300mm plus Lens Club: discuss your long lenses

**Scorpio71GR** · 02-20-2016, 10:10 PM

Originally posted by r0ckstarr

Nice shots. Auto Focus in that situation would have given you a perfectly focused branch and a blurred bird anyways. I use AF to get me to the branches, then manual focus the rest of the way to the bird.

Thank you, it really does not bother me to use manual focus. I have been it for long enough anyway. I just wonder if the 60-250 would focus better using the Pentax HD TC rather than my Tamron. I am fine with IQ I get with the Tamron.Eventually I will get the Pentax TC but I have been thinking of getting a better tripod this year. If I get a newer tripod that will most likely be my budget for the whole year. I am not even sure we're to start with a set of tripod legs.

derekkite · 02-20-2016, 10:33 PM

There are predator/prey cycles where prey animals get numerous, predators increase, decreasing prey dramatically until high predator population decreases, creating a prey rebound. Over and over again. A winter with heavy snow pack and freeze thaw cycles allows the predators to run on the surface but hooved animals break through. Right now we have very high numbers of prey birds and very low numbers of songbirds. The lake fishery has collapsed due to a decrease in the numbrrs of food fish caused by a disease. It will come back, two landlocked salmon spawning cyckes, but in the meantime the high population of grizzlies whe depended on the late season spawn for fattening for hibernation will probably see few come out of their dens next spring.

Round and round it goes. Trying to 'manage' these natural cycles always seem to make them worse. Anyone who has lived here for a long time has seen 4 or 5 of these cycles.

Five years ago wolves showed up in thus area and the predictions were of ungulate population collapse. It hasn't happened,

The biologists don't have the faintest clue, neither do the wildlife authorities.

r0ckstarr · 02-20-2016, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by Scorpio71GR

Thank you, it really does not bother me to use manual focus. I have been it for long enough anyway. I just wonder if the 60-250 would focus better using the Pentax HD TC rather than my Tamron. I am fine with IQ I get with the Tamron.Eventually I will get the Pentax TC but I have been thinking of getting a better tripod this year. If I get a newer tripod that will most likely be my budget for the whole year. I am not even sure we're to start with a set of tripod legs.

I've decided to force myself to use some sort of support. Not knowing where to start, and not wanting a tripod, I decided on this Benro monopod.

Benro A48TD 4 Section Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base A48TD

I've been using it and the DA*300 with the 1.4 TC since I got it and it has proven useful since having it. The fold out legs offer more support than not having them, but not much more. On level ground, it will stand up on its own with the camera mounted to it, but I don't suggest doing that because it is top heavy and can fall over really easily. There's a nut on the bottom that allows you to loosen up the legs so that the monopod can tilt or swivel on the legs. I've found that useful for uneven ground. I just need to find a better head for it than the one I am using.

Cold Iron · 02-20-2016, 10:48 PM

Originally posted by derekkite

There are predator/prey cycles where prey animals get numerous, predators increase, decreasing prey dramatically until high predator population decreases, creating a prey rebound. Over and over again. A winter with heavy snow pack and freeze thaw cycles allows the predators to run on the surface but hooved animals break through. Right now we have very high numbers of prey birds and very low numbers of songbirds. The lake fishery has collapsed due to a decrease in the numbrrs of food fish caused by a disease. It will come back, two landlocked salmon spawning cyckes, but in the meantime the high population of grizzlies whe depended on the late season spawn for fattening for hibernation will probably see few come out of their dens next spring.

Round and round it goes. Trying to 'manage' these natural cycles always seem to make them worse. Anyone who has lived here for a long time has seen 4 or 5 of these cycles.

Five years ago wolves showed up in thus area and the predictions were of ungulate population collapse. It hasn't happened,

The biologists don't have the faintest clue, neither do the wildlife authorities.

And not surprisingly we have a winner here, not sure many understand exactly what you said but I do, and you are spot on as usual Derek. It should be enough as is but sighh... it will not be.

Mothballs · 02-21-2016, 01:21 AM

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here cursing myself.
"
One day I'm great, shots come easy and eveyrthing snaps into focus it seems

The next I'd be lucky to auto-focus my way to a non-blurry picture of a tree.

r0ckstarr · 02-21-2016, 02:08 AM - **4 Likes**

DA*300 at 420mm.

