjoy greater compositional freedom by being able to move the subject around a bit in the frame at the expense of some images not being as sharp as others … If you go to single-point AF and can get the selected AF point on the bird’s eye or face, you will enjoy greater AF accuracy. But if the bird is moving, it can be difficult to get the selected AF point on the bird’s eye or face and to then maintain focus …

With today’s two SONY images I went with Upper Left Zone for Image #1 so that I could quickly get the composition that I wanted. But several of the images in this series were not sharply focused. With Image #2 the young heron was standing still for a few moments and gave me time to go to single-point AF and to get the selected AF point on the bird’s face.

Life is about choices. There is no magic bullet when considering the AF options here. You practice and experiment and go with what you think will work best.

Image #4: Capture One screen capture Click to enlarge

Editing My SONY Images with Capture One

As mentioned here before, when I view SONY images in Photo Mechanic, the small embedded JPEGs do not allow me to enlarge the image enough to judge critical sharpness. To do that, I go to Capture One Pro 12 and use the (adjustable) Loupe (P) to enlarge as needed. I use Large for the Loupe size and 100% for the magnification. I will be doing a blog post here soon on exactly how I set up Capture One so that I can do my editing quickly and efficiently.

The Capture One Screen Capture

As regular readers know, I do pretty much all of my SONY and Nikon RAW conversions in Capture One Pro 12. If you enlarge the screen capture, you can see all of the adjustments I made to the RAW file before converting it and bringing it into Photoshop as a TIF file.

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 will be visiting 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?

This blog post took more than five hours to prepare from soup to nuts. Please remember to use my B&H affiliate links or get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedford when purchasing new gear. And be sure to e-mail for advice before you spend money on the wrong stuff …

Congrats to the Tampa Bay Rays on their 2 victories over the highly favored Houston Astros. The deciding game five is on Thursday.

Huge thanks to San Diego and Galapagos IPT veteran Frank Shields for using my B&H link to purchase his very own SONY 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and to Bob Lester for grabbing my a7r III in excellent plus condition. Bob also grabbed one of the two SONY 200-600s from Bedfords and multiple IPT veteran Larry Master who will be joining me at Bosque soon got the other 2-6 as well as an a7r IV. It was a busy day as I also sold my Nikon 500PF and my gripped D850 yesterday. If you are interested in my excellent plus Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens at a very fair price — save $2,500, please get in touch via e-mail.

A New Era

I guess that today represents a new era in the history of BIRDS AS ART as I am now fully committed to the SONY system. There will be lots more on the SONY 600 GM OSS/a7r IV combo in the coming blog posts that will include flight photography with the 1.4X teleconverter and photographing birds on the ground at 1200mm with the 2X TC. Exciting times indeed.

The SONY a7r IV

While deciding whether to stick with Nikon or go all-in with SONY, one of my biggest hurdles was getting used to the small size of the a9 and the a7r III. The moment I took the a7r IV out of the box, I was amazed. Although the IV weighs only a minuscule 2 grams more than the III and the physical dimensions are only fractionally greater (126.9 x 95.6 x 73.7mm as compared to 128.9 x 96.4 x 77.5mm), the a7R IV felt like a real camera in my hands. Perhaps it is the 3.8mm increase in the front-to-back depth of the camera that makes the difference. In any case, my thinking on SONY was re-routed as soon as I held the a7r IV. Then throw in a superb AF system and fabulous image quality and you have a clear winner …

Your Favorite?

Please leave a comment and let us know which of today’s featured images is your favorite and why you liked it the best.

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019. Details will be announced here soon.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page.

Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

BAA Record-low Price!

Allen Dale is offering a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II USM lens for sale in excellent condition for $3399.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens hood, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, a camo LensCoat, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Allen via e-mail.

I owned and used this fast, super-sharp, totally amazing lens often when I shot Canon. It is great for hand-holding and for flight, with or without either the 1.4X III or the 2X III TC. It remains super-sharp with the 2X TC. I used it often in the Galapagos and on Southern Ocean trips. Years ago Outdoor Photographer editor Rob Sheppard was stunned by the sharpness of my allo-preening Macaroni Penguins image that was created with the 300 II and the 2X III TC. artie

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.

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.

I created this image on September 27 on the recent Fort DeSoto IPT with my iPhone 8+ Image #1: A Perfect Situation

A Perfect Situation

Lots of Lessons!

