More Birds with Bigma

More Birds with Bigma · 01:12 PM

K20D and Sigma 50-500mm "Bigma"
Still practicing with the big lens. These were pretty close shots at high focal length so the DOF was very sharp. Getting better though...

Tufted Titmouse

Male & Female Junko

Morgan

tybeck · 12-31-2008, 02:24 PM

These are solid shots. I've been considering Bigma myself as a wildlife photography lens. For the mean time I'll stick with the manual Sigma 400mm a picked up a few months ago. Quick question, did you do a lot of post-processing on the last image or is the depth-of-field just that tight?

sawtooth235 · 12-31-2008, 02:30 PM

Great effort! I think #3 is great.

Ray

wa5am · 12-31-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by tybeck

These are solid shots. I've been considering Bigma myself as a wildlife photography lens. For the mean time I'll stick with the manual Sigma 400mm a picked up a few months ago. Quick question, did you do a lot of post-processing on the last image or is the depth-of-field just that tight?

So far, and as little as I've used it, I am really impressed with the lens.

All of these were converted from RAW (actually PEF). Only PP I did was crop, adjust levels a bit, resize/resample, and "Smart Redux Sharpen", which is a variation of USM. The DOF you see is exactly what this lens does at the f-stop and distance I was shooting (about 40 feet away). Very tight!

Since I posted these, I wanted to try one with a technique I'm using for B&W conversion. I actually like this one better than the color version.

wa5am · 12-31-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by sawtooth235

Great effort! I think #3 is great.

Ray

Thanks Ray! I appreciate it!

Morg

slowpez · 12-31-2008, 03:54 PM

I hate that Bigma - it does such a terrible job. LOL

wa5am · 12-31-2008, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by slowpez

I hate that Bigma - it does such a terrible job. LOL

Yeah, me too!! Think I'll just use it for a wine decanter

squarerigger · 12-31-2008, 04:20 PM

Very nice - I really like number 3 - it is spot on. thanks for sharing

cupic · 12-31-2008, 07:55 PM

Always green with envy when a good lenses takes a great shot

cheers

wa5am · 01-01-2009, 06:21 AM

Thanks Ivan and Gary! Appreciate your comments as always.

Happy New year!

Morgan

JMR · 01-01-2009, 07:20 AM

Those are wonderful images. Tack sharp. Love the third image. Only the junco with the out of focus partner seems a bit disjointed, but that can't be helped with limited DOF.

JMR

Peter Zack · 01-01-2009, 07:32 AM

Very good series. I agree that the 3rd shot is very good. Great colour and very sharp.

I had a look at the EXIF data and you shot that one at 500mm 1/250th and f 13. Is that correct?

If so just a thought. I owned this lens for quite awhile and found that it shot better when pulled back to 475mm. At a full 500mm it was a touch softer. You might want to try that the next time. With the K20D sensor, if the shot is sharp, you can crop a little to give the impression of a closer shot.

gawan · 01-01-2009, 08:51 AM

Excellent! Nice continuation for the previous series!

wa5am · 01-01-2009, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by JMR

Those are wonderful images. Tack sharp. Love the third image. Only the junco with the out of focus partner seems a bit disjointed, but that can't be helped with limited DOF.

JMR

I agree about the one with the Junkos... Just don't look right...

Thanks for the comments JMR!

Originally posted by Peter Zack

Very good series. I agree that the 3rd shot is very good. Great colour and very sharp.

I had a look at the EXIF data and you shot that one at 500mm 1/250th and f 13. Is that correct?

If so just a thought. I owned this lens for quite awhile and found that it shot better when pulled back to 475mm. At a full 500mm it was a touch softer. You might want to try that the next time. With the K20D sensor, if the shot is sharp, you can crop a little to give the impression of a closer shot.

Thanks Peter! I will try that. I see a a whole slew of birds out today, including different woodpeckers, so maybe I can do some more practicing!

