*OFFICIAL* Snapshot of the Day (one image per post please) #1

[remmib]

Originally Posted by MATT0404

Beautiful. Love the background rendering of the 500mm.

Here's another from Friday:


Steller's Sea Eagle by mkrepp, on Flickr

I don't normally post-process my photos too much outside of the basics. I had a little fun with this one.

Wow, so sharp and so much detail, impressive.

[E90Mario]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Here's my favorite Northern Harrier hunting this afternoon

Originally Posted by MATT0404

Here's another from Friday

WOW! Amazing shots both of you!!

[Weebl]

Originally Posted by dcstep

You'll soon be able to buy the 1DX body and the Series II 600mm for a mere $19,000. Just imagine the bokeh, the sharp details...

Have you tried the 1.4x TC on your 300/f4? I'd start there. For you, I wouldn't suggest a 400mm. If you could find a deal on a used 300/f2.8, that'd be worth considering.

A used 500/f4 is going to be $6000 if mint condition and it'd have to be pretty ratty to get down to $4000. Still, I suspect that all the professional sports photogs will move up to Series II and those old lenses will come on the market in the next year. A deal on a cosmetically rough sample would probably hold its value. (The new lenses are lighter, focus faster and have 2-stops better IS, but cost $10,000 and up).

I wish Sigma would make some prime super-teles. A 500/f4 that cost under $5000 would probably sell like hotcakes now that all the Canons and Nikkors are over 10-grand. One good thing for me is that all the recent price increases have put the value of my 500mm at what I paid for it. When you can look at a lens as an investments, that's a big help, but it's still tying up a lot of money.

Dave

No 1DX, 300 F2.8 or 400 for me, just 5DIII/7D/1D IV and 500 F4. I don't have mad money but that 500 would be worth it and I have used the 1.4X II with the 300 very often. I'll just have to buy yours when you move to the new 500 but I have to sell some kidneys first. I'm going to go the $6k route, I hate ratty equipment. Then again, I need a body and UWA zoom more.

[adrean8j]

No where close to as good as those raptors above ( AWESOME, AWESOME shot by the way Matt...my new wallpaper...be nice in high quality though )


Cappy the Cat by Adrean8j, on Flickr

[HPFREAK]

I got this with a 400mm 5.6L I rented. NO PP just cropped 50%.


hummingbird by Racefan N54, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by HPFREAK

I got this with a 400mm 5.6L I rented. NO PP just cropped 50%.

If the 400/f5.6 had IS and still didn't cost much it'd be a world beater.

What impresses me the most is that's a rented lens. It takes time for most of us to get used to new lenses, but you nailed everything in that shot.

Dave

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by adrean8j

No where close to as good as those raptors above ( AWESOME, AWESOME shot by the way Matt...my new wallpaper...be nice in high quality though )

Hide the cat from all the raptors.

[oneintheory]

Jamie by jsophoto, on Flickr

[HPFREAK]

Thanks Dave, I wish I could say I was awesome and needed no practice but I had it for 2 days and I practiced with it a lot. I found that as long as I had 1/400th or better I could get sharp shots, and did not miss the IS as much. I had my 70-200 F4 IS with me and could of used it for the hummingbird since he wa close enough, but I did not take the 70-200 out the entire time I had the 400 5.6. If the lens had IS I am sure they would charge 3k for it knowing Canon, and the markup with IS lenses.

Originally Posted by dcstep

If the 400/f5.6 had IS and still didn't cost much it'd be a world beater.

What impresses me the most is that's a rented lens. It takes time for most of us to get used to new lenses, but you nailed everything in that shot.

Dave

[MATT0404]

Originally Posted by dcstep

The 500's bokeh is incredible. It's like cheating, or at least it feels that way at times.

You've got me itching to shoot some captive birds. Your getting great detail and wonderful poses.

Here's a juvenile bald eagle that I got yesterday morning. It's a bit soft because my AF wasn't keeping up as it flew close to me (the 1.4x TC was slowing things):

Dave

Another great shot, Dave. I'm really surprised at how much different the juvie bald eagles look from adults.

Originally Posted by remmib

Wow, so sharp and so much detail, impressive.

Originally Posted by MARIO K

WOW! Amazing shots both of you!!

Thank you, both!

Originally Posted by adrean8j

No where close to as good as those raptors above ( AWESOME, AWESOME shot by the way Matt...my new wallpaper...be nice in high quality though )

Thanks! Nice shot from you, too. Cute cat.

Originally Posted by HPFREAK

I got this with a 400mm 5.6L I rented. NO PP just cropped 50%.

Great shot! I saw your post on POTN, as well.

My 400/5.6 will be here tomorrow...

[HPFREAK]

Oh no kiddin, what is your name on there?

Originally Posted by MATT0404

Another great shot, Dave. I'm really surprised at how much different the juvie bald eagles look from adults.





Thank you, both!



Thanks! Nice shot from you, too. Cute cat.



Great shot! I saw your post on POTN, as well.

My 400/5.6 will be here tomorrow...

[MATT0404]

Originally Posted by HPFREAK

Oh no kiddin, what is your name on there?

Same user name as here.

[The1]

great shots guys! the 400 5.6 would be interesting. Already have those numbers covered with IS on my 100-400 however, so i'm not rushing to get one

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by The1

great shots guys! the 400 5.6 would be interesting. Already have those numbers covered with IS on my 100-400 however, so i'm not rushing to get one

The IQ is really close between those two lenses. Neither will work decently with a 1.4x TC except on a 1D Mkxx body. I think you're right to stick with what you've got. Shoot at ISO 800 and stop down a couple of stops and you can't tell them apart. Save for a 500mm if you want to keep shooting wildlife and birds.

Dave

[UdubBadger]

from yesterday's trip up to Minneapolis

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

from yesterday's trip up to Minneapolis

Nice

[adrean8j]

Haha...that is one way to keep the intercooler "cool"...

[The1]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

from yesterday's trip up to Minneapolis

it's like Rodi with his beard.

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by The1

it's like Rodi with his beard.

[Chewy734]

Originally Posted by The1

it's like Rodi with his beard.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by The1

it's like Rodi with his beard.

Hey, hey, hey, what's with dissing beards??

Those of us who are fuzzy in the face like it that way.

[UdubBadger]

so does my wife