RobG · 02-21-2016, 02:31 AM - **4 Likes**

If only the AF was faster.

Silvereye by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

**Scorpio71GR** · 02-21-2016, 04:41 AM

Originally posted by r0ckstarr

I've decided to force myself to use some sort of support. Not knowing where to start, and not wanting a tripod, I decided on this Benro monopod.

Benro A48TD 4 Section Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base A48TD

I've been using it and the DA*300 with the 1.4 TC since I got it and it has proven useful since having it. The fold out legs offer more support than not having them, but not much more. On level ground, it will stand up on its own with the camera mounted to it, but I don't suggest doing that because it is top heavy and can fall over really easily. There's a nut on the bottom that allows you to loosen up the legs so that the monopod can tilt or swivel on the legs. I've found that useful for uneven ground. I just need to find a better head for it than the one I am using.

I almost bought one of those but I have a really nice 3 Legged Thing carbon fiber monopod with a really nice ball head. I was not sure how much that would help with the Bigma 50-500. When I have the K3, battery grip, Bigma, AF 540, plus the Better Beamer I am at over 10lbs. I am starting to think a set of tripod legs and a gimbal is in the future.

**WPRESTO** · 02-21-2016, 06:20 AM

I've wondered whether the bipods designed for hunters would be a useful quick brace when using a long lens. Two legs should give more right-left stability than a monopod. They typically have a little rotating fork at the top to rest a rifle, but a lens could as easily be set there. The lens could rotate, tip up/down, and twist for level, and the bipod would not be attached to the lens so it might be easier to pick up and move. A speculative thought.

normhead · 02-21-2016, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Well you made an incorrect statement earlier that predators only kill the weak and old. Because that is what someone wrote in a textbook years ago and it is still thrown out as fact.

Well, I'm not going to argue that, they'll kill what they can get. But, you still despite being asked three times, haven't answered how moose and wolves have managed to live co-dependantly for 15,000 years. I'm going to do the smart thing an ignore you. You clearly are pushing an agenda, I suspect based on fear and bloodlust, and crying wolf.

The hysteria of the "let's go kill something" community seems to know no bounds.

I try to photograph wolves, and have never had cause to either fear them even though they walk through my property all the time. Get your camera out, put your gun away, you'll be a better person. People like you are in competition with people like me. After you kill it, I can't get pictures of it. As a photographer my interest is opposed to yours, and this happens to be a photographic forum. I face off against lobby groups lobbying to kill the animals I photograph, on a regular basis. This thread is where people like me go to discuss how to get our images. Go get some pictures.

**dadipentak** · 02-21-2016, 06:55 AM - **2 Likes**

It would be nice to get back on...you know...topic.

normhead · 02-21-2016, 06:58 AM

Good plan.

JML69 · 02-21-2016, 07:11 AM - **3 Likes**

This Red Tailed Hawk beat the crap out of a Red Shouldered Hawk the other day then struck a pose.

r0ckstarr · 02-21-2016, 08:56 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by WPRESTO

I've wondered whether the bipods designed for hunters would be a useful quick brace when using a long lens. Two legs should give more right-left stability than a monopod. They typically have a little rotating fork at the top to rest a rifle, but a lens could as easily be set there. The lens could rotate, tip up/down, and twist for level, and the bipod would not be attached to the lens so it might be easier to pick up and move. A speculative thought.

I considered this shoulder rest when I got my monopod. A few more accessories, and we'll have an Assault Camera.

Manfrotto 361 Shoulder Brace for Monopods 361 B&H Photo Video

micromacro · 02-21-2016, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by r0ckstarr

I considered this shoulder rest when I got my monopod. A few more accessories, and we'll have an Assault Camera.

Manfrotto 361 Shoulder Brace for Monopods 361 B&H Photo Video

The reviews are mixed. I use the light and cheap Manfrotto monopod, and found it well balanced with DA*300, it also gives good rest to my hand for prolong shooting.
How do you like added shoulder brace? Did it improve the stability?

