Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Stuff

All in all we had a great first day on Cayman Brac. Photography was difficult. We traversed jagged limestone cliffs with treacherous footing. It was so windy when I created today’s featured image that I was lucky to get one centered in the frame. The coast ran east/west so getting on perfect sun angle was close to impossible. Photographing the dark brown and gleaming white birds in bright, usually off-angled light was a huge challenge. And most of the nest sites were in sheltered or cluttered locations. But heck, it was only the first day and yet, we all made some great images. The birds, especially the males in breeding plumage, are gorgeous.

As often happens, a major screw-up led to some really good photographs and a ton of learning on my part. I will share some of that with you here today and some more in future blog posts. Exhausted from the previous day’s travel I took a long midday nap. After visiting the cliffs in the morning we visited some beach-nesting boobies with chicks in the afternoon. The beach was paved with small limestone boulders and big chunks of coral but still, the going was easier than it had been in the morning. At the last spot we visited there was a bird with a large chick and a nest-building pair that provided lots of action. Both of these situations were pretty much wide open.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred ninety-three days in a row with a new educational blog post! I started work on this blog post on Thursday afternoon and finished and published it just before 4:45am on Friday. In all, this one took about 75 minutes to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens (the “old five”)

Sold Instantly!

Gary Meyer is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for the really great and lowest ever BAA price of $3458.00. The sale includes the original box, the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the tough front lens cover, a Canon EF Extender 1.4X III, a Canon EF Extender 2X III (both with the original boxes and pouches and both in mint condition) 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 Gary via e-mail or by phone or text at 1-612-221-0150 (Central time).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you don’t have the cash for the 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. With the new 500 II selling for $8,999 you can save a bundle by grabbing Gary’s nearly perfect lens at a great low price along with two almost brand new Series III TCs! It is the condition of all the gear and the extras that makes this offering special. artie

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 my first morning on Cayman Brac with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) with the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850. ISO 800. Matrix metering at about +1.3 stops off the blue sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 was a big over-exposure … Learn why below. D-25 shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. AF micro-adjustment: -1. Brown Booby, breeding plumage male

Screwing Up (and then learning a ton) in a Very Challenging Situation …

I risked life and limb just to get anywhere near sun angle. Had I moved one more inch to the right to get the sun directly behind me, I would have been in the ocean and on the rocks about 150 feet below. And try as I might, I could not get tall enough to eliminate the few scraggly branches at the bottom of the frame. But still, it was a gorgeous bird.

After my test frame, the image looked very bright on my rear LCD but there were no blinkies. This same situation persisted throughout the morning, but i trusted the blinkies. When I started reviewing my images in Photo Mechanic, I saw tons of blasting blinkies. I was baffled as I had previously set up the camera so that highlight alert was working on the small JPEG in the view with both the luminosity and the three RGB histograms. So I put the card back in the camera and found that blinkies on the small JPEG had been mysteriously turned off. Heck, I do not even know how to turn them off. So, I turned them back on as Krishna Prasad Kotti had previously taught me to do: as long as you have highlight alert turned on, you can turn the blinkies on in the small JPEG as described above by pressing the minus magnify button and then pressing the right arrow. I did that and the blinkies re-appeared. Lots of big blinkies.

Krishna: the only thing done differently was that I added the grip to get to 9fps. Do you have any idea how blinkies on the small JPEG might have gotten turned off? (I forgot to note that they were working during our pre-dawn landscape session so it could not have been the grip …)

In any case, that screw-up enabled me to learn that the D-850 has tremendous dynamic range. With today’s featured image I was easily able to restore the blown highlights by first moving the Exposure slider to the left and then doing the same with the Highlight slider (all in ACR). With my best flight image, the WHITEs were so badly blown that that approach did not work. But I did come up with a new solution, one that I will share with you here soon.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

Thanks for all the kind words and condolences on the loss of my younger sister, Arna Lee Morris. (My Mom saw the name “Arna Lee” on a HS girls jacket in Marine Park in Brooklyn many decades ago …) I finally got around to packing for my trip to Cayman Brac on Tuesday afternoon and finished that chore at 4:15am on Wednesday, 7 FEB. Again I enjoyed a cold 1/2 mile plus swim late in the day. There are still two openings on the spoonbill IPT. Click here for complete info. If anyone would like to join me shooting spoonbills for 1 1/2 days, February 19 (full day) and February 20 (morning session only), please get in touch via e-mail.

Today I fly to Miami, Grand Cayman, and Cayman Brac for a week of photographing nesting Brown Boobies.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred ninety-one days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about three hours to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 the next to last day of my three week San Diego visit. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens (at 120mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850. Matrix metering at zero: 1/60 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB in the shade at 10:32am. f-9 shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. Please click on the image to enjoy a larger version. underside of leaf of ornamental plant

Called By a Big Leaf … But only for three weeks!

I first walked through the breezeway on the way to my room at my San Diego hotel room on the afternoon of January 12th. I noted a big ornamental plant with really cool leaves and thought, “There is one leaf that is really pretty; I should photograph it.” Every time I walked past the plant I thought the same thing. On the afternoon of the last full day of my trip Lee Sommie and I got back to the room early after our morning session but we were both dead tired. None-the-less, I knew that if I did not grab my D-850 and my 24-120 that I would never make any images of that single leaf. So I did. I had been mentioning the leaf to Lee for a week; when he learned that I had summoned the energy to actually make some images he was amazed. I actually spent about 30 minutes experimenting. I photographed the top of the leaf, somewhat front lit, and then sat in wet dirt to photograph the underside of the leaf, somewhat backlit.