The Great Egret in today’s images stood on a small shelf — part of Battery Bigelow — fishing and catching small baitfish for more than an hour. During a 41-minute span — 9:04 to 9:46 — I created more than 500 images of the same bird in action with my new SONY gear, the 600 GM and the a7r IV. I kept 66 images after the first edit. I chose to sit behind my lowered tripod to soften up the background. I chose a spot about a yard to the left of sun-angle to avoid having the portion of the derelict battery on our left in the frame … I firmed up the tripod legs in the loose and then leveled the silver ball of the FlexShooter Pro. After alerting all the folks in the group within hearing distance to the situation, I went to work.

The small yellow towel was for keeping my hands clean. I did stand up and get back down every ten minutes or so to prevent getting too stiff :). When I finally quit, the bird continued to fish for about 15 minutes.

The iPhone Photography e-Guide

Check out this great guide by my good friend Dr. Cliff Oliver in the BAA Online Store here.

This image was created September 27 on the recent Fort DeSoto IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/6400 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:18am on dead-clear sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper-looking version. Image #2: Great Egret poised to strike

SONY a7r IV Center Zone AF

I was pleasingly surprised that a7r IV Center Zone AF worked so well in this situation. Using Zone allowed for freedom with the framing of each image; it allowed me to move the bird slightly left or right or up or down in the frame with zero effort. And even though I was working almost wide open at f/4.5, virtually every image was tack-sharp on the eye. I was also somewhat shocked by the frame-rate of the a7r IV; the quoted 10 fps seemed to hold up even though I was using tracking AF and the IV was noticeably faster than my gripped Nikon D850. This speed allowed me to create some neat sequences.

This image was of course also created September 27 on the recent Fort DeSoto IPT. Again I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/6400 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:18am on dead-clear sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper-looking version. Image #3: Great Egret striking

Timing the Strike

In image #2, you can see that the bird is poised to strike. It leans forward and pulls its head back. And just before it strikes, it retracts the feathers on its neck. When then happens, press the shutter button and hold it down. With Zone AF you can — if you concentrate — see the AF points moving around almost instantly to stay on the bird’s head and face. I learned later on during the IPT that Animal Eye Priority AF works well when the subject is close even though it is not supposed to work with birds. Animal Eye Priority AF did not come into play for the Great Egret fishing images because the subject was relatively far away and the eye too small in the frame.

Image Optimization Note

Surprisingly, the bird’s eye was fully open at the instant this image was created; the nictitating membrane was not covering the eye. There was, however, a drop of water covering the eye. So, using a small Quick Mask, I borrowed the eye from Image #2 and moved it into place on Image #3. Then I warped that layer for a perfect fit, added a Regular Layer Mask, erased the whole thing! and then working very large, hit X and painted back only the eyeball. All as detailed in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), a hugely popular instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Over the years, various iterations of Digital Basics have helped thousands of folks to improve their image optimization skills.

This image was of course also created September 27 on the recent Fort DeSoto IPT. Again I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/6400 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:18am on dead-clear sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper-looking version. Image #4: Great Egret shaking head after doubly-successful strike

Keep on Keeping On!

After the bird strikes, keep firing. After the strike, the egret would shake its head violently back and forth several times; perhaps this helped to subdue the small baitfish. The unusually high shutter speed here — 1/6400 sec. — froze the action nicely. Again, Center Zone allowed me to adjust the framing as needed.

This image was of course also created September 27 on the recent Fort DeSoto IPT. Again I used the Induro GIT 304/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/6400 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:18am on dead-clear sunny morning. Center Zone Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper-looking version. Image #5: Great Egret with its catch of the day

Catch of the Day

The baitfish were so densely packed that on several occasions, the bird caught them two at a time. Do check out the unsharpened 100% crop immediately below.

Image #6: An unsharpened 100% crop of Great Egret with its catch of the day

The Unsharpened 100% Crop

Notice the incredible sharpness of the eye (thanks to Center Zone AF) and the complete lack of background noise in this unsharpened 100% crop.

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.

2019 Bosque del Apache IPT

Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.

Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three In-the-Field Days as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.

I quit going to Bosque several years ago as conditions had worsened each year for several seasons running. My understanding is that things have improved dramatically in recent years. Photography-wise, 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 non-refundable $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 non-refundable deposit on a credit card. Balances must be paid in full by check no later than two months before the IPT. If you cancel, all but your deposit will be refunded only if the IPT sells out.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

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 will be visiting 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?

Walking, swimming, eating and sleeping well, and working hard. Along with lots of NFL games and MLB playoff baseball thanks to TIVO.

It was looking as if I had my Nikon 600 VR and my gripped D850 sold, but the buyer back out. If you are seriously interested, please shoot me an e-mail. My 500 PF and the rest are also available.

