Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens: First Impressions and First Two Keepers

The Streak Continues: 353

On Monday, day one of the “Bird Photography” video project that is being created by the Canon Digital Learning Center, everyone worked long and hard to complete six of the needed seven educational segments. As we were concentrating on creating educational content and getting it on tape, several decent photographic opportunities needed to be bypassed; when we returned to the refuge at about 1:30pm there were about 20,000 white geese in the main impoundment with dozens every minute braking in flight and landing right next to the road into the perfect southwest wind. They were so close to the photographers that you could have killed them with a hand held 70-200 and a 1.4X III TC (or with a 7D II). It killed me to drive by that situation as south winds are so rare at Bosque, but a deal is a deal and we needed to create three more educational segments that afternoon. Jeez, I almost forgot to mention that lots of single Snow and Ross’s Geese were floating in perfectly still blue water along with their mirror-image reflections…. As I say, you gotta love it.

As part of the deal, the video and sound crew will follow me around on Tuesday morning while I visit my favorite early morning spots and actually getting to do some serious bird photography. Both video cameras will be hand held and most of what we create tomorrow will be done in an over-the shoulder, documentary style. Once the light gets too harsh for good photography we will create the seventh and final segment, “What’s in the Gear Bag?” We have affectionately been referring to that as “The Junk in the Trunk.”

Everyone in the crew is as nice as could be and is incredibly professional. And that goes double for project director Jem Schofield whose most difficult task has been keeping me in line!

My plan for this morning is to use the 100-400 II/7D Mark II combo as much as possible, and I hope, of course, to be sharing some more 100-400 II images with y’all here soon. This blog post, the 353rd in a row, took about 2 hours to prepare. It was published from my hotel room in Socorro, NM at 3:51am, same as yesterday.

E-mail Problems

Please be aware that I am having att e-mail problems and at present am not able to send or receive e-mails at my samandmayasgrandpa address. In addition, I am unable to access my ATT via webmail. I will be calling them after we wrap things up this afternoon.

Fire in the Mist Fizzles…

Though conditions seemed perfect on Monday morning–it was a toasty 14 degrees at 6:00am yesterday, the mist dissipated as it got closer to sunrise. My prediction was close but no cigar.

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This image was created on the late afternoon of November 17th while working on the seven-segment “Bird Photography” project that is being created by the Canon Digital Learning Center. I used a pre-production beta version of the new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (hand held at 146mm), and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1 in Av mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

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

Thanks to Rudy Winston and the rest of the gang at Canon USA for allowing me to get my hands on a pre-production beta version of the new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Though a bit heavier than the original 1-4, the version II is a bit smaller, less bulky, and less clunky than its predecessor and with the twist zoom, it handles like a dream. Unlike the 200-400 with Internal Extender, you can zoom throughout the entire focal length range easily with a single twist of the wrist. As we spent pretty much all of the day creating educational comment there was little time for actual bird photography until very late in the day. So I grabbed the new lens, put on my 7D Mark II, and quickly added a 1.4X TC. As you can see from the shooting data, adding the TC was not at all necessary for either of today’s images. But I was very impressed with the speed of initial AF acquisition both with the lens alone and with a 1.4X III TC in place.

This image was also created on the late afternoon of November 17th while working on the seven-segment “Bird Photography” project that is being created by the Canon Digital Learning Center. I used a pre-production beta version of the new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (hand held at 156mm), and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/7.1 in Av mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the geese and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

A 100-400 II Plus for Hand Holding

The tripod collar, which allows the lens to rotate in a super-smooth manner, is not removable. But the lens foot, to which the lens plate is attached, is detachable. It can be removed by twisting a single large screw. This lightens the weight of the rig by several ounces making hand holding that much easier. The new lens balances nicely with the 7D Mark II. BTW, the Wimberley P-20 plate is ideal for the 100-400 II as it is for most intermediate telephoto lenses. The flange keeps the plate from rotating. I do not see a big need for a low foot for the new lens.

IPT Updates

Would you like to visit some of the great bird photography locations on the planet? Would you like to learn from the best? Click here and join us.

Card and design by Denise Ippolito. Scroll down here to see lots more of Denise’s Palouse images.

Palouse #1. The Palouse A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. May 29-June 2, 2015/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12 photographers/Openings: 1.

With two recent cancellations, we still have one opening on this long sold out trip. See item next for additional details.

Card and design by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.

The Palouse A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. June 5-9, 2015/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12 photographers/Openings 2.

Rolling farmlands provide a magical patchwork of textures and colors, especially when viewed from the top of Steptoe Butte where we will likely enjoy spectacular sunrises and possibly a nice sunset or two. We will photograph grand landscapes and mini-scenics of the rolling hills and farm fields. We will take you to some really neat old abandoned barns and farmhouses in idyllic settings. There is no better way to improve your compositional and image design skills and to develop your creativity than to join us for this trip. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Photoshop and image sharing sessions when we have the time and energy…. We get up early and stay out late and the days are long.

After 6 days of back-breaking scouting work in early June 2014 we found all of the iconic locations and, in addition, lots of spectacular new old barns and breath-taking landforms and views. We will teach you what makes one situation prime and another seemingly similar one a waste of your time.

What’s included: In-the-field instruction, guidance, lessons, and inspiration, our newfound but very extensive knowledge of the area, all lunches, motel lobby breakfasts, and Photoshop and image sharing sessions when possible.

You will learn and hone both basic and advanced compositional and image design skills. You will learn to get the right exposure every time. You will learn to develop your creative eye. You will learn the basics of HDR (high dynamic range) photography. You will learn a variety of in-camera creative techniques; Canon 5D Mark III bodies are a plus. And most importantly you will learn to see the situation and to create a variety of top-notch images. Do see both of our blogs for lots more on that in the coming weeks. You will learn how the quality and direction of light combine to determine the success of your images. And–please don’t gasp–we will be working quite a bit with sidelight when creating landscapes. Lastly, we will be touching on infrared photography.

A non-refundable $699 deposit is due now. The balance will be due on January 29, 2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

With the unpredictable nature of the photography business, I have not said this often lately, but it seems quite likely that this one will fill up very quickly. Please let me know via e-mail that you will be joining us. Then you can either call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 during business hours or send us a check; the latter is preferred.

Please send your deposit check made out to “Arthur Morris” to us at Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. You can also contact denise via e-mail here

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