Shootin' birds . . . with a 200mm

[tom turner]

A 200mm lens of course, and a Canon 200mm f/2.8 L II to be precise. Wow, what a great lens . . . and my first Canon "L" lens.

A pair of bluebirds just blessed us by taking up in our backyard bluebird house, and the male loves to strut his stuff. Gorgeous birds indeed . . .

Does anyone else here like to shoot birds . . . with a camera that is?

Tom

 

[LHS]

Nice photos!
I used to do that with a Canon AE-1 35mm camera. I have several lens, but can not find my 500mm and my 2x extender. I used to take photos of deer in a field far away and they looked like they was 10 feet away. I also have an extreme close-up lens that makes ants look huge!
I was in college then and had access to a darkroom and did all my own developing. Now it is all just "point, shoot and print", but you can still get some great digital shots.

I miss the 3-5 hours time spent to set up, wait for the shot, shoot, and then develop/print one photo. Still have the camera though, but it has set in a closet unused for like 15 years now.

 

[LHS]

I took this from inside my house with my digital camera. That bird was staring at me the whole time I was doing dishes with a "where's my breakfast?" look on a snowy March morning last month. I wish I'd had a better zoom.

Morning doves - same thing. I saw them sitting on the swingset arm one day, so I grabbed the camera.

As for the sunset photo, last November I proved that you can get a great shot even with a camera phone!

 

[Texas Star]

I have a 200mm lens now, and will try this this summer. Do you have to use a tripod?

I've used an Olympus OM-1n and a 135mm lens that I got on sale years ago when a camera store closed. With it, I got a quite good photo of a squirrel and some of mallard ducks. I can hold that 135mm pretty steady, especially if I can find a rest. I'll think how best to use the stronger lens.

I'm looking forward to it.

I do enjoy birdwatching and am amazed at the detail that a really good binocular shows. Just astounding.

Late in summer, a small lake here hosts many migrating herons and egrets, and we have some resident mallards. And plenty of squirrels. I'm very keen to get good shots of a green heron. They tend to be shy, and it's hard to get close.

If people didn't walk dogs where I want to take photos, I'd be a lot happier camper. Some don't even leash those big mutts, and I think some are dangerous.

T-Star

 

[LHS]

Tripods are nice, as is a remote cable. Years ago I could hold very steady, but with my wrists and shoulders now would have problems.

This thread has me wanting to dig out my old camera.

 

[Texas Star]

Tripods are nice, as is a remote cable. Years ago I could hold very steady, but with my wrists and shoulders now would have problems.

This thread has me wanting to dig out my old camera.

Do! I'd like to see what you can do with it. Maybe you can even sell some pics. I sold one of swimming mallards to an outdoors magazine, and they used it for a cover. I'm going to try to repeat that.

You might try the birding mags. But post some stuff here.

I framed a pic that I took of a squirrel up a tree and keep it on a bookshelf alongside a very fine painting that my daughter made of a lynx. I thought that she might consider art as a career, but she decided to teach.

T-Star

 

[tom turner]

Thanks for writing, and I hope this will encourage you guys to pull the cameras out again . . . slow down a little . . . and shoot some backyard birds! It is good for the soul and a lot of fun too!

In in old film days (and I still have my pair of OM1 Olympus cameras) it was said that the cameras were cheap, BUT it was the FILM and developing that cost so much. Today it has all changed for the better. There is no film to buy or develop and when you look at it that way, eventually it makes sense to get a good digital SLR!!! Since getting this camera, my Canon digital point and shoot has amazingly stayed in its case . . . which amazed me. The SLR is simply that much better.

Plus . . . although it takes a little time to learn the new "darkroom techniques" (digital film editing on your computer), no idiots at a photo lab can charge you lots of money to screw up your images anymore!!! Instead, you are rewarded with free images that you can experiment with until you truly have great shots to print . . . and to share via emails and forums with friends!

So have fun!

Tom

PS: INFORMATION ON THESE IMAGES . . .

- Shot on a tripod . . . I've had it over 25 years
- Distance about ten feet
- Canon EOS model t1i digital Rebel camera
- Canon 200mm f/2.8 "L" telephoto lens
- Satechi brand radio remote control shutter release (can be used up to 100 yards away, cost $80).

 

[deadin]

BUT it was the FILM and developing that cost so much.

Tell me about it!!
I have a 8x10 wooden field camera I haven't shot in years.
(Between it in its case and the tripod the weight is around 50 lbs., so it never got far from the car.)
I got the urge to use it a couple of months ago and, as I no longer have a darkroom, I discovered that it would be around $7 or $8 dollars per shot for film and processing.

Anybody want to buy a camera????

 

[loutent]

I enjoy bird photography also - it's a challenge to get close, even with a telephoto lens - the songbirds are really small:

For a real challenge, nothing beats a hummer:

 

[H Richard]

Beautiful shots. I (Years ago) was really deep into photography, Nikon F2, and Rollieflex with lenses from 28 to 400, and a bellows extension for really close up's. Had a dedicated darkroom, but most of my work was in slides. I seemed to loose interest, and progressed to a digital, Cannon Powershot S2 IS a couple years ago for general purpose work, vacations, etc. Just can't get enthused enough to look at really good equipment. The S2 is a "sort of" SLR, with a 12X optical zoom and close focus. It seems to do most everything I have needed. I agree, digital is really easier, and far less costly than film. All my Nikon equipment which did get me acceptances in International Salon's just sits on the shelf gathering dust.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Great shots, I really enjoyed those. Here's a Carolina Wren made with my Panasonic "almost" DSLR:

Like a lot of folks, I've put off putting real money into digital, while looking at my old SLR's gathering dust. Finally made the move to a Nikon D90, but don't have anything like that Canon L lens, spectacular! This stuff can get as expensive as the gun hobby, and I've been trying to simplify my life. Oh well, can't take it with you.

 

[bobf]

Lots of nice shots in this thread.
That is a great lens Tom, I have 2 L lens a 70-200 f4L and a 17-40, wish I had more.
I haven't taken many shots this year, the turkey was this year from the bathroom window without a tripod. The hummingbirds were through another window.

 

[tom turner]

I just got back into town after having to leave fairly early on Sunday morning. HOWEVER . . . before I had to leave, I finally got a shot at the female bluebird. Umm . . . she's looking kind of plump IMHO!