Teleconverter Versatility « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Teleconverter Versatility

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20% plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advise, usually sells in no time flat as did Dennis Cassidy’s 500 II recently on the blog. Larry Master’s 400 DO and his 800 f/5.6 sold within a week. From Larry via e-mail: Thanks for helping me sell the lenses so quickly!

A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART friend Kitto Kono sold her Nikon 500 to a Blog subscriber in less than a week. Janet Horton’s 7D sold this week after a $100 price reduction. Denise Ippolito’s 100-400 and her 100 macro sold in one day. Peter Kes sold his 70-200 f/2.8L IS II and his 400 DO through BAA in ten days. In the past two months we have sold a Canon 800, a Canon 500 II, 3 400 DO lenses, a Nikon 500mm, and lots more. If you are interested in using our services, please e-mail.

The Streak Continues: 162

This post marks 162 consecutive days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? April was a record month! To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we do ask that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I used, tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know the tools that you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

You can find the following items in the store: Gitzo tripods, Mongoose M3.6 and Wimberley heads, plates, low feet, and accessories, flash brackets, , Delkin e-film Pro Compact Flash Cards, LensCoat products, and our unique line-up of educational materials including ABP I & II, Digital Basics, Site and Set-up e-Guides, Canon and Nikon Camera Users and AF e-Guides, and MP-4 Photoshop video tutorials among others.

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above 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 visiting the BAA Online store as well.

This post took 1 1/2 hours to put together. Enjoy!


yellow-crowned-night-heron-gular-panting-_y7o0731-fort-desoto-park-st-petersburg-fl

This image was created at Fort DeSoto Park in the shade with the slightly lowered Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual Av mode. AWB.

Four sensors up from the central Sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. I keep Orientation-Linked AF active at all times and find it very helpful. Learn about this CF and everything else there is to know about the 1D X and 5D III AF systems including how to manage the various AF Area Selection Modes, when to use which one, and several ways to move the AF sensor around in the 1D X AF Guide and the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. .

Teleconverter Versatility

Many folks are reluctant to add a TC or to change TCs in the field. I routinely do either and both dozens of time each day. Just be sure to turn your camera off when doing so. I always remember to do that. But most of the time I forget to turn it back on. 🙁 Above, I began with the 600/1.4X combo to create a vertical portrait of this obliging adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Then, after the four of us–Denise Ippolito, Brent Bridges, Mary Anderson, and yours truly had our fill of portraits, I switched out the 1.4X TC for the 2X TC and moved in for a tight head shot. When the bird yawned, I got the active sensor on the lower mandible and created two frames. The first one, above, was the sharpest. Variety is the spice of bird photography.


yellow-crowned-night-heron-yawning-_y7o0797-fort-desoto-park-st-petersburg-fl

This image was created at Fort DeSoto with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/320 sec. at f/11 in Manual Av mode. AWB.

Central Sensor/AI Servo-Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. When you add the 2X TC to an f/4 lens with the 1DX or the 5D III hit the MFn button once to toggle to AF Expand and enjoy 4 extra AF sensors. Learn everything there is to know about the 1D X and 5D III AF systems including how to manage the various AF Area Selection Modes, when to use which one, and several ways to move the AF sensor around in the 1D X AF Guide and the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. .

Your Favorite?

Which of the two images above is the strongest? Please leave a comment and let us know why as well.

Fort DeSoto Site Guide

The Fort DeSoto Site Guide describes several locations where you can look for today’s featured species. I had checked this spot in the morning for naught, but in the afternoon the second time was the charm. You can get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide here. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here.

Used Nikon Super-Telephoto Lens for Sale

Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF Lens

The first is a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF lens for $5999.00. This lens sells new from B&H for $8999.00. The price includes UPS insured Ground shipping to the continental US. The lens comes with just about everything that came with the original purchase including the lens trunk, monopod collar, front lens cover, rear lens cap, slip on HK 33 Lens Hood, Slip-in Filter Holder, 52mm screw-in NC Filter, and LN – 1 Strap. The lens is in excellent condition with some minor blemishes and scratches on the exterior body and lens hood. Photos upon request. Potential buyers can contact Kitty via e-mail or by phone: 610-995-2339. Your check must clear before the lens is shipped.

The 400 f/2.8 is superb for large mammals, for birds at close range, and for work at bird feeders. Priced at $3,000 less than new this one should sell quickly.

Used Canon Gear for Sale

Used Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens for Sale/Price Reduced $100!

