Your Call/My Call
Which of today’s featured images do you like best? Why?
In the recent Head Hunting with the Sony 400-800G OSS Zoom Lens blog post here, my top pick was 4B, the Osprey staring down the lens barrel with its windblown crest. It was of course the consensus favorite. My second choice was the young caracara for the amazing bill colors.
What’s Up?
On Saturday morning, I photographed the same crane pair that is featured in today’s blog post with my 200-600. On Sunday morning, I went to the 400-800 with the 1.4X teleconverter and was able to get out of the car and onto the ground with some Cattle Egrets in early morning light. I finished packing and by 3:15PM Jim and I left ILE. He dropped me off at an airport hotel for my 7:00am Monday morning flight to Seattle. If all goes according to schedule, I should be picking up my mega-SUV at the Anchorage Airport at about 5pm. I am sharing a room that night with Kevin Hice. We are meeting up with Brian “The Mailman” Bower and will all be driving down to Homer on Tuesday. Both Kevin and Brian have been to Homer with me before.
After that for us will be two days of songbirds and five days of Bald Eagles. That will be followed by five more days of eagles for me and the second Homer group. If you would like to join me on one or both Homer IPTs in FEB 2027, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Today is Monday 9 February 2026 and I will be in the air most of the day. I will spend many hours working on cleaning space on my laptop. I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you have fun too. And please remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com (and as discussed in depth here recently).
If an item — a Delkin flash card or reader, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate or low foot — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match or beat any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedford by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BirdPhotographer’s.Net, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but using my affiliate links is greatly appreciated. And, with B&H, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Using either my affiliate links is greatly appreciated and will often earn you free guides or discounts. To receive a free guide or free entry into a Sony Set-up and Info Notes e-Mail group, you need to shoot me your receipt via e-mail. The B&H receipts need to include the order number.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can always use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase when your product ships. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or prior purchases.
You can visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
|
|
This image was created on 6 February 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home. Seated in the driver’s seat of my X5 and shooting over the top of my 400-800 on the BLUBB, I used the iPhone Pro Max back triple camera. Focal length: 16.9mm. Exposure Compensation: -1.6 stops. ISO 50. 1/620 sec. at f/2.8. AWB at 7:45:42am on a sunny morning. Image 1: Sandhill Crane adult head preening in the shadows |
Working the Shadows
The big dark shadow at the bottom of the frame was from my vehicle. You can even see the sun shining through the driver’s side window just below and to the left of the crane. The shadows beyond the crane were from two tall palm tree behind me. It is those shadows that got me excited. But I needed a plan!
Part of the plan was to shoot from as low a perspective as possible by lowering the window on which the BLUBB rested. Why? To place the crane’s heads against complete shadow. Keep reading to learn the rest of my plan.
|
|
This image was also created on 6 February 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home. Still seated seated in the driver’s seat of my X5, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 1120mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 3200: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:40:15am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image 2: Sandhill Crane adult preening/black background |
Going Long to Get the Job Done
After I made a few images at 800mm, I realized that I needed more reach if I wanted some pure black backgrounds. If I had moved my car closer, the shadow of my vehicle would have covered the crane’s face and head. So, I stayed where I was and added the 1.4X teleconverter to give me 1120mm of reach (22.4X magnification). By working just off sun angle (as you can see in Image #1), I had no problem lining up the bird’s heads with the shadows on the ground. Yes, there was a pair of cranes preening; they were just north of the hill by the parking circle near the base of the pier.
|
|
This image was also created on 6 February 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home. Still seated seated in the driver’s seat of my X5, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 1120mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2500: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7::43:46am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image 3: Sandhill Crane adult head portrait/black background |
The Inquisitive Pose
I love the raised crest and the curious look and pose in this image. I think that this is the female and that the bird in Image #2 is “Stumpy,” the male with the club foot.
|
|
This image was also created on 6 February 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home. Still seated seated in the driver’s seat of my X5, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 10088mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2500: 1/2000 sec. at f/11 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:59:13am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image 4: Sandhill Crane adult calling/gold background
|
The Golden Background
When another pair landed somewhere within earshot and began calling, the two birds I had been working moved a bit north out of the shadows and each began to vocalize. Their rattling bugling calls can be heard up to 2 1/2 miles away and are given on the ground as well as in flight.
I used two Linear Gradient ACR Masks to lighten the golden tones, one from the top and one from the bottom. I subtracted the subject from each before working on the tonality of the masked area. All as detailed in the Digital Basics IV Video Series.
The 400-800 at 1120mm!
The more that I use the 400-800 the more I am astounded by its versatility, reach, and sharpness. And the sharpness of the images made at 1120mm with the 1.4X teleconverter on sunny days is 100% amazing.
The BIRDS AS ART SONY 400-800mm f/6.3-9 G Super-telephoto Zoom Lens Guide
When I borrowed this lens from Sony, I assumed that at 5.45 pounds it was too heavy to handhold for long and that at f/8 at the long end (800mm,) it was too slow for most bird photography applications. In short, I did not want to like the lens. After a month of using it, I cannot live without it. After returning the loaner, I was miraculously able to get my own from Bedfords on 16 April 2025. In this guide I share everything that I have learned about using the 400-800. For best results, you need to know exactly what you are doing to get the most out of this zoom lens. It would be best, therefore, to consider and study the material in the guide so that you can begin making great images with your new lens.
You will learn how to deal with the relatively show apertures: f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8 when working in Manual mode.
You will learn how to ensure that you are working at the widest aperture by working in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO.
If you are able to hand hold the lens, you will learn proper hand holding techniques.
If you can’t, you will learn when, why, and how to employ other options. Those include:
1- The knee-pod, heel-pod, and toe-pod techniques
2- Using the lens on a monopod.
3- The best lens plate and low foot for your 4-8.
4- The best tripod and head for the 4-8 and how best to utilize them.
5- How to use the lens from your vehicle while supporting it on a BLUBB (or not and why not).
6- Detailed instructions on how to set and use the lens controls and buttons:
a- AF/MF
b- DMF Switch
c- Limit Range Switch
d- OSS (Optical Steady Shot) Switch
e- OSS Mode Switch
f- Focus Hold Buttons
The guide also includes a Hand Holding Shutter Speed Primer and an illustrative, educational, and inspiring 67-image gallery.
Free to folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their Sony 400-800 G lens. Otherwise, please send a PayPal for $115.43 to birdsasart@verizon.net and include the words “400-800 Lens Guide” in your e-mail.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Brilliant use of many tools in the toolbox.
Artie I really like the scissor preening in image 2 and the head angle in image 3, they are tack sharp and the black background makes the subjects pop.