Went birding - got bugs instead...

Went birding - got bugs instead... · 10:50 PM

Saw some ducks at the pond - they departed when I got within 200m... Saw a killdeer - it left when I took my tripod off my pack... Saw a splash when a frog jumped into the water and disappear (saw that a lot actually

).

Luckily, some bugs showed up so the walk wasn't a total wash

...

First the Mantis shots...

#1
DA* 300mm, f/10

#2
DA* 300mm, f/8

#3
DA* 300mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/22

#4
Tamron SP 400mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/11

Now the Dragonfly...

#5
Tamron SP 400mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/16

#6
Tamron SP 400mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/16

#7
DA* 300mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/14
(I sure wish I had avoided the foreground blur on the right of this one

)

#8
Tamron SP 400mm + Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter, equivalent f/16

100% crop from that last shot (not bad for using a TC yeah? (and 3m / 9 ft. from the subject))...

I love the 400mm + TC combo for large skittish insects like dragonflies, they don't even know I'm stalking them from 9 ft. away

.

imtheguy · 09-14-2009, 06:05 AM

I can never get too many pics of Mantis. The coolest bugs. Nice isolation of subjects. Maybe its the time of year for your location as your bugs all seem to have lost their summer color already.

dycz · 09-14-2009, 07:16 AM

Nice strategy.... hehe... its good to have long primes and a TC... Great shots... really, the last shot... not bad with a Tc.

heliphoto · 09-14-2009, 08:37 AM

Originally posted by imtheguy

I can never get too many pics of Mantis. The coolest bugs. Nice isolation of subjects. Maybe its the time of year for your location as your bugs all seem to have lost their summer color already.

That mantis was really unexpected - I don't see 'em too often (except in Marc's macros

). The mantis around here often seem quite drab - I thought this guy was fairly colorful! I've seen ones colored exactly like my "desert tan" flight suit. Actually that's the case for the dragonflies too - most vegetation 'round here in the summer is dead and brown, so the drab paint schemes are probably a survival mechanism... Glad you liked the shots.

Originally posted by dycz

Nice strategy.... hehe... its good to have long primes and a TC... Great shots... really, the last shot... not bad with a Tc.

Thanks dycz - luck is always my best strategy. I am continually impressed with the 1.7x AFTC - if you get the focus right, it's damn sharp (at least with the right lens). I've printed a 12x18 of a dragonfly I shot with it and it looks good to me (not as sharp as this last one though - might have to print that too).

scott-devon · 09-15-2009, 09:23 AM

Very nice shots, love the 4th and 7th ones.

garysmith22 · 09-17-2009, 01:16 PM

I'm usually content to not sign in or make any comments but to just sit back and think "I wish I could do that!"

These photos are all breathtaking and inspiritional!

Thank You!

heliphoto · 09-17-2009, 03:26 PM

Originally posted by scott-devon

Very nice shots, love the 4th and 7th ones.

Thanks Scott!

Originally posted by garysmith22

I'm usually content to not sign in or make any comments but to just sit back and think "I wish I could do that!"

These photos are all breathtaking and inspiritional!

Thank You!

Woah!- Thank you Gary.

**Ash** · 09-17-2009, 04:22 PM

Remarkable captures.
You put your 300 to very good use.
Well done.

JMR · 09-17-2009, 04:28 PM

Some excellent work; the bokeh really stands out. I have used a 80-200 for close ups, but never anything like 400mm.

JMR

heliphoto · 09-18-2009, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by Ash

Remarkable captures.
You put your 300 to very good use.
Well done.

Thanks Ash - glad you liked 'em.

Originally posted by JMR

Some excellent work; the bokeh really stands out. I have used a 80-200 for close ups, but never anything like 400mm.

JMR

Thanks JMR, for telephoto lenses, both the DA* 300mm and the Tamron SP 400mm have remarkably close focus - 1.4m for the 300mm and 3.0m for the 400mm... combined with a TC, you can get really good magnification with either lens while maintaining a good standoff from the bug in question- esp. with the 400mm.

MRRiley · 09-18-2009, 09:03 AM

Love the 4th mantis shot...

and the performance of the 400mm and the TC is amazing.

Mike

cupic · 09-19-2009, 06:20 AM

I'm stunned at the clean crisp clear shots my hat to you sir well done

cheers

heliphoto · 09-19-2009, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by MRRiley

Love the 4th mantis shot...

and the performance of the 400mm and the TC is amazing.

Mike

Thanks Mike, I like that fourth shot too. That lens + TC combo does impress!