For the most part, I worked hard at creating complete pattern images by filling the frame with the leaf. With no borders and nothing distracting on the edges. In other words, nothing but the leaf. I created about 80 images in all and kept only two. One top shot where the leaf filled the frame completely, and today’s featured image of the underside of the leaf. Note: all of the images included some sort of diagonal.

The Questions of the Day

• 1- Do you like the inclusion of the tiny triangular shape in the upper left corner? Why or why not?
• 2- Why did I opt to work at 1/60 sec. at f/11 while hand holding, i.e., why did I need extra depth of field?

Initial Thoughts on the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Lens

This Nikon 24-120mm replaces my beloved Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens. Either way, don’t leave home without it! Short zooms like these can be used to create a great variety of B-roll images. Bird-scapes, scenics, Urbex, detailed mini-landscapes, people and photographers, and quasi-macros like today’s featured image. And tons more. My initial impression is that the Nikon 24-120 is a lot sharper than my old Canon 24-105mm.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

On Sunday morning I micro-adjusted my two Nikon bodies with the 200-500. I used my LensAlign Mark II set-up. Once that is done both Nikon bodies do the grunt work automatically by comparing the Live View focus with the phase detection AF that we use most of the time. This results in a savings of literally hours of work. To confirm my results I went to FocusTune and ran an AFC test that did just that. There will be a free tutorial on micro-adjusting the D5 and the D-850 coming soon. Right after lunch I micro-adjusted my 24-120mm. I was hoping that it would cloud up later in the afternoon and it did just that so I was able to head outside, set up my lighting gear and the LensAlign Mark II target, and adjust both bodies with the NIKON TCE 14 at 700mm. I will relive the whole experience in a coming blog post.

I enjoyed a cold 1/2 mile plus swim late in the day.

I was glad to learn very recently of the following:

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman sold his Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-excellent condition for $8800, his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in like-new condition for $1250, his Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift lens in like-new condition for $1250, two 1.4X II and two 2X III TCs in excellent condition for $285 each, and two Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR camera bodies in excellent to like-new condition, each for $2550. All within two days of being listed.
Gerald Barrack sold his Canon EOS 5D Mark III digital camera body (with extras) in excellent to near-mint condition for $1,200.00 in mid-January.
Steve Ellis sold a his AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR lens in near-mint condition for $1499 in mid-January.

There are two openings on the spoonbill IPT. Click here for complete info. If anyone would like to join me shooting spoonbills for 1 1/2 days, February 19 (full day) and February 20 (morning session only), please get in touch via e-mail.

Today I unpack the big box that I sent from San Diego and will get started on getting my fire sale gear to the proper buyers once their checks have cleared.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred eighty-nine days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about two hours to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens (the “old five”) with extras!

Price reduced $100 on 4 FEB 2018.

Greg Morris is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $3600 (was $3700). The lens was cleaned and checked by Canon in December 2017 and the lens mount was replaced. The sale includes a Canon Extender EF 1.4X II, a Canon Extender EF 2X II (both in like new condition with caps and pouches), the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the leather front lens cover, 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 Greg via or e-mail by phone at 1-580-678-5929 (Central time).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you don’t have the cash for the 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. With the new 500 II selling for $8,999 you can save a neat $5299.00 by grabbing Greg’s lens (plus the two TCs!) artie

ps: The Series II TCs work perfectly well with the older super telephoto lenses; the series III TCs are best when working with the newer Series II lenses.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 the afternoon of January 26 on the 2nd San Diego IPT with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 480mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering: 1/1200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was about zero EC as framed. AWB at 3:40pm in late afternoon light. d-9/Shutter Button AF with the AF points on the pelican’s face. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Brown Pelican, Pacific race, resting

My Nikon Exposure Confusion

Good Nikon Exposure Questions Left in Blog Post Comments

Jeff Friedhoffer

In the Trying to Explain … blog post here, blog regular Jeff Friedhoffer wrote on January 30, 2018 at 12:21 pm:

Artie, As usual a beautiful picture. Have a question about the picture captions. Why are you now writing “Matrix metering probably -1/3 stop as framed: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode”? The word “probably” did not occur in captions of Canon pix. What is the significance of “probably” is this context.

Thanks, Jeff

David Policansky

IPT veteran and blog regular David Policansky commented (in part) on the Scratching Perfection blog post here):

February 1, 2018 at 12:54 pm.

I do have a question, though. Since you’ve been using your new Nikon (gear), the words “about” and “probably” show up in your descriptions of the exposures you use. I don’t remember that you ever used those words when you were shooting Canon. Can you explain? David

The EXIF for today’s featured image Please click on the image so that you can read the fine print.

The EXIF for Today’s Featured Image

Note in the EXIF for today’s featured image that the +1.7 EC that I had been using that morning to create some pleasing blurs in S mode (Tv in Canon), was still in effect even though I was in Manual mode. Nikon folks need to get in the habit of setting the EC back to zero when switching from any automatic exposure mode back to Manual mode. Read more below. And learn.