A New Approach

SONY a7r iii Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

I am offering a slightly used SONY a7r iii Mirrorless Digital camera body — the very one that made all of the great images in the last few blog posts as well as the one presented here today — for the very low price of $1998.00. The camera is in excellent plus condition. But for some tiny nicks and scratches on the base of the camera, it would be near mint; it has less than 12,000 actuations. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it. Your purchase includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Others are invited to e-mail for shipping surcharge info. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact me via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time zone).

You’ve seen the images … Simply put, the a7r iii is a great camera body. It is selling new right now at B&H for $2998.00 (with a $500 instant rebate …) and the new a7r iv is going for $3,498.00! You can save a very cool $500.00 by grabbing my a7r iii right now. 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 $1,000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon, Nikon, or SONY 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.

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 one of our two North Seymour landings on July 23 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 3200. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/160 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 5:48pm when a large cloudy covered the sun. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the gull’s left eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Swallow-tailed Gull tight preening

Pushing the Envelope with the SONY a7r iii

There is a pair of beautiful tame gulls courting on the rocks but they are strongly backlit. Then a big cloud covers the sun completely and allows me to get the perspective that I want. But we are headed back to the ship and need to be off the island by 6:00pm and the light level is very low. I don’t like the wide shot so I add the TC, set the aperture wide open, choose a shutter speed of 1/160 sec (with some trepidation), and raise the ISO (to 3200) on the rear wheel until the faintest Zebras appear on the white patch above the bird’s bill. As one of the bird’s preens, I am quickly moving the AF point in an effort to keep it squarely on the gull’s left eye. I made very few images and kept only two, but this frame was bingo!

ISO 3200 with the a7r iii is as clean as a whistle. No noise reduction was needed. The Optical Stabilization System (OSS) allowed me to make a very sharp image at a focal length (560mm) that was three and a half times greater than the shutter speed (1/160)! Not to mention that moving the AF point around the frame is an absolute pleasure with the a7r iii and that the AF is fast and accurate even with a TC.

“Pushing the Envelope”

From the very interesting Grammarist website here.

To push the envelope means to extend the boundary of what is possible, to take a risk by going farther than others think is acceptable. The term push the envelope was popularized in the early 1980s, following the publication of the book The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. The book The Right Stuff chronicled American pilots who tested high-speed aircraft, including the early astronauts. Tom Wolfe quoted pilots using the term “pushing the outside of the envelope” to describe challenging speed records and other aerial feats. The envelope in question is the flight envelope, which includes all possible aircraft maneuvers. The idiom most probably originated among American pilots during World War II. After the publication of Wolfe’s book, the term push the envelope migrated into everyday English to be used in a figurative sense.

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 will be visiting 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?

In an effort to reduce my use of insulin or eliminate it completely, I have just begun a new eating plan: intermittent fasting. I am eating one meal at 10am and my second meal at 3pm. So I am fasting from about 4pm till 10am the next day. No snacking then, only water. The first day was easy. We (Dr. Cliff Oliver) and I are hoping to make my cells less insulin resistant. If you are interested, you can learn more by clicking here.

I enjoyed an excellent morning of photography on Wednesday and will be headed down to the lake for my walk and for more Sandhill Crane and vulture photography as soon as I finish this blog post. As noted below, there was a problem getting the balls for the new Minis anodized properly so our first shipment will be delayed several weeks.

I was glad to learn that multiple IPT veteran Larry Master will be joining us at Bosque in late November. The BIRDS AS ART Gallery is nearing completion.

Your Favorite?

Please leave a comment and let us know which of today’s featured images is your favorite and why you liked it the best. Folks have been very lazy recently as far as making the blog interactive …

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019. Details will be announced here soon.

SONY Rig for Sale

Great Buy!

I am offering a slightly used SONY a7r iii Mirrorless Digital camera body — the very one that made all of the great images in the last few blog posts as well as those presented here today — and, a brand-new-in-the-unopened-box SONY 100-400 for the very low price of $4396.00. The camera is in excellent plus condition. But for some tiny nicks and scratches on the base of the camera, it is in pristine shape; it has less than 12,000 actuations. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it. And as it says above, the 100-400 is brand-new in the box. I bought the lens in case I did not get my 100-400 back from Precision Camera Repair in time for the IPT. I was able to have UPS hold it at the station in Lake Wales and I picked it up last Thursday on the way over to St. Pete. Your purchase includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Others are invited to e-mail for shipping surcharge info. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact me via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time zone).

