A bit of birding

[Steen]

Here's a bit of "home-birding" with D300 + ZF 1.4/85 on a tripod and with a remote shutter release.
Just a couple of the very common Tree-Sparrow (lat.: Passer montanus) at the nest.
I'm trying to resist the temptation of buying a true tele lens for birding while patiently waiting for a new Nikkor AF-S 4/300mm VR. All the crops are actual pixels.

 

[jonoslack]

HI Steen
These are lovely - I guess you're right about waiting - I bought the little 70-300 AFS VR lens - it's been a lot better than I expected, really a lovely lens. Of course, it'll be 450mm on the D300 as well - the bokeh isn't as pretty as the ZF, but it ain't bad . . . and it's very cheap too!

 

[Cindy Flood]

Nice series, Steen.

I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread.
Two bird shots using the inexpensive 70-300 VR. Can't wait for that 300 f/4 VR. I just bought a 200 f/2 VR to use with a 1.7x, but I'm going to need practice hand-holding it.:ROTFL:

 

[Steen]

Thanks Jono and Cindy, and yes please do add bird and other wildlife images taken with your 70-300 VR and other lenses. Cindy, you seem to do very well handholding the 70-300, I must say. Two beautiful captues !
Actually that lens keeps surprising me and it is definitely my alternative if Nikon does not release a new 4/300 VR this year. I have great expectations to the primes Nikon will show us this summer or autumn, because erm ... well, I just think it's about time for some primes

 

[etrigan63]

Technically, this is a bird (although many people consider it to be a feathered rat):

Shot with my D300 +18-200mm VR

 

[Cindy Flood]

Thanks Jono and Cindy, and yes please do add bird and other wildlife images taken with your 70-300 VR and other lenses. Cindy, you seem to do very well handholding the 70-300, I must say. Two beautiful captues !
Actually that lens keeps surprising me and it is definitely my alternative if Nikon does not release a new 4/300 VR this year. I have great expectations to the primes Nikon will show us this summer or autumn, because erm ... well, I just think it's about time for some primes

Thanks, Steen. The 70-300 VR is very hand-holdable. I used to be able to hand-hold the Canon 300 f/2.8 and 400 f/5.6 with no problems, but as you get older, it gets harder. I really appreciate VR now. I am still amazed at the Nikon 70-300 VR. It is an amazing lens for the price. I can carry it around with a 18-70 and have a small 2 lens kit that does just about everything I need.

 

[etrigan63]

I just ordered the CV 58mm SL II for my D300. I've had such good luck with CV on my M8 that I felt their offerings for Nikon are worth a try. Jono and several others can't say enough nice things about them. Granted they are MF, but they are chipped and report aperture info correctly. I may have to look into a Brightscreen Pro.

 

[jonoslack]

Ho Hum - I don't really do birds, but I've fished out a couple of old favorites:

I think this was on a D2x with the 70-200 nikkor - it was nesting time in the Scilly Isles - this one was attacking - one good reason to have the 70-200 rather than the rather less formidable 70-300!

This was with the Kodak 14n, and the nikkor 105mm macro.

This was with the D200 and the 80-400

(what a camera whore I am!).

 

[etrigan63]

Hmmm, and people joke about "hen's teeth". That fowl in the second pic looks positively carnivorous! Scilly Isles has a species of Piranha Goose?

 

[Cindy Flood]

Jono,
You must have some nice archives to dip into. I really like the portrait #2.

D300 and 200 f/2 VR w/1.7x

 

[jonoslack]

Hmmm, and people joke about "hen's teeth". That fowl in the second pic looks positively carnivorous! Scilly Isles has a species of Piranha Goose?

Goose Teeth
Hi Carlos - actually, that one wasn't the Scilly Isles, but remote beach on Create - glykanera, below the white mountains.

I hope you enjoy the 58mm f1.4, I"m loving mine!

 

[jonoslack]

Jono,
You must have some nice archives to dip into. I really like the portrait #2.

D300 and 200 f/2 VR w/1.7x

Thank you Cindy - too much useless beauty I'm afraid, most of it festers in the background, but it's nice to fish around for stuff on threads like this.

 

[etrigan63]

Goose Teeth
Hi Carlos - actually, that one wasn't the Scilly Isles, but remote beach on Create - glykanera, below the white mountains.

I hope you enjoy the 58mm f1.4, I"m loving mine!

Those wouldn't be the White Mountains from H.P. Lovecraft? He always went on about carnivorous penguins and such. Maybe this toothy goose is related.

 

[jonoslack]

Those wouldn't be the White Mountains from H.P. Lovecraft? He always went on about carnivorous penguins and such. Maybe this toothy goose is related.

Hmm - we go there to chill every September, I don't think HP Lovecraft has anything to do with it! (wrong kind of 'chill')
this is the beach:

1 boat a day, an hour's hot walk from nearest habitation . . . and yes, that thing in the sea is a taverna! I'd like to say that the white thing in the sea is the goose, but I think it's a buoy

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Really nice sparrows, Steen. I've always liked sparrows. Remind me of my childhood, when life was uncomplicated

I don't do birds either. They keep moving all the time. Impossible for old people like me to focus properly. This one was quite well behaved though.

Shot yesterday, S3 and 80-200 AF-S.

 

[Steen]

Oops, that fellow looks like his head could fall off anytime
So what do we have here, a "Painted Stork" (lat.: Mycteria leucocephala) ?
Nice portrait work in any case !

 

[Steen]

It takes a lot of cropping to do birding with a 85mm lens .-)

this one is very close to be actual pixels

D300 • ZF 85

 

[Vivek]

Hi folks! This is a different kind of "birding"

taken with a self constructed 28mm shift/tilt lens. Close-ups like these are fun (when they work out) and I would highly recommend it.

Edit: This is the whole frame and as captured. No crops.

 

[Steen]

priceless Vivek :thumbup:

here's one from the dark side - the graphic approach .-)

D300 • ZF 85

 

[Cindy Flood]

Hi folks! This is a different kind of "birding"

taken with a self constructed 28mm shift/tilt lens. Close-ups like these are fun (when they work out) and I would highly recommend it.

Edit: This is the whole frame and as captured. No crops.

I'm blown-away by this one, Vivek. Congratulations.
Could you elaborate on the self constructed 28mm shift/tilt lens?