My Promised Response

There are several reasons that I am not quite yet spot-on when commenting on the exposure compensations used to create my Nikon images. But there is a huge lesson at the end for everyone …

• 1-Matrix metering and exposure compensations (ECs) with Nikon are all new to me. Since I work in Manual mode about 90% of the time, and since Nikon (like Canon) does not show the actual EC in the EXIF, my exposure comments for now need to include the words “probably” or “about.” Things are slightly different with Nikon’s Matrix metering than with Canon’s evaluative metering and I am still learning the fine points.
• 2- With Nikon though my increments for everything exposure are set to 1/3 stop, the analogue scale reads in 1/6 stops. The analogue scale on the D5 show +/- three stops. On the D-850 the scale only shows +/- two stops. The latter is one of many things not to like about Nikon … More coming soon.
• 3- I did not realize at first that if you set an EC when working in an automatic mode that the Nikon bodies will apply that left-over EC when you are working in Manual mode! Canon does not work that way. Prior to creating this image I had been working in S (shutter priority with Nikon, Tv with Canon) and had set the EC to +1.7. So when I created today’s featured image I was confused by the fact that the analogue scale showed something close to -2 stops EC. With Canon I would have been somewhere close to zero EC. Why did I need close to -2 stops? Because I had to counteract the effect of the left over +1.7 EC … Once I realized that after the fact with this image, I realized that the same thing had been happening for days because I was often shooting high ISO flight in S mode in the pre-dawn with +1 EC set.

  Note: I have long stated that by enabling either EC or Auto ISO when working in Manual mode that the photographer gives up all the control that comes with working in Manual mode. I hate it 🙂

Over time as I become more familiar with Matrix metering and remember to put the EX back to zero, I will become as familiar with my new system as I was with my Canon gear and will be able to include more specific EC comments in the educational captions that accompany posted images.

The Huge Lesson for Everyone

At this point you should be asking, “How in the world did artie consistently come up with perfect exposures when he did not realize that the forgotten +1.7 or +1 ECs were affecting his exposures when he was working in Manual mode?”

The answer is a simple one: I determined my exposures by looking at the histogram and the blinkies … Just as I have been teaching everyone here to do for years. I will have lots more to say on the subject of comparing Nikon histograms with Canon histograms in future blog posts.

An ACR HSL/Grayscale Screen Capture

ACR HSL/Grayscale Tip

As I was exposing to prevent over-exposing the WHITEs (by checking the histogram and checking for blinkies) the BLUEs in today’s featured image were much too dark. To lighten only the BLUEs I went to the HSL/Grayscale tab during the RAW conversion in ACR, clicked on the Luminance tab, and moved the slider to +100.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

Sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-excellent condition for $8800. There are only minor signs of wear on the lens hood and most of the lens, and the glass is perfect. It has a couple of scratches in the paint on the top of the lens where it rubbed on the hip belt camera bag he uses. These are cosmetic only, do not affect the performance of the lens, and would be covered up by a LensCoat. The sale includes the lens hood, original product box, the lens trunk, the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, a CRX-5 Low Foot/Plate (a $122 value), and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

WMD: Weapon of Mass Destruction!

The 600 II is the state of the art super-telephoto for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports. When I cold get it to a location, it was my go to weapon for more than five years. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $11,499, you can save a cool $2,699.00 by grabbing Patrick’s lens right now. artie

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in like-new condition for $1250. The lens is in excellent condition, and was barely used. The glass is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, box, soft case that came with the lens, the front cover, the rear lens cap and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

I owned and used the 24-70II for several years. It is much sharper edge to edge than the lighter, more versatile Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens. I consider the 24-70II a must lens for serious landscape photographers. This lens currently sells new for $1749.00. artie

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens

Sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens in like-new condition for $699. The lens is in excellent condition, and was barely used. The glass is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, box, soft case that came with the lens, the front cover, the rear lens cap and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

The 16-35 is the Canon landscape photographer’s dream wide angle. artie

Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Lens

Sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Lens in like-new condition for $1250. The glass is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, box, soft case that came with the lens, the front cover, the rear lens cap and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

This specialized lens provides tilt-shift functions to control perspective and correct convergence of lines. It is especially useful in architecture, landscape, and product photography. The optical tilt mechanisms enable precise control of depth of field along with perspective control. The TS-E 24mm currently sells for $1,899.00 artie

Canon Extenders EF 2X III

All Sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering two used Canon Extender EF 2X III each in excellent condition for $285. The sale includes the the front and rear lens caps and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

As regular readers know, the 2X TCs were an integral part of my kit when I shot with Canon gear. artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera Bodies

Both sold!

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering two used Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR camera bodies in excellent to like-new condition, each for $2550. The sale includes three extra Canon batteries, the battery charger, the BG-E20 Battery Grip, at 128GB Lexar 1066 CF Card, the original product box, front lens cover, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

When I shot with Canon gear, my three 5D IV bodies were my favorites by a large margin offering superb image quality and an excellent AF system. artie

Stuff

Lee Sommie and I headed to the cliffs on Thursday morning and once again were amazed by the dearth of Pacific race Brown Pelicans. For the second day in a row, no pelicans came in. We headed down the hill to do some cormorants and at 8:20pm we headed to the airport, checked in and got rid of our bags (hopefully temporarily), returned the rental car to National, and took the bus back to Terminal 1. Lee and I are on the same flight to Orlando as I type. Jim should be picking me up a bit after 7pm.

I am far behind on e-mails though I have pretty much kept up with the Used Gear Page stuff. If you sent an e-mail that I missed, re-sending it now would be helpful. I shipped the 600 II from San Diego on Tuesday; the rest of the Canon cameras and lenses will arrive at ILE next Tuesday and we will do our best to ship it the next day if you paid by credit card or if your check has cleared.

