The dogs were barking, I could here a big bear out in the yard just wailing on my garbage can. the yellow images are taken with the yard light at either 20000 ISO or 51200 ISO. I couldn't see the bear in the viewfinder, but the camera focused.

He was a big boy,

Th first two are taken in the shadow of the yard light, the second two with the built in flash, which worked surprisingly well. I was leaned out a second floor window... anything for a shot eh?









The garbage bin is commercially made, supposed to be bear proof, at least 3 feet wide and his shoulder looks to be at least 18 inches higher. The steel bin was held to the tree by 6 inch lag bolts, he just wailed on it until he broke it off. Doubtless one of the dump bears...they went to plastic lidded garbage bins at the dump, and the bears have learned to smash their way into them. I'm going to need a huge concrete pad or something. There's no way this guy was less than 400 pounds.

The MNR says when they get bear reports, people always double the weight, so officially make that at least 200 pounds, me, I'm sticking with 400, and the biggest friggin bear at the dump.

[Kayaker-J]

What was the lens and aperture used, normhead?

[normhead]

DA* 60-250, the first couple with the 1.4 TC so ƒ5.6, and 20000 ISO. I took off the TC to get to ƒ4 put up the built in flash and went to 51200 ISO. I was starting to experiment with my old AF 200T but he left. I haven't actually used that flash in years, and it doesn't have a setting for 51200 ISO. The first shot set at 400 ISO totally fried the image, and the camera didn't focus. Then he left.

[rawr]

Cool.

And I worry about rats in my compost heap.

[MD Optofonik]

A perfect example of how the highest ISO settings deemed "unusable" by many reviewers are, in fact, the difference between getting something or nothing at all; i.e., a usable shot. Nicely done.

[Kayaker-J]

Thanks for the spec on these shots, normhead; it helps convey to me a practical sense of the K3's AF envelope, and just possibly bragging rights vs. my D800 (now D810) owning pal with his 80-400mm near 'equivalent' FL lens, as well.

[normhead]

Cool.

And I worry about rats in my compost heap.

Because of the bears, we can't have a compost heap. I checked this morning, the 6 inch lag bolt is still in the tree. He absolutely splintered the 2x4 it was attached to. When I put it back, I''ll use a metal plate and bolts. If he wanted into my house... well I keep a couple of my old baseball bats for that...

A perfect example of how the highest ISO settings deemed "unusable" by many reviewers are, in fact, the difference between getting something or nothing at all; i.e., a usable shot. Nicely done.

I'm absolutely thrilled with these shots....I can go on to the neighbours about how big this guy was, and everyone will say "ya ,ya, it was probably a cub, I would have let my dogs out on him". Then I'll show them the pictures. Some of my neighbours have had dogs killed by bears, you don't turn them loose on the big boys, not unless they're trained much better than mine. My son used to have a trained karelian bear dog. . Wish he was here. Oh, well, the bins put back, the garbage is cleaned up. I'm going to figure out how to wire a pepper spray bomb to that bin.

---------- Post added 08-09-14 at 08:31 AM ----------

Thanks for the spec on these shots, normhead; it helps convey to me a practical sense of the K3's AF envelope, and just possibly bragging rights vs. my D800 (now D810) owning pal with his 80-400mm near 'equivalent' FL lens, as well.

Glad to be of assistance, we all know important it is to stick it to the Nikon guys. Tell him there's no way he would have been hanging out my kitchen window with a 400mm ƒ4 lens on the end of his camera.

[Dewman]

#3 is classic! I love the glowing eyes, even if it doesn't convey the actual size of the bear. When I lived high in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, we used to have the occasional bear visit us, but wolves and cougars were more of a pressing problem. I lost my much-loved dog to a big cat.... a very BIG cat!

[Kayaker-J]

I think you're right there, normhead. For that hour of the night, he could have hired someone to do it. But that's another story...

[normhead]

I think you're right there, normhead. For that hour of the night, he could have hired someone to do it. But that's another story...

Now there's a plan. Convince drunk people to take close ups of the bears raiding your garbage, I wonder if there would be any personal liability involved? I mean if I didn't pay them it would be a personal decision right? Drunks are always killing people, and sometimes dying themselves. Why not have a few die for a worthy cause, like my photo collection?

[Michael Piziak]

Very interesting !
And you managed to get lens flare in the dark too!
thanx for sharing !

[Kayaker-J]

Now there's a plan. Convince drunk people to take close ups of the bears raiding your garbage, I wonder if there would be any personal liability involved? I mean if I didn't pay them it would be a personal decision right? Drunks are always killing people, and sometimes dying themselves. Why not have a few die for a worthy cause, like my photo collection?

He can afford to hire (and insure) the best class of drunk. Keep in mind, that D810 was ordered on Day One (angels with trumpets, etc.). I didn't have to goad him into upgrading at all -- I just forwarded the imminent announcement rumor -- and, done! 😄

[normhead]

Very interesting !
thanx for sharing !

You welcome as always Michael, thanks for commenting.

He can afford to hire (and insure) the best class of drunk. Keep in mind, that D810 was ordered on Day One (angels with trumpets, etc.). I didn't have to goad him into upgrading at all -- I just forwarded the imminent announcement rumor -- and, done! ��

Ya my friend like that still can't figure out why 95% of the time I get better pictures. He keeps saying "but I have the better camera." Getting the right exposure at the right ISO often counts for more than what camera you're using, and all that comes from understanding Dynamic Range and your histogram. Until he learns he has to have the EV tuned to a third of a stop, there's' not much I can do for him. Except tell him he has to tune the EV to 1/3 of a stop and use it when he exposes every demanding frame.

That's a tough message for the gear heads. It doesn't matter what camera you buy, you still have to understand photography, the art.

[MD Optofonik]

My son used to have a trained karelian bear dog.

Fascinating and impressive; used in Yellowstone for bear control.

[Bob Harris]

you're a lucky man, I've always wanted to get a shot like that. I even waited for hours at a trash bin at one of our campgrounds because a bear kept getting into the garbage but he never came.