You’ve seen the images … Both items are selling new right now for $2498.00 for a total of $4996.00. You can save a handsome $600 by grabbing the pair now. All that you will need to complete your SONY kit is a Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter and one or two Delkin UHS-II 128GB SD Memory Cards. Even with the fastest and most dependable cards on the planet, it is wise to have a back-up card available … artie

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 5. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

FlexShooter Pro News

All FlexShooter Pro BigFeet are now in stock in the BAA Online Store. You can click on the chart above or here for more information.

Coming Soon

The FlexShooter Mini

Several months ago I had a FlexShooter Mini to test on both the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT and the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. It is a smaller, lighter (one pound!) version of the amazing FlexShooter Pro. I used it often with both the Nikon 500 PF and the SONY 100-400 GM with great success and in a pinch, I was able to make sharper images with the Nikon 600 and the TC-E14. All with the Mini mounted on the lighter Induro GIT 204. I suggested to developer/manufacturer Csaba Karai that the Mini needed a bit more spring tension. As there was a problem getting the balls for the new Minis anodized properly, delivery will be delayed several weeks. When we do receive our first shipment, the Minis will have my suggested changes.

The FlexShooter Mini with the lighter Induro GIT 204 is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom is their workhorse lens for bird and nature photography. It will sell for $579 plus shipping. Folks who wish to be assured of getting one from our first shipment can order theirs by phone by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 asap. Your card will not be charged until your Mini is shipped. We already have five orders to ship from our first shipment.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have only two FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. All BigFeet are in stock in the BAA Online Store here. Click here to access the pretty-much-complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.

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 August 3, on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. While hand holding and pointing the lens straight down, I used the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 238mm) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:46am on a drizzly morning. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The AF point was placed on the upper left rule of thirds spot. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Image #1: What is it? Sante Fe, Galapagos

The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens Close Focusing Capabilities!

The close focusing capability (.98 meters (3′ 2.4″) of the Sony 100-400mm GM allowed me to stand at full height and shoot straight down at the subject. Without a ladder, it would not have been possible to make this image with the Nikon 80-400 VR as the minimum focusing distance is 1.75 meters (5.74 feet) …

What is It?

Please leave a comment.

Aperture Question

Why was 1/1000 sec at f/5.6 a serious error? What should I have done assuming that I stayed at ISO 1000?

This image was created by multiple IPT veteran Luis Alberto Grunauer on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. He used the handheld Canon 100-400mm and the 1DX Mark II. Image #2: Galapagos Sea Lion barking at Induro GIT 204L and FlexShooter Mini, Sante Fe,Galapagos Photo courtesy of and copyright 2019: Luis Alberto Grunauer/Silvia’s Jovial Photography

The Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Mini Combo

Whenever I was not handholding on this IPT, I used the Induro GIT 204 paired with the FlexShooter Mini. This combo is smaller, lighter (by almost one full pound), and easier to travel with than the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro that I use with my big lenses.

It served me quite well in low light and as mentioned here previously, the 204/Mini combo is perfect for all intermediate telephoto primes and zooms like the 70-200s, the 80- and 100-400s, the Canon 400 DO II, the Nikon 500 PF, and the like. Our first order of Minis has been delayed due to a problem with the anodization process. To ensure getting one from our first shipment it is best to place a phone order by calling Jim in the office at 863-692-0906; we will not charge your credit card until your head is shipped.

Pinnipeds

Pinnipeds, commonly known as seals, are a widely distributed and diverse clan of carnivorous, fin-footed, semi-aquatic marine mammals. They comprise the families Odobenidae (whose only living member is the walrus), Otariidae (the eared seals: sea lions and fur seals), and Phocidae (the earless seals, or true seals). There are 33 extant species of pinnipeds, and more than 50 extinct species have been described from fossils. While seals were historically thought to have descended from two ancestral lines, molecular evidence supports them as a monophyletic lineage (descended from one ancestral line). Pinnipeds belong to the order Carnivora and their closest living relatives are believed to be bears and the superfamily of musteloids (weasels, raccoons, skunks, and red pandas), having diverged about 50 million years ago.

The above was adapted from the Wikipedia article here.