Thanks to the folks who commented on the Scratching Perfection? blog post here.

On Friday and the coming weekend, I will, in addition to catching up on e-mails, be working on the Gatorland and DeSoto IPT and Master Class announcements as well. There are two openings on the spoonbill IPT. Click here for complete info. If anyone would like to join me shooting spoonbills for 1 1/2 days, February 19 (full day) and February 20 (morning session only), please get in touch via e-mail.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred eighty-six days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about 30 minutes to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 the last morning of the 2nd San Diego IPT with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering : 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was about zero EC as framed. AWB at 8:22am in early morning light. Group (grp)/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Western Gull, adult landing in front of breaking wave

Splash Landing

As mentioned previously on the blog, the morning of Wednesday, January 31, was inexplicably dismal for Pacific race Brown Pelicans. Not a single pelican landed at the traditional location at La Jolla. There were none on the cliffs when we arrived,two young birds flew by but did not land, and no others approached. It was a first for me in more than 25 years of visits. So we folded our tent early and headed down to the lower cliffs to check out the full action. We did well with Westerns, Ring-billed, and the gorgeous Heerman’s. It was good to see some of the dark, first-winter Heerman’s after the previous year’s catastrophic breeding season. In 2017 we did not see a single youngster of this species. We finished up doing head portraits of both Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants at a third cliff-side location.

The ACR RAW Conversion for today’s featured image

The ACR RAW Conversion for Today’s Featured Image

Though the rock the bird was landing on was sloped, I decided to rotate it 1.5 degrees just for the heck of it; it looked much better. But that left too little space above the bird and to the right. I added canvas using the expand with the Crop Tool method and ran John Haedo Content Aware Fill (Shift + Delete) after going Select > Modify > Expand: 10 pixels. As expected, that added a good deal of an extra wing to the top of the frame. I covered that with a Quick Mask that was lightened to match the surrounding tonality by pulling up the Curve on that layer (Command + M). Then I added a Regular Layer Mask and refined the Quick Mask. Perfect. Some of the background wave looked a bit lumpy so I put the whole image on a new layer (command + J), ran a 30 pixel Gaussian blur, added an Inverse (Black or Hide-all) Mask, and using a large, soft brush, painted in the effect where needed be sure to steer well clear of the bird.

Next I did some Eye Doctor by painting a Quick Mask of the eye that included a small area of surrounding feathers and applying a Contrast Mask (Unsharp Mask at 15/65/0). Next was Tim Grey Dodge and Burn to darken the pupil and lighten the iris. Last I put the whole image on a layer ran Image > Auto Contrast and reduced the opacity to 40%. Thanks as always to Denise Ippolito for teaching me to try Auto Contrast, Auto Tone, and Auto Color and then to reduce the opacity to taste. Next I saved my master file as a TIFF and created my 1200 wide JPEG (sharpened at 110/.3/0). After creating your JPEG be sure to click No when they ask if you want to save changes to the file … If you click Yes you will have replaced your full sized master file with a relatively tiny JPEG!

Apologies to the many …

I am sorry to have to say that I created this image with my new Nikon gear and that the chance of me getting it sharp with my comparable Canon gear were about one in a thousand. I used to suck really at landing and take-off images. If I ever learn to zoom the right way with the 200-500 I will be even more dangerous than I am now.

Many folks have openly voiced the fact that they were disappointed, sad, upset, inconvenienced, angry, and lots more by my switch to Nikon. One mentioned that the days of my loaning out $10,000 Canon lenses (for free) to folks on IPTs were over.” I agreed. One blog regular wrote that she was marking my blog post notices as spam because all that I did was advertise. Many have been bitching about too much emphasis on the Canon versus Nikon wars. Please understand that I have no interest in which system folks consider to be best. My stance here is that whether you use Canon or Nikon gear it is the photographer holding the gear that creates the image, not the gear. It is what is in your heart, your soul, and your brain that matters. As I have stated, all that I have done is switch to a system that I believe offers the best tools for me at this point in my life. Please do not take it personally. 🙂

As always here, I have simply been sharing what gear I use and what I was thinking when creating a given image, commenting on getting the right exposure, letting folks know why I chose to design or process an image as I did. And I will continue to do just that. Whether I use white lenses or Dark Side gear will never change the fact that my goal here to to educate. And yes, to advertise. As regular folks know I put in about 14 or more hours each week to make the blog fun and informative. Every blog post is crammed with advertising. Come on an IPT. Please remember to use my B&H and Amazon links. Join BPN. Purchase this or that guide. Buy or sell your Used Photo Gear. Had I not figured out way to monetize the blog it simply would have never continued to exist. And trust me, it took quite some time to figure that out.

Many have assumed that from now on the blog will be all-Nikon as it was all-Canon since its inception. Rest assured that nothing could be further from the truth. In the past, I had knowledge of only one system. Soon I will master the second major (at least in North America) camera system. I have many hundreds of Canon images that I will be sharing with you in future blog posts. And I will surely stay abreast of everything Canon while I work hard at learning to best use my new Nikon stuff. As I have stated here more than a few times over the past few days it is not all wine and roses with the Nikon system. Both camera bodies share some major flaws that might or might not be deal breakers for many. I will be sharing my thoughts in this area with you here soon.