02-21-2016, 06:47 AM	#19900
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Quote: Well you made an incorrect statement earlier that predators only kill the weak and old. Because that is what someone wrote in a textbook years ago and it is still thrown out as fact. Well, I'm not going to argue that, they'll kill what they can get. But, you still despite being asked three times, haven't answered how moose and wolves have managed to live co-dependantly for 15,000 years. I'm going to do the smart thing an ignore you. You clearly are pushing an agenda, I suspect based on fear and bloodlust, and crying wolf. The hysteria of the "let's go kill something" community seems to know no bounds. I try to photograph wolves, and have never had cause to either fear them even though they walk through my property all the time. Get your camera out, put your gun away, you'll be a better person. People like you are in competition with people like me. After you kill it, I can't get pictures of it. As a photographer my interest is opposed to yours, and this happens to be a photographic forum. I face off against lobby groups lobbying to kill the animals I photograph, on a regular basis. This thread is where people like me go to discuss how to get our images. Go get some pictures. Last edited by normhead; 02-21-2016 at 07:48 AM.

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02-20-2016, 10:10 PM	#19891
Scorpio71GR Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,014	Originally posted by r0ckstarr Nice shots. Auto Focus in that situation would have given you a perfectly focused branch and a blurred bird anyways. I use AF to get me to the branches, then manual focus the rest of the way to the bird. Thank you, it really does not bother me to use manual focus. I have been it for long enough anyway. I just wonder if the 60-250 would focus better using the Pentax HD TC rather than my Tamron. I am fine with IQ I get with the Tamron.Eventually I will get the Pentax TC but I have been thinking of getting a better tripod this year. If I get a newer tripod that will most likely be my budget for the whole year. I am not even sure we're to start with a set of tripod legs.

02-20-2016, 10:33 PM	#19892
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	There are predator/prey cycles where prey animals get numerous, predators increase, decreasing prey dramatically until high predator population decreases, creating a prey rebound. Over and over again. A winter with heavy snow pack and freeze thaw cycles allows the predators to run on the surface but hooved animals break through. Right now we have very high numbers of prey birds and very low numbers of songbirds. The lake fishery has collapsed due to a decrease in the numbrrs of food fish caused by a disease. It will come back, two landlocked salmon spawning cyckes, but in the meantime the high population of grizzlies whe depended on the late season spawn for fattening for hibernation will probably see few come out of their dens next spring. Round and round it goes. Trying to 'manage' these natural cycles always seem to make them worse. Anyone who has lived here for a long time has seen 4 or 5 of these cycles. Five years ago wolves showed up in thus area and the predictions were of ungulate population collapse. It hasn't happened, The biologists don't have the faintest clue, neither do the wildlife authorities.

02-20-2016, 10:41 PM	#19893
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	Originally posted by Scorpio71GR Thank you, it really does not bother me to use manual focus. I have been it for long enough anyway. I just wonder if the 60-250 would focus better using the Pentax HD TC rather than my Tamron. I am fine with IQ I get with the Tamron.Eventually I will get the Pentax TC but I have been thinking of getting a better tripod this year. If I get a newer tripod that will most likely be my budget for the whole year. I am not even sure we're to start with a set of tripod legs. I've decided to force myself to use some sort of support. Not knowing where to start, and not wanting a tripod, I decided on this Benro monopod. Benro A48TD 4 Section Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base A48TD I've been using it and the DA*300 with the 1.4 TC since I got it and it has proven useful since having it. The fold out legs offer more support than not having them, but not much more. On level ground, it will stand up on its own with the camera mounted to it, but I don't suggest doing that because it is top heavy and can fall over really easily. There's a nut on the bottom that allows you to loosen up the legs so that the monopod can tilt or swivel on the legs. I've found that useful for uneven ground. I just need to find a better head for it than the one I am using.