This image was created at James Bay, Puerto Egas, Santiago, Galapagos on August 5 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Pro Mini-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 294mm) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:49am on a sunny morning with he subject in a shaded grotto. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The AF point was placed on the eye of the resting fur seal. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Image #3: Galapagos Fur Seal yawning

Galapagos Fur Seal

Both the Galapagos Fur Seal and the far more widespread Galapagos Sea Lion are eared seals of the same family: Otariidae. which means “eared seal”. The Galapagos Fur Seal belongs to a genus of fur seals called Arctocephalus (or Arctophoca), meaning bear-headed. The Galapagos Sea Lion belongs to the genus Zalophus and is closely related to the California Sea Lion. Galapagos Fur Seals are smaller across the board than the Galapagos Sea Lions. On my trips, we see and photograph the fur seals at James Bay, Puerto Egas, Santiago. Galapagos Sea Lions are widespread and are commonly seen everywhere within the Archipelago, whereas fur seals are most likely to be seen by tourists around Isabela and Fernandina islands. The male fur seals are more vagrant than the females and can regularly be seen on Santiago and Bartholome islands, as well as on the southern parts of Floreana.

You can learn more about telling the two species apart in the article from the Galapagos Conservation Trust website here.

This image was created at Rabida, Galapagos on August 5 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the Induro GIT 204/FlexShooter Pro Mini-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 300mm) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 4:18pm on a cloudy afternoon. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The AF point was placed on the sea lion’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Image #4: Galapagos Sea Lion with red sand background

The Red Sands of Rabida

Rábida is one of the Galápagos Islands. Five km², the island has also been known as Jervis Island named in honor of the 18th-century British admiral John Jervis. In Ecuador it is officially known as Isla Rábida. There is lots of wildlife on Rabida including Galapagos Flamingo and White-cheeked Pintail. Rabida is well known for the color of its deep red sands and earth. The color is the result of the high content of iron in the volcanic material found on the island. The sea lion in the image above was resting in the shade of a tiny cave; the lighting enhanced the color of the rear wall of the sea lion’s tiny shelter.

This image was created at Gardner Bay, Espanola (Hood Island), Galapagos on August 5 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 358mm) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 3200. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:27am on a cloudy very dark morning. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. The AF point was placed on the pup’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Image #5: Galapagos Sea Lion pup on white sand beach

The Knee-Pod Technique

As we all know, hand holding an intermediate telephoto lens is far more fun than lugging around a big lens on a tripod. When doing so, we are much more mobile and thus can get ourselves into position quickly. And of course, getting low is a great way to make your images more intimate and to soften the background as well. So that I can work at lower ISOs and slower shutter speeds, I will often use the knee-pod technique; I sit with my left leg bent at the knee and rest the back of my left forearm on my knee and/or the distal part of my left thigh.

I just love tooling around with bare feet on the pristine white sands of Gardner Bay photographing the plentiful sea lions playing and fighting and nursing and resting. It is one of the highlights of my Galapagos trips.

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.

2019 Bosque del Apache IPT

Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.

Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three In-the-Field Days as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.

I quit going to Bosque several years ago as conditions had worsened each year for several seasons running. My understanding is that things have improved dramatically in recent years. Photography-wise, 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 non-refundable $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 non-refundable deposit on a credit card. Balances must be paid in full by check no later than two months before the IPT. If you cancel, all but your deposit will be refunded only if the IPT sells out.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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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?

The Sandbar really rocked late on Saturday afternoon. We had lots of great bathing and flight photography, mostly with Sandwich and Royal Terns along with a flock of about 500 Red Knots and a tame American Avocet, only the second one I have ever seen at Fort DeSoto. Photographing on the sandbar is like being at a wild remote location rife with tame birds; it is hard to believe that you are only 20 minutes from downtown St. Pete. The group is both fabulous and appreciative and there is a ton of learning going on. The food at the Neptune Grill in our home base at Gulfport has been great as usual,.

Galapagos 2020?

If you are interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page

New Listings

Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens

Jim McCormac is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for only $7,199.00. There are a very few very minor scuffs and paint nicks, mostly on the tripod foot. The lens has been protected by a LensCoat for much of its life. The sale includes the lens trunk, the hood, both original feet, the LensCoat, the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. This lens is optically perfect and performs incredibly with the Canon 1.4x teleconverters (for a reach of 1120mm on full-frame lenses). Please contact Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-614-517-0258 (Eastern time zone).

I owned and used the super-sharp 800mm f/5.6, often with a 1.4X TC, as my go-to super-telephoto lens for almost five years. If you work with birds that are tough to approach and have trouble making sharp images with the 2X III TC, this lens should have your name on it. The 800/5.6 is great from the car or from a blind. I was astounded when I counted to learn that 15 of the 67 images in my San Diego exhibit were created with my 800. Note that the 800 and a 7D Mark II get you out to 1280mm. Add the 1.4X III TC and you wind up at 1792mm, almost 36X! The 800s — still in production — sell new right now for $12,999 from B&H. Thus, you can save a nifty $5800 by grabbing Jim’s lens right now. artie

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

Jim McCormac is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for only $6,599.00. There are only a very few minor scuffs and paint nicks, mostly on the tripod foot. The lens has been protected by a camo LensCoat for most of its life. The sale includes the lens trunk, the hood, both feet, the LensCoat, the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. This lens is optically perfect and performs incredibly well with the Canon 1.4x teleconverter (for a reach of 700mm on full-frame lenses). Please contact Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-614-517-0258 (Eastern 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. 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. The seller for the last one that sold here had five calls the first day; the first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it … Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in Jim’s lens as it too should sell almost instantly. As the 500 II goes for $8999 new you will be getting a great lens while saving $2400.00. I loved my 500 II artie

Price Drops!

Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG Lens for Canon

Price Reduced $50.00 on 9-24-2019

Sheldon Goldstein, multiple IPT participant, is offering a Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG Lens for Canon in like-new condition for $675.00 (was $725.00). The sale includes a Wimberley P-30 plate, the lens cap, the rear cap, the protective case, carrying straps for the lens and case, the Sigma USB Dock UD-2 for firmware updates, and insured Fed-Ex Ground shipping to lower 48 US addresses. Your lens will ship after your check clears unless another payment method is used.

Please contact Shelly via e-mail or by phone at 1-646-423-0392 (Eastern time).

I have seen many sharp and wonderful images created with this versatile lens on several IPTs. artie

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM Lens for Canon

Price Reduced $51.00 on 9-24-2019

Sheldon Goldstein, multiple IPT participant, is offering a Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM lens for Canon in like-new condition for $799.00 (was $850.00). The sale includes the lens cover, the rear cap, the protective carrying case, and insured Fed-Ex Ground shipping to lower 48 US addresses. Your lens will ship after your check clears unless another payment method is used.

Please contact Shelly via e-mail or by phone at 1-646-423-0392 (Eastern time).

This lens is designed for use with full-frame Canon digital cameras; it offers a dramatically ultra-wide coverage with field-of-views ranging from 122° to 84.1° making it ideal for dramatic landscape photography. It is a superb architectural lens that is great for creating images of the tightest of interiors. Using Canon bodies with APS-C sensors (like the 7D Mark II) will give you an effective zoom range of 17-35mm. B&H

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.

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 Santa Fe on August 3 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (AT 400MM) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:57:35am on a cloudy morning. Center Zone C (Continuos/tracking) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Brown Pelican diving

SONY a7r iii for Fllight Photography?

With science-fiction-like AF, 15 or so frames per second, and no mirror blackout, the SONY a9 is the acknowledged king of flight photography (at least in the SONY line-up). But the images files are relatively small and having to switch camera bodies when you run into a bit of good flight photography can be anything from a pain in the butt to impossible. With the a7r iii being my workhorse camera body in the Galapagos, there were times when I went to Center Zone and made some really good flight images. Be sure to enlarge each of today’s featured images to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version.

This image was created at Santa Fe on August 3 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (AT 400MM) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:57:35am on a cloudy morning. Center Zone C (Continuos/tracking) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Brown Pelican hitting the water

a7r iii File Size and Crop-ability …

A compressed RAW a7r iii image files comes in at about 41 MB. Thus, a sharp ARW file can stand up to a healthy crop. About 33% of the original pixels were cropped away in the two Brown Pelican images above. Note: you can save a lot of room on your computer by capturing compressed RAWs; folks shooting the night skies should be capturing uncompressed RAWs.

The speed of initial focusing accuracy and AF tracking accuracy with the a7r iii are not quite as good as with the a9, but the iii is a more than capable flight photography camera body.

This image was created on a panga (zodiac) ride at Punta Moreno, Isabela on July 28 on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (AT 400MM) with the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 11:08am on a cloudy-bright morning. Center Zone C (Continuos/tracking) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Brown Noddy in flight

Flight Subjects

While pelicans are large birds, and relatively slow fliers (except when they are diving!), the a7r iii did just fine with them in flight. Brown Noddies, on the other hand, are swift fliers that often dart and turn in the air. And photographing birds in flight from a rocking zodiac (panga) is always a challenge. As in all flight photography situations, it is necessary to study the wind and the birds’ flight patterns and figure out the best way to maximize your chances. With the noddies, the best opportunities occurred when they turned back into the wind to look down for some available baitfish.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 7)

Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or relocated) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

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 will be visiting 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?

I made a ton of progress on the new BAA Gallery on Wednesday and sent a hard drive with all the images on it to the developer. I am hoping to go live in a week or two at most.