Those wishing to unsubscribe can do so by clicking on the Subscriptions tab on the orange/yellow tool bar at the top of each blog post. And new folks wishing to subscribe can do so in the same manner. Those who are interested in becoming better photographers regardless of the system they us are invited to stay with us for what will hopefully be a long and continuing journey of learning. For you and for me.

ps: Folks who have been following and enjoying my transition tales will surely want to go back over the past ten or so posts and read all the comments and my responses as their is lots of meaty stuff there.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) will teach you an efficient Mac or PC/Photo Mechanic/Photoshop workflow that will make it easy for you to make your images better in Photoshop (rather than worse). That true whether you convert your images in DPP 4 or ACR. See the blog post here to learn lots more and to read a free excerpt. You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Your guessed it, everything mentioned above including making ACR conversions (and tons more) is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II):

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here.

You can learn how and why I and other discerning Canon shooters convert nearly all of their Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 using Canon Digital Photo Professional in the DPP 4 RAW conversion Guide here. Yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 And you can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

The morning began as the worst pelican day ever but with thin high clouds and patience we wound up doing quite well as some really handsome birds flew in to the lower shelf, right where I had put the group. When it clouded over completely we headed to the Harbor Seals but after a few minutes the sun came out and ruined things. The group outvoted me so we headed to Santee Lakes for the afternoon; I had wanted to do more pelicans and cormorants and Santee was terrible the last time I visited but lo and behold, we had a great afternoon capped off by five tame Wood Ducks, four drakes and a hen.

There are two openings on the spoonbill IPT. Click here for complete info. If anyone would like to join me shooting spoonbills for 1 1/2 days, February 19 (full day) and February 20 (morning session only), please get in touch via e-mail.

Nikon Part Help Needed

If you can find me one of these in stock anywhere: Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB-D12 Battery Pack, please contact me via e-mail immediately. US suppliers only please. 🙂

The Streak

Today makes one hundred eighty-four days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

New Listing

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price!

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens (the “old five”)

IPT veteran John Johnson is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $3549.00. The lens was recently cleaned and checked by Canon. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the tough front lens cover, a forest green camo LensCoat and Hoodie (softfrontlens cover), 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 John via e-mail by phone at 1-216-533-6148 (Eastern time).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you don’t have the cash for the 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. With the new 500 II selling for $8,999 you can save a neat $5299.00 by grabbing John’s lens now! artie

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 January 29 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 240mm) and the blazingly fast professional digital camera body, the Nikon D5 DSLR camera body with dual XQD slots). ISO 3200: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:03am in the shade of the nesting cliff. Center Group (grp)/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Brandt’ Cormorant, incoming with nesting material

A Single Image That Explains Why I Switched from Canon to Nikon; No More Sharp on the Feet!

I tried for this image with Canon gear many 100s of times. I experimented with various AF custom Case settings. No matter what I did, the best I could do was to get images that were sharp on the incoming bird’s feet. With the birds flying right at you at about 40mph, Canon AF could simply not keep up. I never had a single sharp on the eye result. Patrick had one or two sharp with his Canon gear. With the 200-500 and either the 5D or the D-850, most of the images are sharp on the eye barring operator error.

How I Did It

I came up with this technique in short order. I hold the 200-500 lens with the zoom set at 250mm, instructing my brain on which direction to turn the barrel to zoom out to 200mm. I scan the ocean for incoming birds, especially those carrying nesting material. Now here is the totally amazing part. I acquire focus on the distant bird with the lens at 250mm. With Canon this would simply be pipe dreaming. With my Nikon stuff, the system acquires focus quickly even though the bird is tiny in the frame. And it locks focus and holds on like a starving bulldog on a bone. On sunny days the birds are in the sun when I first acquire focus. I stay at 250mm and track them as they get larger and larger in the frame. When they hit the shade I begin to fire and if they are coming right at me I zoom out at some point.

An ACR screen capture w/ all values at my default settings for the D-5

The Exposure and the Ramifications

Patrick and I have pretty much pre-determined the exposure for the incoming cormorants in the shade: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 for the dark birds will be a bit under for the birds. But, as you can see in the ACR histogram in the screen capture below, these values will not toast the breaking waves. Both the RAW conversion and the image optimization takes care of the too-dark dark tones.

An ACR screen capture w/ all values at my default settings for the D-5

The RAW Conversion in ACR

First I increased the Exposure by more than a stop. Then I set the WHITE and BLACK points in ACR and then as I always do backed off a bit on each. Next was -36 on the Highlights to bring some detail into the breaking waves and +33 and the Shadow slider to open up the dark underwings. Plus 10 with Clarity and +15 on Vibrance finished things off.

The Image Optimization

Next was a crop. But the underwings were still too dark without much detail. I selected the bird and applied my 40/40 Nik Color Efex Pro recipe to that Layer. That really brought the image to life. Last was a quick and dirty layer of NeatImage noise reduction with Y set to about 50%.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) will teach you an efficient Mac or PC/Photo Mechanic/Photoshop workflow that will make it easy for you to make your images better in Photoshop (rather than worse). That true whether you convert your images in DPP 4 or ACR. See the blog post here to learn lots more and to read a free excerpt. You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Your guessed it, everything mentioned above including making ACR conversions (and tons more) is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II):

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here.

