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..of my new Sigma 150-500. Read more about that here, if you're interested.
Suffice it to say: The lens came last night. I'm swamped at work, and the weather is nasty. Been raining since Saturday here. Yesterday and today we've at least seen some dry periods but then it gets right back to its dreary, rainy business.
Today, the clouds actually started to break up a little for a while...at about the same time that I suddenly found myself with just about 70 minutes, right at lunchtime, that there was nothing else I could do about the current crises projects anyway...so I grabbed the camera and lens and headed for my "backyard at work"--a place on the river called Volunteer Landing, easy walking distance from my building.
Within 15 minutes of the time I got back to work, it started getting really cloudy and dark again. Now it's raining. Couldn't have timed that little break any better!!
Anyway--remember, these are "test shots." Just trying to learn what the lens can do, what *I* can do, how it's focusing, make sure it doesn't have any issues, that kind of thing. These were ALL handheld, because the monopod I bought to use with this lens is defective and has to go back to B&H. I found that in the short time I had (about an hour), it didn't bother my arms at all to hold that lens, but if I held it for a long time, like when I was waiting for the heron to take off, my fingers would kinda cramp up on the hand holding the camera--still gotta get that grip, I think that'll help that problem.
So, here we go. What I saw in an hour with the new lens:
My herons--the last few times I've gone to the landing, they weren't there. But today, one of them graciously showed up so I could practice with my new lens.
#1 What are YOU lookin' at?
May8_8308editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#2 In flight
May8_8304editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#3 Watching
May8_8349editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#4 WHOOPS...the first reminder that sometimes, 500mm is TOO MUCH reach!
May8_8336editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#5 Cardinal. I underexposed him a good bit, because I forgot to adjust my settings from the heron. There may be some noise from the exposure adjustment in PS.
Also, I hate the big, green, blobby leaves on the left, but I was trying to not crop any more than necessary on these.
May8_8359editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#6 Cormorant
May8_8326editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#7 Cormorant taking off
may8_8330editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#8 The hawk that still eludes me. This hawk is a frequent visitor to the Landing, but he's always been too high up for me to get a decent shot with the 70-300. I was *really* hoping he'd show up today--he did, but he spotted my new lens I guess, because he retaliated by flying EVEN HIGHER than usual. :lmao: I hate that stupid hawk.
This is completely uncropped, just to show how high up it was.
May8_8376editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#9 Mockingbird
Because around here, you ain't been out taking bird pictures if you don't have a mockingbird picture to show for it.
May8_8411editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
That's it...I think I'm gonna like this new lens, once I figure out how to "align" my vision issues and its focusing so that I know whether my pictures are sharp enough.
As usual, C&C, general comments and witty banter are always appreciated!
Suffice it to say: The lens came last night. I'm swamped at work, and the weather is nasty. Been raining since Saturday here. Yesterday and today we've at least seen some dry periods but then it gets right back to its dreary, rainy business.
Today, the clouds actually started to break up a little for a while...at about the same time that I suddenly found myself with just about 70 minutes, right at lunchtime, that there was nothing else I could do about the current crises projects anyway...so I grabbed the camera and lens and headed for my "backyard at work"--a place on the river called Volunteer Landing, easy walking distance from my building.
Within 15 minutes of the time I got back to work, it started getting really cloudy and dark again. Now it's raining. Couldn't have timed that little break any better!!
Anyway--remember, these are "test shots." Just trying to learn what the lens can do, what *I* can do, how it's focusing, make sure it doesn't have any issues, that kind of thing. These were ALL handheld, because the monopod I bought to use with this lens is defective and has to go back to B&H. I found that in the short time I had (about an hour), it didn't bother my arms at all to hold that lens, but if I held it for a long time, like when I was waiting for the heron to take off, my fingers would kinda cramp up on the hand holding the camera--still gotta get that grip, I think that'll help that problem.
So, here we go. What I saw in an hour with the new lens:
My herons--the last few times I've gone to the landing, they weren't there. But today, one of them graciously showed up so I could practice with my new lens.
#1 What are YOU lookin' at?
May8_8308editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#2 In flight
May8_8304editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#3 Watching
May8_8349editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#4 WHOOPS...the first reminder that sometimes, 500mm is TOO MUCH reach!
May8_8336editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#5 Cardinal. I underexposed him a good bit, because I forgot to adjust my settings from the heron. There may be some noise from the exposure adjustment in PS.
Also, I hate the big, green, blobby leaves on the left, but I was trying to not crop any more than necessary on these.
May8_8359editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#6 Cormorant
May8_8326editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#7 Cormorant taking off
may8_8330editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#8 The hawk that still eludes me. This hawk is a frequent visitor to the Landing, but he's always been too high up for me to get a decent shot with the 70-300. I was *really* hoping he'd show up today--he did, but he spotted my new lens I guess, because he retaliated by flying EVEN HIGHER than usual. :lmao: I hate that stupid hawk.
This is completely uncropped, just to show how high up it was.May8_8376editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
#9 Mockingbird
Because around here, you ain't been out taking bird pictures if you don't have a mockingbird picture to show for it.
May8_8411editweb by sm4him, on Flickr
That's it...I think I'm gonna like this new lens, once I figure out how to "align" my vision issues and its focusing so that I know whether my pictures are sharp enough.
As usual, C&C, general comments and witty banter are always appreciated!
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/37/37493-07470d1244285a42bb716c7df65abfda.jpg?1619738112)
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/37/37492-bafc92488a1ab17e4ca6603ee5b38376.jpg?1619738112)