Morgan

tybeck · 01-01-2009, 12:19 PM

Thanks for the additional information. This post may have pushed me over the fence on this lens. Keep practicing and sharing the fruits of your efforts!

wa5am
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12-31-2008, 02:24 PM	#2
tybeck Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 452	These are solid shots. I've been considering Bigma myself as a wildlife photography lens. For the mean time I'll stick with the manual Sigma 400mm a picked up a few months ago. Quick question, did you do a lot of post-processing on the last image or is the depth-of-field just that tight?

12-31-2008, 02:30 PM	#3
sawtooth235 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Orange Park, Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 886	Great effort! I think #3 is great. Ray

12-31-2008, 02:42 PM	#4
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244 Original Poster	Originally posted by tybeck These are solid shots. I've been considering Bigma myself as a wildlife photography lens. For the mean time I'll stick with the manual Sigma 400mm a picked up a few months ago. Quick question, did you do a lot of post-processing on the last image or is the depth-of-field just that tight? So far, and as little as I've used it, I am really impressed with the lens. All of these were converted from RAW (actually PEF). Only PP I did was crop, adjust levels a bit, resize/resample, and "Smart Redux Sharpen", which is a variation of USM. The DOF you see is exactly what this lens does at the f-stop and distance I was shooting (about 40 feet away). Very tight! Since I posted these, I wanted to try one with a technique I'm using for B&W conversion. I actually like this one better than the color version.

12-31-2008, 02:42 PM	#5
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244 Original Poster	Originally posted by sawtooth235 Great effort! I think #3 is great. Ray Thanks Ray! I appreciate it! Morg

12-31-2008, 03:54 PM	#6
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,462	I hate that Bigma - it does such a terrible job. LOL

12-31-2008, 04:07 PM	#7
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244 Original Poster	Originally posted by slowpez I hate that Bigma - it does such a terrible job. LOL Yeah, me too!! Think I'll just use it for a wine decanter

12-31-2008, 04:20 PM	#8
squarerigger Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: James City County, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 322	Very nice - I really like number 3 - it is spot on. thanks for sharing

12-31-2008, 07:55 PM	#9
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Always green with envy when a good lenses takes a great shot cheers

01-01-2009, 06:21 AM	#10
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244 Original Poster	Thanks Ivan and Gary! Appreciate your comments as always. Happy New year! Morgan

01-01-2009, 07:20 AM	#11
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	Those are wonderful images. Tack sharp. Love the third image. Only the junco with the out of focus partner seems a bit disjointed, but that can't be helped with limited DOF. JMR

01-01-2009, 07:32 AM	#12
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Very good series. I agree that the 3rd shot is very good. Great colour and very sharp. I had a look at the EXIF data and you shot that one at 500mm 1/250th and f 13. Is that correct? If so just a thought. I owned this lens for quite awhile and found that it shot better when pulled back to 475mm. At a full 500mm it was a touch softer. You might want to try that the next time. With the K20D sensor, if the shot is sharp, you can crop a little to give the impression of a closer shot.

01-01-2009, 08:51 AM	#13
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	Excellent! Nice continuation for the previous series!

01-01-2009, 08:51 AM	#14
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244 Original Poster	Originally posted by JMR Those are wonderful images. Tack sharp. Love the third image. Only the junco with the out of focus partner seems a bit disjointed, but that can't be helped with limited DOF. JMR I agree about the one with the Junkos... Just don't look right... Thanks for the comments JMR! Originally posted by Peter Zack Very good series. I agree that the 3rd shot is very good. Great colour and very sharp. I had a look at the EXIF data and you shot that one at 500mm 1/250th and f 13. Is that correct? If so just a thought. I owned this lens for quite awhile and found that it shot better when pulled back to 475mm. At a full 500mm it was a touch softer. You might want to try that the next time. With the K20D sensor, if the shot is sharp, you can crop a little to give the impression of a closer shot. Thanks Peter! I will try that. I see a a whole slew of birds out today, including different woodpeckers, so maybe I can do some more practicing! Morgan

01-01-2009, 12:19 PM	#15
tybeck Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 452	Thanks for the additional information. This post may have pushed me over the fence on this lens. Keep practicing and sharing the fruits of your efforts!