Tomorrow I head over to Gulfport for the 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT. UK IPT veteran Shonagh Adelman is coming in a day early for an afternoon and a morning of scouting and learning and photography. We meet the group on Friday afternoon. Shelly Lake took advantage of the last minute discount and is joining the group.

I’ve been walking and swimming every day and spending two hours each morning learning to make sharp images with the new SONY 600 GM … I am making good progress.

Galapagos 2020?

If you might be interested in learning about a possible Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, September 29-October 13 on the boat (travel dates: 27 SEPT to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 OCT) please get in touch via e-mail. I will need at least eight deposits by December 1, 2019.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II professional digital camera body

BAA Record-low Price

Blog regular Bill Hill is offering a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II professional digital camera body in excellent condition for the incredibly low, BAA record-low price of $3299.00. There is some minor wear around the shutter button, otherwise mint. Approx. 16000 cycles. The sale includes the front cap, the original LP-E19 battery, the charger, the strap, a 64GB Sandisk Cfast Extreme card, the cFast reader, the owner’s manual, the original 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 Bill via e-mail or by phone at 1-(831) 601-4066 Pacific time zone.

The EOS-1DX is Canon’s flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and features Canon’s best AF system. artie

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

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

FlexShooter Pro News

All FlexShooter Pro BigFeet are now in stock in the BAA Online Store. You can click on the chart above or here for more information.

Coming Soon

The FlexShooter Mini

Several months ago I had a FlexShooter Mini to test on both the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT and the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. It is a smaller, lighter (one pound!) version of the amazing FlexShooter Pro. I used it often with both the Nikon 500 PF and the SONY 100-400 GM with great success and in a pinch, I was able to make sharper images with the Nikon 600 and the TC-E14. All with the Mini mounted on the lighter Induro GIT 204. I suggested to developer/manufacturer Csaba Karai that the Mini needed a bit more spring tension. A new batch with my suggested changes should be in stock in about two weeks.

The FlexShooter Mini with the lighter Induro GIT 204 is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom is their workhorse lens for bird and nature photography. It will sell for $579 plus shipping. Folks who wish to be assured of getting one from our first shipment can order theirs by phone by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 asap. Your card will not be charged until your Mini is shipped. We already have five orders to ship from our first shipment.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have only four FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.

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 August 5 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:24pm on a cloudy afternoon. Flexible Spot (S: small) C (Continuos/tracking) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the subject’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. White-cheeked Pintail drake

Patience is a Virtue

But you need to know what you are waiting for …

When folks first learn that I am a bird photographer, their reaction is often, You must have a lot of patience. Not.

When my late-wife Elaine was alive, we often shopped together for groceries at Waldbaum’s in Howard Beach, NY. If the checkout line was long and it seemed that the checkout lady might not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, she would look at me and say, “You, to the car.” (What can I say? She was right, but I am a different person today.)

IAC, when it comes to beautiful birds I do have patience. I sat in the mud along the shore at the lagoon on Rabida, in the company of about five White-cheeked Pintails — four hens and a drake. Most of the group was sitting with me. Though the birds cooperated I did not get anything special. Soon everyone left for the lure of subjects along the beach. I sat and I sat. It drizzled lightly off and on. And then I sat some more. Finally, the drake swam over to me and preened. But he was angled away from me. I knew that I needed to wait for a nice head-turn toward me. Finally, the bird cooperated. I sat in that mud for two hours and kept just this one image …

SONY a7r iii

The SONY a7r iii Mirrorless Digital camera was my workhorse body on the last Galapagos IPT. I used it to create about 90% of the images that I made on the trip. As with today’s featured image, I used it often with the 100-400 GM OSS and the 1.4X teleconverter. No worries — I am a conservative shooter: the shutter count on my a7r iii is only 11434. It was and is reliable and the image quality is just fine. What I like best is that with Flexible Spot (S) it is fast and easy to move the AF point around with the joystick and get it right on the subject’s eye. Not to mention that virtually the entire frame is covered by the AF point array.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 7)

Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or relocated) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

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 will be visiting 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

I spent the last two mornings photographing down by the lake with my brand new SONY 600mm f/4GM OSS lens and a SONY a7R iv., most often with the 1.4X teleconverter. For a variety of reasons that I shall expound upon in more detail in future blog posts, I am moth-balling my Nikon stuff for the next few months to give SONY a fair chance. When the trial period is over I shall decide whether I will stick with SONY or go back to Nikon … Either way, there will be some great buys on quality used gear.

Hate e-mails and correspondences detailing your displeasure with the development above should be sent to idontgivearatsass.net. Be sure to cut and paste the address onto the “To:” line.

This weekend, I got a lot more done on the new galleries. And the pool is now down about five degrees! Fall is coming.

