Your Call?
Which two of today’s nine featured images are your favorites? Why did you make your choices?
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post, I asked “What was my big mistake?” The first to comment was new BIRDS AS ART friend Steve Baglione. He nailed the answer eloquently when he left this comment:
Artie, I think the rookie mistake is that you shot in APS-C crop mode at an effective focal length already attainable with the lens in full frame mode?
Not wanting to spoil everyone else’s fun, I left a comment designed to throw others off course:
Thanks, Steve, Are you sure, or could it have been something else? with love, artie
That fooled several folks. But multiple IPT vet Chris Loffredo saw through the scam and wrote:
Nice image Artie. Why were you in APS-C Mode and zoomed wide at near 400m. I use APS-C Mode a lot (quick button press) and sometimes forget to turn it off. Maybe Im not the only one?
So yes, Sandra, I screwed up and lost a ton of pixels due to my carelessness.
Summary
Though I have been using the small and ridiculously light Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) only for five days, I am sure that it will change the world of bird photography by leaps and bounds as it has already proven to be deadly sharp with either teleconverter, including the 2X! Not to mention that it is a dream to handhold.
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What’s Up?
Yes, I am posting more often as I have much to share: more on the 600mm f/6.3 (including a great Arash Hazeghi kestrel flight shot at 840mm handheld!), more rainbow images (with more on working the subject, Will’s great images from DeSoto, my best photos from Thursday and Friday at DeSoto, and my thoughts and the basic info on the Sony a7R VI Mirrorless Camera (mine arrives today!).
It’s been sunny with a north or NW wind the last two mornings and those conditions make things difficult. Nonetheless, I have been out every morning testing the new lens extensively. Yesterday, I used four different lenses while working from my vehicle!
Today is Thursday 22 October 2026. The forecast is calling for clear and cool again with a NW breeze. I will be heading down to the lake very early in hopes of getting some good stuff before the wind picks up. Whatever you opt to do today, I hope you choose to have fun and enjoy life. Please remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie – The Work.Com
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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.
Gemini
General information, copy editing, re-crafting, technical refinement, and formatting for this blog post were assisted by Gemini AI.
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This image was created on 17 October 2026 somewhere in California by my longtime friend, co-author of the flight guide, Arash Hazeghi. He used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1600: 1/4000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:52:09pm on a sunny afternoon. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #1: American Kestrel adult female in flight — full downstroke |
Arash Surprised at 840mm at f/9!
In addition to being one of the world’s premier flight photographers, good friend Arash Hazeghi is a pixel peeping sharpness freak. He examines his raw files at 100% on a large, quality monitor. Like me he purchased the Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) mostly out of curiosity — could a relatively small, ridiculously light 600mm lens be any good? At f/6.3, could flight photography with the 1.4X TC at 840mm/f/9 be viable? Right after receiving the tiny lens, he photographed some raptors in flight with the lens and the TC and was truly amazed by the results. His lady kestrel image above was the best of the lot.
Arash on Monitors
Arash has been using an LG OLED Pro Monitor for year and loves it. It is no longer being made. Today, he suggests either of these:
ASUS ProArt OLED PA32UCDMR-K 31.5″ 4K HDR 240 Hz Monitor with Color Calibrator ($1899.00)
Apple 27″ Studio Display XDR (Nano-Texture Glass, Tilt- and Height-Adjustable Stand) ($3,519.99)
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This image was created on 18 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouching a bit to improve the background, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 2500: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:04:56am on a then mostly sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane — adult head and neck portrait with bill open |
Ease of Handling
It is one thing to know this compact, lightweight super-telephoto lens handles like a dream, but you only fully appreciate it once you start photographing birds in the field with it.
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This image was also created on 18 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again, crouching a bit to improve the background, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 2500: 1/1600 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:10:58am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane — adult head and neck portrait with bill open |
Improved Image Designs
I’ve never had the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS lens (4 lbs. 8 oz.) on a tripod. And I almost always handhold the Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (6 lbs., 0.1 oz.).
But keeping either of these lenses rock-steady on static subjects is a challenge. My framing tends to drift, leading to what I like to call compositional bracketing . I usually manage to create a perfect frame or two.
Enter the featherweight Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS. Thanks to its incredibly compact build and remarkably lightweight design, maintaining rock-solid compositions becomes child’s play, even at age 80 :-).