02-20-2016, 10:48 PM	#19894
Cold Iron Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Mn. Posts: 111	Originally posted by derekkite There are predator/prey cycles where prey animals get numerous, predators increase, decreasing prey dramatically until high predator population decreases, creating a prey rebound. Over and over again. A winter with heavy snow pack and freeze thaw cycles allows the predators to run on the surface but hooved animals break through. Right now we have very high numbers of prey birds and very low numbers of songbirds. The lake fishery has collapsed due to a decrease in the numbrrs of food fish caused by a disease. It will come back, two landlocked salmon spawning cyckes, but in the meantime the high population of grizzlies whe depended on the late season spawn for fattening for hibernation will probably see few come out of their dens next spring. Round and round it goes. Trying to 'manage' these natural cycles always seem to make them worse. Anyone who has lived here for a long time has seen 4 or 5 of these cycles. Five years ago wolves showed up in thus area and the predictions were of ungulate population collapse. It hasn't happened, The biologists don't have the faintest clue, neither do the wildlife authorities. And not surprisingly we have a winner here, not sure many understand exactly what you said but I do, and you are spot on as usual Derek. It should be enough as is but sighh... it will not be.

02-21-2016, 01:21 AM	#19895
Mothballs Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 275	Meanwhile, I'm sitting here cursing myself. " One day I'm great, shots come easy and eveyrthing snaps into focus it seems The next I'd be lucky to auto-focus my way to a non-blurry picture of a tree.

02-21-2016, 02:08 AM - 4 Likes	#19896
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	DA*300 at 420mm.

02-21-2016, 02:31 AM - 4 Likes	#19897
RobG Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,902	If only the AF was faster. Silvereye by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

02-21-2016, 04:41 AM	#19898
Scorpio71GR Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,014	Originally posted by r0ckstarr I've decided to force myself to use some sort of support. Not knowing where to start, and not wanting a tripod, I decided on this Benro monopod. Benro A48TD 4 Section Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base A48TD I've been using it and the DA*300 with the 1.4 TC since I got it and it has proven useful since having it. The fold out legs offer more support than not having them, but not much more. On level ground, it will stand up on its own with the camera mounted to it, but I don't suggest doing that because it is top heavy and can fall over really easily. There's a nut on the bottom that allows you to loosen up the legs so that the monopod can tilt or swivel on the legs. I've found that useful for uneven ground. I just need to find a better head for it than the one I am using. I almost bought one of those but I have a really nice 3 Legged Thing carbon fiber monopod with a really nice ball head. I was not sure how much that would help with the Bigma 50-500. When I have the K3, battery grip, Bigma, AF 540, plus the Better Beamer I am at over 10lbs. I am starting to think a set of tripod legs and a gimbal is in the future.

02-21-2016, 06:20 AM	#19899
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	I've wondered whether the bipods designed for hunters would be a useful quick brace when using a long lens. Two legs should give more right-left stability than a monopod. They typically have a little rotating fork at the top to rest a rifle, but a lens could as easily be set there. The lens could rotate, tip up/down, and twist for level, and the bipod would not be attached to the lens so it might be easier to pick up and move. A speculative thought.

02-21-2016, 06:55 AM - 2 Likes	#19901
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	It would be nice to get back on...you know...topic.

02-21-2016, 06:58 AM	#19902
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Good plan.

02-21-2016, 08:56 AM - 1 Like	#19904
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	Originally posted by WPRESTO I've wondered whether the bipods designed for hunters would be a useful quick brace when using a long lens. Two legs should give more right-left stability than a monopod. They typically have a little rotating fork at the top to rest a rifle, but a lens could as easily be set there. The lens could rotate, tip up/down, and twist for level, and the bipod would not be attached to the lens so it might be easier to pick up and move. A speculative thought. I considered this shoulder rest when I got my monopod. A few more accessories, and we'll have an Assault Camera. Manfrotto 361 Shoulder Brace for Monopods 361 B&H Photo Video

02-21-2016, 09:37 AM	#19905
micromacro Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,722	Originally posted by r0ckstarr I considered this shoulder rest when I got my monopod. A few more accessories, and we'll have an Assault Camera. Manfrotto 361 Shoulder Brace for Monopods 361 B&H Photo Video The reviews are mixed. I use the light and cheap Manfrotto monopod, and found it well balanced with DA*300, it also gives good rest to my hand for prolong shooting. How do you like added shoulder brace? Did it improve the stability?