Originally posted by cupic

I'm stunned at the clean crisp clear shots my hat to you sir well done

cheers

Thanks cupic

.

JMR · 09-19-2009, 08:27 AM

You make it difficult to choose a favourite, but I have to go with the portrait... wait maybe the first two... especially the second where it appears he blends in with the background beautifully. A symbiotic relationship with his background, very clever mantis.

JMR

heliphoto · 09-20-2009, 04:22 PM

Thanks JMR - I hadn't actually paid much attention to the very close similarity of colors between the mantis and his background... Nice camo indeed.

heliphoto
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09-14-2009, 06:05 AM	#2
imtheguy Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,950	I can never get too many pics of Mantis. The coolest bugs. Nice isolation of subjects. Maybe its the time of year for your location as your bugs all seem to have lost their summer color already.

09-14-2009, 07:16 AM	#3
dycz Inactive Account Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 180	Nice strategy.... hehe... its good to have long primes and a TC... Great shots... really, the last shot... not bad with a Tc.

09-14-2009, 08:37 AM	#4
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by imtheguy I can never get too many pics of Mantis. The coolest bugs. Nice isolation of subjects. Maybe its the time of year for your location as your bugs all seem to have lost their summer color already. That mantis was really unexpected - I don't see 'em too often (except in Marc's macros ). The mantis around here often seem quite drab - I thought this guy was fairly colorful! I've seen ones colored exactly like my "desert tan" flight suit. Actually that's the case for the dragonflies too - most vegetation 'round here in the summer is dead and brown, so the drab paint schemes are probably a survival mechanism... Glad you liked the shots. Originally posted by dycz Nice strategy.... hehe... its good to have long primes and a TC... Great shots... really, the last shot... not bad with a Tc. Thanks dycz - luck is always my best strategy. I am continually impressed with the 1.7x AFTC - if you get the focus right, it's damn sharp (at least with the right lens). I've printed a 12x18 of a dragonfly I shot with it and it looks good to me (not as sharp as this last one though - might have to print that too).

09-15-2009, 09:23 AM	#5
scott-devon Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alberta Posts: 2,140	Very nice shots, love the 4th and 7th ones.

09-17-2009, 01:16 PM	#6
garysmith22 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Strasburg Colorado Posts: 25	I'm usually content to not sign in or make any comments but to just sit back and think "I wish I could do that!" These photos are all breathtaking and inspiritional! Thank You!

09-17-2009, 03:26 PM	#7
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by scott-devon Very nice shots, love the 4th and 7th ones. Thanks Scott! Originally posted by garysmith22 I'm usually content to not sign in or make any comments but to just sit back and think "I wish I could do that!" These photos are all breathtaking and inspiritional! Thank You! Woah!- Thank you Gary.

09-17-2009, 04:22 PM	#8
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Remarkable captures. You put your 300 to very good use. Well done.

09-17-2009, 04:28 PM	#9
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	Some excellent work; the bokeh really stands out. I have used a 80-200 for close ups, but never anything like 400mm. JMR

09-18-2009, 08:17 AM	#10
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash Remarkable captures. You put your 300 to very good use. Well done. Thanks Ash - glad you liked 'em. Originally posted by JMR Some excellent work; the bokeh really stands out. I have used a 80-200 for close ups, but never anything like 400mm. JMR Thanks JMR, for telephoto lenses, both the DA* 300mm and the Tamron SP 400mm have remarkably close focus - 1.4m for the 300mm and 3.0m for the 400mm... combined with a TC, you can get really good magnification with either lens while maintaining a good standoff from the bug in question- esp. with the 400mm.

09-18-2009, 09:03 AM	#11
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Love the 4th mantis shot... and the performance of the 400mm and the TC is amazing. Mike

09-19-2009, 06:20 AM	#12
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	I'm stunned at the clean crisp clear shots my hat to you sir well done cheers

09-19-2009, 07:49 AM	#13
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by MRRiley Love the 4th mantis shot... and the performance of the 400mm and the TC is amazing. Mike Thanks Mike, I like that fourth shot too. That lens + TC combo does impress! Originally posted by cupic I'm stunned at the clean crisp clear shots my hat to you sir well done cheers Thanks cupic .

09-19-2009, 08:27 AM	#14
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	You make it difficult to choose a favourite, but I have to go with the portrait... wait maybe the first two... especially the second where it appears he blends in with the background beautifully. A symbiotic relationship with his background, very clever mantis. JMR

09-20-2009, 04:22 PM	#15
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Thanks JMR - I hadn't actually paid much attention to the very close similarity of colors between the mantis and his background... Nice camo indeed.