Your Favorite?

All are invited to leave a comment and let us know which of today’s three featured images you like best. And why.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page

Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens
My Favorite Canon frog lens!

BAA Record-low Price

Long-time friend Alan Levine — Alan and Sara knew Elaine! — are offering a Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $799.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens cap, the tripod collar, the original box, the tough fabric carrying case, the lens hood (ET-78), 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 Alan via e-mail.

The Canon 180 Macro was my mainstay macro lens for more than a decade. I love the extra reach that it provides over the various 100mm macro lenses. And, assuming that you will be working on a tripod, the Canon EF Extender 1.4X is perfectly compatible. The lens is great for flowers, bugs, butterflies, frogs, toads, and snakes among lots more. The lens, that is still in production, sells new for $1,399.00. You can save a smooth $600 on Alan’s practically like-new lens. artie

With the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens. Image #1: Southern Toad

Southern Toad

I found this toad in my driveway and created a set-up with a weathered grey log set atop my Sequoia. It was remarkably docile. After a short photo session, I released it in the woods just west of my driveway.

The Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens was my favorite macro lens because of its reach, the fact that it came with a tripod collar, and because it accepted the 1.4X teleconverters. I do not know of any other 1:1 macro lenses that allow you to add a teleconverter. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

With the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens. Tulipa Reknown, flower center, Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Holland

“Ruined” flowers …

When we arrived at the gardens, most folks in the group were dismayed to find that many of the tulips were in less than pristine condition; most had one or two petals drooped over. Co-leader Denise Ippolito and I realized instantly that the “ruined” flowers would provide a window into each bloom’s most beautiful feature: the tulip center. Then we went to work. The 180 macro on a tripod was the perfect tool for the job.

With the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens. Corn Snake

Rescued and Released

A participant on a Southwest Florida IPT many years ago arrived with a cardboard box. She had stopped her neighbor just as he was about to kill the beautiful young snake with a shovel. We posed it in small, dead tree in the shade with the wall of what was then a Holiday Inn (near Little Estero Lagoon) as background. As the snake was quite comfortable, everyone in the group took turns sharing the 180mm macro lens. Most everyone was shooting Canon back then.

The snake was released into a woodlot near the participant’s home that evening.

Focus on Frogs by Andrew McLachlan

Focus on Frogs. Text & Photography by Andrew McLachlan: $50.00 via electronic download

To order your copy, click here.

As you can clearly see while checking out Andrew’s amazing frog and toad images in this blog post, you will realize that his work might well appear with the credit line reading Andrew McLachlan/FROGS AS ART. That Andrew has worked long and very hard at his craft is quite evident. That Andrew has mastered the use of the gear needed for macro photography is quite evident. That Andrew has perfected the use of electronic flash for both daytime and night-time frog photography is quite evident. That Andrew is creative and has a great eye for image design and color is quite evident. That Andrew has an understanding of how important backgrounds are in nature photography is quite evident. And that Andrew has developed all the skills needed to create outstanding images of frogs and toads – both captive and in their natural habitats, is also quite evident. In short, Andrew is the Frog Whisperer.

Focus on Frogs is a comprehensive guide to photographing frogs and toads. In the wild; in the tropics; in home-made terrariums; and at set-ups. Andrew covers it all: camera systems, bodies, and lenses (of all focal lengths!), the use of polarizers and graduated ND filters, how to dress for frog photography, the essentials accessories that will save you time and money, the use of flash, keeping you and your gear safe, in-the-field tips and techniques, finding the best perspective, Photoshop tips and techniques, frog conservation concerns, all aspects of froggy habitats, getting the right exposure, frog biology and behavior, creating attractive set-ups, over-under frog photography, and artistic renderings. The book ends with a spectacular Webfoot Gallery to inspire you.

The Art of Flower Photography, a 203 page eBook/a link to the PDF will be sent via e-mail: $29.00.

The Art of Flower Photography

Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris are proud to announce the publication of The Art of Flower Photography, a 203 page eBook with more than 140 images: $29.00. A link to the PDF will be sent via e-mail. Get yourself a copy today so that you can learn and be inspired by the tour de force of flower photography how-to books. Purchase by clicking here, by calling BIRDS AS ART at 863-692-0906, or by sending a Paypal to us via e-mail.

Notice for i-Pad Users

It is easy to save and access any and all PDF files including The Art of Flower Photography and The Art of Bird Photography II on an i-Pad. Here is a link to a short easily-followed how-to tutorial: i-Pad PDF Tutorial.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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 will be visiting 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 :).