You can learn how and why I and other discerning Canon shooters convert nearly all of their Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 using Canon Digital Photo Professional in the DPP 4 RAW conversion Guide here. And you can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

We had better luck with the pelicans on the first official day of the second San Diego IPT especially with some decent chances on flying birds. Then we had some excellent opportunities with the California Sea Lions. Lunch at Rubio’s, a nap, a Photoshop session, and a late afternoon with the gulls and Willets and too many people at Coronado. The relationship between this group and me could best be described as a love fest; lots of sweet folks who are interested in becoming better photographers and who ask lots of questions.

It looks as if I will get to bed before 9pm this evening, Sunday 28 JAN. Good night!

Nikon Part Help Needed

If you can find me one of these in stock anywhere: Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB-D12 Battery Pack, please contact me via e-mail immediately.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred eighty-two days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 the morning of Friday, January 26 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III (at 650mm), and the Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 400. Matrix metering probably at -1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:49am on a clear sunny day. d25/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Western Gull head portrait

Is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens a Piece of Crap?

Is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens a piece of crap? Many internet experts would answer yes And many folks who have actually shot with the lens would say yes. Ans many who use it with the 45-mega pixel beast, the Nikon D-850 would say yes. And most who have used it with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III would say yes. I have been using my 200-500 for less and a week and I would say that it is a versatile, relatively lightweight, superbly sharp photographic tool with either the D5 or the D-850. With or without the TC-14E III. Take a close look at today’s two featured images and you be the judge.

Yes, I know that the images made with my soon-to-arrive Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens will be considerably sharper. That said both of today’s images are more than professionally sharp, sharp enough to sell, and sharp enough to make large, gorgeous prints

This image was created on the morning of Friday, January 26 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III (at 650mm), and the Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 400. Matrix metering probably at -1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:56m on a clear sunny day. d25/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Western Gull yawning

A Bit of Bad Luck …

I spent a full 30 minutes doing head portraits of this handsome adult Western Gull. I was working against a variety of background tones from deep blue to brilliant white and everything in between as the waves crested and broke. It was, therefore, mandatory to work in Manual mode so that the changing background tonalities would not throw off the meter as would have happened had I been in an Automatic mode such as Av or Tv(S). The bird was amazingly cooperative so when I was sure that I had what I wanted I got up and walked over to Lee Sommie who had been photographing a Spotted Sandpiper. I happened to glance up just as my good gull friend let go a huge yawn. I love image #2 (that was a vertical crop of a horizontal original) but could not help but think of the image I might have gotten had I been a bit more patient. The large high quality of the original D-850 image file left me with a more than respectable 57.8mb flattened 8-bit master file.

Which Is Your Favorite?

Do you like the tight head portrait or the vertical yawn? Please let us know why.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

Friday morning at the cliffs was the worst morning since I arrived in San Diego. With the lower tide levels and the lack of big surf all of the pelicans were roosting in a spot where it was impossible to get on sun angle. That did not stop lots of folks … Lee Sommie and I got out of there pretty quickly and did well with some cormorants and pelicans in flight in a new morning location. In addition we had fun with a tribe of California Sea Lions. A herd? A ??? In the evening we Patrick, Lee, and I, worked the pelicans again and finished with some Brandt’s Cormorant blurs.

I am doing much better with the D-850/200-500 combo. I created some amazing images and a sharp 45-mega-pixel D-850 file offers incredible cropping options. I have pretty much solved the AF problem when using the TCE 14 at close range. Lots of lessons and photos coming soon.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred eighty days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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.

Same Photographer, Same Lens. Hard to Believe … Answers

In the Same Photographer, Same Lens. Hard to Believe … blog post here, I asked lots of questions. Here they are along with the images, and my answers and explanations.

This image was created on morning of Thursday, January 18 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 420mm), and the blazingly fast Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:29am on a clear morning. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: +5. Upper Large Zone/AI Servo/Shutter button AF as framed; the system performed perfectly by activating an array of five AF points on the left side of the bill half way down. Brown Pelican, Pacific race in pre-breeding plumage, preening individual feather

Super-Tight

This gorgeous pelican was quite comfortable with our presence; there were at least five of us from the group photographing it from close range for close to an hour. I was the lowest and this enabled me to be the closest; others were standing and shooting over me. I created lots of head and bill vertical portraits with lovely Pacific-blue backgrounds. Then I decided to get even closer and try some abstract and quasi-abstract stuff. Why did I go super-tight? The bird had a chunk of feathers missing on one side of its forehead. Note that I went with just a bit of extra depth of field: f/10 instead of the wide open f/9. But at point-blank range, this did not make any real difference at all. Note als0 that I am zoomed out a bit here; from 560 to 420mm.

The JPEG here represents the full frame image capture.

Question #1

Does this image need to show the bird’s eye to be successful? Why or why not?

Artie Says

I do not think that all images need to show the bird’s eye to be successful and that includes the image above. In fact, as someone commented, this one might not have been as powerful if it had included the pelican’s eye. As present it is clean, tight, graphic, angular, a bit abstract, and to my mind, quite effective.

This image was created on late afternoon of Wednesday, January 17 at La Jolla Shores Beach, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 176mm) and my favorite bird-scape photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode. K7500 at 5:11pm with light clouds and fog on the horizon. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: extrapolated to -2. Five AF points to the right of and two rows down from the center AF point/AI Servo/Surround/Shutter button AF as seen in the DPP 4 screen capture below. Willet foraging in the surf at sunset

Willet Foraging in the Surf at Sunset

When we got to the beach it was 100% foggy. We played around with the gulls and made some nice images. Just as it seemed that the sun might break through two folks left. Those who stayed were rewarded with a pretty decent soft salmon-toned sunset.

