First shots w/ the DA* 300mm (bugs and birds mostly)

First shots w/ the DA* 300mm (bugs and birds mostly) · 01:29 PM

Nice Lens

...

Bees...

w/ the -F 1.7x adapter...

A Damselfly...

A duck...(no TC for the following shots...)

not sure what these guys are, I think maybe bank swallows...

And a bumblebee video (somewhere in the upload process, the quality got a bit mangled, full size looks better

...)

click the screenshot to link to the video...

attack11 · 08-18-2009, 02:06 PM

awesome shots!

**Marc Langille** · 08-18-2009, 04:22 PM

Great series Josh! That DA* 300/4 seems to be a favorite for getting closer than most 300's - just over 4 feet as the MFD!

Regards,
Marc

**Ash** · 08-18-2009, 05:37 PM

Oh, yes.
These are great.
Well done and great use of an awesome lens.
Congrats.

**Scottnorwo** · 08-18-2009, 06:39 PM

awesome shots. lens produces some sharp images

heliphoto · 08-18-2009, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by attack11

awesome shots!

Thanks attack11!

Originally posted by Marc Langille

Great series Josh! That DA* 300/4 seems to be a favorite for getting closer than most 300's - just over 4 feet as the MFD!

Regards,
Marc

Thanks Marc. The close focus magnification of this lens (1:4) is really impressive, and coupled w/ a TC you can get really close while still maintaining your distance from the bugs (it's no FA* 200 macro, but hasn't that horse been beat a little too often lately :lol).

Originally posted by Ash

Oh, yes.
These are great.
Well done and great use of an awesome lens.
Congrats.

Thank you Ash!

Originally posted by Scottnorwo

awesome shots. lens produces some sharp images

Thanks Scott - sharpness sample to follow

...

heliphoto · 08-18-2009, 08:09 PM

This is not really a sample of the sharpness of this lens (that's still to come...) Just another shot from yesterday's excursion...

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 08-18-2009, 08:14 PM

Very nice lens josh and the photos aren't bad neither :-) Thanks for posting them and the video.

heliphoto · 08-18-2009, 08:28 PM

Thanks Heinrich - there's more video worth looking at, but it's being very slow to upload...

Meanwhile, here's that gratuitous uber-sharp wide open photo. These birds (Chinese goose I think) were in a pool in a downtown park, and provided an excellent set of first subjects to fine tune focus adjustments etc...

Wide open, hand held, auto-focused at maybe two meters-ish. Shot raw, and sharpened w/ my bird sharpening preset in Lightroom...

Full shot...

100% crops...

I can also confirm that birds are descended from disosaurs

!

Igilligan · 08-19-2009, 05:24 PM

Wow you got it! What a lens, and it looks so good with the TC... so now I need the lens and that 400 dollar TC. Great Josh, just great...

I was blown away by it in the hotel room on the K7 tour stop... but this is a whole other level of blown away.

heliphoto · 08-20-2009, 06:59 AM

Yeah Gus... the lens is a keeper - I've gotten some good results with the TC, and some not so good, but I think I need to change the focus adjustment w/ the 1.7x AFTC. It does seem to excel for closeup work though. When I get home I'll try it with the kenko 1.5x too, as I've seen some good results posted with that combo before.

daacon · 08-20-2009, 07:06 AM

Great series Josh love the video as well. You are not helping my LBA here bud

heliphoto · 08-20-2009, 10:44 AM

Thanks Dave - BTW, that video looked much better before being uploaded - I'm still a noob when it comes to video.

palmor · 09-03-2009, 08:10 PM

Hi Josh,
Glad the lens is treating you well! I kept meaning to follow up and search for your posts but I haven't had a chance until tonight. I may one day regret selling it

John

Jimbo · 09-03-2009, 09:18 PM

Great series Josh. I just priced out a Sigma 300 2.8 [about 3400.00 Canadian] May need to look at this one again though I am leaning towards the 300 2.8. Great series. JIM

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08-18-2009, 02:06 PM	#2
attack11 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON - Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 658	awesome shots!

08-18-2009, 04:22 PM	#3
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710	Great series Josh! That DA* 300/4 seems to be a favorite for getting closer than most 300's - just over 4 feet as the MFD! Regards, Marc

08-18-2009, 05:37 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Oh, yes. These are great. Well done and great use of an awesome lens. Congrats.

08-18-2009, 06:39 PM	#5
Scottnorwo Millionth Poster! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stafford, New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,086	awesome shots. lens produces some sharp images

08-18-2009, 08:05 PM	#6
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by attack11 awesome shots! Thanks attack11! Originally posted by Marc Langille Great series Josh! That DA* 300/4 seems to be a favorite for getting closer than most 300's - just over 4 feet as the MFD! Regards, Marc Thanks Marc. The close focus magnification of this lens (1:4) is really impressive, and coupled w/ a TC you can get really close while still maintaining your distance from the bugs (it's no FA* 200 macro, but hasn't that horse been beat a little too often lately :lol). Originally posted by Ash Oh, yes. These are great. Well done and great use of an awesome lens. Congrats. Thank you Ash! Originally posted by Scottnorwo awesome shots. lens produces some sharp images Thanks Scott - sharpness sample to follow ...

08-18-2009, 08:09 PM	#7
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	This is not really a sample of the sharpness of this lens (that's still to come...) Just another shot from yesterday's excursion...

08-18-2009, 08:14 PM	#8
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Very nice lens josh and the photos aren't bad neither :-) Thanks for posting them and the video.

08-18-2009, 08:28 PM	#9
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Thanks Heinrich - there's more video worth looking at, but it's being very slow to upload... Meanwhile, here's that gratuitous uber-sharp wide open photo. These birds (Chinese goose I think) were in a pool in a downtown park, and provided an excellent set of first subjects to fine tune focus adjustments etc... Wide open, hand held, auto-focused at maybe two meters-ish. Shot raw, and sharpened w/ my bird sharpening preset in Lightroom... Full shot... 100% crops... I can also confirm that birds are descended from disosaurs !

08-19-2009, 05:24 PM	#10
Igilligan Guest	Wow you got it! What a lens, and it looks so good with the TC... so now I need the lens and that 400 dollar TC. Great Josh, just great... I was blown away by it in the hotel room on the K7 tour stop... but this is a whole other level of blown away.

08-20-2009, 06:59 AM	#11
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Yeah Gus... the lens is a keeper - I've gotten some good results with the TC, and some not so good, but I think I need to change the focus adjustment w/ the 1.7x AFTC. It does seem to excel for closeup work though. When I get home I'll try it with the kenko 1.5x too, as I've seen some good results posted with that combo before.

08-20-2009, 07:06 AM	#12
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Great series Josh love the video as well. You are not helping my LBA here bud

08-20-2009, 10:44 AM	#13
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Thanks Dave - BTW, that video looked much better before being uploaded - I'm still a noob when it comes to video.

09-03-2009, 08:10 PM	#14
palmor Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: North of Boston, MA Posts: 798	Hi Josh, Glad the lens is treating you well! I kept meaning to follow up and search for your posts but I haven't had a chance until tonight. I may one day regret selling it John

09-03-2009, 09:18 PM	#15
Jimbo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,368	Great series Josh. I just priced out a Sigma 300 2.8 [about 3400.00 Canadian] May need to look at this one again though I am leaning towards the 300 2.8. Great series. JIM