[gifthorse]

Black-crowned night heron.
Sigma 150-500 on a K5ii. These birds were extremely cooperative. At times they were so close that the Sigma couldn't focus on them.

[Weevil]

Something different with no feathers... K-3II + FA250-600



Jeux du Québec - Canoe-Kayak by Sylvain Cote, sur Flickr

[RockvilleBob]

Sigma 150-500 on a K5ii. These birds were extremely cooperative. At times they were so close that the Sigma couldn't focus on them.

Great opportunity and great shooting

---------- Post added 07-26-16 at 07:12 AM ----------

Something different with no feathers... K-3II + FA250-600

Jeux du Québec - Canoe-Kayak[/URL] by Sylvain Cote, sur Flickr

Nice shooting - great shutter speed selection

[WPRESTO]

Something different with no feathers... K-3II + FA250-600

Very engaging image. Lots of youth, energy, determination, capability, fitness- - - I remember those.

[jacamar]

This bird is a newcomer to me and I don't really know what it is I'm thinking a young Finch of some sort ? DA*300 1.4 TC handheld.

Well, if nobody else is pitching in I'll weigh in with my 2 weeks' experience of birding in Texas about 5 years ago - based on the range maps for this time of the year, perhaps an immature male Lesser Goldfinch? I still find the pinkish spots on the underparts puzzling, though.

[swip]

Black-crowned night heron.
Sigma 150-500 on a K5ii. These birds were extremely cooperative. At times they were so close that the Sigma couldn't focus on them.

Lucky you!

[marquis1955]

Well, if nobody else is pitching in I'll weigh in with my 2 weeks' experience of birding in Texas about 5 years ago - based on the range maps for this time of the year, perhaps an immature male Lesser Goldfinch? I still find the pinkish spots on the underparts puzzling, though.

That is exactly what has me wondering there is also blue on the top of the head in other pics but definitely a redish pink on the breast. I have a couple weeks experience here in Texas also and I'm truly puzzled. I am not by any means any kind of bird expert. Appreciate you weighing in jacamar...

---------- Post added 07-26-16 at 11:52 AM ----------

That is exactly what has me wondering there is also blue on the top of the head in other pics but definitely a redish pink on the breast. I have a couple weeks experience here in Texas also and I'm truly puzzled. I am not by any means any kind of bird expert. Appreciate you weighing in jacamar...

I am hoping the bird will return so I can get more information.

[Kameko]

Black-crowned night heron.
Sigma 150-500 on a K5ii. These birds were extremely cooperative. At times they were so close that the Sigma couldn't focus on them.

I wish I could get that close to Black-crowneds, they've got to be one of my faves. Nice photo's!

Something a little different for me to shoot - mammals!

[Canada_Rockies]

my apologies if i screwed up trying to make a new thread. I just couldn't find a new thread button to press.
I purchased a new DA* 300mm F4 2 weeks ago.
Knowing that my other lenses needed some AF fine tuning I ran this new lens through the 2 calibration test charts.
Using a sturdy tripod, good light and a 2 second timer I started with the chart tests.
The first chart, at a 45 degree slope always showed back focus from -10 to +8. but was nearing normal at +9. whereas +10 was blurry.
The second chart, a flat wall mounted high contrast with some texture seemed to baffle all reason.
It was sharp at +1,3,4 6 and 9 and soft at all others. +5 was sharp in center, soft at edges.
all shot at F4.
So basically same sharpness at +1 and +9. How can this be ? faulty lens ? or something wrong with the camera ?
I get fantastic sharp pics on the DA 55-300, but it seems random on the DA* 300. I can get a refund but no replacement as the price went up.

suggestions ?

Dewolf

Use denatured alcohol and microfiber cloth to seriously clean the contacts on the lens and on the camera. It is surprising how much grunge is on there sometimes. If you wear spectacles, you probably have both in the glass cleaner package they gave you.

[rkappleby]

help with DA* 300mm F4

I can't help with your problem you might be better to try the troubleshooting thread...

Random set from today, it was raining when I first got out but got a Swainson's Hawk and an Eastern Kingbird in the rain, I then found my owlets sitting a the crotch of a tree, I hadn't seen them in a couple of weeks, also saw a few Cedar Waxwings and also some American Goldfinch feeding like greedy little pigs..twas a good day

I didn't see Albert's post - makes sense to try that first...

Use denatured alcohol and microfiber cloth to seriously clean the contacts on the lens and on the camera. It is surprising how much grunge is on there sometimes. If you wear spectacles, you probably have both in the glass cleaner package they gave you.

I will try that. I have cleaned them in the past, but not recently. I also moved this thread to troubleshooting as suggested, thanks for the suggestion

[UncleVanya]

Is the consensus that the base lens should be a 300 plus focal length or should the adjusted length including Teleconverters be the basis for inclusion since this is the actual focal length.

Also I assume it is intended to be 300mm not including crop factor.

[WPRESTO]

Random set from today, it was raining when I first got out but got a Swainson's Hawk and an Eastern Kingbird in the rain, I then found my owlets sitting a the crotch of a tree, I hadn't seen them in a couple of weeks, also saw a few Cedar Waxwings and also some American Goldfinch feeding like greedy little pigs..twas a good day.

Like that waxwing, but then I think they are a particularly handsome bird - sleek with subtle, understated color.

[Lowell Goudge]

Is the consensus that the base lens should be a 300 plus focal length or should the adjusted length including Teleconverters be the basis for inclusion since this is the actual focal length.

Also I assume it is intended to be 300mm not including crop factor.

At 22000+ posts its kind of late to ask this question, isn't it? I always assumed that as long as the 300mm was optical, and what's the difference between a lens on its own or one with a TC, except that the teleconverter group is detachable as opposed to built in.

Crop factor is a diffent beast, for me, since most of us who shoot wildlife crop images any way, crop factor is irrelevant, except to the percentage of frame thrown away

---------- Post added 07-27-2016 at 07:13 AM ----------

my apologies if i screwed up trying to make a new thread. I just couldn't find a new thread button to press.
I purchased a new DA* 300mm F4 2 weeks ago.
Knowing that my other lenses needed some AF fine tuning I ran this new lens through the 2 calibration test charts.
Using a sturdy tripod, good light and a 2 second timer I started with the chart tests.
The first chart, at a 45 degree slope always showed back focus from -10 to +8. but was nearing normal at +9. whereas +10 was blurry.
The second chart, a flat wall mounted high contrast with some texture seemed to baffle all reason.
It was sharp at +1,3,4 6 and 9 and soft at all others. +5 was sharp in center, soft at edges.
all shot at F4.
So basically same sharpness at +1 and +9. How can this be ? faulty lens ? or something wrong with the camera ?
I get fantastic sharp pics on the DA 55-300, but it seems random on the DA* 300. I can get a refund but no replacement as the price went up.

suggestions ?

Dewolf

I assume it is with the centre spot focusing?

What is your shooting distance and what is the texture? It might be a question of exactly what the camera focused on and the depth of field at the shooting aperture that gives this appearance, also note that there is some hysteresis on auto focus, it is never perfect, it is a range of good enough. Therefore, try multiple shots, alternately focusing from minimum or maximum, and look for the best compromise

For me, I rarely do focus adjustments, I use the lens first, and see how it performs, then if I really think it needs adjustment I go back and do it. Personally i never shot a focus target in the field, so how it works on a focus target may be misleading.

[Ducatigaz]

A few more shots from the car using my K-5/FA*600mm F4 ED[IF]/Eckla window mount