Was trying to finish a project on the computer this afternoon when my better half informed me that there was a whole flock of robins in the backyard. Put Bigma on the K10D and went outside, here are some of the images that I got. For a 1 to 10 Zoom at the long end it's not too bad I think. All handheld, didn't have time to set up a tripod.



and a heavy crop of the same image







And a couple of them sat for a portrait





Most of them where taken against the light and some, especially the crops show some fringing. It would normally remove it but left it alone to show here.

Comments are always welcome.

[Heinrich Lohmann]

I think I would keep it too... I think it is great that you can handhold that beast of a lens and still get shots like these. Says a lot about your skills with the camera and with the SR of the Pentax bodies.
this one posing is my fave. great feather detail for a handheld shot!


Nice job

Hi Gus and thanks for the kind comments. The lens does seem to get a little heavier every day but so far so good. Many moons ago I was heavy into varmit shooting with heavy Remington barrels, sort of reminds me of it after a few hours. But I believe that the SR deserves most of the credit.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Heinrich! I love it! You and that lens are such a great combo. I love the first shot because the look is so what I get when I'm out shooting nature. All the critters look at me and ask for model releases and have their heads turned exactly in that fashion!

Great series and I'm glad you're keeping that jewel of a lens!

Thank you Chris, I don't shoot anything that needs model releases any more.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Heinrich, Great job hand holding that lens. I know that darn thing can get awfull heavy in a hurry. Nice Job.

Thank you and yes it does get heavy, secret is to get it out of your hands whenever possible.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

The series is definitely making bigma a worthwhile lens. The details are strikingly clear and beautiful

Thanks and yes, this was the first time that I could really use it outside instead of theough glass from the inside. I am happy with the results and with more time and a tripod it should give better results.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Great series Heinrich. Your North American Robins travel in flocks? That's a big difference with our smaller robins in England which tend to be solitary. Are these Robins related in any way or did the North American one get christened as a robin because of its red breast when the first settlers arrived on the continent? Just curious.

Paul

Hi Paul, and thank you. I don't really know how they travel, usually I see two or three in the yard but yesterday there must have been thirty of them and again this morning there were many.

Whether or how they are related to the Europeen species I do not know, my book just identifies them as "American Robins".

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Very good series Heinrich. That first one is funny with the expression. Great detail and colour in these shots. Some nice 'portraits' as well. Excellent job handheld.

Thank you Peter, I like that first one as well and as much as one would like to say "I captured the moment" truth is that most of the times one only knows after the fact what one got.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Great captures Heinrich for such an inpromptu moment and hand held ! Glad to see things appear to be melting down there and the seasons can return to a normal cycle.

Thank you Dave for the nice comments. Today the temperature went above freezing for a couple of hours and by the weekend it is supposed to warm up so spring might come after all. But heck, we live in Alberta if you don't like the weather wait 20 minutes.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Hey, Heinrich,

Really nice series of captures. Love the first one the most and the blow up of it that follows.

But, what interests me more is that, even at my age it is tough to get down on ones hands and kness and belly to get low angle shots like that ... and you're older than me.

Nicely done.

Stephen

Stephen, thank you and I do believe that I am a whole bunch older than you are.

Proplem is not the getting down on your hands and knees to take the shot, it's the getting up after you took the shot. Soo.... one does not linger while down there unless of course there is something else one can do while down there anyway.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Heinrich,
Great shots! My brother was a fanatic about bird feather detail--He always said "if you can see the tiny feather detail around the beak, it's sharp!" Yours fit the bill. Good work.

Thank you Kent, I am with your brother bird shots have to be sharp. Before Bigma all I had was the 50-200 and while not a bad lens at all Bigma is better even at the 200mm range.

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

congratulations that the better half accepts the photography.....

do you shoot any models? nevermind, shouldnta brought it up

I haven't shot models in many a year but when I did families and other groups as well as models she was my "lighting" person. With very little talk she always knew where I wanted that second or third flash head. The strange thing is that she never had any interest to be behind the camera. But that was a long time ago...

Take care,

[Heinrich Lohmann]

VERY nice. Especially love how you captured the reflections in the eyes.
Wonderful series!
--
dbh

Thank you dbh, it;s appreciated.

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Great series. The Bigma is definately a keeper.

Thank you Frank, Bigma can stay in the camera bag.

Take care,

[cupic]

That first shot boy thats looks like one cranky bird


cheers

[Heinrich Lohmann]

That first shot boy thats looks like one cranky bird


cheers

I think he was cranky, I interupted him in whatever he was looking for in the old grass but he did not leave just kept staring at the camera.

Take care,

[TomInJax]

Thank you Heinrich! I don't think that I will ever sell my Bigma!