Lens Musings

[Leif]

Originally Posted by miketoll

... I just struggle to see and compose wideangle shots ...

You are not alone.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by miketoll

Don, you ask if anyone suffers trying to use wideangle. Well I tend to see pictures for telephotos and my Canon 10-22 on a 20d does not see a lot of use as I just struggle to see and compose wideangle shots. I like the anchor shot best and it's certainly a great lens. If Christines Canon does not do as well I wonder if she uses it handheld with no suport so the sharpness is spoilt by camera shake as it has very good writeups in the mags.

Knowing a lot of members here are bird photogs therefore long lens users was what made me think it worth a thread. Before I got this I only used a long lens + tc for moon pics, so for me it was quite a culture shot to take it out in daylight. So it is nice to know that I am not alone but in reverse.

Having moved from medium format I am a bit of a sharpness freak so anything a bit off that beam goes straight in the bin. Hence using a monopod as minimum on anything over 135mm and sometimes less.

Don

[Adey Baker]

I've been a bit pushed for time recently, so I haven't had time to make comments on this or Leif's 400mm lens threads -as a long time 400mm user I have some experience of using this focal length in all sorts of situations!

You've got a great lens there, Don - I think the original design might even go back to the late '70s. A mate of mine used to have a Nikon with 500mm mirror lens and when he trading in for this 400mm his photos improved by leaps and bounds.

I'll try to make a fuller reply this evening.

[sassan]

Originally Posted by Don Hoey

Hi Christine thanks,

I will only get an A/F version if the useage it gets justifies the cost.

Don

I would suggest to consider a faster 400mm before going for an arm and leg loose on a brand new AF VR etc. Something like this one:
LINK
I have seen them a lot cheaper than what this seller is selling for. If you need to have that special Bokeh, you must go for fast lens. Additionally with lower light situation, birds are a lot sharper frozen, utilizing that fast F stop. The problem obviously is weight. I am personally not at all for AF or even IS as both of these options (On the lenses that I have and support them) are usually turned to OFF. So why pay for something that I am not using often. I like to know who else feels like me or completely feels in opposite direction.

[Don Hoey]

Totally agree Sassan for my needs anyway.

If this lens gets the use, I will have to consider selling my scope to help fund the faster aperture.

Prices over here are not as good as yours though on this older kit.

Don

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

I'll try to make a fuller reply this evening.

...or perhaps tomorrow

[Don Hoey]

Today I decided to try some bird shots with the 400mm and have attatched some results.

These pics were taken at Titchwell RSPB Reserve. Quite a lot of time was spent just sitting still on the side of the large pond nearest the beach, so the birds became accustomed to our presence and came near enough for worth while photography. I tried for some shots at Hunstanton earlier, but some people seemed to think their dogs needed a close up view of the shorebirds.

As this was my first experience of this, unlike a lot of members here, and in view of Sassans post, I thought worth relating my observations.

Manual focus on birds on the move is a challenge when using a manual focus f5.6 lens at 400mm. Adding a 2x converter, so effectively focusing at f11 is an even greater challenge. I found 400mm a bit short for this sort of thing so I now have a better understanding of the need for even more reach with this subject. Adding a converter really cripples effective aperture so I now fully appreciate the benefits of as large an apperture as possible if a converter is to be added, which it undoubtably will.

A/F, well I did seriously miss it but there is a definate buzz to getting a sharp image without it.

VR, not sure I would have seen a benefit as I used a monopod. I will qualify that by saying that although I think the lens is up to scratch, Nikon does not recommend it be coupled to the TC201 converter so there is image degradation. So for the stars of this type of photography I know these are in the lower resolution order, and Andy's pics for example would well prove that. For these guys I understand VR is a must for absolute quality.

However I think these do show that you can do this sort of photography reasonably well without the absolute ' bees knees ' in kit. It just takes time and patience, and you do miss shots if like me you are operating on single frame. Yes I know, still operating in film mode.

Pics attached are all full frame 1.6 crop sensor.
Pic 1 : At 400mm.
Pic2 : Similar distance but 400 with 2x converter attached
Pic3 : Stay still and quiet long enough and something will come into range. Again 400mm & 2x converter. In fact this bird ended up under the radar so as to speak.

Don

[Saphire]

Now your showing off Don, Brilliant bird photos.

[Don Hoey]

Thanks Christine, I can see that this can become quite addictive.

If I find A 500mm f4 AI lens the scope may have to go.

Don

[Dave Smith]

Super images Don, the lighting is wonderful. That is some lens or is it the person behind the lens?

Dave