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This image was also created on 18 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 2000: 1/5000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:32:06am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #4: Great Egret perched on moss-covered tree along the North Canal — partially backlit |
The Single Constant
No matter what system or lens you are using, you must be able to read the light and see the shot if you want to create dramatically different images. I kept changing my perspective here in order to place the subject’s bill against a solid black background. Again, the small size and light weight of the Sony 600mm f/6.3 made doing so easy. No tripod. No heavy lens to deal with.
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This image was created on 19 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 2500: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:48:38am on a dark, cloudy, drizzly morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #5: Sandhill Crane adult stretching wing on the South Peninsula |
Answering the Obvious Image Design Question
“OK Artie, I don’t like that you were shooting down at this bird. Why didn’t you get lower to improve the image?”
There are two answers: the first paramount, the second practical.
1- Getting even a bit lower would have brought the distant horizon line of the South Canal into the frame, bisecting the crane and ruining the image.
2- I wasn’t wearing my rain pants and didn’t want to get my butt wet!
Note: if I had gotten my rig right down on the (wet) ground, that might have eliminate the horizon line problem but in any case, I would not have liked the distant tree background.
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This image was created on 20 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height on the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1250. 1/5000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 88:10:06 am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #6: Cattle Egret in flight — full downstroke |
The Ideal Walk-Around Super-telephoto Lens
On Tuesday, I took my first walk on the pier with the new lens. The experience was pretty much like taking a walk without a lens! I had the 1.4X TC in my pocket. Reading the wind and the light alerted me to the flight possibilities as I walked out towards the end of the pier. Sign me up! Please remember to use one of my affiliate links to earn a free copy of my next BAA Lens Guide. If you are unsure about using one of my links, or have questions about using my links and possibly saving some money, please get in touch via e-mail.
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This image was created on 21 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1600: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:38:35am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #7: Black Vulture in flight — wings up |
The 600mm f/6.3 as a Flight Lens
Despite limited flight opportunities right now at ILE, I am 100% sure that the bare lens will prove to be a superb flight lens on bright days and, with the 1.4X teleconverter, on sunny days (as with Image #1). Black Vultures are challenging flight subjects as they have black eyes on black faces; the AF system does not have a lot of contrast to work with. The amazing Sony a-1 ii handled the situation easily.
Note: with relatively slow lenses like the 400-800 and the 600 f/6.3, the fact that the a-1 ii handles high ISO noise so beautifully let me work up to ISO 2500 without any concerns at all. And my double noise reduction technique does not hurt either.
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This image was also created on 21 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height on the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1600: 1/1600 sec. at f/13 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52:34am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #8: Turkey Vulture adult head and neck portrait |
On My Second Pier Walk
The next day I walked the pier with both TC in my Lowepro Trekker Lite HP 100 Fanny Pack. Why bring the 2X? I was pretty sure that with good technique, making super-sharp images would not be a problem. I was right!
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This image was also created on 21 October 2026 by yours truly down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again, standing at full height on the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/6.3 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1600: 1/1000 sec. at f/13 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:59:59am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger high-res version. Image #9: Anhinga head and neck portrait |
The Handhold-able Super-sharp Sony 1200mm f/13 Lens
Yes boys, and girls, f/13! On sunny days, handholding this combo is a piece of cake. It is best to set the OSS mode switch to 1 (for static subjects) and then remember to set it back to 3 when photographing birds in motion. That said, the new lens with the 2X TC is not a viable combination for shooting birds in flight.
And yes, this image is incredibly sharp.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I have to agree with Steve and Thomas about image #4. It’s the one I would put on the wall.
Interesting to see your and Arash’s thoughts on the 600/6.3
After looking at my first photos from the A7R6 & 600/6.3 combo on my PC I thought “They will pry this kit from my cold dead hands.” I’ve only had it a few days and shot around my Illinois backyard in late afternoon.
Artie
Hey my brother from another mother 🙂 you have 2 #2’s with the head neck bill open…lol you messed up!
I love #4 it gives me a nice kinda eery feeling of wow sorta mystical.
Always with love b
First place image number 4 for the lighting and the environment included. Second place goes to Arash’s kestrel for the light, clean background, and wing positioning. It helps that I like kestrels.
Artie, I like #4, as we too often try to get the tight shots, but the wider view often tells a better story. And a close second for me is the cattle egret. An overlooked species in my opinion. I will have to test that 600 out next month.
Artie,
No other image holds a candle to #4. Stunning!