Question #2

Which of the two images above do you like best? Why?

Artie Says

As another comment noted, comparing the two images above is like comparing apples and oranges; the mood and feel of each is totally different. While I like both images, if I had to chose only one it would be the pelican abstract. Why? I love the Pacific race pelicans in breeding plumage.

Question #3

How would you attempt to level this image?

Artie Says

This question generated lots of interest. Take a peek at the screen capture below and read my explanation below that.

a close-up look at the horizon

A Close-up look at the Horizon

Above you can see the upper right portion of the image. I have darkened the image to make the horizon line more discernable. Once you recognize that as the horizon it is a simple matter of using the Ruler Tool (my keyboard shortcut R) to draw a line along the horizon, hitting Image > Rotate > Arbitrary (or use my keyboard shortcut (Command + /), and then hitting OK. On very rare occasion I will disregard the leveling results so that the image appears more “normal.” That was not the case with this image; as I was shooting at an angle to the waves it is natural that the waves would appear askew and for the same reason, that the Willet’s wake would look slightly askew.

In short, if the horizon is made level the image will in fact be level.

Kudos to PhilA who left this comment:

DPP 4 Screen Capture

Question #4

What was I attempting to do by moving the Shadow slider to -5?

Artie Says

I was trying to blacken the silhouetted bird. That helped only a little.

Question #5

Why should I have used Single Point/Manual Selection AF instead of AF (Expand) Surround?

Artie Says

It is likely that AF would have been more accurate and that the Willet would have been rendered sharper.

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If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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 :).

Stuff

I enjoyed a great session with private client Brian Goebel this morning at La Jolla and another great lunch at Rubio’s! I spent the afternoon unpacking and trying to set up the brand new Nikon D850 DSLR that I got from Bedford Camera via next day Fed Ex. Thanks to the BAA Blog, all six D-850s that Steve Elkins had in stock sold in hours. Sometimes the power of the blog amazes even me …

There are still two openings on the Spoonbill IPT. Click here for details. If anyone would like to join me for 1 1/2 days on the Spoonbill Boat on February 19th and the morning of the 20ieth, please e-mail for details.

Late Registration Discount

Due to a cancellation, there is a single opening on the second San Diego IPT. I am offering a $200 discount on the course fee. It is mandatory that you get in touch via e-mail or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Scroll down here for details on San Diego #2.

The Streak

Today makes one hundred seventy-eight days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.

Booking.Com

Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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 made by Arash Hazeghi from his SUV with the lens that is for sale below, the hand held Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens (with the blazingly fast Canon EOS-1D X Mark II.) ISO 640: 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6. You might consider this as Exhibit A in the matter of Canon does not suck … See what others had to say about this image in the BPN post here. American Kestrel diving Image courtesy of and copyright 2017: Arash HAzeghi

Brand New Listings

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

BPN Avian Moderator Arash Hazeghi is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $9450.00. The lens has had LensCoat on it since day one and thus there are no marks on the lens barrel. The glass is perfect. This lens has created many award winning images for me; it is tack sharp with 1.4X III and 2X III, and the focus is fast and smooth. There are some tiny marks on the groove at the base of the hood (from normal use) caused by mounting and un-mounting the hood. There are a couple of small marks on the hood but it’s on the paint finish; the carbon fiber is intact. The bottom of the lens foot has a couple of marks from mounting the lens on tripod. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Arash via e-mail.

WMD: Weapon of Mass Destruction!

The 600 II is a state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports. If I can get it to a location, it was my go-to long lens for more than a decade. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $11,499, you can save a cool $2,049.00 by grabbing Arash’s lens right now. artie

Canon EF 400mm f/4 IS II DO USM Lens

Price reduced $100 on January 25, 2018

BPN Avian Moderator Arash Hazeghi is offering a Canon 400mm f/4 IS II DO USM lens in like-new condition but for a few tiny scratches on the lens foot the low price of $5,799.00 (was $5899.00). The sale includes a Lens Coat, the the lens trunk, the lens strap, the padded fabric front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the original box and everything that came in it, 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 Arash via e-mail.

I own the 400 DO II and find a way to take it on most trips. I take it to Scotland and Nickerson Beach and San Diego. It has served as my big gun in the Galapagos and on Southern Ocean (the Falklands and South Georgia) trips. It is a killer for flight with or without the 1.4X III TC. I used it most recently in San Diego for the ducks and the White Pelicans with both the 1.4X and the 2X III TCs. And I am planning on using it as my big gun and ship photography lens on next October’s hoped for Emperor Penguin chicks trip … No guarantees there. And really skilled folks have had amazing success hand holding it for flight and for action. With this lens in high demand and new ones selling for $6899, Arash’s lens is a great buy that will save you a smooth a $1,100!. artie

All of the images above were created by Brian Goebel on the morning of Wednesday, January 24, 2018. He used the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. The last three images in the Photo Mechanic composite were made with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III in place. All with Evaluative metering in Manual mode and AWB. Brown Pelicans, Pacific race Images courtesy of and copyright 2018: Brian Goebel

My Morning with Brian Goebel

I was hired by Celeste Banks of Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC of Seattle, to provide a morning of photography instruction for Brian Goebel of Huntington Beach, California. CA. Celeste learned of me two years ago when she visited my exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Brian recently retired as an actuary from Molina Healthcare and the folks at Carpenter thanked him with the gift of a morning photo session with yours truly. It was obvious from the get-go that Brian was a super-nice guy who was anxious to learn.

