[jacamar]

Were the seagulls reasonably stationary in a headwind?

Thanks Rob, and to everyone else for the "likes". The gulls were gathered at a small cove that seemed to funnel the wind and the waves (and the food, I suppose), and they hung in the wind for a few seconds at a time. The DA*300 worked without the TC this time because the light was low (at least when I started shooting) and the birds were fairly close, though all the images are cropped.
While the AF doesn't jump to attention with every try I'm able to get good and reasonably fast focus most of the time, and to get in-focus shots of birds surrounded by twigs etc. and many birds in flight using spot focus. I'm not having much luck with expanded AF for birds in flight: I can't seem to get that first lock on the bird with the centre point (I don't have that trouble with spot focus) and the other red focus points just seem to dance around it while it remains out of focus.

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Last edited by jacamar; 10-01-2016 at 09:39 AM.

[lukulele]

Ok, thanks for your opinion. While I appreciate many of the points you have made, I don't appreciate the way in which you have made them, including a lot of assumptions about my skills or lack thereof, or the circumstances in which my frustration with the DA*300 has occurred. I never said I wasn't getting any photos, rather that I was missing a lot of opportunities because of the behaviour of the lens. In any case I'll stop bothering you.

Rob,
Financially I've had to settle for the A/400, and work at technique now for two years with it. The keepers are very rewarding but it all comes down to preparation(lighting, manual, pre focusing in a certain range, and so on etc.) and realize the misses are part of the game as we did in the 60's and 70's. Frustration is always around the corner and the blame is on me primarily on exposure issues. I'm taking the tripod and monopod nowadays as a "crutch" and resolved the fact that I have to do the best with what I've got. Since I shoot singles I quit worrying about %'s and getting at least one right, then go home, hug the dog, load the computer, and see what surprises appear. YMMV, Regards.

[cleaverx]

Financially I've had to settle for the A/400, and work at technique now for two years with it

I think SMC A 400mm f/5.6 is way underrated lens IMHO . One of my favorite lenses. I never leave home without it. Razor sharp around f/7.1 and even wide open still acceptably sharp. Great combo with K-3 making it effectively (600mm) and on K-1 if you can get close to subject it is superb.

---------- Post added 10-01-16 at 10:24 AM ----------

Tamron SP 300 ƒ2.8 and K-3
ISO 400, ƒ3.5, 1/400s

Love the output from this lens. Shallow DoF really brings the bird out in front and fall colors are awesome. Just start to turning colors in my backyard.

[acoufap]

K-1 - APSC mode - DA55-300PLM@300 - f6.3, ISO12.800, 1/125s, no flash


K-1 - APSC mode - DA55-300PLM@300 - f6.3, ISO2.000, 1/200s

Both shot at Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich

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Last edited by acoufap; 10-01-2016 at 11:36 AM. Reason: second image added

[cleaverx]

frustration with the DA*300 has occurre

RobG, try to use quick shift focus. When I first started to use my 55-300mm WR I didn't use quick shift focus that much. Later on I appreciated what this feature has to offer.
I start using it almost like a semi-hybrid manual/AF. It made a world of difference. Every time I picked the object to shoot I would manually thru quick shift focus focused on the object and then
let the AF takes over either in AF-S or AF-C...this way the hunting you experiencing will be minimized since you are helping AF to hone on the object. I am not sure if Canon or Nikon lenses even have quick shift focus.
We are blessed that Pentax using this in most new lenses.
Try to use it all the time and it will became natural. Don't give up on that DA *300mm f/4 it is a superb class lens (I wish I have one )

[cleaverx]

From last weekend..shore birds resting. Long-billed Dowitcher(left) and Lesser Yellowlegs (right). Shot with K-3 and SMC 500mm f/4.5

K-3 and SMC 500mm f/4.5 ISO-400, 1/640, f/11

Long-billed Dowitcher(left) and Lesser Yellowlegs (right)

[Canada_Rockies]

RobG, try to use quick shift focus. When I first started to use my 55-300mm WR I didn't use quick shift focus that much. Later on I appreciated what this feature has to offer.
I start using it almost like a semi-hybrid manual/AF. It made a world of difference. Every time I picked the object to shoot I would manually thru quick shift focus focused on the object and then
let the AF takes over either in AF-S or AF-C...this way the hunting you experiencing will be minimized since you are helping AF to hone on the object. I am not sure if Canon or Nikon lenses even have quick shift focus.
We are blessed that Pentax using this in most new lenses.
Try to use it all the time and it will became natural. Don't give up on that DA *300mm f/4 it is a superb class lens (I wish I have one )

I have the DA 55-300 (previous to WR) and it is a pretty good looking image producer in good light. In addition to quick shift, I use the back AF button with the half press AF turned off. I find that quickly grabbing a contrasty subject, such as a branch or reed, at the same distance using the back AF button and then pointing at the subject works well.

As for MF, I do use the M 400/5.6 quite a bit. The extra reach is terrific. I also use it with the AFA 1.7x with surprisingly decent results. (See the kids in the surf in my gallery and the oyster catchers). They were taken with the K10. With the K-3, I find the extra light on sensor with higher ISO much more useful. The ability to crop down to the equivalent of K10 pixel density is making the AFA 1.7x used much more often.

I don't have a huge budget. Actually, I don't even have a small budget. I have to make do until I can come up with a few extra dollars watching drunks in the local drunk tank.

[lukulele]

Mahogany Rock, MP 235, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC. Blue Ridge Birders Migratory Count 1Oct 2016. K-5, A/400

[swip]

I was walking along a trail by a small lake and something flew up on a low tree branch ahead of me. When I got closer, it turned out to be this Barred Owl.
It stayed put and I managed to get some really close shots. It was overcast, I was in the woods, and the light was fading quickly. So these pictures were all taken at high ISO (2500-4000) and very slow shutter speed (f/100-f/250). Thanks to on camera image stabilization, they turned out not bad.

[kengoh]

Yesterday shot with K1 + Sigma 500 F4.5

Grey Heron in flight


with double stack teleconverters - Pentax 1.4x + Kenko 1.5x = 2.1x, equivalent focal length 1050mm

[cleaverx]

I was walking along a trail by a small lake and something flew up on a low tree branch ahead of me. When I got closer, it turned out to be this Barred Owl.
It stayed put and I managed to get some really close shots. It was overcast, I was in the woods, and the light was fading quickly. So these pictures were all taken at high ISO (2500-4000) and very slow shutter speed (f/100-f/250). Thanks to on camera image stabilization, they turned out not bad.

Nice set. Pics looks awesome. What camera and lens did you used?

---------- Post added 10-01-16 at 07:55 PM ----------

Mahogany Rock, MP 235, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC. Blue Ridge Birders Migratory Count 1Oct 2016. K-5, A/400

Nice Turkey vulture??

[swip]

Nice set. Pics looks awesome. What camera and lens did you used?

---------- Post added 10-01-16 at 07:55 PM ----------

K3 and Sigma 500 f/4.5

[biz-engineer]

A few distant smalls birds with a K1 and DFA150-450 (cropped).

[acoufap]

K1 + DA55-300PLM + DA TC1.4x


420mm - ISO 100 - 1/320s - f/11


420mm - ISO 12.800 - 1/125s - f/9.5


420mm - ISO 5.000 - 1/125s - f/9.5

@Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich

[normhead]

Nice looking images , especially considering a TC was used.