Frustration: What I Learned on Saturday

[sm4him]

I decided that I already knew the answer to the "cheapo" lens question; a cheap lens is going to be, well, cheap. Might as well just keep that money and work with what I've got.

But I did decide to try a 1.4x TC. Markw had one for sale, so I'll give it a go. It may very well not really gain me anything, but it'll be fun to experiment with, and then if I decide it's not for me, I can always turn around and sell it.

Other than that, I'll just keep saving my pennies...and my dollars...and my twenties...until I can afford a better lens. You think someone would trade me a 70-200 f/2.8 for my used D5100? I'd throw in the kit lens...

In the meantime, I'll just plug away with what I've got, keep working on my shooting techniques, and on getting closer.

 

[SCraig]

... But I did decide to try a 1.4x TC. Markw had one for sale, so I'll give it a go. It may very well not really gain me anything, but it'll be fun to experiment with, and then if I decide it's not for me, I can always turn around and sell it....

The TC he was selling is the same one I have, and it works pretty well. Kenko has a lower-grade set that are NOT very good in my opinion, but the one you got does a good job most of the time.

 

[WesternGuy]

Well Sharon, I can relate to your 'frustration". For the past five years I shot birds with my Canon 100-400mm . I bought both the 1.4X and the 2.0x converters and they were okay when the sun was shining and the birds weren't moving around too much. The other frustration is that with both converters, I lost the AF function on my camera, again, not too bad. But...some money came along and I "invested" it (that's what I told my wife) in a new Canon 600mm f/4L IS II and that will be it for now, probably forever. So I would suggest that you look into the converters. If you have Canon equipment, then get the Mark III versions of the converters. I did not find the image was compromised with my 100-400mm lens and I look forward to using the converters on my 600mm. If you look at Art Morris' site (Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART), you will see that he uses both converters with his 600mm lens and his 800mm lens and gets great, sharp images with both. Check out some of the postings by CoastalConn, he uses a Tamron 200-500 - not sure if this is a "cheap" lens, but I will bet you it is a lot cheaper than a 500/600mm Canon. HTH.

WesternGuy

P.S. I think your "egrets" are actually Great Blue Herons.

 

[ceeboy14]

Investment in lenses as per Western Guy...a quote from another forum..."Oh God, if I die suddenly, don't let my wife sell my lenses for what I told her paid for them."

I really want a 600mm but know it is out of my pocketbook range and unless I hit the powerball, will forever be so, but as I stated earlier, good manufacturer glass in any range is hard to beat.

 

[sm4him]

Well Sharon, I can relate to your 'frustration". For the past five years I shot birds with my Canon 100-400mm . I bought both the 1.4X and the 2.0x converters and they were okay when the sun was shining and the birds weren't moving around too much. The other frustration is that with both converters, I lost the AF function on my camera, again, not too bad. But...some money came along and I "invested" it (that's what I told my wife) in a new Canon 600mm f/4L IS II and that will be it for now, probably forever. So I would suggest that you look into the converters. If you have Canon equipment, then get the Mark III versions of the converters. I did not find the image was compromised with my 100-400mm lens and I look forward to using the converters on my 600mm. If you look at Art Morris' site (Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART), you will see that he uses both converters with his 600mm lens and his 800mm lens and gets great, sharp images with both. Check out some of the postings by CoastalConn, he uses a Tamron 200-500 - not sure if this is a "cheap" lens, but I will bet you it is a lot cheaper than a 500/600mm Canon. HTH.

WesternGuy

P.S. I think your "egrets" are actually Great Blue Herons.

Thanks for taking the time to respond, WesternGuy. I have Nikon equipment, but I did go ahead and get the 1.4x tc and will play around with it a bit. If I don't like it, I'll just send it along the next person.

And--yes, you are exactly correct about the herons! D'oh!! I knew that. I did SEE an egret that day, but didn't even get a shot of it. Somehow in my head as I processed the pictures, the herons just turned into egrets. :lmao:

Investment in lenses as per Western Guy...a quote from another forum..."Oh God, if I die suddenly, don't let my wife sell my lenses for what I told her paid for them."

I really want a 600mm but know it is out of my pocketbook range and unless I hit the powerball, will forever be so, but as I stated earlier, good manufacturer glass in any range is hard to beat.

Yeah, the reality is I will likely never have enough discretionary funds to buy an upper-end 500 or 600mm...or even 400mm. Something like that Tamron coastalconn has is probably the upper limit of what I should even be dreaming about.

BUT--the reality is also that I'm pretty okay with that. I just got frustrated on Saturday when I got a lot of "near misses" on my shots. But there WAS quite a bit I could have done differently with the equipment I *DO* have instead of pining away for what I don't have.

There is nobody I have to "answer" to as far as what I spend on photography; no spouse or even boyfriend to hide my purchases (or their true cost) from. And I suppose I could buy a nicer lens much sooner--if I just didn't help my boys with their college and living expenses, or help my mom out, or go out to eat EVER or have internet or cable. But at this point in my life, I care MORE about spending my money on THOSE things than on a longer or better lens.

Those are points I sometimes need to remind myself of, when I'm sitting on the river bank, not getting the shots I dream about. There's a lot in life that just matters to me more.

So, the upshot is: I did get a TC and I'll play around with it. But I'm also largely over my frustration now and perfectly content to just use what I have to the best of my abilities.