Multiple IPT veteran Bill Wingfield is offering a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $1325! The glass is clean and the lens is in perfect working condition. The sale includes the lens hood, the fabric case, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

For more than a decade I used the 100-400 to create hundreds of sharp, sale-able image. It is a very versatile lens.

You can reach Bill via e-mail or by phone at 843-729-6670.

Used Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS Lens for Sale

Multiple IPT veteran, the too-kind Jim Bicket, is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $8750. The lens is like new except for some wear on the bottom of the lens hood near the forward edge when the hood is reversed. The sales includes the LensCoat that has protected the lens since day 1, the leather hood, the original hard case and key, and insured shipping via UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped only after your check clears.

This great lens, my favorite for 3 years, sells new at B&H for $13,999.00. A month ago B&H was offering one in mint condition for a ridiculous $10,249.90; it sold overnight. Go figure. Jim’s lens will save you a ton of dough and you will have a great lens with lots of reach.

Interested folks can contact Jim via e-mail or try him at 501-915-9336.

This sale will be made through BAA. Please call Jim at 863-221-2372 (weekdays) or shoot me an if you have any questions.

Used EOS-5D Mark II for Sale/Price Reduced $100!

Doug Bolt’s 400 DO sold early last week. Doug is offering a used EOS-5D Mark II in very good to excellent condition for $1099! There is a shallow scratch on the body and a faint smudge on the top LCD. The sale includes a RRS L-plate, an off-brand vertical grip, and the original box and all the stuff that came in it. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great body for flowers and landscapes. Mine saved me on a Southern Oceans cruise when I trashed two EOS-1D Mark IV bodies in a rainstorm; it was a great back-up camera body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for a link to photos of the camera and for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

Used Canon EOS-7D for Sale

Doug Bolt loves his 5D Mark III so much that he is also offering a used EOS-7D camera body for $799. The sale includes a RRS camera body plate. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great starter body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

8 comments to Teleconverter Versatility

  • For me definitely the 2nd image, why? Intimacy.. The close up, the head angle, open mouth and the overall great detail, makes the viewer into a new level of information!

    P.S: A few days ago, you`ve suggested to join the UK Puffins IPT, and just to say i would really enjoy doing it, but the lack of time(€€) forces me to wait for better days.

    Thanks once more.

  • avatar David Policansky

    Hi, Artie. Now you have a full major-league baseball season’s worth of consecutive blogposts. You’re the Iron Man of educational photography blog posts! Congratulations and thank you. I like the second image better for its clarity, sharpness, and interest to me.

  • avatar Ted Willcox

    I like the head portrait best, more exciting, for me.

  • Both shots are excellent. By itself the first shot of bird in midstride is strong for movement alone. One can visualize seconds before and after as this bird majestically strode along his way. What really makes this shot is the bird’s attitude. Tilt of head and open beak gives personality to the shot. The strength of this shot is in the head.
    And it is the close-up, second shot that takes bird personality to a new high. Head is tilted more toward camera, and the mouth is much more open. It shows an interesting red tinge in that mouth which draws my eye to the analagous orange-red of the bird’s eye. Rhythm goes from left to right which is also a plus. And this bird’s eye is more vibrant than the one in the first shot.
    The eyes have it. My vote goes to the to #2…by a beak! 😉

  • avatar Gary Axten

    Both good images, I think I prefer the first the mouth open while walking seems unusual and the setting is nice.

    As for the exposure I guess the background is lighter?

    Why do you turn the camera off when changing TCs? I don’t think I ever have done.

    I want to say that I like the bill posted as is without excessive cleaning but then I fully expect you to post a before image of a filthy bill 😉

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Background is pretty much the same. See my answer to Andy below. Turning the camera off cuts way down on sensor dust problems…. Yes, there was some bill clean-up in both images.

  • avatar Andy

    Both sweet images, but I’d take the close shot if I had to chose. This shot nicely captures the energy of this bird. Love the head angle , nice view of the inside of the mouth and that very cool feather on the back of the head. Once question: Why is the exposure so different? I understand f11 for more DOF in the tighter shot, but I’d expect a slower SS or higher ISO (unless the light increased of course). Thanks for these blogs.
    I always look forward to them and I use your B&H link:)

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      YAW & thanks for using our links. Those who do keep me going. The exposure is different because in the 1st image the bird was in the shade; in the 2nd image the bird was in the sun :). artie