(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/640s, ISO 400, distance:6.52m)
This is pretty much a dump of the pictures from yesterday and today - click any image to see it a bit bigger (although not full size). I'll put some comments throughout and at the bottom...
These first images were taken at the Basingstoke Canal near Winchfield. Lighting was OK, but it was quite cloudy so the conditions were variable throughout the time I was there. I've put the metadata information underneath the images, and included the lens focus distance information - this is an approximate distance to the focal point, so you get some idea of how far away the birds and squirrels were:
This squirrel was the other side of the canal up quite a high tree:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, 1/400s, f8, ISO 250, distance:13.5m)
This one is a Long Tailed Tit
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, 1/400s, f8, ISO 800, distance:13.5m)
The following two images are taken very close together - they show the bird just taking off from the branch:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/400s, ISO 400, distance:16.7m)
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/400s, ISO 320, distance:16.7m)
This is a Great Tit, hiding in the bushes (so high ISO):
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 3200, distance:9.72m)
And a Chaffinch sitting on a branch in reasonable sunlight:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/400s, ISO 160, distance:9.72m)
Another Chaffinch from the back:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/640s, ISO 640, distance:6.52m)
And a Goldfinch, over 28 metres away at the top of a very tall tree!
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/400s, ISO 100, distance:28.2m)
The rest of the shots are from today - this one from Poole Park. I set the camera up in Manual mode, f8, 1/800s and auto ISO to take the shots at the park:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/800s, ISO 400, distance:16.7m)
And now from Upton Country Park - another Chaffinch:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 200, distance:4.72m)
A Robin - another high ISO shot:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/640s, ISO 2500, distance: 2.36m)
This little chap was sat on a bench nibbling seed and corn that had been put down for the birds and squirrels...
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 400, distance: 6.52m)
When I got a bit close, he jumped off and ran into the trees, but not too far from the food. He sat up in a real "Mission Impossible" stance!
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 400, distance:8.39m)
The focus is a bit off, but you don't often see birds as fast as Great Tits in the air (at least I don't!), so I've included this one for interest:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/640s, ISO 400, distance: 8.39m)
And here he/she is not flying:
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 400, distance: 8.39m)
Another Chaffinch
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 400mm, f8, 1/640s, ISO 640, distance: 8.39m)
And a massive squirrel butt on a tiny post - very good at balancing!
(7D, Sigma 120-400OS at 323mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 800, distance: 5.8m)
Comments:
- For smaller birds, it's best to try and use shutter speeds over about 1/500s irrespective of the lens length - they are so twitchy that you'll inevitably get blur on anything slower.
- The 7D is great at focussing, and the 120-400OS is a pretty good lens at f8.
- All my shots from today except for the last one included here are at 400mm... I'm contemplating replacing the 120-400OS with a 400mm prime, and the evidence so far suggests that I wouldn't miss any shots...
- You definitely need good light for shots like these, but the high ISO performance of the 7D is respectible enough, especially when combined with the noise reduction capabilities of Lightroom 3 (even as a Beta 2 which is what I used for these pictures).
- Noise is less of an issue if you can fill the frame, as long as the image is scaled down - the noise will be averaged as you scale down, which reduces it's effect.
- The RSPB website is a superb resource for identifying birds - the search facility is fantastic.
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