Up close, long lens

[Kenneth Walker]

Wandering through the park in my local town (Reading), tooled up for some bird photography, with Panasonic G80/G85 and 100-400mm lens, I spotted a couple of grey squirrels. Some people regard them as vermin, given they don't belong here, but I think they can be quite photogenic. I managed to get quite close to one...the great positive of urban wildlife, or he was concentrating on his breakfast. Handheld, so I wanted a quick shutter speed when the lens was wound out to 400. Needed a narrowish aperture to guarantee focus of the whole beast. Decided on a high ISO of 1600. At f11, had 1/800 sec shutter speed. (Aperture mode) Looks OK, I think.....any alternative suggestions for next time?

 

[Designer]

Very good!

I would like to have seen the entire tail included.

 

[Kenneth Walker]

I agree, and was going to wind the lens in a bit.....this was my "banker" shot. However, he shot off up/around the tree as soon as I'd got that one in.

 

[BrentC]

I agree about the tail. F5.6 should have done easily for dof. Nice image. That 100-400 is a nice lens. If the Oly 300mm didn't exist I would have got one. Maybe one day when I have disposable income I'll pick one up. Always nice to have a zoom with that reach.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

Agreed about the tail, but as you said, we are at their mercy as to what they allow us. Good lighting and dof.

 

[Kenneth Walker]

BrentC Correct re the lens... a real cracker and a bit more certain with the focus than the 100-300mm. About £1300 here, but i managed to buy one for £1100 by going to a camera show where one of the retailer's stands was shifting vast quantities of merchandise, handily right next to the Panasonic stand, where I was allowed/encouraged to try one of these out.

 

[Kenneth Walker]

You want a tail....here's one! probably one of my earliest shots with that lens....in a churchyard not far from the park. This one hopped obligingly on to a gravestone, bringing him to eye level.