Disappointment! Heartbroken for not having the right equipment. LOOK at what I missed

[LightSpeed]

Well..........I'm saddened today. This opportunity doesn't come around nearly often enough.
I BLEW IT.
I had to shoot this at 200mm when it really needed to be shot at 600mm
Unfortunately, I do not have a 600mm lens......even a 400 would have been better.
Needless to say, this is a crop.
I wanted to make it work, but I just don't think it does and I don't know if I CAN make it work.
If I'm lucky, when it's all said an done, I may.....just maybe.....I might be able to get a 12x18 print out of this. But it's not going to be to the standards I hold myself to.
I sat out all day long waiting for a shot like this. Hell, I've been waiting for a shot like this for years.
If you've never seen a grown man cry.......I'm glad you can't see me now.

I'm thinking about upgrading all my equipment.
Nikon D3S or Canon 1D-X
Nikon or Canon 600mm 2.8
Nikon or Canon - Largest mm Macro either offer. 2.8
Nikon or canon - don't know yet - something for landscaping - 2.8
Yes I know......

I'm only going around once..........might as well make the best of it.

 

[Trever1t]

it is a sweet action shot, beautiful animal. Can't you squeeze a little bit more in PP?

 

[KmH]

Thankfully, neither Canon nor Nikon make a 600 mm f/2.8. They only make f/4's at that focal length. Oh, and have plenty of money even for an f/4

Nikon 600mm f/4.0G ED VR II AF-S SWM Super Telephoto Lens for Nikon FX and DX Format Digital SLR

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Sigma makes a 200-500 mm f/2.8 zoo, that's only $25,999 USD: Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras

The Sigma includes a 2x TC.

 

[LightSpeed]

it is a sweet action shot, beautiful animal. Can't you squeeze a little bit more in PP?

That's pretty much straight out of the camera. I sharpened slightly and reduced noise slightly, just to post it here to see what comments , were to be had.
I haven't pushed it yet.
But, you just can't imagine how much I want to save it and see it printed 12x18.

Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it.
It's a hell of a shot, I just wish I'd have had the right stuff.

1/800 @F6.3 @ISO 400

 

[LightSpeed]

Thankfully, neither Canon nor Nikon make a 600 mm f/2.8. They only make f/4's at that focal length. Oh, and have plenty of money even for an f/4

Nikon 600mm f/4.0G ED VR II AF-S SWM Super Telephoto Lens for Nikon FX and DX Format Digital SLR

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Sigma makes a 200-500 mm f/2.8 zoo, that's only $25,999 USD: Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras

The Sigma includes a 2x TC.

I could easily get by with f4.
I was thinking of Canon and Nikons 300mm f2.8, which are not cheap either.
Thanks for pointing this out.

I'm probably going to end up spending 20k or so to get what I want.
IF I decide to bite the bullet.

 

[dxqcanada5]

Yup, I feel your pain, I only have a 300mm f/4.0 ... and I always feel that when I look at EricD's posts.

 

[dxqcanada5]

Oh, and a warning ... whatever you do never go to fredmiranda.com

 

[tirediron]

What the **** are you moaning about? That's a great capture; you've got the bird in motion, perfect attitude, good composition... Sure 20K worth of gear (actually, more like 25 when you add taxes, gimbal mount, heavy tripod.... ) might have made it a little bit better, but I damn sure wouldn't complain about that.

 

[Overread36]

High quality - long glass is sadly expensive = wildlife is sadly one area where you've either got to have impeccable stalking skills (as oppose to very good stalking skills) or have to shell out for the big heavies.

Though I'd say a 300mm f2.8 plus 1.4 and 2*TC or a 200-400mm would be my aims at least at first; lighter and not has bulky as 600mm f4 or 500mm f4 lenses.

 

[shootermcgavin]

Wow at 1/800 I would think the wings would have no blur, not that it takes away from the image kind of looks cool.

 

[Kober]

hmm ... well, first I'll admit I don't do the wildlife thing but I understand your pain and desires.
That said it's still a pretty damn good shot. I'm more than willing to bet if you drop it in PS and layer it a 3/4 times (do some minor adjusting each layer, Cont, Exp .. etc ... you'll build it up to about 70 to 100 mpx and should have no problem blowing that sucker up to just about whatever size you like with the same sharpness you see now.

If you're going to invest in the equipment thing, personally I'd be a bit conservative first. By all means go get the D3S or 1D-X. I'm bucking for a D3S but I've always Nikon .. no matter. I've demoed one and the ISO @6000 is unbelievably sharp. Certainly others here would attest to this. But before you drop 20K on the very high end glass take a look at this ... Tamron -200-500mm F/5-6.3(Model A08) .....

Tamron makes some great glass and knows how to put it together. I have their macro .. it's incredible. The above lens is F5/6.3 Even if you shoot at ISO 1250 making up for a few stops you won't lose a thing on a D3S or a 1D-X I'm sure. And hey if you don't like you shouldn't have much problem selling it. Meanwhile, you might just save about 19K

 

[LightSpeed]

To ShooterMcgavin : I too thought 1/800 would be enough to freeze, but it didn't. And thank you. Glad you like it. I'll try to do better next time. That's what I always do.

To Tirediron : That's a mighty high compliment coming from you sir. I don't quite know what to say. I'll offer this. Everything I do, I try to be good at it. If I don't know it, I learn it, if I can't learn it I keep practicing until it comes to me. I don't know all the technicals of photography like KMH or some of the other cats on this forum. But I'm persistent. I'll sit on a shot for hours, or days if I have to, come home eaten up by mosquito's, full of dried mud, soaking wet...you name it. I'll do anything to get the shot.
I spent the night in the swamp, because I lost my cell phone, got lost going for a swamp scene two miles back in the Atchafalyla Basin, on foot. Found my way out the next day. It was a hell of a shot. Something of note in my life, and a story.
Thank you for your kind words. I'll keep that with me.

To Overread : These birds can read a newspaper a mile away. You can't stalk them. They can see an ant move at 200 yards. That's why I'm so down on myself.
The real story of what happened:
I sat in wait. I don't use Mosquito repellent because things in the wild can smell it a half mile away if the wind blows it on them, or they get near. So I'm sitting there and here she comes flying right at me. I was like come on baby....keep coming. And I must have flinched and she saw me. She swooped up into that tree and sat there looking at me. I got a shot in and as I was going for the next shot, she lit up and was gone. It happened in seconds.
2 Shots......that's all I got. Not easy stuff , I guarantee you that.

 

[KmH]

Here's one that's also a crop, shot with a 500 mm, handheld. I was standing literally ankle deep in mud, out in the open, as close as I dared get since the eagle had already eyed me a couple of times.

You learn to take what you can get. I asked the eagle to turn the other way and look into the Sun, but I guess eagles aren't into posing.

 

[LightSpeed]

KmH, you're a wealth of knowledge when it comes to photography. I could learn a thing or three from you, sir.
I see, you know how it is too, when it comes to critters. You take what they offer. That's all you can do.

Sincerely,
Respect : From LightSpeed.

 

[TamiAz]

Beautiful!!