this has no rigt being this good

this has no rigt being this good · Posted by Lowell Goudge, 08-07-2009, 09:47 AM

Imature Black Crowned Night Heron

This was taken with things that people consider inferior at settings that many would never consider using.

Everyting possible that should make this photo a throw away was done, but....

*istD @ISO 1600, (Who would ever do this) SMC 300F4 (a lens people love to hate) @F8 with 1.7x AF TC (considered over rated by some), 1/150 shutter and flash witn AF500FTZ

The only PP is to resize to 25%

Darren M · 08-07-2009, 12:21 PM

Looks not bad at all. I have to wonder if you wouldn't have been better served to go to about f/5.6 or so. I little higher exposure would have been good IMO.

BTW, I shot a lot with my *istD @1600 and am not at all surprised to see you could get good results. For a first generation camera, Pentax did a great job.

Lowell Goudge · 08-07-2009, 01:07 PM

darren

thanks

posting is kind of in jest, as I too shoot a lot at 1600 and 3200 with the *istD. I also do a lot with the 300F4, and 1.7x AFTC and flash.

My other bodies and lenses are packed away for a trip, so I just took this combo out for an evening walk, I never go without camera because the park I walk through always has something.

as for exposure, this is what the TTL flash wanted. Note that the normal exposure at this Fstop and ISO would have been 20, and I use the flash and depth to isolate the subject against a background that with distance fades to black

Changing the F stop would not achieve any different result except narrowing the DOF, and as this is a full frame shot, no crop, you can image I got very close,

DOF to insure subject is all in focus was a priority.

metroeloise · 08-07-2009, 01:07 PM

Does work... that is sweet. Night Bird Shots.... Hum....

bdery · 08-07-2009, 08:40 PM

Go with what works and forget the rest!

*Haakan* · 08-08-2009, 12:21 AM

It is a very good shot, regardless conditions.

Personally I would just remove the slight green colour cast, and add a touch of sharpening.

Best regards,
Haakan

*8540tomg* · 08-08-2009, 03:56 AM

Nice image Lowell under very difficult conditions.

*istD @ISO 1600, (Who would ever do this) SMC 300F4 (a lens people love to hate) @F8 with 1.7x AF TC (considered over rated by some), 1/150 shutter and flash witn AF500FTZ

Not everyone hates this lens.

Tom G

Lowell Goudge · 08-08-2009, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by Haakan

It is a very good shot, regardless conditions.

Personally I would just remove the slight green colour cast, and add a touch of sharpening.

Best regards,
Haakan

thanks

it's hard to set the camera up for the light reflected off the leaves, the image is green. Note also the beak is slightly yellow-green even in daylight.

Also this is right out of the camera jpeg with no pp, except to resize for posting. not even a crop or PP to remove the dead pixels.

Lowell Goudge · 08-08-2009, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by 8540tomg

Nice image Lowell under very difficult conditions.

*istD @ISO 1600, (Who would ever do this) SMC 300F4 (a lens people love to hate) @F8 with 1.7x AF TC (considered over rated by some), 1/150 shutter and flash witn AF500FTZ

Not everyone hates this lens.

Tom G

maybe I should have said "a lens people love to hate except 8540tomg"

I thought you would like it. How is your project with the green heron coming?

*8540tomg* · 08-08-2009, 06:07 AM

At least two of us, in our wisdom, see the merits of the old K 300/4.

As for my heron project there seem to be at least half a dozen hunting in this small conservation area pond area about a 2 min. walk from my house. They are very skittish and have a comfort zone of about 50 feet or so. They are gone instantly if you get any closer.

They are a certainly challenge for my manual focus skills with the M 400/5.6. I suspect the reeds these guys hunt in would defeat autofocus even if I had access to it. I spotted a few adults yesterday but I’ve yet to get the killer or even decent shot. I'm on my way out to continue the hunt today.

Tom G

*Haakan* · 08-08-2009, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

thanks

it's hard to set the camera up for the light reflected off the leaves, the image is green. Note also the beak is slightly yellow-green even in daylight.

Also this is right out of the camera jpeg with no pp, except to resize for posting. not even a crop or PP to remove the dead pixels.

Yes, I have the same issues sometimes myself, it is sometimes actually that the light itself is having a colcour cast by itself, so the camera is actually correct in what it records. I then struggle with if I should do a WB correction, or leave it in order to capture the mood the light craeted. Anyhow, for the bird I tried a "remove colour cast" using the feathers (if they are indeed grey), and it still left the green colur on the beak, so it looked OK.

It is amazing though how good images you can get, even at 1600 ISO, with 5 year old "obsolete" 6 Mpix camera, in the hand of the right photographer.

Best regards,
Haakan