He has been photographing for a while but had never concentrated much on birds. He showed up with a 5D IV, a 100-400 II, the 1.4X III TC, and good hand holding techniques. He had no clue on getting the right exposure, had never worked in Manual mode, and had no clue on either the AF Area Selection Modes or moving the AF points. He was a quick study. In 30 minutes he had mastered getting the right exposure by using the histogram and checking for blinkies. I showed him how to work in Manual mode, explained the AF Area Selection Modes, and discussed the importance of moving the AF points around to get the composition that you want. I also explained the importance of Orientation-linked AF Points and AF Area Selection modes. I set him up with Surround for horizontals and Upper Large Zone for verticals. It seemed like no time at all until he started making great images. Above are my favorite six of his images from our morning together.

All six images had data in the right-hand box of the histogram and all were tack sharp.

If you own a 5D Mark IV and were confused by any of the stuff above that I taught Brian, you would likely benefit by getting a copy of the Canon 5D Mark IV User’s Guide and studying it.

Canon Surely Does Not Suck: Part I of Many

Yes, my instruction helped Brian immensely, but the reason that I started the Canon Surely Does Not Suck series with this little tale is because it shows that the Canon system is an excellent one with an accurate AF system for all types of general photography. That Canon stuff is easy to use and is capable of creating high quality image files. All that even for a relative bird photography beginner. In addition, the light weight of the 100/400 II/5D IV rig makes it easy for most folks to hand hold successfully for extended shooting sessions. There will be lots more on this topic coming soon.

Your Favorite?

Which of Brian’s six images is your favorite? Do let us know why you made your pick.

First Nikon System Issue

I encountered some serious problems acquiring focus when using the 200-500 with the TCE 14 and the D5. Strangely enough, those problems exist only with static subjects! I’ve tried group, d9, and single point with similar results. Stranger still is the fact that even when I manually pre-focus and get the AF right on the bird’s eye, the system sometimes searches hopelessly. Even in high contrast situations. Any and all advice or comments are welcome.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

If 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 New 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 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 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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

More on the Switch to Nikon

Thanks to the many who sent me leads on purchasing a Nikon D850 DSLR along with the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack (that gets you up to 9 fps) and an extra Nikon EN-EL18b Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (10.8V, 2500mAh). The first few leads did not pan out.

Don Hamilton suggested that I get in touch with Steve Elkins of Bedford Camera. I called and texted him early in the day. Just as the sun was coming over the hill onto the pelicans at La Jolla, my cell rang and in short order, the deal was done. I was and am thrilled. The D-850 will be the perfect complement to my Nikon D5 DSLR (with Dual XQD slots). My lenses at present consist of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR and the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. I am in the process of ordering the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens from B&H. I also own the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III.

Huge Nikon D-850 News

Getting a Nikon D-850 had been just about impossible for the past few months. Steve Elkins of Bedford Camera has six in stock along with six of the battery grips. If you have been searching for one you can order yours here or get in touch with Steve via e-mail. They offer free overnight shipping on the D8-50; they collect sales tax only in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. If you order from them, please mention the BAA Blog. Important note: the website shows “Pre-order.” To get yours be sure to e-mail Steve first as above.

Coming Tomorrow

Coming tomorrow, the in-depth explanation of why I made the switch.

Coming on Thursday

Coming on Thursday, a blog post entitled “Canon Does Not Suck.” So stay tuned.

And Used Canon Gear at Below Fire Sale Prices Update

Monday afternoon was chaotic and I was a bit frantic. I was getting an e-mail a minute for many hours; I sold — heck — pretty much gave away nearly all of my Canon gear. I could have dickered and priced the stuff a bit higher but my goal was to make the prices so attractive that any serious buyer could not possibly say no. The plan worked well.

Immediately below is the tally, below that are the remaining items and one or two that I forgot. Thanks to the many who were disappointed that they missed the great values. Everyone was understanding and I appreciated that.

Sold at Fire Sale Prices/Just In

The newer of my Canon 100-400 II lenses sold for $1399.
One Canon 1.4X III TCs sold for $229.
Another 1.4X III TC and a 2X III TC sold for $229 each.
$3500 for the almost new Canon 1DX II with < 11,000 actuations and $229 for the other 2X III TC. The older Canon 24-105 sold for $299. The Canon 600 II sold for $7500. With shipping to US. In very good to excellent condition with one serious ding near the red dot at the near end of the lens barrel, a less than 1/8 by 3/16 inch dent. It affects nothing. And a few other scuffs. The glass is immaculate and as seen on the blog every day it is in perfect working condition. The Canon 500mm f/4l IS II lens sold for the fire-sale price of $6799. One Canon 5D Mark IV in very good condition sold/fire sale priced at $1899. Another 5D Mark IV sold for $2099 and the almost-new one for $2349. Canon 16-35mm f/4 L IS for $549. Canon 8-15mm given away for $799! Canon 100 macro IS fire-sale sold for $449. My Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender went for a paltry $7500. And the 400 DO II for only $5399.

Still Available

Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS Lens

Canon 180mm Macro Lens

Just sold!.

Canon EF 12mm Extension Tube (two to be sold together)

If you are seriously interested in buying something above or below, please shoot me an e-mail or call my cell at 863-221-2372.

I will probably have more stuff to list when I get home.